He sat back in a chair, making a loud thud with his body. “Then what do you want?” She gazed across the deck at him. He looked mournful and expectant. “I want you to go back to Boston.” She watched his face fall before the words had left her mouth. “Do what you have to do there and then call me at the end of the week.”
She wiped the tears from her face and did her best to appear in control of herself. “I need more time to sort through this in my head. Take it or leave it,” she shrugged indifferently, but there was nothing indifferent about her actions. Quietly, she held her breath. “And, I’m not making any promises either.”
He stood to leave and pushed his hands into his pockets. He tipped his head back and searched for the sun in the sky. She watched his body language change from defiance to resignation, as the war within him played through to conclusion. “Okay. I can accept that,” he answered. He stepped toward her with trepidation. The lines in his face reflected his lack of confidence. It was an emotion that he was obviously not accustomed to experiencing.
“Can I ask you something before I go?” he asked quietly.
“You can ask, but I’m not sure I’ll answer.”
He inched closer, studying the perfect details of her face as if he were discovering something new. With a finger, he reached out and softly touched the tanned skin on her face and traced the outline of her chin. When he proceeded to her throat, Annie grabbed his finger with her hand.
“What did you want to ask me?” Annie asked.
He inhaled deeply, caught her eyes with his, and held her captive. “Do you still love me?”
Once again, Annie pulled away. “I can’t answer that.”
“You can’t…or you won’t?”
She tilted her head up to him and tipped her chin in a silent stand-off. “I refuse to reveal too much of myself to you. That was a hard lesson I learned a long time ago, Michael. I won’t make the same mistake twice, because I’m certain I couldn’t survive the backlash a second time.”
“It doesn’t have to be like that.”
“Oh, yes it does. This time, it’s not just me I’m protecting. I have two little girls to think about now and how my actions effect their futures.”
“I understand,” he sighed, leaning in to press his lips to her cheek. “I'll miss you,” he whispered with tenderness. “And I will call.”
“I’m not doubting that you will.”
He smiled, exhaustion registering in his eyes. Then his hand slipped around her neck again and pulled her toward him until their foreheads touched. The tip of his nose grazed hers. She could feel his breath teasing her. Hot and moist, it bounced off her lips. Her mind struggled to retain control. His mouth reached for hers, fluid and smooth, he breathed life back into her soul. Their hands clasped and entwined themselves tightly beside their bodies. He gave himself up to the sensation and moaned shamelessly.
When their lips parted he embraced her protectively, as if he never intended to release her. “You don’t have to say the words for me to know how you feel, Annie,” he sighed against her throat. “I know exactly what you’re feeling. I can feel it in your kiss. It’s written all over your face, and when I take you in my arms, your body positively sings to me. It’s the most intense thing I’ve ever felt. And, it’s all I can do to restrain myself from making love to you right here on the floorboards of this deck.”
He kissed his way back up her exposed throat and found her mouth. The pleasure was so exquisite his body began to tremble. “I know you’re not ready, sweetheart, and that’s okay. I don’t mind waiting. I’d wait forever because you’re worth it.” He smiled lazily and wiped the wetness from her swollen lips with the pad of his thumb. Mischief made his pale blue eyes twinkle with life.
Annie was speechless and stood like a wooden mannequin. Without further conversation, he disappeared, leaving an inferno blazing beneath her skin. She touched her throat where his mouth had been only moments before and exhaled slowly. No man had ever made her feel the way he did, and it happened naturally, like spontaneous combustion, whenever their flesh collided. Even after all they had been through, their years together and apart, one thing remained consistent. Her heart still belonged to Michael Wade.
She turned toward the ocean and closed her eyes. One whole week without him, she sighed. How would she ever survive?
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
The days dragged on endlessly that week for Annie. She was left with too many hours of loneliness to think about all the events that had led her to this moment. Sometime between his departure and Thursday night, it had all become clear to her. It was like a heavy fog had lifted from the harbor waters, and everything suddenly fell into place. Jay was right. Once she had relaxed and allowed herself to see beyond the hurt, she was able to see the man she had fallen in love with so many years ago: a man very different because of the lessons he had been forced to learn, and yet the same. So many miles they had traveled - so many tears they had shed, and still they kept falling back together.
Sammi answered the phone when it rang on Thursday night. Annie was busy washing the dinner dishes, her arms up to the elbow covered with soapsuds. When she heard the recognition in her daughter’s voice she nearly dropped the glass she was scrubbing.
“Dah-da.”
After a short one-sided conversation, Sammi handed the phone to her mother.
“Thank you, baby,” Annie replied, drying her hands as she pressed the telephone into the crook of her neck. And then she heard his voice, smooth, silky and warm. “Hi,” she cooed back, in a sweet school girl sort of way.
“How are you doing?” he asked.
“I’m good. How about you?” she smiled, fanning the heat that now flushed her face.
“It’s been an interesting week, but somehow I still managed to accomplish a lot.”
“Oh, really? I’m happy for you,” she sighed nervously.
“Did Sammi or Angel do anything spectacular this week that I missed?”
Annie laughed. “No, nothing that monumental. It was a fairly typical week for us. A little boring without you here though.”
“Really? Does that mean you missed me?”
Annie felt her eyes begin to mist and squeezed them tightly. A silent pause filled the phone. “We can talk about that when you get here. That is, if you’re still coming over to the island?” she asked hopefully.
“I’m already packed.”
“Good. The girls can’t wait to see you,” she sighed with relief, a nervous shiver quaking her body.
“How about you? Are you as excited to see me as the girls are?”
“Michael, you said you wouldn’t pressure me.”
“You’re right and I’m sorry.” He paused thoughtfully before he spoke again. “Do you think you could ever forgive me?”
The meaning of his question ran much deeper than he made it sound but Annie understood the enormity of it completely. Another uncomfortable pause filled the phone line.
“I think I can,” she exhaled slowly. “What’s that old saying? Time heals all wounds?”
“Yeah, I believe that’s it.”
Annie could almost feel the warmth of his smile coming through the phone.
“I’ll see you tomorrow, then,” he answered.
“I’ll be here.”
He arrived at the house just after lunch and played with the girls straight through their nap time. After dinner, he built a fire on the beach and taught Sammi how to roast marshmallows over the open flame. By dusk, both girls were asleep in their beds. Quietly, Annie and Michael slipped from the house and stood awkwardly on the back deck.