Was that stability worth the vast emotional gulf now separating them?
After spending the morning in the office, he couldn’t take it anymore. He needed to confront her, not that he could force her to talk if she didn’t want to.
Not that anyone could force her to do anything she didn’t wish to do as strong as she was. He loved her beyond reason and felt helpless to find a way back to her heart. He sensed she loved him, yet the wall between them kept him at arm’s length.
Hadn’t he done just what his father warned him against so many centuries earlier? Despite his best intentions, by not being more patient and prudent, he triggered a landslide of events that resulted in his cousin dead and his love now estranged from him. Sleeping in the same bed every night, yes, but she might as well be a million miles away.
How could he ever make it up to her? Could he ever make it up to her?
Or was she yet another loss in his life, slipping through his fingers, helpless to hold her safe and close?
He felt his BlackBerry vibrate and almost ignored it. Work could wait. He needed to think about how to approach Taz, how to break the ice. Then again, maybe it was best to get whatever it was handled. At the next red light he glanced at the screen.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Catch me if you can. ;)
Matthias studied Taz’s text message until the light turned green and the driver behind him beeped their horn.
What is she up to?
Was this the break he’d been hoping for? Was she finally ready to let him back in?
He was still thirty minutes from home and fought the urge to press the gas pedal a little closer to the floor. When he pulled in he immediately noticed her ’65 Mustang was gone.
This didn’t feel bad, though. He had a feeling she was up to something.
Something good.
He went to their bedroom, noticed a few things were missing. He checked drawers.
She’d packed for two.
He took his BlackBerry out, thought about it, and sent her a text.
Do I get a hint?
She was already south of Sarasota on I-75. What was the best way to do this? She’d taken out enough cash so she wouldn’t need to use credit cards and give it away too soon.
She thought about it, and between driving and texting, it took her several minutes to send the message.
Let’s see if you can catch me a little sooner than you caught your first wife. ;) If you want to be faster than my pony you need to fly to PARADISE.
Matthias grinned, sat on their bed, and considered his next step. He called the executive airport and had the jet put on standby, then pondered his response.
I’m ready to take wing but need another hint.
She completed her gas stop at Venice and smiled when she read his reply. She’d calculated the distance and her arrival time. Barring any unforeseen delays, she could be there before midnight.
No need to pack. I’d SQUARELY love to greet the true new day under the moon with you.
That would give him the time and, hopefully, place. Let’s see how good he was at puzzles. Truth be told, it had been Rafe’s idea. He assured her Matthias would figure it out.
Matthias knew. Bolting for his car, he called Tim to let him know they wouldn’t be home for dinner.
Or the weekend, at least.
“Oh no. She didn’t run away again, did she?”
Matthias laughed. “No, Tim. This time, she wants to be caught.”
There was a slight pause. “She’s all right?”
“I think it’s safe to say she’s better than she’s been in a while.”
His next call was to the pilot, telling him their destination so he could file the flight plan. They were in the air thirty minutes later. Matthias sat back, closed his eyes, and smiled. She wanted him to chase her and catch her? That’s exactly what he’d do.
She found her way to Mallory Square a little after eleven thirty that night. No sign of Matthias yet, and she didn’t want to probe to see if he was nearby or not.
That would be cheating.
She walked to the seawall and watched the moonlight dance on the water. She thought about looking for Rafe but knew he wanted her to spend this time focused on Matthias. He was right, she had to reconnect with him, no matter how painful that might be.
“I’m still here, Taz, but you won’t know it. I’m going on a little walkabout.”
She closed her eyes and met him in their room. “I love you.”
He put his arms around her. “I know you do. I love you, too. But you love him, and you need to be with him, not me. You know this is what’s right.”
She rested her head on his shoulder. “How do we not make love with you in my head?”
“You let him make love to you. He’s your man, not me. The big guy needs you.”
“Don’t you need me?”
“Sweetheart, I’m dead. D-E-A-D. Just because my soul’s still kicking doesn’t make a life together.” He tipped her chin and kissed her one last time. “Love him, Taz. Please. I feel bad enough as it is, like I’ve taken you away from him. You know how I feel, I know how you feel, that’s all that matters. So have a fun time, and once you’re home, I’ll catch up with you.”
She nodded, and with one final hug he walked toward a door that appeared in the wall. “Don’t worry, he won’t sense me in here. I’ve been wanting to do a little exploring.” He smiled. “Have fun.”
He left, and she opened her eyes and took a deep breath. He was right—she had enough guilt to last her a lifetime. She loved Matthias, missed him.
Wanted to be his wife if he’d still have her. Maybe now that her mental affair with Rafael was over, she could get on with life. With living.
There’d been no more text messages from Matthias. As the minutes crept closer to midnight, she feared maybe he didn’t know where he was supposed to go.
She looked at her BlackBerry and watched the minutes tick down. At 12:01 she turned and there he was, leaning against a palm tree, smiling.
She slipped her phone back into its holster and watched as he quickly covered the distance between them with long strides, scooping her up as she threw her arms around his neck and laughed.
“I caught you,” he whispered, kissing her. “So what do I win?”
She smiled. “Me.” She kissed him back.
Twenty minutes later, they were in his room at the La Concha. He picked her up, spun her around, and kissed her.
“I love you so much, Taz.”
She stared into his eyes and didn’t think she imagined they darkened from their usual clear blue to the dark color of deep ocean water. “I had an idea. Not many men would jump on a plane over a text message.”
He dropped her on the bed, pulled his shirt over his head without bothering to unbutton it first, and threw it to the floor.
She grinned. “In a hurry?”
“You have no idea.” He pounced, lifting her shirt and kissing her stomach while he worked on the button of her jeans. She ran her hands through his hair, closing her eyes, and enjoying the feel of his lips on her skin, his hot breath against her flesh. Something that Rafe couldn’t…
No. She was here with Matthias, and that’s where she wanted to be.
Matthias took his time working her jeans and panties down her hips, kissing every bared inch of flesh as he went. He sat up, sliding his hands under her shirt, lifting it over her shoulders.