Jaded (Walkers Ford #2)

By the time it ended they were both shivering in the moonlight. She muffled her cries in his shoulder and held him while he came. He left her long enough to get rid of the condom, then slid into the bed and pulled the covers over them both.

She lay awake long after he dropped into sleep. The moon and stars held the space between sunset and sunrise. For the first time, sex with Lucas felt like a good-bye.

? ? ?

THE NEXT MORNING dawned sunny and quiet. Nate set an early departure to get him back to Chicago in time for a family commitment, so Alana, Darla, Lucas, and Nate were scheduled to meet up for breakfast at the hotel’s restaurant. Darla was the only person who didn’t look like she’d been up all night. Nate declined food, held his head rather carefully, and left his sunglasses on against the light streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the marina.

Alana had showered and dressed in her jeans and jacket again, but didn’t feel up to dealing with her contacts this morning, so she wore her blue-rimmed glasses. After a quick glance in the mirror, she decided against any makeup at all. The flush in her lips and cheeks was more than enough color.

Packing took no time at all. She rolled her bag between the tables, said a quiet good morning, then got herself some juice and fruit. “Late night?” she asked Nate.

One corner of his mouth lifted. “I fell asleep on the beach just before sunrise.”

“That doesn’t sound very comfortable,” Darla said.

“It wasn’t,” he admitted. “I’m out of practice for sleeping on the ground.”

“Good thing you can sleep on the plane,” Alana teased.

“You look like you need a nap, too,” he said, one eyebrow lifted.

There were enough seats on the plane for all four of them to claim a row and curl up, but the thought of spending her last moments with Lucas asleep made her throat tighten. “I might do that,” she said, and pushed the rest of her breakfast to the side.

She wasn’t ready to leave. It’s just San Diego, she told herself. It’s warm and sunny and you’ve had a break from both of your jobs. You’ve spent all night in Lucas’s arms. You have beautiful memories of a romantic wedding in a picturesque setting. It’s the perfect way to end things.

Lucas strolled through the lobby, his duffle in hand, and grabbed a cup of coffee for the drive to the airport. Adam and Marissa dashed up the pier and into the lobby just in time to say good-bye.

Marissa hugged Alana tightly. “Thank you so much for coming,” she said.

“It was my pleasure,” she said. “Stay in touch.”

“We will.”

Darla said good-bye to her son and daughter-in-law in a firm voice, despite her trembling chin. “See you soon, Mom,” Adam said.

The ride to the airport was a little solemn. “Marissa looked beautiful,” Alana said to Darla.

“Happiness does that to a woman,” Darla said softly, looking out the window. She turned to Alana and smiled. “Thank you.”

They were in the air just minutes after boarding Nate’s jet. Alana took one of the window seats and purposely didn’t look at Lucas as he boarded. She wouldn’t give him longing glances. He might be tired, too. He had a job to do in Walkers Ford when he got home. And she couldn’t change the rules of the game on him. She’d made it very clear she wanted nothing more than casual.

He settled into the seat next to hers. “You should sleep,” he said. “You’ve got a long drive ahead of you tomorrow. I don’t want you driving tired.”

“You should sleep, too,” she replied.

“Three hours is good for me,” he said. “I shouldn’t have kept you up most of the night.”

“Yes, you should have,” she whispered.

His hand slid over hers, then turned it palm-up so he could lace his fingers with hers. Without any concern at all for Darla or Nate, she rested her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes, soaking her memory with the sensation of his muscled shoulder and the scent of his skin.

? ? ?

ALANA AWOKE WHEN the wheels touched down. Momentarily disoriented, she inhaled shakily as she peered out the window and tried to remember where she was. The sight of the rolling green prairie made her smile. Home.

She was home.

Nate leaned across the aisle. “Why don’t you ride to Chicago with me? No point in driving across Minnesota and Wisconsin if you don’t have to,” he said. “You can hire an exec relo service to pack up your stuff and transport your car. You’d have it in a week, maybe less.”

Not home. Walkers Ford.

Her eyes widened, and she glanced at Lucas. “Um, I hadn’t even thought about it. I’m not quite done packing. I haven’t said good-bye to . . . anyone. Thank you, though.”

Nate nodded. “Fair enough.”

Their bags were stored in the cabin, so the pilot kept the engines running while Nate escorted them off the plane. “See you soon,” he said as he gave Alana a casual kiss on the cheek. “Nice to meet you. Next climbing trip, you’re in.”