Marilyn said.
“Sure.”
“The reason I want to ask is because I actually like you, and I kinda want to give some advice. If you don’t mind, that is,” Marilyn added a little a sheepishly.
“Go ahead.”
“Is it just a fling for you? I mean, are you hoping for something more?”
“I know it’s just a fling,” Sarah said, not willing to answer the second question.
“That’s good you’re not getting carried away then,” Marilyn said. “When I was with Jeff, I found it hard to remember it was just a fling. He can be so sweet that it’s easy to forget it was just casual. You know what I mean?”
Sarah nodded, knowing exactly what Marilyn meant. There wasn’t the least bit of snark in Marilyn’s tone, and Sarah couldn’t help but feel a certain camaraderie with her companion.
“Jeff has a way of making women feel they’re special while he’s with them,” Marilyn continued. “I know he doesn’t do it to deliberately mislead, it’s just the way he is. That’s why it can be so easy to fall for him. But truth be told, I think he’s not over his ex-fiancée.”
“Bianca?” Sarah asked, remembering the name Jeff mentioned once before.
“Yes. Why else did he become such a playboy who doesn’t want commitment after Bianca broke up with him? He must have loved her a lot to be hurt by her so badly.”
Sarah’s heart sank with sadness. She’d thought exactly the same thing.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
J eff was heading toward the back exit to rejoin the others in the gazebo when he caught sight of someone from the corner of his eye. His heart skipped a beat and he knew it was Sarah. He backtracked and poked his head into the kitchenette where staff usually made hot drinks. Sarah was putting a kettle down, her back turned to him. He looked around, saw no one and quietly closed the door.
Sarah was stirring something. From the looks of it, she must be making his grandmother’s tea. He sneaked closer then ran a hand on her back.
She let out a short yelp, her hand flying to her chest. “Jeff! You scared the hell out of me!”
“Sorry,” he said with a chuckle, wrapping his arms around her waist and nuzzling her cheek. Finally, he had her in his arms again. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d pined for a woman like he’d done for Sarah.
“Hey, someone might come in here,” she whispered, trying to escape from his embrace.
“I just want a kiss, then I’ll let you go.”
“Jeff...” she said with clear warning.
“The sooner you kiss me, the sooner I’ll leave,” he said in her ear.
She sighed—a heavy, resigned sigh—then cupped his face and planted her lips on his.
He couldn’t help the soft moan that escaped him, nor could he help crushing her to him and deepening their kiss. God, he missed her so much.
“That’s enough,” Sarah said breathlessly against his lips. “One of the staff will catch us if you don’t stop.”
“Missed you,” he murmured, refusing to loosen his arms around her.
“Really?” Sarah’s eyes were round and disbelieving—and hopeful. Just too cute. And damn, those eyes really were beautiful.
“Really, babe. I missed you a lot. ”
“That’s nice,” Sarah said with a small smile. “Now go.”
He gaped at her. “That’s it?”
“What do you mean? You said one kiss and you’ll go.”
“Where’s my I missed you more than a lot ?”
“I missed you more than a lot, Jeff,” Sarah said quietly, staring at him.
Her words, and the way she looked at him, made his heart dance madly in his chest. Nice feeling—really good, actually.
“Now, will you leave?” she asked in a light tone.
“Maybe I’ll wait till you’re finished and I’ll carry that tray for you.”
“No. You better go first, so no one would notice you’ve locked us in here together.”
“The door isn’t locked.”
“You know what I mean.”
He exhaled loudly. Sarah was right. It wouldn’t be good if they were found out, especially with guests around. And Sarah
“Sure.”
“The reason I want to ask is because I actually like you, and I kinda want to give some advice. If you don’t mind, that is,” Marilyn added a little a sheepishly.
“Go ahead.”
“Is it just a fling for you? I mean, are you hoping for something more?”
“I know it’s just a fling,” Sarah said, not willing to answer the second question.
“That’s good you’re not getting carried away then,” Marilyn said. “When I was with Jeff, I found it hard to remember it was just a fling. He can be so sweet that it’s easy to forget it was just casual. You know what I mean?”
Sarah nodded, knowing exactly what Marilyn meant. There wasn’t the least bit of snark in Marilyn’s tone, and Sarah couldn’t help but feel a certain camaraderie with her companion.
“Jeff has a way of making women feel they’re special while he’s with them,” Marilyn continued. “I know he doesn’t do it to deliberately mislead, it’s just the way he is. That’s why it can be so easy to fall for him. But truth be told, I think he’s not over his ex-fiancée.”
“Bianca?” Sarah asked, remembering the name Jeff mentioned once before.
“Yes. Why else did he become such a playboy who doesn’t want commitment after Bianca broke up with him? He must have loved her a lot to be hurt by her so badly.”
Sarah’s heart sank with sadness. She’d thought exactly the same thing.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
J eff was heading toward the back exit to rejoin the others in the gazebo when he caught sight of someone from the corner of his eye. His heart skipped a beat and he knew it was Sarah. He backtracked and poked his head into the kitchenette where staff usually made hot drinks. Sarah was putting a kettle down, her back turned to him. He looked around, saw no one and quietly closed the door.
Sarah was stirring something. From the looks of it, she must be making his grandmother’s tea. He sneaked closer then ran a hand on her back.
She let out a short yelp, her hand flying to her chest. “Jeff! You scared the hell out of me!”
“Sorry,” he said with a chuckle, wrapping his arms around her waist and nuzzling her cheek. Finally, he had her in his arms again. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d pined for a woman like he’d done for Sarah.
“Hey, someone might come in here,” she whispered, trying to escape from his embrace.
“I just want a kiss, then I’ll let you go.”
“Jeff...” she said with clear warning.
“The sooner you kiss me, the sooner I’ll leave,” he said in her ear.
She sighed—a heavy, resigned sigh—then cupped his face and planted her lips on his.
He couldn’t help the soft moan that escaped him, nor could he help crushing her to him and deepening their kiss. God, he missed her so much.
“That’s enough,” Sarah said breathlessly against his lips. “One of the staff will catch us if you don’t stop.”
“Missed you,” he murmured, refusing to loosen his arms around her.
“Really?” Sarah’s eyes were round and disbelieving—and hopeful. Just too cute. And damn, those eyes really were beautiful.
“Really, babe. I missed you a lot. ”
“That’s nice,” Sarah said with a small smile. “Now go.”
He gaped at her. “That’s it?”
“What do you mean? You said one kiss and you’ll go.”
“Where’s my I missed you more than a lot ?”
“I missed you more than a lot, Jeff,” Sarah said quietly, staring at him.
Her words, and the way she looked at him, made his heart dance madly in his chest. Nice feeling—really good, actually.
“Now, will you leave?” she asked in a light tone.
“Maybe I’ll wait till you’re finished and I’ll carry that tray for you.”
“No. You better go first, so no one would notice you’ve locked us in here together.”
“The door isn’t locked.”
“You know what I mean.”
He exhaled loudly. Sarah was right. It wouldn’t be good if they were found out, especially with guests around. And Sarah
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