

### Passion Never Dies

By Joy Tremay

Copyright 2012 by M. Joy Cumba

All rights reserved.

Smashwords Edition

First Edition 2014

Edited by Sigrid Macdonald

Cover Art by Fiona Jayde Media

No part of this e-book may be copied, sold, reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the author.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, locations, organizations, places, actual events and incidents are either the products of the author's imagination or are used in a way that is purely fictional or in a fictitious manner. All characters in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

For John,

My husband and best friend

Thanks for your love and support.

And for mom,

I love you.

Table of Contents

PROLOGUE

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Epilogue

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

# PROLOGUE

Diana Mulroney didn't know what to expect when she arrived at the beach that night. Her best friend, Natalie, had wanted to celebrate the last summer before they both went off to separate colleges. Diana was excited just to be out of the house and attend a bonfire beach party. It was nothing short of a miracle that the timing of her father's out-of-town meeting had coincided with the party. Her mother had allowed her to go out because her father was away on business: otherwise her strict father would never have allowed her to attend.

"Come on, Diana!" yelled Natalie as she waited for her on the beach.

"I'm coming!" Diana yelled back as she reached for her beach blanket in the back of Natalie's old, dark brown Honda. Flinging back her long, brown hair, she closed the trunk of the car and walked toward Natalie.

"Oh my God, look at all those cute guys," gushed Natalie as she stared at the crowd of teenagers gathered around the bonfire a few feet away.

Diana smiled as Natalie's excitement infected her. It had been a while since she had had any kind of fun. This past year she had studied so hard to make it into a good college that her social life had been almost non-existent.

As she and Natalie walked toward the bonfire, she caught the eye of one very tall, bare-chested, blond-haired young man who stared back at her. He was a little older looking than the rest of the crowd. Swallowing nervously, Diana tore her eyes away from him and followed Natalie to the group of teenagers gathered around the bonfire.

"Hi, I'm Lana," said a pretty, petite blonde in a bright pink, polka-dot bikini. "I'm the organizer for this Senior Night event. We're expecting a huge crowd tonight. Thanks for coming."

"Hi, I'm Natalie and this is my friend Diana," introduced Natalie.

"We've got kids from Long Beach to San Diego joining us, so feel free to mingle," said Lana smiling as she proceeded to call over more high school kids to the beach.

Diana couldn't stop her eyes from wandering toward the blond-haired young man again. He stood a few feet away, but she could feel his stare and it made her very self conscious. Her heart beat faster, but she refused to be intimidated by his intense perusal.

"Great bonfire," said Natalie as she placed her beach bag down on the sand.

Diana tore her gaze away and glanced at the roaring fire before her. She knew she needed to stop staring at that guy, but something about him took her breath away.

Hip hop music played in the background, drowning out the noise of the surf. Diana spread her beach blanket on the ground and sat down. A soda can appeared in her vision and she looked up in surprise at the object of her thoughts.

"Would you like something to drink?" the blond man asked in a deep voice that set Diana's heart pounding again.

"Thanks," Diana answered as nonchalantly as she could. She took the can from his hands and lifted the tab.

"May I join you?"

Blinking in surprise, Diana nodded and watched him as he bent to sit next to her on the blanket.

"My name's James, but my friends call me Jake," he said in a deep voice.

"I'm Diana," she answered, looking into his light green eyes.

He had a face and body that could give any girl butterflies and her stomach was doing flip-flops at the sight of him. His windswept hair reached his chiseled jaw line and his bare chest displayed a six-pack that made Diana salivate. She could barely restrain herself from gazing at his muscled torso.

"My little sister Lana is the party host here," Jake said. "I'm her driver since she lost her license a few months ago."

"She lost her license?"

Jake nodded.

"Lana was a bit careless and drove over a median, causing a small accident. Nobody was hurt, thank God, but now I'm her designated driver."

"You're a nice brother," Diana said smiling. He had just earned some brownie points.

"I didn't have a choice," Jake grimaced. "My parents want me to tag her for the rest of the summer until she's safely off to college."

Jake smiled at her, causing her mouth to go completely dry.

"Are you still in high school?" he asked.

"No," Diana laughed nervously, suddenly grateful that she had just graduated. "I'll be going to college in the fall."

"That's good," Jake nodded. "I miss college."

Diana looked at him and wondered how old he was.

"It's been two years since I graduated and let me tell you something - your college years are the best years of your life."

"What are you doing now?" Diana asked curiously, quickly calculating his age in her mind. He must be around twenty-three, five years older than her.

"Working in the corporate world," he answered wryly.

"Not your cup of tea?"

"Not really, but my dad wants me to be part of the family business." Jake paused before stating, "You must be eighteen if you're about to enter college."

Diana nodded in affirmation, hoping that he wouldn't consider her too young to find interesting. She saw his eyes wander over her features and long, brown hair which draped down her arm. She was glad she was wearing her favorite tank top, a deep purple which brought out the golden lights in her deep brown eyes. She didn't have much experience talking to men she was attracted to. Most of the boys in her school had pegged her for being a bookworm and borderline nerdy.

Since reaching puberty, not many boys had even flirted with her with one or two exceptions. Especially, this past year, her senior year, she had mostly spent her weekends in the library while her friends had gone out and dated. She regretted not having spent more time socializing, but she had wanted to get into a good college and had been determined to focus on her studies her senior year. She was grateful to Natalie, who had been successful in getting her out of the house several times when her father allowed her to.

"Come on, you two," said Lana, approaching them with a burned hot dog dangling precariously at the end of a stick she was holding. "We're scorching dinner here. Help us out."

"That's my sister," smiled Jake. "You can ignore her."

Diana could see the resemblance between the attractive siblings. She got up and dusted sand off her beige shorts while Jake watched her carefully.

"If she's the hostess, I don't want to be rude," she said.

Jake stood up and she was taken aback by his height. He was well over six feet tall and towered over her five feet seven inches easily. He grinned down at her, his green eyes teasing.

"Then let's go eat some burnt hot dogs," he said and held out his hand.

Diana looked at his hand in surprise, but she took it without hesitation.

He smiled down at her and led her toward the bonfire.

~

"Who's the stud?" asked Natalie as she sat next to Diana on the beach blanket.

Diana glanced at Jake, who was laughing with a group of teenagers. She looked away and stared into the bonfire.

"His name's Jake and he's Lana's brother," she answered. She wondered why Jake hadn't approached her.

After they had grabbed some hot dogs, Jake had been drawn into a conversation by a pretty brunette in a red bikini leaving Diana no recourse but to wander away.

"He's hot," Natalie said, dipping her hand into a bag of potato chips.

Diana nodded, feeling the flames of the bonfire warm her cheeks. Not only was he hot but she had felt intensely drawn to him and was now feeling a bit put out that he no longer seemed interested in her.

"He already graduated from college," Diana said, poking at the fire with a long stick.

Natalie smiled. "An older man? Good going, Diana."

"He barely talked to me."

Natalie shook her head and said teasingly, "I saw him with you earlier and he seemed really interested."

Diana looked over her shoulder at Jake, who was now laughing at two girls wearing skimpy bikinis.

"Well, he's not now," she said softly and looked away.

Diana knew it was ridiculous, but she couldn't help feeling inexplicably hurt by his inattention. She had never had such an instant and intense crush on a guy before and it was bringing up uncomfortable feelings. She, the girl who had buried her nose in books since kindergarten, all of a sudden felt an overwhelming urge to throw herself at a complete stranger. How bizarre.

"Oh, come on, there's plenty of fish in the sea," Natalie said, nudging her out of her reverie. "Why don't you flirt it up with that guy over there?"

Diana followed Natalie's gaze toward a guy in a bright orange, Hawaiian shirt and black swimming trunks. He was gleefully downing a beer with several other high school boys.

"Um, no thanks," Diana said as she watched the boy try to balance a beer can on his forehead. "I think I'll pass."

"Pass on what?" asked a deep voice that made Diana's pulse leap.

Both girls looked up as Jake stood over them, grinning. Natalie scrambled up and smiled at Diana.

"I think I'll get another hot dog. See you guys later," she said, winking at Diana before she hastily retreated.

"Something I said?" Jake asked, raising his eyebrow.

Diana stood up and looked into his sensuous, green eyes. She felt breathless all of a sudden as excitement coursed through her body at his presence.

"No, we were just joking around," she said, wiping her suddenly sweaty palms down the sides of her shorts.

"Having fun?" he asked lightly, his eyes intent on hers.

_I was, until you left me_. Diana nodded nonchalantly, grateful that he couldn't hear her thoughts.

"You?" she answered, wondering if he had found those girls in bikinis more attractive than her. She immediately scolded herself for even caring.

"Not bad." He hesitated briefly. "Care to join me on a stroll along the beach?"

Diana's eyes widened in surprise at the invitation.

"Sure," she said, excited but nervous at the same time.

Jake held out his hand and she took it eagerly.

"Careful where you step. There could be glass on the sand," he said.

Diana was warmed by his concern as he led her farther away from the crowd. She heard several wolf whistles as they walked away from the bonfire.

"They think that we're going to make out," Jake said, amusement in his voice.

"Are we?" asked Diana before she could stop herself. She was glad that it was dark so he couldn't see her blush with embarrassment.

"That depends," he said quietly.

"On what?" she asked curiously. She glanced at him, but his face was in the shadows.

"Wait and see," he said mysteriously.

Diana tried to control her emotions at his words. She knew she was stepping into dangerous territory especially for a girl like her. Eighteen and never been kissed and now in the company of a young man she was overwhelmingly attracted to.

They continued to walk along the beach, hand in hand. Jake's large hand enveloped her much smaller one, but she felt safe with him. He stopped at a large pile of boulders and stepped closer to her. Diana looked up at him and felt the ocean breeze cooling her suddenly heated body.

"You're very pretty, Diana," Jake said softly as he took a few strands of her silky hair and rubbed them against his fingers.

"You're not too bad looking yourself, Jake," Diana said, swallowing a lump in her throat.

"I'm normally not attracted to younger girls, but there's something about you," he said as his green eyes stared intently into hers.

"My winsome good looks? Or maybe my sparkling personality?" Diana asked archly, trying to pretend that she wasn't completely blown away by his interest.

Jake bent his head.

"Both," he said as his lips reached down to hers. He leaned down and placed a soft kiss on her lips.

Diana's mind went blank as he softly explored her mouth. She placed her hands on his hips to anchor herself against him and he moved even closer. His lips were firm yet soft and she reveled in the sensuous feelings he aroused in her.

Suddenly, he lifted his head and smiled down at her.

"You taste good," he said and backed her up against one large boulder.

Instead of feeling trapped against his solid length and the boulder at her back, Diana felt overwhelmingly excited. He swept up her long, brown hair and moved it aside so that he could bend down and kiss her neck. She moaned softly as she felt his lips caress the delicate skin there. She heard the metallic slide of her zipper and was mildly shocked to feel his hand against the crotch of her shorts. He raised his head and looked deeply into her eyes.

"Too much?" Jake asked huskily.

Diana shook her head. Her body was on fire and she didn't want him to stop. All her instincts screamed for her to take it slow with this stranger who had managed to accomplish in five minutes what she had allowed no man to do to her. She held her breath as she watched him slowly slide her zipper down. He groaned softly as he reached inside and gently touched her pink thong panties.

Diana knew she was wet down there and was embarrassed, but she was helpless to stop him. She wanted to feel his hand on the most sensitive part of her body and she squirmed eagerly against him.

"Damn," he muttered before he bent his head and kissed her.

This time his tongue slid between her willing lips and he swept his tongue inside her warm mouth. Their tongues tangled as she kissed him back with innocent fervor. She reached up and caressed his long, blond hair as he angled his head for a deeper kiss.

Jake groaned into her mouth and the sound alone heightened Diana's sensual awareness of him. She felt his other hand slide inside her shorts and grip her soft bottom, arching her toward his pelvis. For the first time in her life, she felt a man's erection and it took her breath away.

Suddenly, he tugged her tank top down and her right breast was exposed. Diana gasped as he bent his head and opened his mouth to suck on her breast.

"Jake," she said, moaning as he tugged on her nipple. The sensation of his lips on her breast was intensely pleasurable, unlike anything she had ever felt before.

Jake released her breast abruptly and tugged her shorts down. They fell to her ankles and she stepped out of them. Diana saw his eyes narrow as he stared at her lacy, pink thong panties and she was suddenly glad that she had put on a sexy pair of underwear this morning instead of her usual cotton, white underpants. The thong had been a gag gift from Natalie upon their high school graduation.

"I like your sexy thong," Jake muttered, staring down at her slim body.

"Thanks," she said, embarrassed as he dipped his hand down inside her panties and caressed her wet mound.

"Don't be shy. You're beautiful," he said as he touched her where no man had ever touched her before.

"I can't help it," Diana said biting back a groan as he continued to caress her between her legs, rubbing gently back and forth with his fingers.

"You're so wet," he muttered as he stroked her and she moaned loudly, throwing her head back as he dipped one finger inside her.

"Oh, my God," she groaned as he continued to caress her. Suddenly, she felt her body clench and she screamed as she felt ecstasy wash over her body. She shuddered and he clasped her tightly to him as her body was racked with overwhelming pleasure. She laid her head on his shoulder and he rubbed her back gently.

"What just happened?" Diana asked in a daze.

Jake smiled and kissed her lightly before answering.

"You've just had an orgasm, sweetheart," he said, his hand still inside her panties.

Diana closed her eyes in mortification. She couldn't believe how quickly she had lost it with him.

"Now, it's my turn," Jake said softly and rubbed his erect member against her stomach. He lifted her legs and wrapped them around his bare back. She groaned as she was swept up in a firestorm of lust again. Neither one of them heard the approaching footsteps in the sand until it was too late.

"Diana Heather Mulroney!"

Jake released Diana so abruptly that she nearly fell as her legs touched ground.

"Oh, my God," whispered Diana as she saw her incensed father standing a few feet away from them. She quickly pulled down her tank top and yanked up her shorts.

"Who the hell are you?!" yelled Diana's father as he glared at Jake. Jake swept a nervous hand through his hair as he faced the older man.

"I'm sorry, sir. My name is Jake Redmond and I um, I -" Jake was clearly at a loss for words.

"Dad, what are you doing here?" asked Diana desperately, completely mortified.

Her father had never been very patient with her, but she knew that no father would have been patient or understanding considering the scene he had just stumbled upon.

"I came home early and your mother just informed me that you were here. I don't remember giving you permission to attend this party, young lady," her father said sternly.

"But Dad, Mom said -"

"It doesn't matter what your mother said," he answered back scathingly. "Now I catch you doing this? You should be ashamed of yourself. I did not raise you to be a slut!"

Diana flinched as if she had been struck.

"Now wait a min -" started Jake, but the older man ignored him.

"You're coming home with me and you will never see this boy again."

Diana looked at Jake, who was staring at her, an unreadable emotion in his eyes. She had no recourse but to obey her father as much as her heart ached to be with Jake.

"I'm sorry, Jake," she whispered as she walked by him. Her father took hold of her arm and marched her away.

"Diana, wait -"Jake said urgently as he trailed after them.

"Don't you dare follow us, young man. You stay away from my daughter!"

Jake halted and watched as Diana left with her father. Diana looked at him one more time with longing in her eyes, before she allowed herself to be led away.

# Chapter One

### Nine years later

Diana smiled as she looked down at the paper before her. Four-year-old Madison kept drawing the same picture every week: a stick figure of a girl in a red dress surrounded by purple flowers.

"Pewty girl," said Madison as she climbed onto Diana's lap and played with Diana's shoulder-length, wavy, brown hair. Diana kissed the top of the child's shiny, blonde head and nodded in agreement.

"Yes, she is, Madison. Just like you," Diana said and the little girl looked up at her with a toothless grin.

Diana looked around the classroom and was glad to see that all seven of her preschool children were still napping. Madison was the only one in class who could never settle down and sleep. She preferred to sit on her teacher's lap and draw pictures during naptime. She watched Madison bite her lip in concentration as she painstakingly drew a sun with a yellow crayon.

Diana had been working as a preschool teacher at the Play and Learn Preschool in Las Vegas for the past four years and was happy at her job. The children gave her fulfillment and she looked forward going to work every day knowing that she made a difference in their lives.

"Drawing's fun," whispered Madison smiling up at her.

Diana smiled back, stroking back a few of the child's wayward bangs from her eyes. Madison went back to drawing contentedly, humming softly to herself.

Diana's parents had divorced when she was nineteen. Her father had mellowed out when he married a much younger woman two years later. They kept in touch by phone during birthdays and holidays, but rarely saw each other anymore. Diana was fine with the arrangement since she had never been very close to her father growing up.

Her mother had remarried several years ago and had moved with her new husband to an area of Las Vegas called Mount Charleston, a beautiful mountain community about an hour away from the Strip. Even though Diana missed southern California, she had wanted to be close to her mother and had chosen to move to Las Vegas four years ago.

"Diana, you have a call," whispered one of her colleagues from the open doorway.

"Thank you," Diana whispered back before lifting Madison gently off her lap.

The other teacher walked over to the table and sat down on a chair next to Madison.

"Where you going?" whined Madison, her lips in a pout.

"I'll be right back, sweetie. Draw a picture for Miss Clark," she said gently before leaving the classroom.

Diana walked down the hallway to the front desk where the school receptionist greeted her.

"It's Natalie," she said handing her the phone.

"Thank you," Diana said, picking up the receiver.

"Sorry to call you at work, Diana."

"It's all right. Is something the matter?" asked Diana worriedly.

"No, it's just that - well, let's just say that tonight's dinner is going to be interesting."

"What do you mean?" Diana asked.

"Do you remember a guy called James Redmond?"

Diana frowned in concentration, but the name didn't sound familiar.

"No, I'm afraid not."

"He also goes by the name of Jake."

Diana's emotions suddenly went into overdrive as she remembered the young man who had haunted her dreams for years after her heated encounter with him on a beach.

"What about him?" she asked as she gripped the phone.

"He's going to join us at dinner tonight."

Diana's mind began to spin as she stared sightlessly at the school bulletin board in front of her.

"Diana, did you hear me?" asked Natalie after a few seconds of silence.

"Why in the world would he be at dinner?" Diana asked, trying to sound normal.

"Apparently he's a big wig in the hotel world and Max's boss strongly suggested that we invite him to dinner tonight."

Diana paused and took a deep breath. Nine years had gone by since she last saw Jake Redmond and she had stopped thinking about him years ago. But their steamy encounter had been so potent and vivid in her mind that he had haunted her nights throughout her college years. And now he was back, at least for tonight.

"I'll take a rain check on dinner then," she said.

"Absolutely not," said Natalie firmly. "Max and I couldn't celebrate your birthday last week because we were out of town, plus we have had a difficult time reserving a table at the Cheshire. You're not backing out. Who cares about Jake anyway? He probably won't even remember you. It's been a long time."

_It certainly has_ , thought Diana as she chewed on her bottom lip in indecision. Besides, who cared if he did recognize her? Life goes on and for someone like Jake Redmond she would bet that he was now happily married with several kids. He had been gorgeous nine years ago and she was sure that some beautiful woman had ensnared him by now.

"All right," Diana said slowly. "I'll meet you and Max at the Cheshire at six tonight."

~

"Right this way, miss," said the young waitress as she led Diana to a table where Natalie and her husband Max waited for her. Diana let out a sigh of relief that their other "guest" hadn't arrived yet.

"Happy belated birthday," Natalie said as she hugged Diana. Max reached over and gave her a quick kiss on the check. As they all sat down, Diana smiled at the friend, who was more like a sister to her, and her husband. In her estimation, they were the perfect couple. Max Adler was tall, dark, and handsome and Natalie was a vivacious, petite redhead whom he had instantly fallen in love with during their junior year of college.

Diana had been thrilled to be Natalie's maid of honor three years ago and had even been more delighted when Max had accepted a job in Las Vegas two years ago. Natalie and Max had purchased a house a few miles from Diana's apartment complex, which made it easy for the women to see one another frequently.

"Too bad Richard couldn't join us," said Max.

"Unfortunately, he had to attend a teacher's meeting tonight," Diana said, "but I'll be seeing him this weekend."

"Max wanted to talk to him about boring golf," said Natalie, rolling her eyes.

"I can't believe I'm twenty-seven now. I feel so old," said Diana as she tugged down her burgundy lace skirt. She had paired her favorite hip-hugging, knee-length skirt with a short-sleeved, black lace top.

"Well, you don't look a day over twenty-one. I still remember when you had braces on in junior high school," said Natalie as she reached over to hand Diana a small silver box with a red bow on top.

"Oh Natalie, you didn't have to," said Diana, smiling as she opened the box and took out a silver necklace with a silver miniature star pendant attached to it. A small diamond twinkled at the center of the pendant.

"It's beautiful," she said and Max stood to help her with the clasp.

"Natalie wouldn't stop until she found the perfect present," chuckled Max as he looked at his wife lovingly. "She dragged me to all the shops in New York last week."

"She loves to shop," Diana said and grinned at Natalie.

They both did, but Natalie had more disposable income due to her husband's generous monthly allowance while Diana had to budget her finances carefully on her preschool teacher's salary. Natalie was a stay-at-home housewife, but she was currently writing a mystery novel in hopes of getting it published.

"Thank you both," said Diana as she fingered the pendant. "I love it."

"Love what?" said a deep voice that made Diana's heart quiver. She recognized the voice instantly even after all these years. She hoped that she didn't look as nervous as she felt.

Max stood up and held out his hand to someone behind her.

"I'm glad you could join us, Mr. Redmond," Max said respectfully. Diana glanced at Natalie, who was looking at her with an apologetic smile, before she turned in her seat to get her first look at the man whom she had never really forgotten.

"Please, call me Jake."

He looked the same - still over six feet tall, still muscular, and still dangerously handsome. His haircut was shorter and he was a bit broader around the shoulders, but otherwise his chiseled features and sensuous green eyes were as captivating as ever. He wore a black jacket over a white shirt, which emphasized his wide shoulders and black slacks. Jake glanced at her and her internal temperature shot up as she tried to keep her face impassive while remembering the last time she had seen him on the beach, writhing in his arms.

"This is my wife, Natalie, and her best friend, Diana," introduced Max. Diana swallowed softly as she watched Jake shake Natalie's hand. Then he turned to her and she felt her hand being enveloped by his much larger one. She tried to smile, but her lips were frozen as she looked into his eyes, which were staring at her quizzically.

"You look familiar," Jake said. Diana's eyes widened. He couldn't possibly have remembered her, had he?

"I, uh -" Diana started, not knowing what to say.

She glanced at Natalie, whose eyes had widened comically, but she could see no help from that corner, so she looked up at Jake again.

"We met many years ago," she said, hoping that he wouldn't remember. It was too humiliating to re-hash the past.

Jake's eyebrows shot up inquisitively. He continued to stare at her until Max cleared his throat. Diana glanced at Max gratefully as he gestured to Jake to take a seat. Jake sat next to Max and across from Diana. He continued to stare at Diana intently. Her fingers clenched beneath the table as she tried to remain calm. Sitting across from the man who had invaded almost all her dreams during her college years was unnerving, to say the least.

"Are you ready to order?" asked a waiter.

Diana looked up along with Natalie and Max to give their orders. Diana felt Jake's intense scrutiny of her, but she didn't dare look directly at him even though every molecule in her body was aware of his presence.

"How was your flight?" asked Natalie glancing at Diana's guarded expression.

Jake's eyes never left Diana's as he answered Natalie.

"Uneventful," he replied distractedly with a strange note in his voice, which compelled Diana to look directly at him. She knew then that he had recognized her. His eyes widened a fraction and then became even more probing as his gaze wandered over her features. She gulped softly at his thorough inspection.

"I hope you don't mind, Jake, but we're also celebrating Diana's birthday tonight," said Max, unaware of the tension in his midst.

Diana could have kicked him under the table. Why did he have to reveal that information?

"Happy birthday, Diana," Jake said softly as he smiled at her. "It's been a long time, hasn't it?"

"A long time since when?" she asked, knowing that all she could do now was to pretend not to know him, but she had never been a good actress.

"You don't remember me?" he asked softly and her body temperature shot up at his teasing tone.

"My memory can be hazy sometimes," Diana prevaricated.

"I can always refresh it," he said provocatively, his green eyes glinting.

Diana let out a breath of pure surprise as she stared at him, slightly shocked by his words.

"Well," said Natalie a tad too brightly, "isn't this a coincidence?"

Diana glanced at Natalie, who had a fake, wide smile on her face. Max cleared his throat and adjusted his tie.

"I'm going to freshen up in the ladies' room, if you all don't mind," Diana said quickly as she stood up abruptly and walked away.

"I'll join you," said Natalie and followed her.

In the restroom, Diana stared at her reflection in the mirror and tried to suppress the memories that had come flooding back, memories that seemed to be etched into her brain for all time.

"This is kind of awkward, don't you think?" said Natalie as she walked into the restroom.

"You think? Natalie, you said he probably wouldn't remember me," Diana said. "It took him all of five minutes to recall who I was."

"Who knew the man had the memory of an elephant? Nine years is a long time and it's not as if you guys had even dated much less kept in touch all these years."

Diana let out a heavy sigh. Natalie knew what had happened on the beach between her and Jake, so she understood her consternation. But what Natalie didn't know was how much she had yearned to see Jake again for many years afterward. She had not been able to shake off the intense attraction and now it had come back to life again.

"Look, you just have to get through dinner."

"Easy for you to say," replied Diana and then paused, smiling apologetically at her best friend. "Sorry, this isn't your fault. Don't worry about me. I'll manage to get through dinner somehow."

"I promise to make this up to you," said Natalie. "Let's do a girl's day out this weekend, okay?"

"I'll take your offer. Now, come on. Let's go rescue Max," Diana said and hugged her best friend before they left the restroom together.

For the rest of the evening, Max valiantly tried to keep Jake's attention as he peppered him with questions regarding Jake's ideas on a luxury hotel which was slated to begin construction on the Vegas Strip.

Diana surmised from their conversation that Jake's company had a major financial stake in this new hotel and was in partnership with Max's company. She appreciated Max's efforts at keeping Jake busy answering his questions while she tried to focus on her dinner instead of on Jake. It was an almost impossible feat though and by the time dessert had arrived, Diana knew her resolve not to look at him had considerably weakened.

"Are you enjoying your tiramisu, Diana?" asked Jake suddenly, interrupting his conversation with Max.

"It's very good," Diana answered as she licked her fork and looked up at him. She watched his eyes closely follow her tongue movements and she felt heat coil tightly within her. Discomfited, she immediately looked down at her dessert again.

"May I?" Jake asked suddenly, taking Diana by surprise as he reached over and dipped his fork into her tiramisu. She watched him eat her dessert and couldn't stop herself from staring at his sensual lips.

"You're right, this is very good. Care to share?" he asked in a wicked tone, which caused her internal heat to skyrocket.

"Um, no," she answered awkwardly. "Don't you like your own dessert?"

Diana pointedly looked at his chocolate mousse.

"I'd rather have yours," he winked. Diana gulped softly.

He was flirting outrageously with her in front of Natalie and Max and she didn't know what to do. Her gaze flew to Natalie, who was busy subduing a grin behind her napkin. Max cleared his throat uncomfortably.

"Did you have any other questions for me?" asked Max.

Diana smiled gratefully at him for steering the conversation away from her dessert.

"No, Max," Jake said smoothly. "I'll have my office call yours if there are any further details to work out. Thank you for inviting me to dinner. Now, I really must be going."

Jake stood abruptly taking everyone by surprise. He shook Max's and Natalie's hand and then turned all his focus on Diana.

"Happy birthday, Diana," he said, smiling down at her.

"Thank you," she said politely, relieved that he was finally leaving, but surprised at his sudden departure. She firmly ignored the stab of disappointment in her chest.

"Did you come with Max and Natalie or did you come alone?" he asked.

Surprised by his question, she answered promptly, "Alone."

"May I escort you to your car?"

Diana's eyes widened as she stared at him in consternation. It was the last question she had expected from him. She looked at Natalie and Max, who looked equally startled by Jake's request.

"Well," she said slowly, "I wasn't planning on going home yet."

Jake grinned and said teasingly, "I didn't say you were going home. I thought you and I could have coffee somewhere. My treat."

Diana blinked. She wasn't sure if she had heard him right. It had been nine years since she had last seen this man, but she was still highly attracted to him. Her mind was racing as she tried to think things through, but as he held his hand out to her, she knew she wasn't going to deny him, just like that night nine years ago.

"Thank you, guys," Diana said as she glanced quickly at Natalie and Max, uneasy with their questioning looks. "I'll call you tomorrow, Natalie."

Before her friends could say anything else, Diana allowed Jake to lead her out of the restaurant. Jake kept his hand on her lower back, which made Diana's spine tingle. He opened the heavy front doors of the restaurant and walked outside to the parking lot.

"My car's over there," Diana said, pointing to an early model, light blue Mazda.

She felt as though she were walking back in time, to her eighteen-year-old self, caught in lust for an older man who had awakened all her senses. She knew that she was acting impulsively, but she couldn't help herself. All her girlhood daydreams were now playing itself out with this unexpected reunion.

Upon reaching her driver's side door, Diana turned and looked up at Jake. His green eyes glittered down at her and he brushed her silky, shoulder-length, brown hair aside. Her eyes widened at his gesture and her breathing hitched at his unexpected nearness.

"You do remember me, don't you?" he asked softly.

Diana nodded. Her heart felt like it was going into overdrive at his intent look. He stepped closer and she backed into her car door, but the heat between them only became hotter.

"It's hard to forget someone like you," she said, hoping that the lights in the parking lot were dim enough to conceal the fluttering pulse at her throat.

"You're not married, are you?" he asked in a hard voice, his eyes narrowed.

Diana shook her head quickly.

"Are you?" she asked, praying silently that he wasn't.

Jake shook his head and grinned widely. His smile took her breath away. He fingered the necklace with the star pendant at her throat. Gently, he stroked her delicate collarbone with his thumb and Diana gulped.

"A lovely necklace for a lovely girl," he said, coming closer until their bodies touched. Diana could feel his hard body press into hers and her arousal level rose to a fever pitch.

"I'm not a girl anymore," she said breathlessly and placed her hands against his chest. She could feel his heart beating strongly through his white shirt.

"To me you'll always be that gorgeous girl on the beach that night, Diana," he answered, his voice deepening.

Diana felt herself melt at his words.

"You remember everything?"

"Every detail," he said, grinning boyishly.

Suddenly, Jake bent and touched his lips to hers. Taken by complete surprise, Diana allowed him to search her lips, but her mind was spinning. This couldn't be happening. His breath was an intoxicating mix of wine and pure masculine flavor. Before she knew it, she had her arms wrapped around his neck and her body arched up to plaster itself against his. Jake groaned at her enthusiastic response and angled his head to deepen the kiss.

She felt his hands wander down to her behind and caress her below. He gently ground his pelvis against hers and moaned as their tongues tangled. He deepened the kiss, opening her mouth farther until she felt as though she couldn't breathe. Suddenly, he released her lips and pressed himself against her soft body.

"Damn, you're as good as I remember," he said in a roughened voice as he unbuttoned the top buttons of her lace blouse.

"Jake, I don't think this is a good idea," she said hesitatingly, watching him open her blouse until he could see her black lace bra.

"I think this is a very good idea," he answered and bent down to kiss the top of her breast.

She moaned as he continued to caress her bottom with one hand while he caressed her breast with the other.

"In fact," he said bending down, his voice muffled against her lace-covered breast, "I think this is long overdue."

Diana bit her lip to keep herself from moaning as Jake kissed her breast, his tongue gently licking her nipple.

"Hey, get a room!" said a teasing voice not too far away.

Diana gasped and pushed away from Jake. She watched a man get into a car parked a few feet away from hers and drive off. She felt a blush rising as she looked up at Jake, who smiled sheepishly down at her. She immediately began to button up her blouse.

"Sorry, maybe we should go somewhere more private?" he asked, his eyes intent on hers.

"Well, I -"

Diana's cell phone interrupted her as it rang in her purse.

"Excuse me," she said distractedly as she fumbled inside her purse and found her phone.

It was Richard, the man she had been casually dating for a little over a year. He wasn't exactly her boyfriend, but he deserved her loyalty. Diana frowned, feeling guilt streak through her body. She had completely forgotten about him. Looking at Jake, his handsome features took her breath away and her body intensely craved his, but she knew it wasn't fair to Richard.

"I have to go," said Diana. Her body cried out no, but her mind agreed wholeheartedly.

"What do you mean?" Jake asked, frowning.

Diana tugged down on her skirt and bit her lip. This was more than awkward: it was downright embarrassing. How could she be doing this with a near-stranger?

"I, uh, have an early meeting tomorrow and um, I should really get going," she said anxiously, suddenly unable to look into his eyes. She knew it was a lame excuse, but she couldn't think of anything else with him standing so close.

Jake placed a finger underneath her chin so he could stare into her brown eyes. She held her breath as he probed hers.

"I rushed this, didn't I?" he said, looking a bit chagrined.

Diana shook her head in denial, but secretly agreed with him.

"No, it's just that I really don't know you, Jake. I think we got carried away right now. Your sudden appearance after all these years is a bit of a shock," she said honestly.

Jake grinned and ran a hand through his thick blond hair making Diana crave him more.

"Look, I'm in town for a while, so why don't we take this slow and get to know one another?" He added mischievously, "I promise not to bite."

"I don't know..." Diana's voice trailed away, her mind in conflict.

She had the feeling that Jake was going to be more than she could handle.

"I apologize for coming on too strong tonight, but there's something extraordinary between us. I felt it years ago and, as crazy as it sounds, I'm feeling it again. I know you must feel it too by your reaction to me tonight. So why don't we find out what it is?" he asked, his eyes urging her to agree.

Diana inwardly groaned as temptation reared its ugly head, but her cautious nature refused to let her make any impulsive decisions. She also wasn't ready to tell him about Richard just yet.

"Let me get back to you, Jake," she said and added with a smile, "I admit you're hard to resist."

Jake grinned and placed a hand on her soft cheek.

"So are you," he added softly. "I _will_ see you again soon."

Diana looked up at him, her breath catching at his deeply intense look.

"Good night," he said before slowly walking away.

Diana frowned at his retreating figure. How was he going to see her again? He didn't even have her number. Before she could call out to him, he had already gotten into his black Porsche and driven away. She supposed that a man like Jake would find a way. Right now, she should be more concerned about her behavior with him tonight. How was she going to explain this to Richard?

# Chapter Two

In his corporate office later that night, Jake stood and stared out the window and thought about Diana Mulroney. It had happened again, but this time it was nine years later. He had never really forgotten her, even after almost a decade. For a while there, he had even searched for her. He had practically interrogated his sister Lana, but she hadn't known Diana since they had attended different high schools and Lana had no idea of her whereabouts. He had spent the rest of that summer sulking. That night on the beach had lingered in his memory for years. She had left him aching more than any other woman he had met since or had yet to meet. With her beautiful brown eyes, her shy smile, and sexy figure, the innocent yet passionate eighteen-year-old girl had been a siren he had been unable to resist or forget. Now here she was all grown up, looking sexier than ever and captivating his senses all over again.

Just sitting next to her at the table tonight had made his body come alive. She was still the most alluring woman he had ever met and he wanted her with an intensity that shook him. The inexplicably powerful attraction between them had not waned and he was more than ready to finish what they had started nine years ago.

Jake walked back to his desk and sat down on a black leather chair, placing his hands behind his head. He had not been looking forward to coming to Vegas to deal with this newest business venture, but now with Diana in the picture he intended to maximize his stay. He leaned forward to pick up his cell phone and selected a number.

"Max? Hi, this is Jake Redmond. I need to talk to you."

~

"What happened between you and Jake tonight?"

Diana smiled as she heard Natalie's voice on her cell phone.

"You're obviously not home yet. Call me the minute you get my message," Natalie ordered before disconnecting.

Diana sighed as she stepped into her small kitchen and took out a glass from her cupboard. She needed a drink. Badly. It wasn't every day she made out with an almost complete stranger.

Her cell phone rang and she hesitated before answering it, but recognized her mother's ring tone.

"Hi, Mom," Diana said as she looked inside her fridge.

"Diana, how was your dinner?" her mother Trina asked casually.

Diana was disappointed to find nothing alcoholic inside her fridge. She could have sworn that she had purchased some red wine last week.

"It went great," Diana answered, opting not to tell her mother about Jake. It was simply too surreal and complicated.

"Natalie and Max gave me a beautiful necklace with a star pendant."

"That's lovely, darling. Natalie always had such great taste."

Diana walked over to her living room and sat down on her comfortable, dark green sofa.

"How are you and Murray?" Diana asked. Murray was her mother's husband.

"We're fine. We've been taking our power walks earlier in the morning now to escape the midday heat. When are you coming to visit us?"

"Soon, Mom," Diana answered. Then she paused briefly before adding, "I hate to cut our conversation short, but I've had a long day."

Normally, she liked to indulge in long chats with her mother, but tonight she needed time alone to mull over her troubled thoughts.

"All right, darling, I'll let you go. Take care and please say hello to Richard for us."

Before disconnecting the call, Diana winced at her mother's request. Her mother had a soft spot for Richard and hoped that Diana's friendship with him would deepen.

With a sigh, Diana let out a deep breath to calm her nerves. Her conscience was bothering her and she knew that she needed to be honest with Richard, but how was she going to bring Jake up to him? _Guess what, Richard? I kissed a guy I barely knew and hadn't seen in nine years._ That was going to go over well. She had lost all ability to think straight when she had been in Jake's arms tonight. It seemed that whenever they were together, passion exploded and frantic lust made her mindless to all things except him.

Richard had been her steadfast companion for a little over a year and she was in a comfortable relationship with him. She had never wanted commitment and he had not pushed it with her, which she appreciated. Not that there was anything particularly wrong with Richard, but she had never felt the urge to truly commit to him. He was generous, down-to-earth, thoughtful, kind and had never pressured her to do anything she didn't want to do. He was essentially a very nice guy - but she wasn't in love with him and he certainly never left her breathless and aching, like Jake.

Biting her lower lip indecisively, she picked up her cell phone and chose Richard's number. She cleared her throat, still not sure what to tell him.

"Hello?" answered a deep voice.

"Hi, Richard," Diana said slowly.

"Diana, I called you earlier. How was your dinner with Natalie and Max?" asked Richard in a cheerful voice.

"Oh, um - it went well," she replied carefully. "Sorry you couldn't come."

"Me, too. I really wanted to be with you tonight, but I had to attend the teacher's meeting," Richard said regretfully.

Richard was a fifth grade teacher for the Clark County school district in Las Vegas. He loved his job and was dedicated to his students, which Diana admired him for.

"It's okay," said Diana and then hesitated. She wanted to bring up Jake, but how?

"We're still on for dinner and a movie this Saturday, right?"

"Well, uh, yes, of course," answered Diana, stumbling, but she honestly couldn't think of how to broach the subject at hand.

"I was thinking of seeing that new Meryl Streep movie. It's been getting good reviews."

"Sounds good...we haven't seen a movie lately," Diana said lamely.

"Diana, is there something wrong?"

Suddenly on alert, Diana forced herself to sound more normal. She suddenly decided that now was not the right time to bring up Jake. She needed to see Richard and talk to him in person. She rubbed her temples, feeling a headache coming on.

"No, it's just that I'm kind of tired right now. I think I should call it a night."

"All right," Richard replied reluctantly. "Sweet dreams, Diana. I'll see you soon."

"Good night, Richard," she said softly and disconnected.

Diana laid her head back on the sofa cushion and closed her eyes. She knew she was being a coward. She couldn't bring up Jake for the life of her, but she was determined to tell Richard on Saturday. He was a good man and deserved honesty from her, but she wasn't sure if she was brave enough to tell him.

Diana touched her lips with her fingertips. She could still feel Jake's lips on hers and feel his probing tongue. She had never experienced that kind of pleasure with Richard's kisses. Jake's kiss had shaken her to the core and she had ached for more.

Jake was an obsession that she had subdued so successfully over the years that she had almost forgotten him except in her dreams every once in a great while. Now he was back and she didn't know how to control her awakened feelings for him. It had been only one night, a snippet of time really, but she knew that Jake had forever etched himself into her memory. Now fate had given her a second chance to find out if he was more than just the man who had haunted her dreams - but was she ready to find out?

Diana stood and walked down the short hallway leading into her bedroom. She was a firm believer that everything happened for a reason, but she also knew that if she made the wrong choice she would pay dearly and hurt someone who deserved her loyalty.

Why did Jake have to come back into her life at all? She shook her head as she sat on her bed and sighed. Nine years ago, her teenage self had been frightened by the intense attraction she felt for him. After the encounter at the beach, she had decided to firmly ignore the urge to find him, despite the longing ache that had plagued her the rest of the summer. Two months later, she had moved into her college dormitory, determined to focus solely on her new academic life. She had studied hard and had achieved good marks and had even managed to have a relatively active social life.

Everything had been going so smoothly in her life until now. She and Jake had a history and history was repeating itself. She was extremely wary of the sexual power he had over her and of the overwhelming attraction that overrode her common sense. It would have been far better and less complicated if Jake had stayed firmly in the past.

~

"Miss Mulroney!!" screamed a child's voice, "he won't share!"

Diana looked up from her crouched position where she was tying a child's shoes and saw a little four-year-old boy pouting a few feet away from her.

"Shane, please don't yell. Jacob, come here," she ordered firmly.

A little blond boy with a mischievous smile approached her holding a toy fire truck tightly to his chest.

"Jacob," said Diana gently but firmly, "you must share the toys with your classmates."

"Don't want to," replied Jacob impudently.

"If you don't share, you don't get to play with the fire truck," said Diana and held out her hand for the truck.

Jacob shook his head stubbornly. Shane, a dark-haired, four-year-old boy approached Jacob.

"I wanna play with truck, too," Shane said, still pouting.

"Ask nicely, Shane," instructed Diana.

"Please, can I play, Jacob?"

Jacob looked at Diana. Then he looked at Shane. He hesitated for a few seconds and then nodded his head reluctantly. Diana patted Jacob on the head and smiled.

"Good boy, Jacob," she said and watched the two boys scamper away.

Diana stood up and scanned her colorful classroom, crossing her arms in front of her. It had been a trying day with Madison getting a bloody nose in the morning and another child throwing a temper tantrum, but at least now all her children were contentedly playing with one another.

Hopefully, the children would behave for the rest of the day, so that her headache wouldn't get worse. She hadn't slept well last night since she had been tossing and turning all night, craving Jake and feeling guilty about Richard.

"Diana," came a voice from the doorway.

Joan Mayfield, Play and Learn Preschool's founder and director, stood at the doorway and smiled at her. Behind her stood a very tall and handsome man holding a little boy's hand. Diana felt her jaw drop when she recognized him. Standing next to Jake was an older woman in her late fifties.

"This is James Redmond, his nephew Nathan, and Nathan's nanny Liz," introduced Joan. "Mr. Redmond, this is Diana Mulroney, one of our finest teachers," continued Joan, oblivious to Diana's reaction to him.

Diana felt her pulse accelerate as she stared into Jake's deep green eyes. She had to tear her eyes away so she could greet Nathan's nanny properly.

"How do you do?" Diana asked politely.

Short in height and a little heavy-set with streaks of grey in her dark hair, Liz had a motherly look about her.

"It's nice to meet you, Miss Mulroney," Liz said, smiling widely.

Jake held out his hand to Diana, who took it automatically. He grinned at her and she couldn't help but smile back at him. She glanced at the little blond boy at his side who clutched his uncle's hand tightly. There was quite a resemblance between uncle and nephew.

"How do you do, Mr. Redmond," asked Diana, striving to keep her voice normal even though she was completely stunned by his appearance. This couldn't possibly be a coincidence.

"Please," Jake said, a twinkle in his eye, "call me Jake."

Diana's eyes widened as he winked at her. She couldn't believe his audacity. Glancing at Joan, she was relieved that her boss had been talking to Jake's nephew and hadn't seen the wink.

"Diana, Mr. Redmond's nephew will be in your classroom this summer," Joan said.

Diana crouched down so she could be at eye level with the little boy. She smiled at him and he grinned back. With his tousled blond hair and bright green eyes, he was really quite adorable and a carbon copy of his handsome uncle.

"Hello, what's your name, sweetie?" Diana asked warmly.

"Nathan," the boy answered. "What's yours?"

"Diana and you may call me Miss Diana. Welcome to our class, Nathan. We're so glad you could join us. Would you like me to introduce you to one of your classmates?"

The child nodded his head solemnly and she noticed that he didn't grip his uncle's hand so tightly anymore. Diana stood up from her crouch and looked around. She noticed little Tommy in the corner playing with some blocks.

"Tommy, will you please come here?" she called out. The red-haired little boy immediately looked up and walked over to his teacher.

"Tommy, this is Nathan. He's going to be in our classroom. He needs a new friend. Will you show him around?"

Tommy nodded eagerly and looked at Nathan.

"Hi, I'm Tommy. We have great toys here. Do you wanna see?" asked Tommy, smiling.

Nathan nodded and smiled back. He released his uncle's hand and the two boys walked away together. Diana looked at Jake, who smiled after his nephew. Tommy was an affable child, who got along with all the children. He would be a perfect playmate for Nathan.

"Well now, I better get back to my office," said Joan. She turned to Jake and smiled. "If you have any questions, Mr. Redmond, please don't hesitate to ask."

"Thank you. You've been very helpful, Miss Mayfield. I'm certain my nephew will enjoy being in your school this summer."

Joan smiled and left the classroom with Liz, leaving Diana and Jake alone.

"Surprised to see me, Diana?" Jake asked, smiling at her.

"Just a little," she answered lightly, trying not to reveal how overwhelmed she was by his sheer masculine presence in her little classroom.

"Max told me you worked here when I spoke to him last night."

"Oh, he did, did he?" Diana would have to remember to sarcastically thank Max for being so discreet.

Jake nodded. "After speaking to Miss Mayfield this morning, I decided that this would be the perfect school for Nathan."

"Well, I'm glad," said Diana. As much as she didn't like the thought of him prying into her life, she agreed that her school was the best place for any child to attend.

Diana looked over at Nathan, who was sitting cross-legged on the carpet across from Tommy. Both boys were busy playing with colorful, wooden blocks.

"What time do you get off work?"

"Five o'clock," Diana answered distractedly as her eyes wandered over to Jacob, who had taken back his fire truck and had left Shane looking upset.

"Jacob -" she started, but at that moment Jacob reluctantly handed over the fire truck to Shane again.

"Fine, I'll see you then. I'll pick you up in front of the school," Jake said, a satisfied gleam in his eyes.

Immediately, Diana's eyes met Jake's and she asked, "Wait - what?" she asked in confusion.

"I recall that you still owe me coffee," he grinned mischievously.

"I'm sorry but -" Diana began.

"Miss Diana, Jacob's being bad!" wailed Shane from across the room.

Diana tore her eyes away from Jake's and looked at Jacob, who was banging a toy police car against the wall.

"Jacob, stop that and come here," she called out sternly to the little boy. Jacob immediately stood and walked over to her.

Diana looked at Jake again and shook her head.

"Jake, I'm not sure if having coffee with you is a good idea -"

"I won't take no for an answer," he interrupted, looking intently into her eyes.

Diana sighed, knowing that she couldn't refuse him - he was just too irresistible. She felt a tugging at her skirt and looked down at Jacob, who was looking up at her with an expectant face.

"Fine, I'll see you at five," she said reluctantly, glancing back up at Jake.

"See you then, Diana," Jake said, grinning. "By the way, I've left instructions with Miss Mayfield that Liz will be picking him up after school today."

He took one more look at his nephew and closed the classroom door behind him. Diana bit her lip and wondered if she had just made another impulsive mistake, but she couldn't help feeling excited at the prospect of seeing him again at the end of the day. Despite the warning bells in her mind cautioning her to think twice before spending any more time with him, she was unable to resist him. He was simply too tempting. It was enough to make her grind her teeth in frustration.

~

"Why did Max have to mention my school to Jake?" asked Diana, speaking on her cell phone as she waited for Jake in front of the school later that day.

Everyone, including her boss, Joan, had already left for the day. She had carpooled with a fellow teacher in the morning, so the parking lot was empty.

"Max said he was looking for a good preschool, so he mentioned yours. We thought he had a son," replied Natalie.

"No, he has a nephew."

"Max told him that you worked there and I'm sure that influenced his decision."

"I'm sure it did," answered Diana dryly.

"He's obviously still attracted to you."

"I can't believe he remembered me from nine years ago."

"I guess the man never forgot you considering what happened at the beach that night."

"Well, nothing really happened," muttered Diana.

"Not from what you told me. It's not every day a girl experiences her first -"

"Natalie!" Diana interrupted her. "Don't say it."

"Diana, he was a stud and he still is. Just don't underestimate the power of attraction."

Diana sighed and bit her lip.

"I know, I know. I'm twenty-seven now, not eighteen. I can handle this."

She looked up as a shiny black Porsche pulled into the school's parking lot. She watched Jake get out of his car and felt her heart lurch as he walked toward her.

"I have to go," Diana said quickly. "I'll call you later."

"Wait, what happened last night? You never did call me back."

"I'll call you tonight and give you the details. Bye, Nat."

Diana ended the call and straightened out her grey, knee-length skirt. She hoped that her cotton, pink blouse had not wrinkled too badly, but after working all day with the children, her clothes weren't always in the best state by evening.

"Hi, Diana, ready for our coffee date?" asked Jake as he held out his hand to her.

She took his proffered hand nervously as he walked her back to his Porsche.

"Is this really a date?" she asked, relishing the feel of his hand in hers.

"For me it is," he said seriously, his eyes intent on hers before he opened the passenger side door for her.

She tried to control her racing pulse as she sat on the black leather seat and watched him get into the car. Diana had to repress a shiver of excitement as she looked him over under her lashes. He wore a light blue, short-sleeved, cotton shirt that revealed the muscular strength of his arms and crisp, beige slacks.

Diana watched him turn on the ignition and change gears. It was difficult not to stare at his strong, masculine hands as he easily controlled the powerful sports car. She tried to discreetly tug down on her grey skirt, which had pulled up on her thighs, and caught him looking at her legs. She met his eyes, which had a teasing gleam in them.

"You have pretty legs, teacher," he said, smiling.

Diana's pulse leaped at his compliment.

"Thank you," she said, suddenly at a loss for words.

Jake grinned and then continued to drive on in silence. Within fifteen minutes, he had pulled up in front of an elegant restaurant and had parked the car. He opened the passenger side door for her and took her elbow, guiding her to the front entrance. They were promptly seated outside overlooking a man-made lake with several swans swimming nearby.

"Beautiful view," she said, looking at the swans and the shimmering lake.

"A beautiful view for a beautiful woman," Jake said with a winning smile.

"Does Nathan like his nanny?" she asked, trying to keep him from becoming too flirtatious, not that she didn't like his compliment.

Jake nodded. "Nathan's nanny has been with him since birth. She's staying with me this summer."

"Why do you have Nathan?" she asked curiously. It had been a question uppermost in her mind all day.

"Lana and her husband are taking a second honeymoon this summer and asked me if I could watch him."

"Their honeymoon will be three months long?" she asked.

Jake let out a low laugh. "My sister and her husband have been trying to have a baby for a while now. They figure that a whole summer of trying might seal the deal."

"But why did they want you to watch Nathan?" Diana asked and then, hoping she hadn't sounded rude, added, "I mean, you're single and have a business to run."

"I know what you mean," Jake laughed. "I was taken by surprise when they asked me to watch him, but they promised that Liz, Nathan's nanny, would come along. She's very reliable and is almost a part of the family. I was assured that I wouldn't be overwhelmed as a substitute parent. Originally, my parents were going to take care of Nathan, but my father has become increasingly weak and my mother has her hands full watching over him."

"I'm so sorry," said Diana sympathetically.

"No, it's all right. It has all worked out for the best. I'll get to know my nephew a little better this summer, since lately I've only been around him during holidays and short family visits."

Diana found his attitude sweetly endearing. Not many busy, single men would have appreciated having to take care of a four-year-old all summer. Clearly, he loved his nephew and family and it made her desire him even more.

"Where do you call home?" she asked curiously.

"New York City," he replied. "My father moved his company's headquarters to Manhattan several years ago, but shortly afterwards his heart started failing him. My mother berated him and told him he needed to stop working so hard. My parents decided to move back to our family home in San Diego. When my father asked me to take over the reigns of his company, I accepted."

Jake paused before he continued. "I'm only in Vegas for the summer. I'm overseeing the construction of a new luxury hotel on the Strip. Once summer ends, Nathan goes back to San Diego with his parents and I go back to New York."

"I see," Diana said softly. But she really didn't see at all. Where was all this flirtation leading up to? A summer fling? She wasn't the type of girl who had flings, but as she looked at Jake with his devastating good looks and piercing green eyes, she could easily forget the type of girl she was.

"Well, let's hope your sister and brother-in-law have a successful honeymoon," Diana said lightly, not wanting to delve further into her thoughts.

Jake grinned. "I sure hope so. Lana had trouble conceiving Nathan, so she's hoping a trip to a few tropical island resorts will result in a new member of the family."

Jake paused as a waiter arrived to take their orders. He ordered a steak with red wine.

"I'll just have coffee with sugar and cream, please," said Diana to the waiter.

"Are you sure?" asked Jake, frowning a little. "I'm treating you to dinner."

The waiter hovered patiently as he waited for her answer.

Diana shook her head.

"No, thank you. One of the teachers had their birthday today and Joan had a catered lunch brought in for everyone. I'm very full, so I'll skip dinner tonight."

Diana looked up at the young waiter and said, "I'll just have coffee, please." The waiter nodded his head politely and then left.

"I hope you're not one of those women who watch what they eat because of their figures," Jake said as he stretched his legs out beneath the table. "You look perfect to me."

Diana felt a blush rising at his compliment. His legs were so long that they bumped into her legs under the table. Diana moved her legs to the side to allow him more space and to keep from feeling flustered.

"Why, thank you," she smiled. "But of course I have to watch my figure," she quipped. "Most women do."

"You're not most women," Jake drawled as his eyes wandered over her slowly.

Diana inwardly squirmed in her seat at his perusal, but silently preened at his comment.

"I'm far from perfect," she said humbly.

"We'll just agree to disagree, shall we?"

Jake grinned and winked, causing her to pause and catch her breath. The waiter appeared with Jake's wine and her coffee. She took a sip of her coffee to distract herself. She was finding it increasingly difficult not to fidget under his steady gaze.

"You really haven't changed, Diana," Jake said as he sipped his wine and continued to lazily study her. "It only took me a few minutes to recognize you last night at dinner."

"Then my anti-aging cream must be working," she said lightly, wanting to keep their conversation light.

Jake let out a short bark of laughter and she felt a tingle run up her spine. He really did have the sexiest laugh she had ever heard.

"You look like you're still a college co-ed. It's good that you're teaching preschool children. If you were teaching high school, the boys wouldn't be able to concentrate on their lessons."

"Oh please, flattery will get you nowhere," she said, blushing at his comment.

"How long have you lived in Vegas?" asked Jake, taking another sip of his wine.

"Four years. I was initially uncomfortable with the high temperatures, but I gradually became acclimated."

"What made you move out here?" he asked curiously.

"My parents divorced and my mother remarried and moved here. I chose to live here so I could be near her. I haven't regretted it since, although I still miss Huntington Beach."

"Huntington Beach in southern California?"

Diana nodded. "That's where I grew up."

"We were practically neighbors then. I grew up in San Diego."

Jake grinned and then reached over to tuck a stray strand of her chestnut hair behind her ear. She held her breath as she felt his finger gently caress her suddenly sensitive earlobe.

"Do you remember that night at the beach?" he said softly, his look very intense.

Diana nodded as heated memories suddenly invaded her mind. She could never have forgotten the steamy encounter with a gorgeous stud like Jake.

"Yes," she said slowly and looked down at her coffee, suddenly shy. She felt the tip of his finger under her chin as he tilted her face up gently.

"We lit our own bonfire that night, Diana," Jake said, leaning closer to her.

She stared into his penetrating green eyes, a keen awareness of him flooding her senses. Why was this happening between them now after all these years? She needed to get some answers from him.

"Why are you here with me, Jake? Don't tell me that what happened between us nine years ago is still fresh in your memory."

"It's not as if I planned this, Diana. What matters is that I've become reacquainted with a woman I've never really forgotten."

Jake paused and then placed his hand over hers on the table. Diana liked the feel of his large, masculine hand covering her slender one.

"I've never really forgotten you either," Diana reluctantly confessed. Jake smiled and squeezed her hand gently.

"Good, then it's mutual," he grinned.

Diana paused, took a deep breath and reminded herself that she needed to come clean with Jake for her sake and his.

"I'm kind of seeing someone right now. I'm not exactly his girlfriend but it would still hurt him if he knew I was seeing you," she said softly.

To her shame, she wished she had not had to admit to him about Richard, but she knew it would have eaten her up inside if she had hidden the truth from him.

"So, you have a boyfriend?" Jake asked in a hard voice. His eyes glittered with an emotion she couldn't read.

"We aren't in a committed relationship," Diana hedged, "but I've been dating him for a little over a year."

A small tic appeared on Jake's cheek and he stayed quiet until the silence made her uncomfortable. His hand still covered hers gently, but she could see in his eyes that he was far from pleased with her answer.

"I see," he said slowly. "So, where do we go from here?"

Diana bit her lip as his green eyes probed into hers.

"I'll have to tell Richard about you," she replied softly.

"I don't share, Diana," Jake said in a hard voice.

At a loss for words, she looked down into her coffee cup, unable to hold his intense gaze. Their waiter suddenly appeared and set Jake's steak and a potato down on the table before leaving.

Jake released her hand and placed his finger under her chin, lifting her face up to his.

"You do what you have to do," he said quietly, "but just so you know, I don't give up easily on the people or things I want...and I want you."

Diana let out a breath of surprise at his words. They sent an excited thrill up her spine, but she also felt trepidation at the challenge in his eyes.

"I see," she said. "I suppose that's your way of throwing down the gauntlet?"

Jake smiled suddenly, amused at her words.

"That's medieval, but, yes," he added seriously, "I'm not about to let you go, Diana."

Diana shook her head at his statement.

"You realize that you're causing a minor earthquake in my life right now, don't you, Jake Redmond?"

"So, what are you going to do about it, Miss Mulroney?" he asked, a twinkle in his eye.

"I have no idea," she replied honestly.

Jake was more masculine, more exciting, more sexy than any man she had ever met or been with. Diana had a feeling that she was getting in over her head, but she knew that she was helpless to stop the feelings that overcame her each and every time she was with him. She wanted him badly and she was afraid that he already knew it.

Jake laughed, leaned over and kissed her lightly, taking her by surprise.

"I'm sure you'll figure it out, sweetheart," he said.

Diana blinked at his use of the endearment and watched him pick up his fork and knife. He cut into his tender steak and quickly began wolfing down his meal.

"You sure you don't want anything to eat?" Jake asked.

"You sure you don't want another steak?" she answered, marveling at how quickly he ate.

Jake smiled. "Sorry, I haven't eaten since this morning and this is delicious."

"Go ahead," Diana said. "I'm happy with my coffee."

Jake finished his meal in record time and sipped the last of his wine.

"Would you like dessert, Diana?" he asked, leaning over the table toward her.

"No, I actually should be heading home now. It's been a long day," she said. She wanted to spend more time with him, but she needed to go home and collect her thoughts.

Jake gave the waiter his credit card and then placed his hand over hers.

"Thank you for joining me for dinner tonight," he said and stroked his thumb over her hand. "We should do this again soon."

"Let's take this slowly, Jake," she said, her hand tingling from the gentle stroking of his thumb.

She did not want to rush into something with Jake. He was too lethal to her senses and she had some unfinished business with Richard to attend to first.

"Take all the time you need, Diana," he said, lifting her hand up and kissing her palm gently. "Just as long as you know that I'm not going anywhere."

Diana couldn't help staring at his lips as they kissed her palm.

"Is there anything else I can get for you tonight, sir?" asked the waiter, who suddenly appeared before them, handing Jake back his credit card. "No, thank you," Jake answered, smiling at the waiter. "It was a delicious meal."

Jake abruptly stood up and pulled out Diana's chair. He took her hand and they walked out of the restaurant together.

~

In the parking lot, Diana watched Jake open the passenger side door of the car, but before she could step inside, he turned her around to face him.

"What -" she said before he swooped down and kissed her passionately.

Shocked by his sudden kiss, she released her purse, which fell to the ground, and returned his kiss helplessly as she clutched his waist. His tongue invaded her mouth as he held her head between his hands and angled his body into hers, pressing her into the passenger side door. Aroused to a fever pitch, she moaned as she lost herself in his wildly fervent kiss.

Jake continued to press into her and she felt his erection rub against her stomach. Diana moved sinuously against him and heard him groan at her sensuous movement. He placed both hands on her bottom and arched her farther into him. At her gasp, he released her lips and looked down at her with blazing eyes.

"I'm sorry, but I've been waiting to do this all evening," he said, bending down to kiss her neck.

"Mmm," she said, unable to hold back a moan as he gently licked her neck. "I guess this is your dessert?"

Jake chuckled gently and lifted his head, his hands squeezing her bottom.

Diana was wildly aroused, but she was still feeling guilty over Richard. She needed to stop this until she could break it off cleanly with Richard. However, there was no denying it any longer. She was in too deep with Jake and she couldn't prevent herself from being with him even if she had wanted to.

"I need to go home," she said reluctantly.

Jake looked intently into her eyes for a long moment before he nodded, seeming to understand her need to end the evening.

"I'll take you home, sweetheart," he said and bent to kiss her lips one more time. "You won't regret this, Diana. I promise," he said against her lips before he kissed her softly, his tongue gently thrusting inside her mouth. She moaned and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"Your lips are too sweet," he mumbled as he hugged her to him. "Go out with me tomorrow night."

Diana frowned slightly.

"Jake, I have to tell Richard about us. Tomorrow night I have a date with him."

Jake frowned in displeasure. "A date?"

"Yes, it was planned a while ago," Diana answered reluctantly. "I need to let him know and end it with him."

"Will it be difficult for you to break up with him?" he asked carefully, an unreadable expression on his face.

Diana hesitated, uncomfortable about opening up to him just yet. Even though she and Richard had more of a "friends with benefits" relationship, she knew that if given a chance, he would want a deeper connection. He had always been kind and sweet to her and the last thing she wanted to do was hurt him. But now wrapped in Jake's arms, she knew that she needed to be honest with Richard. She had never felt intense longing for him like she did for Jake and although she had been content enough with him until Jake had come along, now she knew she would never be again.

"It would be harder to let you go," she said quietly.

Jake's smile took her breath away and he cradled her face in his hands, giving her another kiss.

"Let me take you out to lunch on Sunday," he urged her.

"Okay," she agreed readily, not sure what was on her calendar, but she didn't care. She just wanted to be with him.

He kissed her again, tracing his tongue across her lips before he kissed her voraciously. They both heard a car honk and a loud wolf whistle before parting reluctantly. Diana looked up to see a couple of teenagers in a car drive by, smiling at them.

"Too much public display of affection again," Jake said, laughing as he released Diana reluctantly. "You have a knack of making me forget where I am."

"Ditto," she smiled impishly up at him. She had never been one to forget her surroundings completely, but with Jake anything was possible.

"Come on, I'll take you home now," Jake said, releasing her.

~

"You're going to do what?!" exclaimed Natalie, loud enough for the other patrons at the trendy coffee shop to turn and look at her and Diana curiously.

"Nat, I know it sounds crazy, but you don't understand," Diana said, smothering a yawn and taking a sip of her iced coffee, hoping to wake up. She had wanted to sleep in since it was Saturday, but Natalie had called her especially early in the morning and had insisted that they get together to talk.

"Richard has been the sweetest guy to you for over a year now and believe me, Diana, there aren't that many good men around. Jake Redmond comes out of nowhere and you're throwing Richard out for him?" Natalie asked accusingly, her blue eyes blazing.

"I'm not throwing him out," Diana replied indignantly. "I'm letting him go. There _is_ a difference. You and I both know that my relationship with Richard was going nowhere. I don't have deep feelings for him and I never will. It's unfair to continue on with him when I'm intensely attracted to Jake."

Natalie shook her head and tossed her long, red hair over her shoulder. "It's called lust, Diana," Natalie stated bluntly.

"No, Nat, I think it's more than that," denied Diana. She loved Natalie like a sister, but she tended to be a tad aggravating at times.

"Richard and I have never referred to each other as "boyfriend" and girlfriend" stated Diana. "I've been a bit unkind to him when you think about it. We've dated for over a year and I still haven't been able to commit to him. It's time he found someone who can love him and make him happy."

" _You_ make him happy, Diana," Natalie insisted. Then she paused, taking a sip of her coffee, "I know Richard can be kind of boring but I just think you're being a little rash and impulsive. You don't know anything about Jake. From what Max knows about him, he's rumored to be pretty ruthless and cutthroat in the business world. He's Mr. Corporate and you're Ms. Softy."

"Oh, come on, Natalie," Diana protested. "You're married to a corporate guy. There's nothing wrong with Max."

"Max is a big player, but he's not a business tycoon with major shares in several luxury hotels in Vegas. Jake is nothing like the guys you've ever dated before Diana. He'll eat you up alive."

"Oh, please," scoffed Diana, "you're totally over-reacting. Jake is a perfectly nice guy."

"How long will he be in Vegas?" Natalie asked, eyebrows raised.

"Just for the summer."

"That's it? Then what?"

Diana shook her head in frustration. It was just too early in the morning to be interrogated by her best friend.

"I don't know. All I know is that I really want to be with him."

"What is going on, Diana?" Natalie asked, confused. "You've always been the play-it-safe kind of girl."

"But I don't want to be that girl anymore," protested Diana. "I played it safe with Richard for a year and quite frankly, it became a bit dull and routine."

"So, now you're suddenly the take-a-leap-on-the-wild-side kind of girl?"

"Not necessarily," said Diana slowly. But with Jake she suspected that if he said "jump", she would ask "how high?"

"Humph," Natalie grunted. "You're a bit naïve, Diana, and I'm saying that in the kindest way possible."

"I don't necessarily agree," Diana said, shaking her head.

"Before Richard, there was Jeff, but you only dated him for a few months and before him there was George. You only dated George during our senior year in college. Then he left to take a job out of state soon after graduation. That's a total of three guys you've dated. I hardly think that makes you knowledgeable about men."

Natalie paused and then placed her hand on top of Diana's.

"Look, you're my best friend," Natalie said gently, "and I just don't want to see you getting hurt."

Diana smiled and squeezed Natalie's hand reassuringly.

"I know you don't understand. I don't quite either, but you see, he makes me feel so special. I completely forget myself when I'm with him. I even forget that we're in public places whenever we've kissed and you know how I feel about public displays of affection."

Natalie laughed. "You always roll your eyes when you see couples kissing in public."

"I like the way Jake looks at me and the way I feel in his arms," Diana said in a soft voice, a faraway look in her eyes.

Natalie put a hand up. "Okay, that's too much information. But seriously, Diana, there are consequences to everything and I just hope you're going into this with your eyes wide open."

"Don't worry about me, Nat. I'm twenty-seven years old and I can take care of myself," she replied gently.

"If he hurts you, I swear I'll have Max beat him up."

"Thanks," said Diana, amused.

Natalie sighed. "Fine, this is your decision, but just be careful, okay?"

Diana smiled, reached over across the table, and squeezed her best friend's hand.

"Thanks, I'll let you know how it goes tonight."

# Chapter Three

"Sir, would you like another rum and coke?" asked the pretty blonde in the skimpy waitress outfit. She bent over him and Jake had a good view of her bountiful chest. He shook his head wryly and looked over to his colleagues who were busy laughing and drinking. It was only noon, but his business associates had been having happy hour cocktails for the past hour.

Jake glanced at his gold watch and frowned. For some reason, this business meeting was taking interminably long. He didn't feel jovial nor did he want to discuss business any longer. His attention span had never been so short during a meeting before. It all had to do with one pretty brunette and her imminent break-up tonight.

"Hey, Jake, we're heading over to the casino. Do you want to join us?" asked one of the men.

Jake shook his head and stood up.

"Sorry, gentlemen, I'm heading out."

The other men also stood and took turns shaking his hand.

"We'll have the projections in your office Monday morning," said one man respectfully.

"Thank you," said Jake and nodded to them before leaving the lounge.

He was vastly irritated with himself for being unable to focus on business this afternoon. It had never happened to him before. Tomorrow wasn't soon enough for him to see Diana. He knew that his patience was inexplicably wearing thin. She was an itch that he needed to scratch as soon as possible and it puzzled him as to why she, more than any other woman he had ever dated before, had become such an obsession to him.

~

Diana baked in the June heat as she waited for Richard in front of an upscale Chinese restaurant. Even though she had lived in Vegas for four years now, she was still sometimes taken aback by the scorching high heat of Vegas' long summers which even at night, never cooled off.

Nervous about the upcoming conversation she knew was going to take place, she wore one of her best summer dresses, a silky, white, wraparound, sleeveless dress that accentuated her slim figure.

"Hey, pretty lady," said a cheerful voice.

Diana looked up to see Richard, dressed in cotton, tan slacks, and a light blue polo shirt, approach her. His sandy brown hair was brushed back carefully and his light blue eyes were warm as he embraced her. She smiled at him weakly as he kissed her cheek.

"Hi, Richard," she said dully, feeling guilt streak through her, seeing how happy he was. She hoped that he wouldn't hate her for what she was about to tell him over dinner.

Richard took her elbow and led her into the restaurant. A waiter seated them outside and gave them tall glasses of cold water while they selected dishes from their menu.

"Richard, before we start, I wanted to tell you something," said Diana tentatively.

She had debated with herself earlier about when to tell Richard about Jake and decided that the sooner she told him the better; otherwise she might lose her nerve and end up not telling him at all. Dinner would most likely be ruined and there was the high probability that he would walk out on her, but she didn't think that waiting until dessert would be kind either.

"What is it, Diana?" he asked, frowning, sensing her disquiet.

"I - well I..." Diana began awkwardly, feeling vastly uncomfortable under his probing gaze. This was going to be harder than she had anticipated. Suddenly, Richard placed his hand over hers and smiled.

"Wait, before you say anything, I want to give you something."

Diana's eyes widened as he took out a small, black velvet box and gave it to her.

"Richard, what -"

"Diana," he said interrupting her, "this is for you. Happy birthday."

He opened the lid and a matching pair of diamond heart-shaped earrings winked at her.

Diana was so relieved to see that his gift was merely a pair of earrings, she let out a loud sigh of relief.

"They're beautiful," she said as she stared at the earrings. "But truly, they're too much." _Especially after what she was going to tell him tonight._

"No, they're not. I've been feeling guilty about not making it to Natalie's and Max's birthday dinner for you and I want you to have these. I bought them a few weeks ago and knew you'd like them," Richard said, grinning from ear to ear.

Diana looked into Richard's earnest blue eyes and bit her lip. Maybe she should wait to tell him about Jake until after dinner. _Coward_ , said an inner voice in her head, but she just couldn't do the dreaded deed right now - and of course, she was definitely not going to accept the earrings.

"Now, where's our waiter?" he asked, looking around. "I'm famished, plus our movie starts in two hours, so we better order soon."

Diana clamped down on her guilty feelings and picked up her menu. They were going to have one last pleasant evening together and after dinner she'd bring up Jake.

A little over an hour, several delicious dishes, and some wine later, Diana sat back in her chair and contemplated a content Richard. They had enjoyed mouth-watering food and light-hearted conversation, but guilt weighed her down and she didn't know how to proceed.

"Is something the matter, Diana?" asked Richard looking worried. "All night, I've sensed that you've been distracted. What's wrong?"

Diana swallowed a lump in her throat before beginning.

"Richard, you and I have been seeing each other for over a year now and I've enjoyed your company immensely," she said slowly. "However, something has made me realize -"

"Stop," he said abruptly, surprising her. His blue eyes looked at her intently. "I think I know where you're heading with this. I know we haven't committed to each other yet, but I wanted to leave that up to you."

Richard paused before reaching across the table and placed his hand over hers.

"I have very deep feelings for you, Diana, but I didn't want to pressure you into anything. Now, however, I think you should know that I want us to deepen our relationship."

Diana gazed at him in consternation. They had slept together infrequently over the past year, and after each encounter, she had never truly felt fulfilled. The sad truth was that even though she liked him very much, she had never sought a deeper connection.

"Richard, I'm flattered," said Diana gently. "You've been so understanding and patient with me. I'm afraid though that I don't feel the same way about you as you feel about me."

Richard's blue eyes looked so sorrowful that it made Diana want to reach out and hug him.

"I know that I've felt more for you than you've felt for me, but I clung to the hope that your feelings would change. I guess I'm pretty pathetic."

Richard paused and said sadly, "I've only ever wanted to make you happy, Diana."

"I know," Diana said softly. "I've never wanted to hurt you but now it's time for us to go our separate ways."

"No, please don't say that," Richard said pleadingly.

Diana shook her head firmly.

"I'm sorry, Richard, but I've met someone else," she said quietly.

"Who?" he asked flatly. His eyes never wavered from hers.

"It's someone from my past. You don't know him," she hedged.

"I want you in my life, Diana. Doesn't that mean anything to you?" "It does mean a lot to me," she replied honestly, feeling guiltier than she had ever felt in her whole life. "It's just that I'm no longer capable of continuing our relationship. I wish you the best. I know that there's a perfect girl out there for you."

He looked so sad that she felt like she had just kicked a puppy.

"I don't know if I'll ever find the perfect girl," he said in a defeated voice. "Keep the earrings. I don't want them."

"Richard, I can't - but thank you for being such a wonderful man and a gentleman."

Richard paid for their dinner and they were both very quiet as he walked her to her car.

"Whoever he is, I hope he treats you right, Diana," Richard said quietly before he turned around and walked away.

He didn't look back, the little black box containing the earrings clutched in his hand because Diana had refused to keep them. She felt wretched, but she also felt a weight lift off her shoulders. She should have broken off with Richard months ago but she had not wanted to hurt him. Sooner or later, she would have ended their relationship but it was good that it happened sooner.

~

Later that evening, Diana crawled underneath her pink, cotton sheets. Still feeling emotional over her break-up with Richard, she had driven home with his hurt look haunting her all the way back to her apartment. It would have been better if he had railed and ranted at her instead of being so quietly accepting.

Suddenly, her cell phone rang on her night table, causing her to blink in alarm. It was past midnight. Who could be calling so late?

"Hello?" she asked distractedly, thinking it was Natalie calling for a late night update.

"Diana," said Jake in a husky voice that caused her heart to leap instantly.

"Hi, Jake," she said as she sat up straighter on her bed and leaned against her pillows. She had not expected his call at all.

"How did your dinner go?" he asked, a curious edge in his voice that she couldn't interpret.

"It went fine," she said, not wanting to go into details.

There was a short silence and Diana wondered what he was thinking.

"Did he take it okay?"

"Yes, Jake. He even gave me a birthday present."

"A birthday present?" he asked, displeasure in his voice.

"Yes, earrings," Diana admitted reluctantly.

"I see," Jake said in a hard voice. "Did you keep them?"

"No, of course not," she said, slowly starting to get irritated. What kind of woman did he think she was?

There was a pause on the other line and she closed her eyes feeling tired.

"I'm sorry if feelings were hurt, Diana," Jake said unexpectedly.

"I suppose it was inevitable," she said resignedly.

"It's late, so I'll say good night. I'll pick you up at noon tomorrow," he said, his voice gentle.

She suppressed a yawn before answering.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Jake. Good night."

Diana ended the call and slipped back down under her sheets again. Jake was like a bomb that had dropped into her peaceful world and part of her knew that perhaps she was jumping into Jake's arms too quickly. But she wanted Jake more than any man she had ever met and now she understood that old saying; never underestimate the power of attraction.

~

Jake stared out into the night sky from his balcony and pondered over the possessiveness he felt toward Diana. He took a gulp of whiskey from his glass and thought about the woman whom he couldn't wait to see the next day. He had his pick of women, especially here in Vegas where he had connections to every party venue in the city, and he had fully expected to meet many women while in town this summer. But after meeting Diana again, all he wanted to do was uncharacteristically spend his free time with just one woman - her.

Taking another gulp of his whiskey, he realized that perhaps one of the reasons why he had never been in a serious relationship was because he had subconsciously compared all women to the innocently sweet and sensual eighteen-year-old brunette he had met nine years ago and none of them had sparked his interest like Diana. He also had never felt possessive over any woman before. Just knowing that another man had given Diana earrings set his teeth on edge. If anyone was going to give her earrings, it would be him, damn it. He clenched his jaw before taking one last gulp of his whiskey. Tomorrow he was going to show her what she had been missing these past nine years and finally get his fill of the woman who had haunted his dreams for much too long.

# Chapter Four

The small airfield was dusty, but buzzing with activity. Diana gingerly stepped into the small plane and looked out the window before strapping herself in. She had been surprised when Jake had told her that they were flying out of Vegas and going to San Diego for lunch. She had been thinking that they were going to a restaurant on the Strip. Nowhere in her wildest imagination did she think they were going to be flying out of the city.

"Don't worry. I know the pilot and he flies this route all the time. We should arrive in a little over an hour," said Jake, sitting next to her. He watched her bite her lower lip before squeezing her hand briefly. He could feel her racing pulse and stroked his thumb gently over her palm.

"I'm not worried. The plane is a little small, though," Diana said a little nervously. Jake gave her a reassuring grin.

"Relax, sweetheart. Everything will be fine. Just breathe," he said.

Diana looked into his teasing green eyes, warmed by his endearment, and understanding of her nerves. She didn't particularly like flying, especially on small planes.

"Please turn off all electronic devices," instructed a flight attendant politely as she walked past them. Jake turned off his iPhone and smiled at her.

"I wanted to surprise you."

"Well, you succeeded," said Diana. "You know, lunch at a local bistro would have been fine with me."

Jake laughed and tucked back a few flyaway silky strands of her chestnut hair behind her ear, causing her ear to tingle.

"Are you telling me you're a cheap date?"

"I'm not a cheap anything," she replied tartly.

"I'm going to treat you like a queen, Diana," he said and leaned down to kiss her cheek. She felt her heart accelerate at his words and smiled back at him.

"Honestly, this is a bit much Jake. I'm not used to flying out of the city for lunch."

"I think escaping the Vegas heat for a few hours would be a relief," he said. "Besides, you'll like this restaurant I'm taking you to."

The plane took off and in a short time, Diana found herself landing in beautiful San Diego. Jake escorted her to a waiting shiny, black Lincoln town car. He gave the driver instructions on where to go before closing the privacy partition while Diana looked out the tinted window and viewed the pretty landscape before her.

"It's nice to be back," said Jake as he lounged comfortably against the black leather seating.

"You really miss it here?" asked Diana, admiring his casual yet sexy look. He wore faded blue jeans with a white sleeveless shirt and managed to look drop-dead gorgeous.

He nodded. "New York is great, but San Diego holds a lot of good memories. The beaches here are incredible. My friends and I used to surf every day."

Jake lifted her hand from where they rested on her lap and kissed her palm, his tongue teasingly licking. The simple gesture left her knees weak and he smiled at her mischievously.

"Too bad I forgot to remind you to bring your bikini. We could've frolicked at the beach after lunch."

"Frolicking with you sounds fun," she said teasingly.

Jake placed his arm around her waist and drew her up close to him. She could feel his hard, masculine body through the thin, strapless, light pink dress she wore.

"We'll do a lot of _frolicking_ , sweetheart," he said before he bent his head and kissed her, "and don't worry, the driver can't hear or see anything with the privacy partition up."

Diana arched into him and opened her mouth slightly, more than ready for his kiss. Jake placed one of his hands at her nape to hold her steady while his other hand slowly inched the hem of her dress up her thigh. She heard him groan as he touched his tongue to hers and he opened her mouth wider.

Diana placed her arms around his shoulders and clung to him as he eagerly explored her mouth with his tongue. He tasted so good that she moaned in pleasure as he continued to delve deeper, his mouth devouring hers. The skirt of her dress was now bunched up around her waist and she felt his hand caress her soft thighs. His fingers skimmed her pink, lace thong panties and gently delved inside. Her temperature soared even higher as she heard him groan.

"Damn, you're so wet," he muttered against her lips. She opened her eyes slowly and caught him staring down at his fingers as they gently explored her between her legs.

"Jake, I -" started Diana, embarrassed at what he was doing.

"Shh, sweetheart," Jake interrupted. "I promise you're going to like this."

Once again, Jake bent down and captured her lips, his tongue entwined with hers as his fingers rubbed at her below. He was so turned on that he couldn't stop kissing her and touching her. Her lips were so soft and her body was so responsive to his touch. He loved the way her tongue tangled eagerly with his and how she was so moist between her legs. His erection became even more uncomfortable as he heard her ragged moan. He pressed himself against her even more as he gently tugged down her bodice and captured one erect nipple in his mouth and sucked. He groaned as she gasped and squirmed against him, his hand getting wetter and wetter below. "Don't stop," she pleaded softly as he swallowed her breast and cupped her between her legs.

"I want you so badly, Diana," he muttered.

He felt her reach between their bodies and unzip him. He was so turned on by her bold action that he inserted a finger inside her and felt her shudder in excitement. His manhood felt as if it were going to burst as she writhed against him. He continued to suck on her turgid nipple as he rhythmically pumped his finger in and out of her wet mound. Suddenly, she cried out and felt his finger drench in her wetness. Her orgasm suddenly made him clench to keep himself from coming. He released her nipple and stared into her eyes. She looked dazed and shocked, but she smiled in satisfaction causing him to stroke her one last time between her legs before withdrawing his hand from underneath her skirt.

"Wow, that was something," she said, breathless.

"It surely was. You're so hot, Diana," he said as he adjusted himself and zipped up reluctantly. Now was not the time to take her no matter how badly he ached to.

"I'm overwhelmed," she confessed, raking her hair back behind her ears. He sensed that she was embarrassed by her behavior, but he bent down to kiss her comfortingly.

"So am I, sweetheart," he said. "I should say I'm sorry about what just happened, but I'm not."

She looked at him silently for a few seconds, but then smiled.

"I'm not sorry. This just took me by surprise."

"Me too and I promise you that there will be more surprises later. But we'll take it slow," he reassured her, although he didn't know how he was going to slow down with her. His member was so hard it ached and he didn't know if he could sit through lunch without touching her.

The car slowed down to a halt in front of a seaside area. They hadn't even noticed that they had arrived at their destination.

Diana felt completely shaken and flustered by what just happened between her and Jake. She couldn't believe that she had just experienced the ultimate pleasure with him a few minutes ago in the car. She knew she had it bad for him, but now she was afraid that she no longer had any control over her wild attraction. She was relieved that there was a divider between the driver and Jake and herself. She was already utterly mortified by her uninhibited behavior.

"Come," Jake said, a mischievous glint in his voice as he stood outside the car and held his hand out to her. She recognized the double entendre and placed her hand into his, smiling wryly as he grinned boyishly.

"You're looking pleased with yourself," she said as he led her up the steps to the restaurant, which was perched upon a hilltop overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

"Well, it's not every day I can make a girl have a good time on the way to lunch," he teased.

"Are you sure?" she asked, feeling insecure all of a sudden. Maybe he did this all the time and she was just one of many who fell for his seductive charms. Jake halted abruptly and lifted her chin. He looked at her seriously and what she saw in his green eyes made her pause.

"You're special, Diana. Someone I wouldn't just play around with. Please believe me," he said solemnly.

His heartfelt statement soothed her troubled thoughts and she smiled as he captured her hand and continued to lead her up the stairs.

A young waitress in a starched white uniform smiled at them as they entered the restaurant. The turn-of-the-century looking restaurant had the charm of a beach house with many customers sitting and eating on the large patio deck.

"Please, follow me," said the waitress as she smiled and led them to a corner alcove near the edge of the outside patio that had breathtaking views of the ocean below.

"This is a stunning view," Diana said as she looked out over to the shimmering, blue sea.

She looked at the kayakers and sailboats out in the ocean and felt the soft, warm breeze sift through her hair. It was a beautiful day without a cloud in the sky and she smiled as Jake leaned toward her.

"I agree. I have the best view of all," he said as he studied her intently.

She blushed at his perusal and then looked down at the menu before her. Unable to focus on her lunch choices and still feeling unsettled from her heated encounter with Jake in the car, she placed her menu down and found him watching her.

"I'll take your recommendations on what to order," she said.

"So trusting, Diana. What if I recommend something greasy?"

She laughed. "Something tells me that this restaurant doesn't serve greasy meals."

"They do serve the most fantastic pasta dishes. Do you like seafood?"

Diana nodded, scraped back her chair, and then stood up.

"I'm going to freshen up in the ladies' room. Be right back," she said, taking her small, white clutch purse with her.

In the bathroom, decorated tastefully with nautical décor, Diana splashed a few drops of cold water onto her hot cheeks and stared at herself in the mirror . What happened in the car had shocked her. It had been too heated, too much, and too soon. Nothing so unbelievably passionate and uninhibited had ever happened between her and Richard. She felt overwhelmed by the powerful lust she felt for Jake. Being with him was like riding a roller coaster without the safety bar holding her in place.

Diana tucked a few strands of flyaway hair behind one ear and then quickly peeled down her moistened thong, wrapped it in a paper towel, and tucked it in her purse. She was glad no one else was in the bathroom to witness her unusual behavior. She would have preferred not to go commando, but it was too uncomfortable to walk around in moist underwear. The growing intensity of her feelings for Jake was unnerving. Diana walked out of the bathroom still feeling unsettled, but the excitement of being with him overrode her anxiety at not being able to control her impulsive desires.

As Diana sat down, Jake said, smiling mischievously, "I suddenly find myself not very hungry."

"Why not?" Diana asked curiously. She glanced at the dishes that a waiter was serving at a nearby table. "The food looks delicious."

Jake leaned over, his gaze steady on her face.

"I'm just hungry for one thing...you," he said, making her heart leap in response to the heated look in his eyes.

Trying to sound nonchalant, she replied glibly, "You already had dessert. Now it's time for the main course."

He laughed and leaned back in his chair, allowing her to breathe a little easier.

"I think I'll have the seafood chowder and a slice of the Mediterranean pizza," she said, closing the menu and sweeping her hair back away from her face.

"My kind of girl," he said. "Their pizza is great here, full of olives and flavor."

"Is this your favorite restaurant in San Diego?"

Jake nodded. "One of them. I love the view from here. I try to come back to San Diego every summer for a few weeks primarily to visit my family, but I also enjoy the ocean and sunshine."

"I miss the ocean, too. Sometimes living in Vegas has its drawbacks," said Diana softly. "But I do like living close to my mom."

"You and your mom are close?" asked Jake curiously.

Diana nodded. "She was always my rock. My dad and I have had a turbulent relationship."

"I remember that night he showed up at the beach and nearly chewed me out."

Diana flushed at the memory.

"I'm so sorry about that -"

"No, don't apologize," Jake interrupted. "Any father would have done the same thing if he had found his daughter in a compromising situation."

Diana smiled. "I was so embarrassed that night."

Jake reached over to touch her cheek and caress it gently.

"You were beautiful," he said. "All innocently sweet but sexy."

Diana blushed under his warm gaze.

The waiter approached them and took their orders. Jake ordered a seafood pasta platter and a bottle of red wine.

"I'm glad you decided to come with me today," Jake said after the waiter left.

"You're welcome. Thank you for inviting me. It's not every day I leave the state for lunch."

Jake chuckled. "I'm just glad you didn't faint when the plane took off." He paused and said in an apologetic voice, "I'm sorry that it frightened you."

"It didn't really," Diana said lightly. "I'm just going to have to be braver if you intend to whisk me off to far-off destinations."

Jake laughed and said, "You bring out the adventurer in me."

"I bet you say that to all the girls," she said, smiling.

He frowned slightly and placed his hand over hers on the table.

"Only you, Diana, only you."

Diana swallowed the sudden lump in her throat as she stared into his brilliant green eyes. She felt as though she was drowning in them and everything around her disappeared. It was just the two of them alone with the sun warming their bodies and his hand caressing hers.

"I'm definitely going to need dessert after lunch," he teased, breaking the spell.

Diana blinked and licked her lips nervously. He was too mesmerizing and she was too vulnerable around him. She was going to have to be extremely careful with her emotions or she was going to be in danger of falling down the proverbial rabbit hole.

"Like I said, you've already had dessert," she quipped back as casually as she could.

Jake smiled, "I know - but I want more, much more."

The waiter came back with their meals and poured some red wine into their glasses. Jake kept the rest of their conversation light and free of innuendo, which Diana appreciated, so she could concentrate on enjoying her meal. She did notice, however, that several women sitting close by them couldn't help but give Jake interested, surreptitious glances now and then.

Sitting back in his chair almost an hour later, Jake grinned widely as he watched Diana take one last bite of her pizza.

"Good, wasn't it?" he asked, a satisfied smile on his face.

"It was," she agreed. "I haven't had pizza this good in a while."

"Then I'll have to take you back here sometime."

Diana laughed, "Another plane ride for pizza?"

Jake leaned forward and traced his finger down the side of her mouth. He gently swept away a trace of pizza sauce. She felt her mouth tingle at his gesture as he licked the pizza sauce from his fingertip sensuously.

"Mmm," he murmured, "so good."

Diana felt her breath hitch as she watched him and looked around to see other women watching him, too.

"You have quite a fan base here," she said, a little disgruntled.

Jake looked around and smiled back at her boyishly.

"The only one I care about is you."

Her heart did a somersault in her chest as she looked at his handsome face.

"Well, thank you for the delicious meal and for the wonderful view."

"You're welcome, Diana," he said, the mischievous glint back in his eyes.

The waiter came back and asked them if there was anything else they wanted. Jake shook his head and asked for the bill.

"Did you want to order a dessert?" Diana asked.

"That's for later, sweetheart," Jake said casually before winking at her. Diana's eyes widened at his remark and she shook her head.

"Jake, I do believe you have a one-track mind."

"What can I say? You're too beautiful to resist."

Jake stood and Diana rose, feeling conscious of the looks they received. She felt the heat of his hand as he placed it on her lower back and guided her out of the restaurant. They walked outside and she carefully stepped down the steep staircase leading down to the pavement where their car was parked.

"Where's the driver?" she asked.

"I'll call him when we're ready to leave. Let's take a stroll first."

Jake took hold of her hand and entwined his fingers around hers. He led her across the street to a pathway curving down toward some small shops. Diana admired the view below of the sparkling, blue ocean as she savored the feel of Jake's hand holding hers. Suddenly Jake stopped and turned her to face the ocean view. A white, wooden railing kept strollers from the edge of the cliff side and Diana leaned against it as Jake stood closely behind her. She could feel his muscular length pressing into hers as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Great view, don't you think?" Jake asked, his breath teasing her ear.

Placing her hands on the railing, Diana tried to slow her breathing, feeling lightheaded at his nearness.

"It's beautiful," she replied. She could feel him nuzzling her hair.

"Soft and silky," he muttered as he continued to rub his cheek against her hair.

Diana's breath quickened as she felt his hard body press even closer. She knew that he was aroused and felt his excitement through his jeans. Her own excitement rose to a fever pitch and she turned her head toward his, desperate for his kiss.

Jake bent and kissed her, his tongue delving deep. He groaned into her mouth as she met his tongue eagerly. She moaned as he kissed her leisurely, controlling the kiss. It was so delicious and she never wanted their kiss to end. She heard voices nearby, but the noise didn't detract her until Jake reluctantly lifted his head from hers.

"Jake Redmond, as I live and breathe! What in the world are you doing here?!" said a high-pitched, excited voice.

Both Diana and Jake turned to see two very attractive women facing them. The one who spoke was a beautiful blonde wearing a figure-hugging, white dress. Diana blinked in surprise as Jake laughed and smiled at the vision in white.

"Portia? Wow, I haven't seen you in years. How are you?"

The blonde beauty tossed her waist-length, curly hair and giggled, her blue eyes eyeing Jake from head to toe.

"I'm great and you haven't changed a bit. Still a stud, I see," she said teasingly.

Diana stiffened next to Jake. He kept one arm around her waist as he introduced her.

"Portia, this is Diana."

Portia smiled dimly as she inspected Diana's face and figure.

"Nice to meet you," Portia said, but Diana highly doubted that she was sincere. "I used to date Jake a few years ago."

Diana picked up on the possessive tone in Portia's statement and knew that given the opportunity, the other woman would leap at the chance to date Jake again.

"This is my friend Alexis," Portia said offhandedly. It was almost as if she had momentarily forgotten about her friend. The beautiful brunette in a tight, blue dress standing next to Portia smiled at Jake, but completely ignored Diana.

"I can't believe I bumped into you," said Portia. "I know you're currently living in New York."

"Keeping tabs on me, Portia?" Jake asked. Diana was far from amused as she noticed that both women were eyeing Jake with avid interest.

"Hardly, baby," drawled Portia flirtatiously causing Diana to stiffen next to Jake in annoyance. "But, you know, it's a small world. Now that you're back here, why don't we have a reunion? I know that the old crowd would love to see you again."

"Thanks, but I'm living in Vegas for the summer and we're flying back immediately. I just brought Diana here to see my old stomping grounds."

"Oh...I see," said Portia, in a disappointed voice. Diana noticed that Alexis didn't look too happy either.

"Well, the next time you're in town give me a ring. I believe your sister Lana still has my number," said Portia breezily. She barely glanced at Diana before saying, "Nice meeting you."

She smiled at Jake and said, "You look great, Jake."

Jake said, "Thanks. Take care."

Portia sauntered away with her gorgeous friend, turning male heads as they walked past.

"Sorry about that," Jake apologized. "Portia is actually one of my sister's friends, but we used to hang out years ago."

"I thought she said you dated," Diana said, eyebrow raised.

"We did for a while, but it didn't work out," he said as he took her hand and led her back up the pathway toward the car. With his other hand, he took out his iPhone from his pocket and made a selection.

As Jake spoke to the driver, Diana mulled over the encounter with Portia and frowned. She had always possessed what she considered to be a healthy dose of self-esteem and had never considered herself to be unattractive, but seeing those beautiful women made her feel like an ugly duckling. Was that the type of women Jake was used to dating? If so, what was he doing with her?

"They looked like models," Diana said.

She was aware that she sounded slightly petulant, but she couldn't help herself. As she and Jake reached the car, he looked down at her with a grin and tugged her close to him. She willingly allowed him to draw him into his strong arms and savored the feel of his hard chest.

"I believe that Portia did some lingerie modeling for magazines," he said, "but that was years ago. Who knows what she's doing now?"

"Probably the same," muttered Diana under her breath. Great, he had dated a lingerie model. That made her even more insecure and just a little jealous.

"Hey, she isn't as beautiful as you," Jake said, kissing the top of her head.

Diana let out a mirthless laugh. "That's sweet, Jake, but I'm no lingerie model."

"You're sexier, Diana," he said and then bent his head and kissed her with passionate fervor. It was a soul-stirring kiss and it filled her with reassurance. She placed her hands on his chest as he deepened the kiss, opening her mouth wider and angling her head so that he could delve deeper.

They heard a cough as the driver interrupted them.

"Excuse me, sir," he said sheepishly.

Diana and Jake broke apart abruptly and once again, Diana was embarrassed at being caught kissing Jake in public.

"Come on, let's do some sightseeing," said Jake with a husky laugh.

~

"It's so beautiful here," Diana said as she took in the panoramic view of San Diego and the Pacific. The light wind and warm sun heightened her pleasure as she surveyed the landscape before her.

"It is breathtaking," agreed Jake as he placed his arm around her slim waist.

Jake had asked the driver to take them to the tip of Point Loma peninsula. They had passed a naval base and a graveyard and had finally arrived to see the Cabrillo National monument.

Diana turned to look at the monument and read the plaque.

"This monument was erected in honor of Captain Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, the first European to set foot on the west coast."

She turned to Jake and smiled.

"There's a lot of history here."

Jake nodded. "When I was a kid, my family used to come here often to hike and have picnics near the tide pools. We also came in the evenings. At night, when San Diego is lit up, the views of the city and the bay below are spectacular."

"I can imagine," murmured Diana. "You must have had a wonderful childhood growing up here."

Jake held her hand as they began to walk up the pathway leading to the Point Loma Lighthouse.

"It had its ups and downs, but mostly ups," he answered quietly.

"What were the downs?" asked Diana curiously.

Jake paused before answering.

"My dad was and still is a very driven man. He founded a construction company and expanded it to what it is now, a very profitable business. He expected a lot from me and sometimes I think I didn't exactly meet his high expectations."

Diana looked at Jake carefully, catching his resigned expression.

"It seems to me that fathers often have high expectations of their offspring," Diana said, thinking of her own father and of the high academic standard he had placed upon her during her school years.

"I'm his son and he always expected me to take over the reigns of his company - whether I liked it or not."

Diana was slightly surprised to hear a bitter note of resentment in his voice.

"Are you not happy with what you're doing?" she asked carefully.

Jake paused before stopping in the middle of the pathway. He sighed and brushed his blond hair back before answering her.

"When I was a freshman in college, my dad told me that I had to major in business when what I really wanted to do was major in liberal arts. After college, I wanted to backpack across Europe and see the world, but my dad told me I had to start working in his company right away," Jake paused. "I no longer mind working at the company and as president, I relish the challenges I face, but it took me a while to embrace his corporate ideals. I now realize I'm exactly where I want to be in life and Dad did know best in the end."

"But still, you weren't able to explore other opportunities or options," Diana said, a bit upset that Jake had been practically forced to work for the family company. "He sort of railroaded you into working for him."

Jake sighed again. "I don't believe in looking back and wondering 'what could have been.' Besides, now that I'm president of the corporation, I can pretty much travel wherever I want and I don't need to backpack."

He smiled and placed his hand on her cheek, rubbing it gently with his thumb.

"And if I had been the starving artist that I had aspired to be in my teens, I would have never worked for my dad, gone to Vegas, and met you...again."

Diana felt her cheeks flush under his warm, steady gaze and tender gesture.

"I guess your dad and mine have one thing in common," Diana said, smiling.

"What's that?"

"They're both stubborn as mules."

Jake laughed and took her hand, leading her back up the pathway again.

"I love my dad and I respect him greatly, but one day, when I have a son, I'm giving my son the free will to make decisions regarding his career."

Diana swallowed the sudden lump in her throat as she took in his statement. For a split second, she wondered whom he would eventually choose to be the mother of his future son but she quickly suppressed her runaway thoughts. She couldn't possibly entertain the remote possibility that he would one day choose her. She bit her lower lip and shook her head. She wanted to enjoy the day with him, nothing more.

"Fortunately," Jake continued, "my dad has mellowed out in his old age and now it seems that all he wants to do is play golf and spend time with Nathan. That's partly why my parents moved back to San Diego, so that they could play the doting grandparents."

Jake shook his head in mild bafflement.

"He and my mom indulge Nathan so much that Lana and her husband are afraid they're spoiling him. It's quite different from the way my dad treated me."

Diana smiled. "Once parents become grandparents, discipline goes out the door," she said. "They're no longer responsible for the upbringing, so they just want to spoil them. Believe me, I've seen a lot of grandparents melt just by seeing their grandkids."

She found herself standing in front of the Point Loma Lighthouse and admiring the historical landmark.

"This lighthouse was built in 1854 and was restored with a museum inside. Do you want to go in?" asked Jake.

Diana nodded and they toured the building, looking at the artifacts belonging to the last family who lived in the lighthouse.

The rest of the day passed in a joyful blur as she and Jake walked over to the tide pools on the western side of Point Loma. The late afternoon sun had them both craving ice cream, so Jake instructed the driver to take them to Seaport Village.

"Hey, that's not fair. Why do you get two scoops of ice cream and I only have one?" asked Diana in mock anger.

They were sitting on a park bench facing the duck pond at Seaport Village. Jake had laid his arm behind her and she loved feeling him sit so closely next to her. His thigh touched hers and the heat of his body warmed hers. It was enough to make her ice cream melt right then and there.

"Because I'm twice as big as you," he laughed before taking a long lick of his vanilla ice cream.

Diana had to subdue a groan as she watched his tongue lick his ice cream. He was seducing her without even knowing it.

"Well, if I eat my ice cream faster than you do, can I have another scoop?" she asked playfully.

"Is that a challenge?" he teased.

Diana nodded and began to lick her chocolate ice cream fast and furiously. She heard him chuckle and watched him do the same with his. Unfortunately, he finished before she did, but he surprised her by bending down to her cone and helping her eat the rest of her ice cream.

Diana giggled as they both slurped up the rest of her treat.

"It's a tie," he said, gently wiping her mouth with a napkin. She reached up to wipe his mouth as well and watched his eyes darken.

Jake bent down and kissed her softly, his tongue delving between her lips. She sighed and tasted the vanilla in his mouth before he regretfully lifted his head from hers.

"Unfortunately, we're in a family-friendly place, Diana. Otherwise, I'd prolong our kiss indefinitely."

Diana read the suppressed passion in his eyes and was slightly shaken at what she saw there. She had never wanted anyone as badly as she wanted Jake. For a minute there, she had even completely forgotten that she was in a public place. Jake stood and linked his hands with hers.

"Thanks for playing tour guide today," Diana said appreciatively.

Jake lifted their linked hands and kissed her knuckles.

"You're welcome," he said, smiling.

"I feel like a tourist even though I grew up only about a little over an hour's drive from here."

"You didn't come down to San Diego when you lived in Huntington Beach?" Jake asked curiously.

Diana shook her head. "Not really. My parents often drove to L.A., but on occasion, my mom would take me to the museums at Balboa Park and we'd stay at the Hotel del Coronado."

"You didn't go to Sea World or the zoo?"

"No, my dad wasn't into amusement parks, but my mom enjoyed museums, so she and I would go together while he stayed home."

"Sounds like your dad and mine had one more thing in common," commented Jake.

"What's that?"

"They were both party poopers."

Diana laughed and said, "That's quite an apt statement."

"It's getting late. Let's go home," he said, his eyes twinkling.

The way Jake said "home" accelerated Diana's hopes and as she looked into his warm, green eyes, she knew that something fundamentally inside her had changed. Jake had entered her life like no other man before him had and she didn't think her life would ever be the same again.

~

"I'm pregnant."

"What?" yelped Diana in excitement.

Natalie nodded and grinned. Diana leaped up from her chair and hugged Natalie tightly. She couldn't have been happier for her best friend. Natalie had called her the morning after she had returned from San Diego and asked if they could have lunch together during Diana's lunch break.

"Max must be over the moon," said Diana.

"He is and he's driving me crazy with his list of what not to do and what not to eat. I understand he wants me to be careful during my pregnancy, but how can I avoid sushi? I love that stuff," said Natalie in a disgruntled voice.

"He's just being protective," Diana said, smiling.

Natalie patted her still-flat stomach gently and grinned.

"I'm just so happy to have this baby, Diana."

"I'm going to be an aunt!" Diana said happily.

"Now I'm just going to live vicariously through you. How did your San Diego trip go with Jake? You look like you're glowing, by the way," Natalie said teasingly.

"It was the most romantic date I've ever been on."

Natalie's eyebrows rose.

"Do tell and don't leave any details out, please."

Diana proceeded to tell her best friend everything she wanted to know except for the minor detail that she suspected that her heart was in danger.

~

"But, I don't understand," said a pretty older woman in her mid-fifties. She sat across from Diana at a kitchen table covered in a red and white gingham tablecloth.

"Mom, Richard and I were at a dead end in our relationship," said Diana as she looked across at her mother. "I suspected early on that I couldn't fall in love with him but I thought that over time, perhaps I could. We were just never meant to be."

She had left right after work to visit her mother and stepfather. It had been over two weeks since she had last seen them and her mother had invited her over for dinner.

"But, darling, I thought he was perfect for you. Sweet, attentive, patient and God knows you kept him dangling long enough."

Diana took a sip of her green tea to keep herself from saying anything she might regret later.

"Mom, I didn't dangle him," she said a bit peevishly. "He was never really right for me. I probably shouldn't have dated him for as long as I did, but I did like him very much and he was a great _friend_." She emphasized the word "friend" and hoped her mom understood.

Trina Mulroney Vincent shook her head. Then she stood up and walked over to the oven to check on the vegetables she was currently sautéing in olive oil. She was a pretty woman, whose dark brown hair had streaks of grey in it, but she had kept her figure and took long walks with her husband, Murray, every morning to keep fit.

"Who is this Jake that you've been talking about? Natalie said that he works closely with Max. Why don't you invite him over so that Murray and I can meet him?" asked Trina as she walked back to the table and sat down.

"Natalie mentioned him to you?" asked Diana in surprise.

"She called the other day for my banana bread recipe and mentioned that you were dating a new man. She wasn't gossiping or anything."

Diana shook her head and sighed. Her mother and best friend were close and she knew that neither one of them was ever going to stop delving into her love life.

"As far as I know, Natalie has only met him once," Diana said as she looked up to see her stepfather Murray walk into the yellow and white cheerful kitchen filled with rabbit decor. Her mother loved rabbits.

"Hi, darlin'," he said to his wife and bent down to kiss her on the cheek. In his early sixties, Murray had been a widower when he met Trina six years ago at a mutual friend's party. His dark hair was now more white than black, yet he still retained his youthful energy and loved to laugh a great deal.

Murray smiled warmly at his stepdaughter. Diana smiled back and stood up to give him a hug.

"How are you, Murray?" she asked and he patted her on the cheek gently.

"Fine, your mother keeps me healthy and fit. We've missed you around here, cutie-pie," he said affectionately to Diana.

Murray began using the endearment for her soon after his wedding to Trina five years ago. She loved her stepfather from the moment she had met him. Kind and loving, he treated her mom like a queen. Trina had bloomed under his love and attention and Diana was grateful to him for making her so happy.

"I know - I wanted to visit sooner, but I've been so tired after work and lately my weekends have been kind of full," apologized Diana as she watched Murray pour himself a cup of tea and sat down next to her mother.

"You need to invite him over, sweetheart," said Trina insistently.

"Invite whom?" asked Murray, taking a sip of his tea.

"Her new boyfriend," his wife answered. Murray's eyebrows shot up and Diana rolled her eyes.

"You have a new boyfriend?" asked Murray.

"No, actually I'm not sure what we are at the moment," Diana answered hesitantly.

Murray and Trina exchanged glances and then looked at Diana, a touch of concern on their faces.

"What do you mean, sweetheart?" asked her mother carefully.

"Mom, I've only known him a short time."

"But you've been seeing him a lot, right, cutie-pie?" asked Murray, his brown eyes warm and understanding.

"Yes, I have," Diana said slowly, "but we're not rushing into anything."

Suddenly, the oven's timer went off and Trina stood to grab some oven mitts and take out the Cornish game hens. The delicious aroma emitting from the hens made Diana's mouth water.

"By golly, that looks and smells wonderful, darlin'," laughed Murray as he stood behind his wife and peered over her shoulder.

Grateful for the interruption, Diana stood and opened the pantry to take out several plates.

"Thanks again for dinner, Mom and Murray. I'm starving," said Diana as her stepfather put the hens on a large platter and placed it on the dining table.

Trina laughed. "Just remember to bring your young man over, so he can have a taste of my cooking."

Diana smiled, "Sure, Mom. We'll see."

# Chapter Five

"Now, please be careful when you handle Chauncy," Diana said as she held a chubby, little, grey, dwarf hamster in the palms of her hands.

She sat cross-legged on the rug of her floor in the center of her classroom while her students sat in a circle in front of her, all looking very excited to touch the much beloved classroom pet. Diana loved hamsters and when one of the children had asked her several months ago if he could bring his pet hamster in, she had readily agreed. When that student had had to move, he had left Chauncy behind and now several of the children took turns taking care of the little hamster.

"Madison, be gentle," reminded Diana as the golden-haired little girl took Chauncy in her chubby little hands.

"He's so cwute, Miss Diana," said Madison as she crooned to the hamster, which patiently allowed the girl to stroke his ears.

"Does he like candy, Miss Diana?" asked Shane, who sat next to Madison.

"No, candy isn't good for hamsters, Shane," answered Diana, smiling.

"My turn, my turn!" said Jacob insistently.

"Not yet," admonished Diana gently. "We're all going to take turns."

"Me, too?" asked Nathan, his green eyes glued to Chauncy.

"Yes, you, too," replied Diana as she looked at Nathan warmly.

Nathan was a miniature version of his uncle Jake and just seeing him every day made her think of his uncle all the time. But even without Nathan's presence in her classroom she knew that Jake would still be in her thoughts constantly.

"Miss Diana, I wuv Chauncy," said Tommy as Madison gently handed him over to him.

Diana watched Tommy pet Chauncy carefully. Nathan was sitting next to Tommy and he bent his head to watch the hamster closely. The two little boys had become fast friends and it was rare not to see one without the other in the classroom and in the playground.

"My turn, my turn!" piped up Jacob, growing more impatient by the second.

"Jacob, come here and sit on my lap," said Diana, knowing that her most challenging student was about to throw a tantrum if Chauncy wasn't placed in his hands soon.

Jacob immediately came forward and sat on her lap with a big plop and contentedly sat back against her chest as Diana picked up a children's storybook lying nearby and began reading to him. She kept one eye on the hamster and the other children while she read to Jacob.

~

Standing at the open doorway, Jake watched Diana. He felt something inside him melt at the lovely sight of her surrounded by adorable children. Nathan's nanny, Liz, had called him earlier and said that her car had broken down. She was stuck at the repair shop, so he had had to leave a business meeting early to pick up Nathan.

Jake observed the way Diana gently instructed the children to be careful with the hamster and had seen how she had calmed down one of her students. It was clear how much she cared about them and that she had a special way with all of them. He had missed her these past few days. After they had come back from San Diego, he had been thrown into a series of long meetings and had been heavily immersed with work duties. He had called Diana each night this week usually around midnight and she was an early sleeper, so they barely had an opportunity to talk for more than ten minutes.

"Now, Jacob, hold Chauncy gently and don't squeeze him," she instructed as Nathan handed Chauncy over to Jacob.

Jacob cupped his hands and cooed at the hamster.

"Good boy," she said as she watched him carefully handle the little bundle of fur.

A few strands of Diana's wavy, brown hair had escaped her ponytail and Jake watched as she tucked the strands behind her ears. Her short-sleeved, pink blouse looked wrinkled, but she looked unconcerned about the state of her dress. All the women Jake had previously dated had been meticulous about their looks and clothing. Most had only cared about their appearances and would never have been caught dead in public looking anything less than perfect.

As Jake continued to watch her, he smiled as he realized that Diana cared more about her students than she cared about her appearance. She looked perfectly happy interacting with them and answering their questions calmly and all with a warm smile. Suddenly, he frowned because it was at that moment that he realized that Diana had the potential to deeply impact his life and he wasn't sure if he liked it.

"Uncle Jake!"

Nathan's voice snapped him out of his reverie. He watched as his nephew stood up and came running toward him. The little boy leaped into Jake's open arms and laughed as Jake tickled and hugged him back.

~

Diana was startled to see Jake at the doorway of her classroom. She hadn't known that he was going to pick Nathan up today and it was still early yet. None of the other children's parents had arrived to pick up their children. With a brief word to Jacob to continue to handle Chauncy gently, she stood up and walked over to Jake, her heart beating rapidly as usual at the sight of his tall, masculine body and chiseled good looks.

"Good afternoon, Diana," he said politely, still holding Nathan in his arms. "Liz was unable to pick up Nathan today."

The look that Jake gave her was unreadable, his green eyes intense as they studied her. Uncomfortable under his scrutiny, she dragged her eyes away from his and focused on Nathan.

"Looks like today is your lucky day," she told a smiling Nathan. "Your uncle is here to pick you up."

"Can I bring Chauncy home, Miss Diana?" asked Nathan eagerly.

"No, sweetie, it's Madison's turn to bring him home this week, remember? Next time it'll be yours."

"Okay," said Nathan a little glumly.

"Diana," said Jake, bringing her attention back to him. "Are you free this Friday night?"

Diana was more than just a little pleased by his question. She had missed him sorely these past few days. Their nightly conversations had been brief due to his late work nights and her early evening schedule. She caught herself thinking about him almost every minute of the day and he haunted her dreams at night.

"I am. What do you have in mind?"

"I'd like to take you out for the evening."

Diana nodded, happily agreeing to anything he proposed.

"I'll pick you up at eight," he said, his eyes inscrutable.

Diana didn't know why his demeanor had suddenly turned serious, but her heart squeezed painfully at the ugly thought that maybe he was trying to end their relationship - if relationship is what you could call what they had.

Just then a parent arrived and Diana became distracted. Jake put Nathan down and then smiled warmly at Diana. His smile put her at ease and she found herself breathing easier again.

"I'll see you soon," he said and then led Nathan down the hallway. Diana stared after him, wondering why suddenly she was feeling more than a little anxious at his changed persona.

~

Three days later, Diana waited nervously in front of her apartment complex for Jake to pick her up. The evening was very warm, so she opted to wear something strapless, black, and sexy for their date. She bit her lip wondering if the last few conversations she had had with Jake over the phone lately were a prelude to what was going to happen tonight. He had been distracted and his mind had seemed somewhere else. Their conversations had become increasingly short and she sometimes became aware that he wasn't even paying attention to what she was saying.

She believed in karma and if what she had done to Richard, breaking ties with him abruptly, was going to happen to her, she preferred to be mentally prepared for it. Thus, the sexy outfit. She had to exude confidence no matter what the outcome of tonight's date was. She refused to be the clingy woman who would not and could not accept that a man was no longer interested in her. If Jake had lost interest in her, then so be it. He had already turned her world upside down and she didn't think she was ready to fall farther into the proverbial rabbit hole. At least that's what her mind told her. Her heart was another matter entirely.

~

The throbbing beat of the music was causing her eardrums to explode. Diana held back the urge to cover her ears as Jake held her hand and led her into the MGM Grand's Studio 54 nightclub. He had been allowed to cut in front of the long line with just a nod at the imposing bouncers. Diana had never been inside Studio 54 before and she was impressed by the size of the nightclub, but not by all the scantily clad women eyeing Jake up and down hungrily. Jake wore black slacks and a grey shirt, but the clothes couldn't hide his hard, masculine body. Suddenly, she was glad to have caught Jake giving her a sizzling look earlier as they had walked into the hotel together.

"You look beautiful," he said, looking at her tight, silky, black dress. His eyes flared in heat as he stared at her breasts pushing up against the tight bodice.

"Thank you," she said, as he turned her before him and caressed her arms gently, his fingers stroking her soft skin. She felt goose bumps explode all over her arms.

They watched a dancer sway to the hip-hop music on a podium on the dance floor. Her enticing moves captivated a few of the men around them.

"Would you like a drink?" asked Jake, his lips brushing close to her ear.

Diana shook her head and he tugged her closer to him. She found herself flush against his back, his arms wrapped around her waist. She could feel the heat of his lower body as he bent his head and kissed the side of her neck. She bit back a moan as he kissed her nape softly.

"Mmm, you smell good," Jake mumbled.

Diana squirmed against him, wanting to feel him closer. His cologne snared her senses and his hard body surrounded her smaller frame as he drew them both farther into the shadows of the nightclub. She turned in his arms, suddenly desperate for his kiss. He bent his head and kissed her voraciously, his tongue dueling with hers. He moaned as their tongues mated and he thrust his lower body forcefully against hers.

"Damn, you're too hot tonight, Diana," Jake said as he put his hands on her bottom and pulled her up and closer to his erection.

Diana groaned as she felt his hardness rub against her. He opened her mouth wider and plunged his tongue inside her mouth. He nipped and sucked at her lips and she eagerly met him, arching into his body. She whimpered as she felt one of his hands slide up her tight skirt and caress her soft thigh. Suddenly his fingers were at the juncture between her legs and he had swept aside her black lace thong and was gently rubbing her.

"Yes, please don't stop," she panted as he explored with his fingers.

"You're so wet," he mumbled against her breasts.

Diana moaned again as he continued to fondle her.

Suddenly, they both heard a man talking to them. Jake reluctantly took his hand out from beneath her skirt and glared at the bouncer who dared to interrupt his lovemaking.

"I'm sorry, sir," said the tall bouncer clearing his throat, "but perhaps I can take you to a private place here at the club where you can continue what you were doing."

Diana was embarrassed beyond belief. She looked at Jake, but he was more irritated at the bouncer than embarrassed.

"No, that won't be necessary," Jake said to the bouncer. "But thank you."

The bouncer nodded and left immediately.

Jake smiled ruefully at Diana as she straightened out the skirt of her dress.

"Sorry about that. It seems that I always get carried away when I'm with you," he said, a thoughtful look in his eyes.

"We both do," said Diana shyly as he took her hand and kissed her palm gently. She felt herself melt at the tender gesture.

"Why don't I show you around the club?"

Diana nodded. "I'd love that. I've never been here before."

"One of my associates runs this club, so I'm quite familiar with it," he said as he took her hand and led her up a flight of stairs.

In her black, three-inch heels, Diana was having a difficult time walking up the stairs, especially since she was unused to wearing such high heels. Jake slowed his pace and grinned at her.

"You look sexy in those heels, but not very comfortable," he commented as he watched her.

Embarrassed by her slow pace, she grimaced as she climbed the stairs.

"I'm so used to wearing flats all the time. Now my feet are protesting."

Jake took her elbow and gently guided her up the stairs until they reached the second floor. Diana was grateful when she finally made it up the landing. They looked down onto the dance floor below them. The crowd below was enjoying the music and the dance floor was rapidly filling up.

"Would you like a drink?" Jake asked.

"Maybe just some water," Diana replied.

Jake took her hand and they walked over to the bar.

"What can I get you, sir?" asked the bartender when they reached the bar.

"I'll have a martini and the lady will have water," answered Jake.

Diana sat on a barstool and looked at Jake enquiringly.

"Why do I get the feeling that the people who work here know you?"

Jake sat on the barstool next to her and smiled.

"I've been here a few times," he answered as he took one of her hands.

Diana inwardly squirmed as he stared at her and inspected her figure in her tight, black dress. When she sat down, the skirt of her dress had ridden up revealing much of her thighs.

"I love your dress," he said huskily as his gaze wandered over to her silky thighs.

"Thank you," she said, suddenly feeling tongue-tied. His blond hair gleamed richly underneath the disco lights and his chiseled features seemed more pronounced.

The bartender gave them their drinks and Diana took a sip of her water as she watched Jake drink his martini.

"I know I've been a bit distracted lately," he said ruefully.

Lifting an eyebrow, Diana set her glass of water down and looked at him, holding her breath. She braced herself for whatever he was going to say. His interest in her since arriving at the club had kept her fears at bay, but now she was feeling nervous again.

"I've been doing a lot of thinking the last few days," he said, an inscrutable expression in his eyes.

"Oh?" Diana didn't know what to make of his statement. "Thinking about what?" She desperately needed clarification.

Jake set his martini down and took her hand. He led her to a private alcove marked VIP a few feet away. The bouncer nodded his head to him and let them pass into the red velvet covered lounge. Jake indicated for her to sit and he sat close to her.

"Somehow, you've gotten under my skin," Jake said, his eyes piercingly intent on her hers. "That doesn't make me feel totally comfortable," he confessed.

Diana's eyes widened. This was the last thing she had expected to hear from him.

"Normally, I like to play the game. With women, it's all about games with me. But you're different, Diana. You always have been," Jake said a bit gruffly. He reached out and stroked her silky hair.

"I'm confused, Jake," said Diana hesitantly. "What do you mean?"

Jake let out a long sigh as he brushed her soft cheek with his thumb gently.

"I don't really know myself," he answered hesitantly.

"So, we're at an impasse," she laughed shakily, unnerved by his intent gaze.

"I want you. That's all I know," Jake said before he bent his head and kissed her gently. Diana opened her mouth willingly as she met his eager tongue. They kissed without reservation, their mouths hungrily stroking one another. She lost all track of time as he wrapped his arms around her and she pressed into his hard body. Finally, he released her lips and she was able to take a breath.

"I can't concentrate on anything when I'm around you, Diana," Jake said as he held her close.

"Ditto," she answered as she felt him lift her and place her on his lap. But she still wanted answers. He had left her feeling bereft the last few nights during their short phone conversations. She needed to know why.

"Jake, what's happening between us is something I've never experienced before. Is it the same for you?" she asked carefully.

Jake paused and looked at her for a long, silent moment before answering.

"I've never been the kind of man who wanted commitment," he warned her. Her heart took a nose dive at his statement, but she refused to let him see her disappointment. He took a strand of her hair and twirled it around one of his fingers.

"I don't know where we're going with this, Diana, but I do know I don't want it to end," he said before he bent down to kiss her again. Diana placed her hands on his chest to stop him. She wasn't satisfied with his cryptic answers - they left her too confused.

"Jake, I haven't asked you for commitment," she said. In fact, she wasn't sure what she was asking of him, but she didn't want to scare him away either.

"I know," he sighed heavily, his arms still wrapped around her. "Let's just take this one day at a time."

Diana nodded. She knew that he was going to return to New York at the end of the summer and already the days were flying by. She also suspected that this romance might probably end in heartbreak for her, but her normally cautious self didn't care. If this summer was all she had with him, then she was going to throw caution to the wind and have a fling to remember.

"Or one night at a time," she said teasingly. She wanted to keep their conversation light for the rest of the night. It was time to enjoy herself and being on Jake's lap was the best place to do it.

Jake's eyes widened slightly at her titillating words, his eyes searching hers.

"That's right, sweetheart," he said slowly before he bent his head to kiss her. "Just you and me - that's all that matters."

Diana watched his lips descend down onto hers with anticipation.

"Excuse me, sir," interrupted the bouncer, snapping Diana and Jake's heads up.

"This group said they reserved this lounge," the bouncer said apologetically. "We can get you other VIP seating."

Diana blushed as she noticed a large group of men and women staring at them from behind the bouncer. She immediately stood and was joined by Jake, who bristled in irritation next to her.

"That's all right. We'll be leaving now," Jake said briskly as he took Diana's hand and led them out of the lounge.

"It's quite coincidental that we kept getting interrupted, don't you think?" asked Diana as she walked next to Jake toward the stairs.

"Finding privacy in a nightclub is almost impossible," he grumbled.

He indicated that they go down the stairs and led her to the crowded dance floor. She found herself drawn tightly into his arms as they danced to a sensual song. He held her close as their bodies swayed with the music and Diana felt herself melting against him.

"Hmm, this is more like it," he mumbled against her ear.

Diana felt one of his hands drift lower to her bottom as his lips nibbled at her ear.

"You're being naughty," she said as she felt him cup her bottom. The dance floor was crowded and other couples were being even more uninhibited around them, but she still felt embarrassed by their public display.

"And you're not being naughty enough," he teased back.

"Two can play this game, mister," she answered as she writhed sensuously against him.

Jake grinned and held her even tighter against him.

"Keep doing that and we'll give this club something to talk about," he warned huskily.

The dance was over before they knew it, causing her over-heated body to seek refreshment. Jake led her off the dance floor and they headed toward the bar together.

"I need to go to the restroom," Diana said.

"I'll wait for you over there," Jake said, indicating the long bar at one side of the dance club.

Diana smiled and walked away, feeling heady after being wrapped in Jake's arms. She had not even cared that they had attracted the looks of more than one envious woman on the dance floor. He was hers and she wasn't letting him go.

~

Jake watched Diana walk away and experienced the same feeling he had a few days ago when he had watched her in her classroom. Diana made him feel needy and wanting, something that normally only his partners had felt for him not vice versa. He satisfied his urges with women and then moved on. It had been simple and uncomplicated...until now.

The bartender asked him if he needed a drink and he asked for a rum and coke. He was aware of the beautiful, sexy ladies in scanty clothing surrounding him at the bar, but he only had eyes for one woman - a brown-eyed brunette who held him captivated and had done so since the first time he had seen her at a beach nine years ago.

As Jake took a sip of his drink, he wondered what would have happened if they had never lost touch. Would he have married her and be a father by now? The thought shocked him. He had always been the "love them and leave them" kind of guy, but now everything had changed. He wanted to keep Diana and never leave, but that was impossible. He had a business to run in Manhattan and was leaving Vegas in a few months. He honestly didn't know what to do, but for now, all he knew was that Diana was important to him and he wasn't about to let her go any time soon.

~

Diana left the restroom and spied Jake surrounded by beautiful women at the bar. Standing not too far away, but far enough not to be seen by Jake, she observed him talking to two beautiful blonde women in extremely short skirts and barely there glittery tops. He towered over them, his handsome good looks and athletic, muscular body attracting women like moths to a flame. She frowned as the women flirted shamelessly with him. From her vantage point, she couldn't really see his facial expression, but his body language didn't indicate that he was flirting back. Still, it made her feel insecure knowing that strange women easily approached him and it put her teeth on edge.

Diana watched as one of the lovely blonde women placed her hand on Jake's arm. She saw Jake take a step back, but the woman kept advancing until her body was a hair's breath away from touching Jake's. Rooted to the spot, Diana couldn't seem to move forward - she needed to know what Jake would do. Jake didn't move and this time, the woman placed her hand on his chest. She saw him shake his head and turn away. Diana felt herself being able to breathe again, but the scene had intensified the gnawing insecurity she felt regarding how he felt about her. If he could have that stunning beauty, why did he choose her?

~

"There you are," Jake said as he saw Diana walking toward him. "I was beginning to think you got lost," he added teasingly.

"This place is big, but it's not that big," said Diana lightly, but she was still a bit rattled about what she had seen. The blonde who had been flirting with Jake had promptly disappeared at her appearance.

"Were you having fun without me?" she asked innocently.

Jake looked down into her deep brown eyes and shook his head.

"Hardly," he answered, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead.

The one-word answer somehow comforted Diana.

"Come on, let's get out of here," Jake said, taking her hand and leading her to the exit of the club.

"What? Why? Don't you want to stay longer?" asked Diana, confused.

"It's too loud and crowded in here."

Jake held her hand firmly as they walked out of the club together. Outside at the entrance, there was a long line of people waiting to get into the club. The bouncers nodded their head at Jake in respectful acknowledgement as they passed by. Suddenly, Jake's iPhone rang and he answered it with a frown.

Diana waited for Jake to finish his conversation, standing patiently at the crowded lobby of the MGM Grand Hotel. He turned to her and sighed, frustration etched on his face.

"Damn it. I'm sorry, Diana, but that was my CEO and he said they need to meet me right now regarding the hotel. I don't know how long this meeting is going to be, so I'll have my driver take you home."

"Oh," said Diana, deeply disappointed that their date had to end so abruptly. "That's okay. I've had a long week and I'm feeling a bit tired."

Jake wrapped Diana in a fierce hug and then made a call to his driver to pick her up. A minute later, a large man in a black, three-piece-suit came by and nodded to Jake, waiting patiently for Diana.

"This is Grant. He'll escort you to my car and take you home," Jake said. He stared into her eyes for a few seconds before bending down to kiss her sweetly, his tongue gently gliding inside her mouth. The kiss only lasted a few seconds, but it left her aching with need.

Jake placed his forehead against hers and sighed deeply.

"Be with me tomorrow," he urged.

Diana nodded eagerly. She didn't care what plans he had for them. She just wanted to be with him.

He reached for her hand and kissed her knuckles.

"I'll pick you up at nine a.m.," he said before he nodded to Grant. Grant came forward toward Diana.

"Thank you for a nice evening, Jake," she said softly.

Jake looked at her one last time, twisting his lips wryly.

"I promise no more interruptions this time, Diana," Jake said before turning and walking away.

Diana watched his tall, masculine frame disappear into the crowd and wondered what he meant by his parting statement before she followed Grant to the car.

~

"You're on your way where?" asked Natalie on the phone.

Diana tried to keep her cell phone from falling off her shoulder as she hurriedly packed a bikini, a towel, and a change of clothes in her large pink-and-white striped beach bag.

"Catalina Island."

"Catalina Island!?" shrieked Natalie.

Diana walked into her bathroom to gather some toiletries, hoping she didn't forget anything.

"Jake called early this morning and said he wanted us to get away for the weekend. He'll be here any moment, so I'm trying to finish packing."

"Wow, first it was lunch in San Diego. Now it's the weekend in Catalina. Talk about romantic. I think I'm starting to like this guy."

"It's kind of hard not to get swept off my feet around him," Diana admitted as she walked back into her bedroom and looked inside her closet to retrieve a pair of sandals.

"Just be careful not to get too swept off your feet," warned Natalie.

Diana chuckled, "Yes, Mom."

"I'm serious, Diana. This guy is a real wheeler and dealer. What he wants, he gets."

"I know. I'm a guppy and he's a shark, right?" asked Diana.

"No - more like you're a hamster and he's a predator," Natalie retorted. "No, strike that. You're a _dwarf_ hamster and he's a T-Rex."

Diana laughed as she put on her white sandals and inspected herself in the mirror overhanging her bedroom door. She wore a light pink halter top and a white, flared mini-skirt. The outfit was simple and summery and showed a fair amount of tanned skin.

"Thanks for your concern, Nat. I'll make sure to keep my hamster claws sharp in case he attacks."

"Ha. Ha. Have fun and don't forget your sunscreen," Natalie said in a resigned tone.

"I'll give you the details when I get home, Nat. Love ya," Diana said before hanging up.

Jake had called her at seven a.m. this morning and asked if she would be willing to spend the weekend with him on his yacht in Catalina Island. She had been rendered momentarily speechless by his offer, but she had jumped at the chance to spend the weekend with him on a romantic island. What girl wouldn't?

She looked out her living room window and saw Jake walking toward her front door. Picking up her pink-and-white striped beach bag and purse, she let out a breath to calm down. This weekend with Jake was going to be more than thrilling; it was going to be the most exciting thing she had ever done in her whole life. She just hoped her heart would survive.

Her doorbell rang and she opened it quickly. Jake stood there grinning, looking indisputably male and muscular, his blond hair swept back and his green eyes bright with anticipation. He wore a grey T-shirt that failed to hide his six-pack and dark shorts that revealed his strong legs. Her pulse leapt as she stared into his eyes and right then she knew her heart wasn't going to survive after all.

"Ready?" he asked in a deep voice as he took her beach bag and held out his hand.

"Yes," she answered simply, taking his hand and following him to his car.

~

The short plane ride to Los Angeles followed by the drive to Long Beach and the forty-five minute ferry ride to Catalina Island had not dampened Diana's spirits. In fact it had increased it each time she looked at Jake. They had chatted and had gotten to know one another even better during their journey and she discovered that not only did they share the same strong feelings about their families and their devotion to their careers, but they also enjoyed spontaneous adventures.

"Are you having fun yet?" asked Jake with a huge grin as their ferry boat anchored at the dock at Catalina Island. It was a beautiful, warm sunny day, not a cloud in the sky. Seagulls flew above and the clear, blue water below lapped gently at the side of the boat.

"I've been having fun since you picked me up this morning," answered Diana, squeezing his hand. They had been holding hands all morning and she looked forward to the weekend ahead.

"Good," Jake nodded in satisfaction. "I promise you'll have a great time."

They walked down the gangway of the boat along with the other passengers. The dock was crowded with tourists and as they stepped onto the pathway leading to the small town of Avalon, Jake directed her toward a shiny blue golf cart that was parked at the curb.

"How cute," commented Diana as Jake placed her beach bag in the rear of the cart.

"There's restrictions on cars here and the majority of the population only drives golf carts," said Jake.

"Is this yours?"

Jake nodded and indicated for her to get in.

"I arranged for it to be here when we arrived."

Diana watched as Jake started the golf court and they sped away at a moderate speed to Avalon. She loved feeling the ocean breeze sweep at her hair and watching the tourists strolling by.

"My yacht is anchored off Descanso Beach, so we're heading that way," said Jake. "I bought it a few years ago and now my family uses it whenever they vacation here."

"Do you come here often?" asked Diana, looking at his gorgeous profile.

"I like to get away several times a year and stay here. My parents used to come here every summer. They owned a vacation home on Avalon when I was a child and we would spend our summers here. Lana and I have great memories of this island and of kayaking on Two Harbors."

In less than fifteen minutes, they had arrived at Descanso Beach, a private beach community. Jake led her to the dock where a boat taxi waited for them. He helped her board the boat and they headed out to his yacht anchored out at sea.

"Welcome aboard the Waverunner," Jake said five minutes later as he helped her board his gleaming white, fifty-seven foot yacht.

Diana felt like she was in a dream as she stepped onto the deck of Jake's beautiful yacht and stared out into the ocean. He led her to the foredeck where he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her against his hard chest. She melted against him and briefly closed her eyes to relish the moment, feeling the light wind caress her face.

"I'm so glad you could be with me this weekend, Diana," Jake said huskily.

"I'm glad you invited me."

"Are you tired? Hungry?" he asked solicitously.

Diana shook her head.

"Good, because I've been waiting to do this all day," Jake muttered before turning her around in his arms.

Diana looked up at him and instantly saw the hunger in his green eyes before he swooped down and captured her lips in a voracious kiss. Taken momentarily by surprise, she clasped his arms as he held her tightly and opened her mouth to his questing tongue. She felt herself melt against him and met his tongue with hers. He moaned at her surrender and he backed her up against the railing of his yacht. He angled his head to kiss her more deeply and she opened her mouth farther for his invasion. Her body felt like it was going up in flames, but suddenly Jake released her to gasp for breath.

"I needed that," he said, breathing heavily. "All day you've been looking so sexy in your outfit and I just wanted to kiss you everywhere."

"Why didn't you?" she asked provocatively and squirmed against him.

Jake's eyebrows shot up at her question. Then he grinned, his hand creeping up her short, flared mini-skirt.

"Because I knew that once I started kissing you, I wasn't going to stop."

Diana licked her lips as he bent down once more to kiss her. She moaned at the exquisite feel of lips and tongue devouring her and she could feel his hand gently gliding up her thigh.

"Mmm," she moaned as she felt his hand cup her between her legs. She was glad she had worn a white, lace thong as his other hand went up her skirt and cupped her bare buttock.

"Damn, woman. You're killing me," Jake said huskily as he released her lips and kissed her neck.

Diana couldn't help moaning as his lips explored her neck and his hand below began stroking her mound through her soaked panties.

"Come on," Jake said suddenly and grabbed her hand. Caught in a sensual haze, Diana allowed Jake to lead her inside the yacht, through a short hallway and into a large master stateroom. Before she could inspect her surroundings, she felt herself falling onto a large soft bed. Jake swiftly followed her down and covered her body with his own.

"No more interruptions," he said as he impatiently took off his T-shirt and shorts, revealing a body that could have graced the cover of GQ. He pulled her halter top up and over her head and tugged down her mini-skirt. She was left wearing her lacy white thong and strapless, white lace bra.

"I see you went commando," teased Diana as she stared at his erect member. She was taken a bit aback by its length and size, but the ache between her legs throbbed at the anticipation of finally being filled up by him.

"You should have, too," Jake said as he bent down and took the edge of her panties by his teeth and pulled it down, "but I do like your thong."

Diana moaned at his sensual gesture and her legs moved restlessly as he tossed the thong aside and licked his way up to her mound. She held his blond head as his tongue darted out and kissed the tight curls of her mound.

"Jake, please," she pleaded breathlessly. She felt as though her heart was going to burst and she arched upward.

"You don't need to beg, sweetheart," he said looking up at her briefly. Their eyes caught and what she saw in his made her heart race. He bent down hooking her legs over his shoulders and began to feast between her legs, licking and sucking hungrily.

Diana couldn't stop moaning and heard his answering groans. She felt his tongue thrusting inside her and, in a few minutes, she was caught in a powerful orgasm that had her arching off the bed as her body convulsed in ecstasy. It was nothing that she had ever felt before, not with any of her other boyfriends, and she knew that she would only feel this way with Jake.

Jake looked up, a satisfied grin on his face. His lips were glistening with her juices, his body hard. She could feel his erection pressing insistently against her thigh and she couldn't wait to have him.

"You're so wet and tight," he said as he spread her legs farther, preparing her for his entry. Diana moaned as she felt him slowly penetrate her. He was so big that for a moment she wasn't sure he would fit, but Jake went slowly and gently until he was firmly embedded in her.

"Oh, yes," he muttered as he began to move and thrust.

Diana arched her back once again as his erotic movements made her whole body tingle inside and out. She opened her eyes to see his lower body thrusting faster and harder. She wrapped her legs tighter around his back and began to pant as frantic lust took over.

Jake's eyes closed and there was a look of ecstasy on his face. Sweat covered their straining bodies and the musky smell of their lovemaking permeated the room. He opened his eyes again to stare down into her fevered brown ones. She caught his look of hunger with one of her own as the tempo of his thrusting began to take on a wilder edge. They both moaned as Jake pumped into her greedily. He dipped his head down to kiss her voraciously, his tongue mimicking the movements of his lower body, and suddenly Diana screamed as she felt her second orgasm overwhelm her body. He released her lips and groaned wildly as his body emptied itself into hers.

~

Diana held Jake close, trying to catch her breath. He was heavy, but she didn't mind, loving the feel of his muscular body covering hers. She had never felt so content in her life. Jake had made her feel sexy and complete and she knew that her life had changed forever.

~

Jake gently lifted his body off Diana's knowing that his weight was probably crushing hers. He placed his hand on her flat stomach and cradled her close. He needed to recover from the most mind-blowing lovemaking he had ever experienced in his life. Diana was not like other women he had known. She was innocent yet sexy and she could arouse him with just a look. She also touched his heart like no other.

He had even forgotten to put on a condom, something he had never forgotten before. But to his great surprise, the thought that there could be consequences didn't bother him too much. He languidly stroked her flat stomach and breathed in her sweet scent realizing that no matter what happened in the future, he didn't intend to let her go.

~

Diana woke up with a happy smile. Jake had held her in his arms and had fallen into a deep sleep. She turned her head and watched him slumber, his face and body completely relaxed. He still looked gorgeous despite his mussed hair. His hand was on her stomach and she lifted his heavy arm to gingerly sit up. The sunlight was fading from the window facing the bed and, glancing at Jake once more to check if he was still sleeping, she quietly rose and put her clothes back on.

She hummed a happy tune as she walked out of the cabin and onto the deck. The sun was beginning to set and she breathed in the warm, salty air. Catalina Island wasn't too far off in the distance and she watched a group of kayakers paddle near other sailboats and yachts anchored nearby. She had only been to Catalina once before on a high school camping trip and she had always wanted to return. Hugging her arms about her, she couldn't believe that not only was she back here, but that she was with Jake, the man who was slowly becoming a very vital part of her life.

"Hey, I woke up and you were gone," grumbled a disgruntled Jake as he walked toward her. He had put on his shorts, but had not bothered to put on his T-shirt. His bare chest and tousled hair made her want to jump back into bed with him again.

"Hi, sleepy head," she teased. "I figured you needed to regain your energy."

Jake chuckled and wrapped his arms around her waist. She rested her back against his strong chest and sighed. They both looked out at the horizon and the setting sun with its brilliant yellow and orange colors.

"It's beautiful here," Diana said as she savored being held tightly in his arms.

"You're beautiful," said Jake and kissed the top of her silky head.

Wrapped in his arms, she couldn't think of a more perfect moment. Suddenly, Jake laughed as he heard the rumble in her stomach and she cringed in embarrassment.

"I think it's time for us to get some sustenance, don't you think?" Jake asked in amusement before turning her around to face him.

Diana placed her arms around his neck, reached up and kissed him soundly.

"Afterwards, we can have _dessert_ , if you know what I mean," she mumbled against his lips.

Jake's eyes widened at her remark, "You're insatiable."

Diana giggled as he spanked her bottom playfully.

"But you love it," she said and then paused as she watched his expression turn serious. He looked down at her intensely and she grew tense as he continued to stare into her eyes with an unreadable expression.

"What?" she asked, concerned.

Suddenly, Jake's eyes cleared and he smiled down at her.

"Nothing. Let's go to Avalon and have dinner, sweetheart."

Still a little worried over his change of mood a moment ago, Diana smiled tentatively and allowed him to lead her back into his cabin.

~

Avalon, Catalina Island's one and only town, was bustling with tourists and activity. Summer increased the town's small, year-round population by the thousands and Diana, walking hand in hand with Jake, enjoyed watching families and happy tourists strolling down the busy boardwalk. It was still warm even though the sun had gone down and she opted to wear a light yellow dress with a sweetheart neckline, cap sleeves, fitted waist and an above-the-knee hemline. Jake chose to wear grey shorts and a light blue T-shirt, which emphasized his broad shoulders.

Jake led her to an upscale seafood restaurant where they were seated on the outdoor deck overlooking the harbor.

"They serve the best seafood here," Jake said as he opened his menu. "But if you don't like seafood, they also have great steak and chicken."

"I love lobster," Diana said as she looked out over at the bay where dozens of small boats and yachts were anchored.

Jake smiled and closed his menu.

"Then lobster it is," he said before reaching over to hold her hand across the table. His knees touched hers underneath the table and she smiled, relieved to see no sign of his earlier strange mood. She knew that her sensitivity toward him had increased by a hundred-fold ever since they had made love and she wasn't sure how to handle it. Looking at Jake across their candlelit table, she wasn't even sure how he felt about her. Her emotions were in a jumble, but she was determined to enjoy this weekend with him and not to delve too deeply on what the future with him may bring - or not bring.

~

Jake studied how Diana's wavy hair caressed her bare, tanned shoulders, and the way her deep brown eyes sparkled at him as she ate her meal with enjoyment. He knew with certainty that he was now well and truly ensnared by her. Her innocent beauty, her sweet and caring nature, and her uninhibited responses to him in bed made her a temptation he couldn't resist. But he was accustomed to his freedom as a single, carefree bachelor and in the past, he had always shied away from the thought of commitment.

A few hours ago, he had realized that he was starting to care about Diana too much. The revelation had shook him and made his mind go blank for a few seconds as he had stared down into her eyes.

Now as he held her soft hand across the table, gently stroking her knuckles with his thumb, he wondered what she felt about him. Suddenly, he began to feel insecure, an emotion he so rarely encountered that he almost didn't recognize it. He had never felt vulnerable in any of his relationships, so he firmly subdued the unfamiliar feeling. Diana had come to him with open arms and had taken her pleasure with him enthusiastically. Obviously, she cared about him; anything less was unacceptable in his mind.

~

"Mmm, this lobster is delicious," said Diana appreciatively, as she dipped lobster meat into a small tray of melted butter. "It's so fresh and succulent. You were right. This restaurant serves great seafood."

Jake watched her take the lobster meat into her mouth. He nearly groaned out loud as he watched her lick her lips, lapping at the butter drippings with her tongue. It had been torture watching her savoring her lobster meal all evening. His imagination had run rampant wondering what it would be like to drip butter on her naked, writhing body as he licked her all over.

"You haven't really touched your lobster," she said, curiously. "Don't you like it?"

"I've been too busy watching you enjoy yours," he answered and was glad that his erection was well hidden by the tablecloth.

Diana grinned before taking a sip of her red wine.

"Getting good lobster is difficult in Vegas. By the time seafood is trucked into the desert, it tastes kind of stale."

Jake chuckled. "I noticed."

"What would you like to do after dinner?" Jake asked, hoping she would say that they could go back to his yacht, so he could immediately make love to her again.

Diana paused as she licked her fingers slowly, the provocative act nearly making him groan out loud.

"I wouldn't mind going back to the yacht," she said, looking at him from underneath her eyelashes.

Jake's blood pressure shot up as he caught her flirtatious smile. She had read his mind accurately and he was more than pleased with her eagerness to be alone with him again.

He held his hand up to signal to the waiter.

"Check, please."

~

Diana sighed in pleasure as she stretched languorously in Jake's bed. His dark brown, silky sheets and pillows were strewn haphazardly all over the cabin floor. Holding a sheet close to her chest, she listened to the water gushing from the shower Jake was taking. It had been a wild night and they had made love with great abandon. Jake had proven himself to be a generous and tireless lover, who had made her reach her peak more times than she could remember.

Looking toward the window, she could see streams of light through the blinds and sat up in bed. She put on one of his T-shirts for modesty's sake and walked toward the bathroom. The shower had shut off and she needed to use the toilet, so she knocked on the door.

"Jake, can I come in?"

Jake opened the door, a white towel wrapped around his waist.

"Hi, sweetheart," he greeted her before dipping his head to kiss her lightly. "Did I wake you?"

"I just need to use the bathroom," she replied shyly.

Jake grinned and walked out and she shut the door behind him. After using the toilet and washing her hands, she heard a knock. She opened the door and Jake stood there naked with a big grin on his face.

"Have you taken a shower yet?" he asked mischievously.

Tearing her eyes away from his muscular six-pack, Diana shook her head and looked up into his teasing, green eyes. She immediately recognized the hunger there as he swept away the beige shower curtain and stepped inside the stall.

"I thought you already took a shower," she said, pulling off the T-shirt and stepping inside the stall. Jake turned on the water. Then he backed her up against the tiled wall. She moaned as their wet bodies fused together and she could feel his erection between her legs.

"But you haven't and I'd like to soap you down," Jake said huskily.

He held a bar of soap in one hand and started to gently stroke it down her body. Bending his head, he captured one pink nipple and sucked. Diana groaned and clutched his shoulders as he slipped his other hand between her legs and began to stroke her.

The warm water rained upon them as Diana writhed in his arms. Jake's tongue wandered over to her other breast to lick her other nipple before swallowing her breast whole. His other hand then cupped her bottom and lifted her up.

"Spread your legs, sweetheart," he instructed hoarsely. Diana immediately wrapped her legs around his waist. He groaned and then thrust into her as she moaned in ecstasy.

"You feel so good," he murmured as he thrust into her, now with both hands at her bottom. Diana gyrated against him, reveling in the feel of his large member pounding into her.

Jake groaned and kissed her voraciously, their tongues dueling wildly. Diana moaned loudly as she felt herself come. Suddenly he lifted his head away and thrust one more time, his orgasm taking him like a tidal wave. They were both breathing heavily as she put her shaky legs down.

Jake put his forehead against hers and smiled into her dazed eyes.

"Now that's what I call a good morning," he said before kissing her and turning off the water.

~

A few hours later, Diana found herself on the beach watching Jake come out of the ocean, dripping with water. They had eaten a leisurely breakfast on his yacht's deck before heading out to shore. She wore a bright pink bikini, which accented her pert breasts and highlighted her tan. More than once on their way to the beach, Jake had caught her to him and groped her, causing her to lightly scold him.

"It's your fault for wearing that bikini," he grumbled. "You look too sexy in it."

Diana inwardly preened at his compliment.

"Try to behave. We're in public," she admonished.

"I don't care who's watching. You're my girlfriend and if I want to touch you, I will," Jake said, looking deeply into her eyes.

Warmed by him calling her his girlfriend and thrilled by the possessive tone in his voice, Diana's uncertainty was temporarily assuaged. After this morning's lovemaking, she was now in danger of falling deeply in love with him. It was going to be difficult to hide her feelings from him until she knew how he felt about her.

Jake smiled down at her as she lay on the beach blanket.

"I need to get some water. Want some?" he asked.

"No, thanks."

"I'll be right back then."

Diana watched him walk away toward the stores stationed not too far from the beach. She turned on her stomach and placed her head on her folded arms and closed her eyes, enjoying the sun on her back and listening to the waves. The sound of female voices conversing interrupted her peace and she opened her eyes reluctantly to see a trio of pretty bikini-clad women sauntering toward her.

"It's so hot today," complained a woman in a white bikini. She unfolded her beach blanket and placed it on the sand not too far away from Diana. The beach wasn't very large and there was limited space due to the many tourists.

"Tell me about it," another woman in a blue bikini said as she lay down next to her friends.

"I'd rather go shopping," complained another woman in a green bikini.

Diana rolled her eyes at their complaints. She tried to shut out their conversation, but one of their comments drew her attention.

"Yummy, look at that hot guy coming toward us," said blue bikini.

"Wow, that is fine eye candy," giggled white bikini.

Diana looked up to see Jake walking toward her holding a water bottle. Suddenly, a beautiful woman in a black string bikini intercepted him and he stopped. Diana narrowed her eyes as she watched the woman clutch her bikini top and present her back to Jake.

"Cassidy is using her 'my top is about to fall off, can you tie it for me pretty please' trick again," giggled green bikini causing Diana to sit up and stare at the scene taking place a few yards away from her.

Jake tied the woman's strings expertly and then started walking away again, but the woman stopped him with a hand to his hard chest. Diana could feel her temper boiling as the woman unashamedly stroked his chest. Jake shrugged with a frown and abruptly turned away. The woman scowled and stared at his retreating back.

"Oops, Cassidy doesn't take rejection well," said the blue bikini.

Jake grinned at Diana and settled himself next to her on the beach blanket. Diana glanced at the women who had been chatting about Jake. Their eyes widened as they comprehended that Jake was with her. _That's right, ladies. He's mine_ , she thought possessively.

"Hey, beautiful," Jake said capturing her attention. "Did you miss me?"

"I couldn't help but notice that woman practically accost you over there," said Diana wryly.

Jake let out a laugh. "She was shameless. Sorry you had to witness that." He took her hand and kissed it. "She didn't know that I only have eyes for one woman. You."

His statement melted her heart and she reached over to kiss him softly. He met her lips eagerly, placing a hand behind her head and bringing her close to his body.

"I think we need to cool down. Why don't you join me in the water?" Jake asked.

Diana nodded and stood up as Jake held her hand and led her into the ocean. She glanced one more time at the bikini clad women and caught them all staring at her with envy. She grinned as she followed Jake into the water and he brought her to him once they were shoulder high in the ocean.

"Kiss me," he ordered and she smiled, placing her arms around his neck willingly. She kissed him and he angled his head, so he could open her mouth wider.

Jake wrapped his arms around her back and kept them both steady in the water. The waves were gentle and lapped against their bodies. Diana anchored herself to him by placing her legs around his waist causing him to groan into her mouth.

She could feel his erection through his swimming trunks as he reached inside her bikini bottom to cup her bare buttocks, gripping her tightly to him. She moaned as his tongue touched hers and stroked inside her mouth. She arched against him, rubbing her breasts against his chest. Keeping one hand steady on her bottom, Jake placed his other hand inside her bikini top and covered her breast. Diana started to pant as he fingered her erect nipple.

Tearing her mouth away from his, she said reluctantly, "Wait, we should stop."

"What - why?" he asked, frowning.

"This is a public beach, Jake," said Diana and she looked around self-consciously.

There were a few people in the water, but they weren't far enough away from them to ease her embarrassment. Besides, there were several children on the shore who might start swimming and come across them. She could feel his rumble of laughter before he released her reluctantly.

"Come on, then. Let's go back to my yacht and finish what we started," he said with a wink.

~

Diana slowly came awake in Jake's arms a few hours later. The scent of their lovemaking permeated the cabin and she felt Jake's unmistakable arousal press against her stomach.

"Mmm, another wonderful afternoon," said Jake as he enveloped Diana in a bear hug.

Diana giggled as he lifted her gently and placed her on top of him.

"It takes a lot to keep you satisfied," she said, rubbing her body against his and loving the feel of his hard body underneath hers.

"Who said I was satisfied?" he asked teasingly.

He spanked her bare bottom gently, caressing the soft cheeks with both hands before he reached up to give her a probing kiss, igniting her passion all over again.

"In fact, I'm ready for round two," he said against her mouth, nipping her bottom lip gently.

Diana raised her eyebrows.

"I believe it's more like round three."

He laughed and caressed a breast, reaching up to swallow a nipple. Diana arched against him and moaned.

"Your bikini is dangerous, young lady," he mumbled against her breast. "The minute I saw you in it, I just wanted to tumble you back into bed."

"There were other women there in bikinis. In fact I remember one who needed her top to be re-tied," she said, the memory causing her to pout.

"You're the only woman I want, Diana. You should know that by now," he said seriously.

Diana stared into his intent green eyes, melting at his tender look. She was starting to believe that perhaps their relationship had a fighting chance despite the fact that he would be leaving Vegas in two short months. Suddenly, Jake's iPhone rang, but he didn't move from beneath her.

"Shouldn't you get that?" she asked curiously.

"I guess I should, though I did instruct my secretary that I didn't want any business calls this weekend," answered Jake as she scrambled away from him so he could reach over and pick up his iPhone from the bedside table. She watched him answer and frown as a shocked look came over his face.

"What is it?" she asked worriedly.

"That was Liz. Nathan is in the hospital."

# Chapter Six

The flight from Catalina Island's tiny airport back to Las Vegas was short but rife with tension. Jake had booked them a small private plane and had held Diana's hand tightly throughout their journey back home. He didn't converse, but she could feel his intense worry as he stared out the plane's window.

Once they reached the hospital, Jake found a distraught Liz in the children's ward wringing her hands agitatedly.

"He had been playing outside when he started vomiting," said Liz nervously. "The doctor said that he has a stomach infection. They gave him fluids to keep him from getting dehydrated. I'm so sorry, Jake. This is all my fault. It was something he ate."

Liz began to cry. Diana placed her arm around the older woman's shoulders as Jake flagged down a nurse to inquire about Nathan.

"It's okay, Liz. I'm sure he'll be fine," Jake said tersely before turning to a nurse who directed him to a doctor. Jake followed the doctor to Nathan's room while Diana and Liz trailed closely behind.

Nathan was lying in a bed holding a teddy bear when they all entered his room.

"Uncle Jake!" The little boy's green eyes sparkled and he struggled to sit up, but the doctor, an older man in his sixties, gently restrained him.

"Hold on there, son. You need to rest. You've had quite a day," said the doctor as he smiled down at the boy.

Jake quickly took his nephew's hand in his and gently tousled Nathan's blond hair. Diana was moved by his concern for the boy. Jake's tender gestures and the look of love and worry on his face made her heart melt even more for him.

"He'll be all right," reassured the doctor. "He had a bit of a stomach infection, which caused him to vomit. We've been giving him plenty of fluids and I recommend that you continue to give him lots of water once he gets home."

"You gave us a scare, buddy," said Jake squeezing his nephew's hand.

"Sorry, uncle," said Nathan who then looked at Diana inquiringly. "Miss Diana?"

Diana smiled and walked over to Nathan's bedside.

"Hi, sweetie. Are you feeling better now?" she asked placing a hand on his warm, chubby cheek.

Nathan nodded his head and smiled weakly.

"Can I take Chauncy home this week?"

Diana laughed. "I believe next week is your turn, so you have to get better so that you'll have the energy to play with him."

Nathan nodded his head again and clutched his teddy bear. Diana bent down and gave him a kiss on his forehead. She looked up at Jake and caught him staring at her with an intent look. She couldn't read his thoughts, but what she saw in his eyes made her head spin.

~

"It's all right, Lana. Nathan is fine. The doctor said he should be back to normal in a few days. There's no need for you and Jeff to fly back here."

Jake finished his call with his sister with a sigh. She had been frantic with worry when he had first reached her in the Bahamas and she had insisted that she and her husband were going to be on the first flight to Las Vegas. After many reassurances, she finally calmed down and decided to stay where she was, but only until Jake promised to call her as often as possible to keep her posted on Nathan's health.

Jake watched Diana as she sat on a bench outside Nathan's room and comforted Liz. Liz was still shaken by Nathan's sudden ill health. She had been Nathan's nanny since the child was born and, in his short life, he had never succumbed to any childhood illness. He had always been a very healthy and sturdy little boy. Diana put her hand on Liz's closed fist and continued to talk to her softly. Jake could hear the words "it's not your fault" and "he'll be okay."

Jake rubbed a weary hand through his hair as he remembered how he had felt when he watched Diana interact with his nephew earlier. The sweetness she had displayed toward Nathan made him ache somewhere inside that he couldn't explain. Being kind and loving came naturally to her and he knew that she would be a great mother one day.

When she had kissed Nathan's forehead, he had the sudden imagery that she would be doing that with her own child, _their_ child, and the thought struck him deeply. Having a family was always something he had thought of, but not until the far future. Glancing at Diana now, with her kindness and beauty, he realized that he wanted that family with her - and he wasn't willing to wait another nine years to have it.

~

"I'm coming over."

Diana smiled as she listened to Jake on the phone. He had been coming over to her apartment every night this week even though she had told him not to. She knew he was exhausted from his demanding work schedule and had rushed to come home every night to be with a still recovering Nathan. But he had insisted on going to her place each night after tucking his nephew into bed.

"I made meatloaf and mashed potatoes for dinner," she said hoping that he would enjoy the simple fare.

"Sounds good, sweetheart. I'll be there in twenty minutes."

His use of the endearment warmed her heart and she smiled happily as she hung up.

As Diana tossed a salad in a large, wooden bowl, she thought about Jake and their almost domestic routine this week. He always came over at around eight thirty p.m. and brought a bottle of red wine. After dinner they would snuggle on her sofa and talk about the day's events and then he would sleep over. He would be up by dawn the next morning and she was still asleep when he left, but he always left her little notes on her bedside table. The notes would read, "Morning, beautiful. I'll see you tonight." It always touched her deeply and she found herself humming throughout the day in anticipation of seeing him again. In all honesty, she was the happiest she had ever been and it was all because of Jake and the love she felt for him.

Suddenly, Diana blinked and stopped tossing the salad. She really did love Jake and the realization hit her like a ton of bricks. She knew that she had been falling hard for him from the very beginning. In fact, she had desired him fiercely from the moment she had clasped eyes on him when she was an eighteen-year-old girl. But the reality was that he still planned on going back to New York in a little less than two months and the thought scared her. As much as they discussed their work, their interests, and their likes and dislikes each night, they steered around the sensitive subject of his returning to New York. It was as if each were afraid to discuss the impending separation. She shook her head and brought the salad bowl to the dining table. She was determined to enjoy every single moment she had with him. The future with him was uncertain, but she wasn't going to dwell on a future without him. She wasn't yet ready or willing to imagine Jake not being in her life.

~

"That was delicious," sighed Jake as he wiped a napkin across his mouth.

Diana laughed. "Yes, I must say I make a good meatloaf."

Jake reached across the table and placed his hand on hers, rubbing his thumb over her knuckles.

"Thank you for dinner."

"You're welcome," she grinned as she stood up and began to clear away the dishes. Jake stood as well, but she stayed him with a hand.

"No, I'll do it. You look like you're about to drop from exhaustion. You should have just stayed home tonight and let Liz cook you dinner."

"I'd rather be with you. Besides, Liz has been working overtime taking care of Nathan during the day."

Jake watched Diana walk back and forth from the kitchen to the dining room. He sat back lazily in his chair and watched her with an affectionate smile.

"How is Nathan?" she asked as she cleared the table of crumbs with a small dish rag.

"The little monkey is almost back to his old self. He should be in school on Monday."

"Good. I've missed him and his friends are always asking about him."

Jake stood, taking two wine glasses with him, and walked over to her sofa. Diana followed him with a bottle of wine. She poured wine into their glasses as they lounged on her plush sofa. Jake placed his arm around her shoulders as he sipped his wine. Diana sighed and cuddled close to him, enjoying his nearness and the tantalizing smell of his cologne.

"Lana called today and said that she and Jeff have decided to come back a little early," Jake said abruptly with a slight frown.

"What?" asked Diana in surprise, her head jerking up to stare at him.

"They miss Nathan too much," he said wearily and then leaned his head against the cushions.

"When do you think they're going to be here?" Diana wasn't happy about saying goodbye to Nathan. He was so sweet and adorable and she knew his classmates would miss him.

"In a week or so. I'm going to miss the little guy," Jake answered and then yawned loudly.

"I think you need to go to bed," Diana said with a small grin.

"Only if you come with me," he said and bent down to kiss her soundly.

Diana poured all her love into their kiss and heard him groan as he delved inside her mouth.

"You're too tempting, sweetheart," he whispered against her lips.

"So are you," she answered back with a teasing smile as he wrapped her in his strong arms and nibbled on her delicate earlobe.

Every night Jake made love to her even though he was exhausted from a long day at work. She marveled at his stamina, but delighted in his insatiable hunger for her.

"By the way, my mom and step-dad want to invite you over to their place for lunch on Sunday," she said apprehensively.

Diana nibbled at her lower lip, feeling a tad nervous. She didn't know what his reaction would be to the invitation. Her mother had received an earful about how wonderful he was whenever she called and now she insisted that Diana bring him over.

Jake stopped nibbling on her ear and looked at her inquiringly.

"Your parents want to meet me?" he asked in surprise.

Diana tried to shrug nonchalantly although she was beginning to regret succumbing to her mother's wishes.

"You don't have to -" she started.

"I'd like to have lunch with them," Jake interrupted with a grin.

Diana smiled back, feeling relieved.

"It wasn't my idea..." she said, not wanting him to think that there was any pressure coming from her to get to know her family.

Jake twirled a strand of her silky, soft brown hair with one finger and looked deeply into her eyes. His tender expression made her forget what else she was about to say.

"I want to know everyone you care about, sweetheart," he said gruffly.

His statement moved her and she kissed him lightly on the lips before taking his hand. She stood up and looked down at him with a teasing smile.

"Come on. Let's go to bed and I can show you how much I missed you today," she said. Jake stood up eagerly and followed her into her bedroom.

~

"Now, where is this young man you've been raving about for the past few weeks?" asked Trina as she greeted her daughter.

"Mom," said Diana urgently as she looked over her shoulder. "Behave. He's coming up the steps now."

Diana had been a tad nervous when they had left for her parents' house that morning, but she had enjoyed Jake's surprise at seeing how forested Mount Charleston was. He had never been up to the mountain-top community and was impressed with the aspen, juniper, pine and ancient bristlecone trees that were in abundance in the area.

"Oh, my, he's handsomer than what you described," Trina teased, making Diana blush as Jake bounded up the steps to her mother's house and grinned at her mom.

"Hello, Mrs. Vincent," he said politely, holding out his hand toward her. "Now I know where my Diana gets her beauty."

Trina gave him a warm smile, beaming at his compliment.

"Charming _and_ handsome," Trina she said to Diana before turning back to Jake. "Welcome to my home, Jake. My daughter has told us so much about you."

" _Mom_ ," said Diana, slightly embarrassed by her mom's admission. Jake looked down at Diana and grinned. She met his eyes awkwardly, but then he winked, making her feel less chagrined.

"Don't worry. They've all been good things," Trina said soothingly as Diana and Jake followed her into the living room. Murray sat on a chair and stood up to greet them.

"Well, hello, darlin'," greeted Murray jovially as he placed a gentle peck on Diana's cheek. He then turned to Jake and looked at him in an assessing manner before shaking the younger man's hand firmly.

"It's nice to meet you, Jake," he said in a friendly tone.

"It's nice to meet you too, sir," said Jake as he sat down next to Diana on a dark blue sofa.

"Please, call me Murray. I haven't been called 'sir' since before my retirement."

Jake smiled and watched Trina sit down next to her husband on the sofa across from him and Diana. Murray held Trina's hand and smiled at her lovingly.

"You have a beautiful home," said Jake. "It has a lot of cabin appeal and rustic charm. The views are amazing."

Murray nodded in appreciation of Jake's comments.

"Thank you. I built it for Trina when we first moved here and had it custom designed to specifically capture the beauty of the forest environment."

"You did a great job," said Jake making Murray beam with pride.

"It's the mountain home I've always dreamed of having. I had a large, wooden deck built with redwood exterior siding and installed interior pine cabinetry."

"Murray, we mustn't bore the young man with the details of our home," admonished Trina gently. "Now, I've put a turkey in the oven and it should be done in a few minutes. We also have baked potatoes, corn on the cob, and a plethora of steamed vegetables to choose from."

Jake laughed as Diana shook her head.

"Mom, that's a lot of food. You really didn't have to go to so much trouble for us," she said.

"Nonsense, it's not every day we see you and today is special because you've brought Jake to meet us," said Trina causing Diana to blush again. "That's right, darlin'," piped up Murray. "Now does anyone want anything to drink? We have a fine selection of wine and spirits."

"I'll have some white wine," said Diana as she stood to help Murray pour the drinks.

"The same for me, please," said Jake as he watched her interact with her stepfather.

Diana smiled at Murray as he joked with her at the mini-bar in the corner and Trina glanced lovingly at them before turning her attention to Jake.

"So, have you been enjoying Las Vegas?" asked Trina.

Jake grinned. "I sure have and I'm quite amazed at the contrast in landscape between Mount Charleston and Vegas."

Trina laughed. "Mount Charleston is a haven from the heat and we love it here. We even get a fair amount of snow in the winter."

Jake looked out the large picture window in the living room and admired the babbling creek outside. Bright orange wild flowers bloomed alongside the creek.

"It's a beautiful view," Jake said, "and plenty of trees."

"We have white firs, ponderosa pines, and cedar trees everywhere."

"It's hard to believe that we're only thirty minutes away from downtown Vegas," Jake said, shaking his head in disbelief.

Trina nodded. "I thought the same thing when I first arrived. The high elevations of the mountains and canyons here provide a different world and much-needed relief from the desert heat."

At the mini-bar, Diana looked over her shoulder to watch her mother and Jake chat. She was relieved to see that they were enjoying a conversation and turned back to put more ice cubes in the drinks.

"He's a handsome fella," said Murray as he poured a little rum in his drink.

"Yes, he's a looker," agreed Diana.

"As long as you're happy, cutie-pie, your mother and I like him," Murray said. Diana smiled at her stepfather and reached over to give him a gentle kiss on his cheek.

"What was that for?" he asked in surprise.

"I just love you," she said simply before turning away with two drinks in her hand.

Jake had seen the kiss Diana had given her stepfather and her gesture had warmed him. He also saw the love that her mother and stepfather had for her and, throughout dinner, could see that she had a very close relationship with her parents.

As he sat with Diana's parents at their dining table, eating a very delicious turkey meal, he knew it wasn't going to be easy for her to leave them. He had known since they had left Catalina Island that he had no intention of letting Diana go. He was determined to convince her to leave Las Vegas at the end of the summer and return to Manhattan with him.

However, he had not anticipated how close she was to her parents. His hope was that in the time he had left, he could convince her to leave with him because he couldn't imagine a future without her. He wasn't sure if he loved her yet, but he knew that a life without her would be empty and he was going to do everything possible to make sure their romance wasn't just going to be a summer fling.

~

"Is something wrong?" asked Diana worriedly. She looked at Jake as he drove them back to her apartment a few hours later.

He glanced at her briefly and shook his head.

"No. Why do you ask?"

Diana shrugged. "It's just that you've been quiet since we left my mom's house."

"Just a lot on my mind," he answered distractedly.

Frowning at his statement, Diana decided not to pursue the matter and stared out the windshield. It had been a perfect day, in her opinion. Jake had gotten along well with her mom and Murray, but the minute they had entered his car he had become strangely quiet.

"Do you have a stomachache?" she asked abruptly.

Jake chuckled. "No. The food was perfect."

"Then what's wrong?" Diana persisted. She just knew something was bothering him and it was gnawing at her.

"Diana, have you ever thought of moving?" asked Jake abruptly.

Diana's eyes widened at his unexpected question.

"Well, I don't know," she answered slowly, not sure where his question was leading. "I've never really considered it."

Jake sent her a quick probing glance which made her inexplicably nervous.

"You know I have to return to New York at the end of the summer," he said in a grave voice.

Diana gulped. She knew it and she dreaded it.

"I know," she said softly. Their relationship was either going to continue or end when he went back and at this moment in time, she didn't know which way it was going to go.

"I'm not good with long distance relationships, Diana."

"Neither am I, Jake," she said trying to hide her disappointment at his statement. She didn't want him to think that she would cling to him when the time came to separate even though that was what she desperately wanted to do.

"I don't want to leave you," Jake said earnestly, taking his eyes off the road for a moment to look at her. She felt her heart squeeze at the tenderness in his eyes.

"I don't want you to leave either," she said, feeling depressed at the thought of his impending departure.

Diana glanced at Jake's profile, waiting for him to say something to ease the ache in her heart, but he remained silent. She noticed that his expression had hardened and she cleared the uncomfortable lump in her throat as the silence between them stretched longer. They were clearly at an impasse and Jake was now obviously lost in his own thoughts. Diana sighed and decided to keep quiet the rest of the ride home. If he didn't want to talk, she wasn't going to pressure him, but the silence was so loud in the car on the way home that it broke her heart. As they left the forest landscape of Mount Charleston and drove back into the barren desert, Diana felt as bleak as her surroundings looked.

~

"Jake, I don't think I'm in the mood," Diana said as Jake tumbled her into her bed a little under an hour later. She was feeling a bit sour after their silent car ride.

"Don't worry. I'll put you in it," Jake said confidently as he pulled off his shirt and then began peeling her white dress down to her waist.

Diana wore a lacy, pink bra and she saw his nostrils flare as he continued to slip her dress down to reveal her lace, pink thong. She sighed as she watched him bend down and latch onto her thong, peeling it off with his teeth. He growled playfully and tossed the thong away before kissing her thighs.

"You're so soft and silky here," he mumbled.

Diana moaned as she felt his lips trace a path to the juncture between her legs. She was already moist for him and she watched him under heavy eyelids as he removed the rest of his clothing. His erection grew under her gaze. Then he bent down again to kiss her between her thighs. She whimpered and arched her back as Jake licked and kissed her in her most sensitive place.

"You taste so good, Diana," he muttered as he placed his hands underneath her bottom and lifted her up to his mouth.

Diana groaned in ecstasy as he continued to caress her with his tongue and lips.

"Now this is what I call a delicious dessert," he said, lifting his head briefly to smile at her, his lips glistening with her juices. Diana smiled and clutched at his hair before he bent down to her again.

~

That night, Diana could not fall asleep in Jake's arms. Her mind kept mulling over their discussion earlier in the car, which made her restless and worried. Jake's arm wrapped snugly across her waist and his leg flung possessively over hers. She savored his nearness, but as she stared up at the ceiling, listening to Jake's quiet snores, a sudden realization gripped her mind. Jake was as vital in her life as breathing and she didn't know what she was going to do when he left.

~

Jake woke up early without needing an alarm clock. He dressed and moved around quietly so as to not wake Diana. Looking down at her sleeping form, he frowned. He had not told her that the reason he had been so quiet last night was because he had overheard Diana say goodbye to her mother after dinner.

Diana's mom had said, "I love you and I'm so glad you've found such a wonderful young man, but he's from New York and I don't want you to leave Las Vegas."

Jake had seen her startled expression and had heard her answer, "Mom, I could never leave you." Her statement had caught him completely off guard and he turned away before they caught him eavesdropping on their conversation.

Was Diana content to just have a brief fling with him and then end it when he left for New York? Did he even have the right to ask her to leave her family? He shook his head in denial. He wanted her and he didn't intend to give her up. He also firmly believed that she cared for him, but he just wasn't sure how strong her feelings were. Giving her one last lingering glance, Jake closed her bedroom door gently and decided that at least he still had the rest of the summer to figure out what to do.

# Chapter Seven

"It's a win-win situation for everyone, Jake," said Robert, chief operating officer of Jake's company. "We can't afford to turn it down."

Jake shook his head. "I don't like this buyout situation at all, Robert."

"Our investors want to pull out and this Middle Eastern company is willing to pay us more than we ever expected. We're already halfway to completion on the hotel and they want to finish the project, taking it out of our hands. This is a great deal, Jake."

Jake trusted Robert and knew he had a level head and smart instincts. The offer from the other company had come as a complete surprise, but he also knew the timing couldn't have been more perfect.

He stood staring out his large office window trying to go through what all the ramifications of this buyout would mean. His investors felt that the luxury hotel they were building was becoming too risky a venture, considering Las Vegas' current depressed economy.

"I understand that our investors would rather sell now and make a hefty profit rather than continue building the hotel, but we've already put too much work on this," Jake said.

Robert stood before him and shook his head.

"If we pull out now, we'll recoup everything and we'll also make a huge profit just from the sale."

"What are the legal ramifications?" Jake asked.

"I have our lawyers looking into it now."

After a long pause, Jake turned from the window and sat back down at his desk. He looked at Robert's expectant face and grimly nodded.

"Fine, I'll meet with our investors as soon as possible."

"We have to move quickly on this, Jake," Robert warned.

"I understand," Jake answered and stared at a picture he had of Diana on his desk. His stay in Las Vegas was going to end sooner than he expected and time was no longer on his side.

~

"It's gween," said Nathan, pointing at a picture in a children's book.

Diana kissed the top of his tousled blond head and said, "Yes, Nathan, that's correct. The leaves are green."

Nathan sat on her lap and turned the pages of the book slowly. Tommy and Madison sat on each side of her studying the pictures. Diana kept one eye on Shane and Jacob as they played on the rug with colorful, wooden blocks a few feet away. All the other children had left for the day and she was waiting for the parents to pick up the remaining children in the classroom.

"Miss Diana, Jacob won't play nice!" yelled Shane. Diana caught Jacob sweeping the blocks away from Shane.

"Jacob," admonished Diana, "please be a good boy and share the blocks."

Jacob glanced up at her and smiled mischievously.

"Okay, Miss Diana," he said.

Diana sighed, sweeping her dark hair away from her face. Jacob was forever goading the other children and pushing boundaries with her. By the end of each day, her reservoir of patience with the little boy was usually largely diminished, but she tried to make her patience stretch until his mother picked him up.

"Mommy!" yelled out Nathan suddenly and leaped from her lap to run toward a beautiful, petite blonde in a silky grey wraparound dress that accentuated her slim figure.

Completely taken aback by seeing Nathan's mother, Diana walked over to greet the woman who was Jake's younger sister.

"Hello, I'm Lana and you must be Miss Diana," said Lana cheerfully as she held Jacob close. "I remember you from a very long time ago at a beach party."

Lana's blonde hair flowed down her back in long, silky waves. Everything about her, from her make-up to her nails, was done to perfection.

Diana smiled and held out her hand. "I remember you, too. It's nice to meet you again. Please, call me Diana."

Lana's green eyes twinkled. "Jake has said so much about you."

Diana's eyebrows went up. "He has?"

"Oh, yes. Don't worry. They've all been complimentary," Lana answered and then smiled down at her son. "I've come to take Nathan home."

"You have?" Diana asked, slightly astonished.

Diana glanced down at Nathan and felt tremendous affection. She had come to care for Nathan in the month that she had gotten to know him.

"My husband and I were very concerned when he became ill. Jake and Liz assured us that he has fully recovered and I can see that he's healthy and happy, but we realized that we couldn't spend another day without him."

Lana bent to give her son a kiss on his head.

"I understand," said Diana quietly, wondering if Jake had known his sister was coming this afternoon to take Nathan away. "The other children and I will miss him very much."

They both looked up to see Jake in the hallway walking toward them. At the sight of his tall, muscular figure, her mouth went dry and she smiled at him despite her conflicted feelings. Why hadn't he told her that Nathan would be leaving today?

She looked at him inquiringly and he looked back at her steadily, his expression inscrutable. He then glanced down at his nephew, a wistful smile on his face. Tousling Nathan's head, he looked at his sister before turning his gaze back to Diana.

"Joan Mayfield is ready to see you," Jake said to Lana. "She has some paperwork for you to sign."

"Thank you for being such a great teacher," Lana said sincerely. "I know that Nathan will miss being in your classroom. He's spoken of you often these past few weeks."

"I'll miss him, too," Diana said and bent down to give Nathan a warm hug. She called to the other children.

"Nathan is leaving our school. Why don't you all say goodbye to him?" Diana said. Tommy ran over and hugged Nathan. The two boys clung to each other for a long time. Then Madison, Shane, and Jacob all took turns saying goodbye.

"I'll miss you," said Nathan sadly looking at Diana and Tommy for a long moment before turning back to his mother. Tommy looked teary-eyed, so Diana held his hand as Nathan turned to walk down the hallway with Lana.

"She called me last night and said that she and Jeff wanted to get Nathan back as soon as possible," Jake said, watching Diana carefully. "They didn't want to spend any more time away from him. They'll be going back to San Diego tomorrow afternoon. Liz will be going with them."

"You didn't know until last night?" she asked, feeling a little less puzzled about Nathan's sudden leave-taking.

Jake shook his head and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"I'm going to miss him too, Diana," he said softly.

Diana glanced down at a tearful Tommy and crouched down to hug the little boy. Tommy had grown attached to Jacob and she knew that the little boy was unhappy to see him go.

"Would you like to draw a picture for Nathan as a goodbye present?"

Tommy nodded eagerly.

"Nathan likes dinosaurs," Tommy said.

Diana smiled and patted the top of his brown head.

"There are some crayons and paper in that basket over there. When you're done, I'll make sure to give Nathan your dinosaur picture."

Tommy went to the table where Madison sat and began to draw.

"You're good with the children," commented Jake.

Standing up from her crouch on the floor, Diana smiled at Jake.

"Thank you," she paused and looked at him searchingly.

"Are you all right?"

Jake nodded. "I'll miss the little tyke, but I'm glad he's back with his parents."

"Will you be coming over tonight?" she asked softly, careful to keep her conversation quiet, so the children wouldn't hear.

Jake shook his head regretfully. "I'm sorry, but there's a lot going on at work right now. I can't go into the details, but I'll fill you in later."

He glanced at his watch. "I have a meeting within the hour, so I have to go. I'll call you later, sweetheart."

Diana frowned as she watched him turn and walk back down the hallway. He hadn't come over to her place since the night they had left her parent's house, three nights ago. Considering that last week he had come over to her apartment every single night, she was starting to think that his interest in her had begun to wane. The thought literally made her heart hurt and she was more confused than ever about his feelings toward her.

~

"You're tipsy," Natalie accused Diana later that evening.

Diana sat on her sofa, a glass of wine in her hand. She let out a soft hiccup and smiled woozily.

"Am not," she answered back before closing her eyes and laying her head back on a sofa cushion.

Natalie snorted and took Diana's glass of wine away, setting it far from her reach.

"Look, I know Jake hasn't come over these past few nights, but that's no excuse to wallow."

"Who's wallowing?" asked Diana as she opened her eyes and frowned at her best friend.

"Uh - you are," Natalie answered, shaking her head. "You never ever get tipsy, young lady, unless you're depressed about something."

"I am not depressed," protested Diana, wincing as she felt a headache coming on. "Jake has been busy at work, that's all."

"If 'that's all,' then why are you getting drunk?" asked Natalie, arching her eyebrow.

"Oh, for goodness sake," said Diana in exasperation. "I'm not even close to getting drunk. You're exaggerating."

"Has he told you why he's so suddenly busy at work?"

"No, just that he'd fill me in on the details later."

Both women were silent for a while before Natalie asked softly, "Do you love him, Diana?"

Taking a sharp intake of breath at Natalie's unexpected question, Diana blinked before answering slowly. "I've tried to fight my feelings for him. I told myself to take it slowly and not get too far ahead of myself, but I'm losing the battle."

"It's not a war, dear," Natalie said wryly.

Sweeping her hair back, Diana breathed heavily.

"I know that, Nat, but he's only here for the summer and then he leaves. He hasn't spoken to me about the future and I'm too afraid to bring it up. I don't want him to feel pressured about anything."

"You do love him," Natalie said quietly.

"What?" Diana said, frowning at her.

"If you didn't, you wouldn't be so afraid of losing him."

Diana gulped and bit her lip.

"I've never been in love before, Natalie."

"I know. You kept Richard at arm's length for a year and didn't care if he got tired of waiting for you to commit. Now here's Jake and just the thought of him leaving has you all tied up in knots."

Diana's eyes widened as the realization dawned. "You're right. I do love Jake." She paused and stared at Natalie in mortification.

Natalie laughed and shook her head.

"Well, congratulations."

"No, no, no," Diana said, shaking her head. "I can't be. Jake is beyond gorgeous. Lots of women would gladly trade places with me. Everywhere we go, women are drawn to him. I'm certainly not a femme fatale type. He won't stay with me forever. Crap, what am I going to do?"

Diana groaned and placed her head in her hands.

Natalie hugged her best friend.

"It's okay," soothed Natalie. "You're beautiful, Diana. Don't feel so insecure."

"I'm quite ordinary and unremarkable," mumbled Diana. "You should see the women who try to make a play for him. They're practically models. I'm just a dowdy preschool teacher."

"Diana Heather Mulroney, what is _wrong_ with you?" scolded Natalie in an exasperated voice. "How dare you put yourself down?"

Diana sighed sadly. "I never wanted to fall in love with Jake. I knew from the beginning that he would eventually go back to New York."

"Unfortunately you can't pick and choose who you're going to fall in love with."

Diana looked at Natalie and asked, "What am I going to do?"

Before Natalie could answer, the doorbell rang.

"I'm not expecting anyone tonight," Diana frowned as Natalie stood and walked over to the front door and peeked through the peephole.

"Speak of the devil," she said.

"Who is it?" asked Diana.

Natalie turned and smiled at Diana.

"Jake."

Diana's eyes widened and she looked down at what she was wearing. Not expecting anyone to come over tonight, she had changed into her favorite pajamas, the flannel ones with the large gnomes printed on them.

"Great," she groaned. "Don't answer the door."

Natalie grabbed her purse from the dining table and waved goodbye.

"Wait, where are you going?" Diana asked, as she walked over to her.

"I think you guys need to talk things through tonight," Natalie answered and reached for the doorknob.

"Natalie, don't open -"

Natalie opened the door and Diana felt nervous excitement as she looked into Jake's green eyes.

"Hi, Jake. Bye, Jake," said Natalie before she left, glancing only once at Diana before walking out.

Jake said something to Natalie that Diana didn't catch since she was too busy staring at him. Even though she had only seen him a few hours before, she was hungry for the sight of him. Wearing a grey T-shirt that hugged his six-pack and faded denims, he looked mouth-wateringly good and she hugged her loose, gnome pajama top close to her as he stared back at her.

"I didn't mean to interrupt your evening with Natalie," Jake said apologetically.

"It's okay. She just stopped by to talk," said Diana as she opened her door wider to welcome him in.

Jake stepped through into her apartment and suddenly, her place seemed much smaller. He had such presence and it seemed that every cell in her body came alive when he stepped through her door.

Sweeping a hand through his blond hair, he looked tired as he said, "I apologize for coming at this late hour, but I just wanted to see you."

"Oh?" asked Diana calmly even though she was churning inside.

"I've...missed you, Diana."

"You have?" she asked, feeling herself melt at his words.

Jake sighed, drew her to him, and gave her a kiss that made her forget the past three miserable days without him. There was nothing gentle in his kiss as he held her tightly and delved in, his tongue tangling with hers. It felt so good that Diana moaned, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"So good," Jake mumbled against her lips after he finally released her. Diana opened her eyes reluctantly and stared into his passion-glazed eyes.

"I like your cute pajamas," he said as he locked his arms around his waist.

"You do?" she asked, wishing she had sexy lingerie on instead.

Jake nodded his head and grinned.

"It'll be fun taking them off."

Diana couldn't help smiling at his boyish grin as he lifted her up in his arms and carried her to her bedroom. She had missed him so much and all she wanted to do now was spend the rest of the night showing him how much she had ached for him the last three nights.

~

The sunlight streamed into Diana's bedroom and she stretched languorously. She opened her eyes slowly and found Jake looking down at her with a tenderness that took her breath away.

"Good morning, sweetheart," he said softly.

He was propped up above her with one elbow on a pillow while with his other hand, his fingers sifted through several strands of her chestnut hair, which covered one breast. She smiled as she turned toward him.

"Morning," she said, looking into his slumberous gaze.

It had been another night to remember as she had released all her inhibitions in his arms. She had screamed in ecstasy more than once during the night and now her body felt sore in sensitive places, but she was well satisfied. Tracing a finger down his hard chest, she mulled over why he had stayed away for three days, but didn't know if she should bring it up.

"I'm sorry I couldn't come over the past few nights, Diana," Jake said quietly.

Diana looked into his eyes and bit her lower lip.

"It's okay. I figured you were really busy at work."

Jake stayed silent for a few seconds and she could sense that he was struggling to tell her something serious. She held her breath as she waited in anticipation for whatever he was going to say.

"Busy is an understatement. I've been spending every waking moment handling very complicated and delicate negotiations."

Jake paused before proceeding and the look in his eyes made Diana brace herself for what she sensed was coming.

"My company was offered a buyout and we accepted."

"What do you mean?" Diana asked, confused.

"My investors have been nervous about continuing our project for a while now. Las Vegas' economy hasn't exactly been robust lately and despite reassurances, their confidence in the local economy has ebbed. A Middle Eastern company has unexpectedly offered to buy us out and complete the building of the luxury hotel. I've decided to take the offer."

Diana stared into Jake's eyes and the implication was clear. He wasn't going to spend the rest of the summer building the hotel. He was leaving sooner rather than later. Her heart plummeted and she looked away, not wanting him to see the pain in her eyes.

"I see," she said quietly. She felt his hand take hers and lightly stroke her palm.

"I don't think you do," Jake said, but Diana shook her head.

"When do you leave?" she asked bluntly.

"Diana -"

"Jake, when do you leave?" she asked abruptly.

"I should be done with the contract revisions in a few weeks. My COO will take over any other negotiations. I have to fly back to Manhattan to begin proceedings on another project as soon as possible."

It was like a death knell and Diana struggled to sit up. Jake watched her closely as she looked at anything but him.

"I don't want to go back to Manhattan without you, Diana."

She looked back at him, her eyes widening at his statement.

"What?" Hope rose in her chest as he held out his arms and she went into them, breathing his scent and realizing that she was only half alive when he wasn't around.

Jake kissed her forehead and stroked her silky hair.

"Do you honestly think that I could leave you?"

"Oh, Jake..." Diana said as she looked up at him and kissed him with a voraciousness that took even him by surprise.

"You'll have to tell your parents and your work that you'll be leaving soon," he said, after their long kiss ended.

"Wait...what?" she asked, confusion again settling in.

He wrinkled his brow as he stared down at her.

"It would only be fair to give them as much notice as possible, Diana," he chided gently.

"I don't understand," said Diana as she drew away from his arms. "I want to see you again, of course, but I wasn't planning on leaving my home and my job."

"I'm not just asking you to visit me in Manhattan. I want you to come with me and be part of my life."

Diana looked at him, perplexed. This wasn't exactly a marriage proposal, so what was it?

"Are you asking me to live with you?" she asked uncertainly.

Jake nodded, his eyes becoming cautious as she frowned at him.

"I can't just suddenly leave everything I know," she said, shaking her head.

"Why not?" he asked, dumbfounded.

Diana let out a grunt of exasperation, sweeping an agitated hand through her mussed hair.

"Well, I have a great job and I have my family and friends here."

"What about me?" Jake asked softly. She could see a glimmer of hurt in his green eyes.

"I - I care about you," she answered, unwilling to let him know about her love for him until he confessed his true feelings to her. "How do you feel about me?"

Looking slightly uncomfortable, Jake answered, "I care about you too, which is why I want you to join me in New York."

It wasn't enough. Diana wanted to hear the words that would make her heart sing. If Jake didn't love her, she wasn't about to give up everything and leave with him.

She shook her head and looked at him sadly, her heart squeezing painfully in her chest.

"I can't leave Vegas," she said adamantly. Her mind was made up. Only love and commitment would make her leave her family, her friends, and her beloved job.

Jake stared at her in disbelief.

"Diana, it's not as if you can't get a job like yours in Manhattan and your family and friends can visit us any time. I'll even pay for their plane tickets."

"Excuse me?" Diana asked sharply as indignation coursed through her. "I happen to love my job and the children I teach. Furthermore, my family and friends would be thousands of miles away and even if they had the time to visit me, it still wouldn't be the same."

She couldn't believe his insensitivity. It was unlike him to be so callous about her feelings. Placing her legs out of the bed, she swept up a sheet to cover herself and stood over him.

"I may not be a hotshot company president like you, but I know my worth and I'm not just going to pack up and leave everything I know and love because you're telling me to," she said heatedly.

"Diana, I didn't mean -"

Putting a hand out to interrupt him, Diana continued, "I had no idea that you thought my job was so unimportant and interchangeable."

"I didn't say that," Jake said in a frustrated tone.

"Yes, you did. You just said that it's not as if I couldn't get another job _like mine_ in New York."

"It came out wrong. I just want you to be with me, that's all," he said placatingly.

Biting her lower lip, Diana looked at him for a moment. He was so handsome lying there on her pink sheets that she could feel her anger start to drain away, but she was still smarting from his unintended insult.

"I think you should leave," she said quietly.

"What?" Jake asked in a slightly astonished voice.

"You heard me. I need some time to think. Alone."

Jake stared at her for a few seconds before rising. He left her bed and stood up before her, naked and upset.

"I'm sorry. Apparently, I've said all the wrong things to you, but we're not done talking, Diana."

"For now, we are," she said with a finality that made it clear that the conversation was over.

Jake sighed and then picked up his clothes from a nearby chair. Without another word, he left her bedroom and shut her door gently. Diana stared at the closed door for a few seconds before flinging herself on her bed and allowing herself to have a good, long cry.

~

"Dammit, why can't she just be reasonable about all this?" Jake muttered to himself as he sat at his desk at work and gripped a pen in his hand.

It had been a very long, grueling day and he had instructed his secretary to inform future callers that he had already left the office for the evening. This morning's argument with Diana had started him off on the wrong foot and he had developed a throbbing headache as the day had slowly progressed.

He had not meant to belittle Diana's job as a preschool teacher, but he had been taken aback by her refusal. He desperately wanted her to come with him to Manhattan and he had been certain that she would readily agree. He had never before asked any woman to live with him and he had assumed that she would jump at the opportunity to continue their relationship even if she had to move out of state. Apparently, he had misjudged her strong ties to her job, family, and friends. Hurt pervaded his being at the thought that she didn't care about him enough to leave everything behind.

Jake winced at the unfairness of that thought. He hadn't exactly told her that he loved her. He felt possessive, protective, and caring, but was that love? The only thing he was certain about was that he couldn't imagine his life without her. A startling solution suddenly came to his mind making him pause. He slowly smiled, relief flooding his heart as he pictured Diana beaming with happiness. He had been blind and stupid not to have seen how simple it was to fix things between them. Now it was up to him to make things right and he was determined not to fail because his future depended on it.

~

"Of all the asinine assumptions," Diana fumed as she forcefully unpacked groceries in her mother's kitchen.

"Be careful, darling. You're going to break the eggs," cautioned Trina, watching her daughter shove the egg carrier back into place and slam the vegetable drawer shut.

"He's got some nerve," Diana grumbled as she continued to toss frozen meat into the freezer.

"Uh, honey, let me put away the groceries. I think you should just sit down and have some tea," said Trina carefully.

"It's not every day that a man asks you to just leave everything and live with him. I guess that his next move would be to toss me over his shoulder and carry me to his secret lair, Neanderthal style."

"Ranting and raving is not healthy, dear. You need to talk to him."

"I don't want to talk to him," said Diana crossly as she stalked out of the kitchen and into the living room. She sat on the sofa and crossed her arms against her chest staring moodily at the wall in front of her.

Trina followed her into the living room and stared down at her disgruntled daughter.

"You're behaving like a child."

Diana sighed and looked up at her mother apologetically.

"I know. I'm sorry."

Trina sat down next to her and stroked her daughter's hair back, which helped soothe Diana's raw nerves.

"You love him, don't you, darling?" Trina asked gently.

Diana looked into Trina's understanding eyes for a few seconds before nodding reluctantly. She placed her head on her mother's shoulder, sighing deeply.

"If you want to go with him to New York, I would understand and so would Murray."

Lifting her head, Diana looked at her mother searchingly.

"But...I couldn't leave you, Mom. We've always been together."

"Sweetheart, Jake loves you and you love him. You belong together. Murray and I can always visit you in New York or you can visit us."

"But I don't know if he loves me..." Diana said morosely.

Trina let out a little laugh.

"I saw the way he was looking at you when you both came to visit us last weekend. That man loves you, darling. Trust me."

Diana frowned disbelievingly at her mother's words.

"He hasn't said so."

"He does," Trina nodded wisely. "Sometimes men are just a little bit dense, dear. You have to be patient with them."

Diana smiled at her mother's statement, but then frowned again.

"I don't want to leave you," she said and took her mother's hand in hers.

"I'll miss you, Diana, but your life is with him now. I know you would be unhappy if he left and you stayed behind here in Vegas."

Diana was silent for a long moment before she looked at her mother again.

"I do love him, Mom."

"I know you do. Trust your heart, sweetheart."

Diana's feelings were in turmoil, but her heart was strong in its conviction. She needed to find a way to get Jake to reveal his true feelings for her. She knew that if he left without her, she would be devastated, but she still wasn't ready to leave Las Vegas unless she knew without a doubt that he loved her. Her mother's reassurances gave her the courage to question him, but apprehension still gripped her heart.

# Chapter Eight

The meadow was sweet smelling and the grass was lush as Jake surveyed it from a distance. Two days after their row, he had managed to convince Diana to join him at this meadow in Mt. Charleston, not far from her mother's house. He had been nervous that she would refuse, but he could sense that she wasn't as upset with him as she had been two days ago. He had asked Liz to pack them a picnic basket and she had made sure that there were plenty of chocolate-covered strawberries, specialty cheeses, deli meats, gourmet bread and red wine in the basket. He wanted this picnic to be perfect for Diana because he wanted her to remember it for the rest of her life.

~

Diana drove up to the meadow and parked her Mazda right behind Jake's car. He was leaning against his black Porsche casually wearing faded blue jeans and a light blue T-shirt. His tall, lean, muscular figure made her heart leap as she stepped out of her car wearing a yellow, sleeveless top and a flared, white mini-skirt. Her frustration with him had dissipated after her talk with her mother a few days ago. Now all she wanted was to open his stubborn mind to the possibility that he did love her after all.

~

"Hi, there," he said softly, his eyes admiring as he took in Diana's tanned arms and slender legs.

"Hi," answered Diana quietly and allowed him to draw her into his arms. He leaned back against his Porsche and stroked her back gently. "I've missed you, Diana."

Diana wrapped her arms around his waist and enjoyed the feel of his hard body against hers.

"I've missed you too, Jake," she replied as she breathed in his masculine scent and reveled being in his arms again.

Two days had gone by since their argument at her apartment and, for some reason, it had felt longer. She now realized that it would be impossible to continue to live in Vegas without Jake. She needed to be with him like she needed air to breathe.

"Thank you for spending today with me," he said, nuzzling her hair.

"You're welcome."

Jake reluctantly released her and walked over to the trunk of his car. She watched him as he lifted an enormous picnic basket out with a grunt of exasperation.

"This is heavier than I thought it would be," he smiled wryly.

"What's in it?" Diana asked curiously.

"I told Liz to pack a bottle of wine and a few other things, but I think she packed a restaurant instead."

Letting out an amused laugh, Diana followed him to the meadow. He settled the basket in a grassy clearing. There was nobody else around and it was very quiet for a Saturday morning. The only sounds they heard were of birds chirping in the trees and the wind gently rustling the tree branches overhead. The sky was cloudless and the sun warmed their skin without scorching it. A pine tree provided shade as Jake spread a red and white checkered blanket on the ground. Grinning, he indicated to Diana to have a seat. She sat cross-legged on the blanket and dove eagerly into the large picnic basket.

"Wow, Liz really packed a lot of food," marveled Diana as she took out several types of cheeses, a loaf of French bread, two wine glasses and a bottle of red wine.

Jake chuckled as he watched her take out grapes, gourmet deli meats packed in Tupperware, and chocolate-covered strawberries.

"I hope you're hungry," he said as he took out plastic plates and utensils from the basket.

Smiling, Diana shook her head in amazement as she continued to dig into the picnic basket.

"It's a bottomless basket," she said as she took out napkins and bottled water. "Liz has thought of everything."

"Come here," Jake said in a low voice.

Diana looked up and caught his hungry gaze. She leaned over the picnic basket as he placed a hand under her chin and tilted her head up to his.

Parting her lips, she felt him gently delve into her mouth with his tongue and explore her searchingly. She heard his moan and answered him with one of her own. She completely forgot where she was; the only thing that mattered was him and his kiss.

After almost a full minute of kissing, Jake leaned away and smiled at her.

"I've missed your sexy mouth," he said, his voice deep, his eyes simmering with passion.

To keep him from affecting her again, she reached over to get a slice of cheese and French bread.

"Suddenly, I'm feeling quite famished," she said, biting into the Havarti cheese and bread.

"Me, too," Jake said, his grin still in place.

"We need to talk," said Diana quietly.

Jake nodded, seeing the serious look in her eyes.

"I'm sorry that I -"

"I'm sorry -"

They both started speaking at the same time and both stopped abruptly. Diana let out a nervous laugh, sweeping her dark brown hair away from her face as she glanced at Jake under her eyelashes.

"Okay, you start," she said softly.

Jake took her hand in his and gently stroked her knuckles with his fingertips causing her breath to hitch.

"I'm sorry that I made you mad at me," Jake said apologetically. "I literally put my foot in my mouth and I've been kicking myself ever since. I didn't realize I was being so insensitive and dictatorial."

Diana looked deeply into his eyes and read the sincerity there. She found that she could forgive him almost anything by just looking into his stunning, green eyes.

"You forgot arrogant," she said wryly. She paused then said, "I'm sorry that I lost my temper though."

Jake lifted her hand and kissed her knuckles, causing her emotions to go into overdrive again.

"You're beautiful when you're angry," he said huskily.

"You should see me when I'm having a full blown temper tantrum."

Jake laughed. "I'd rather not." He paused before continuing solemnly, "I've missed you these past two days, sweetheart."

"I've missed you too, Jake. It has been pretty awful."

"Then let's start over and enjoy this picnic," he suggested.

Diana nodded and, conceding to the wishes of her growling stomach, dug into the picnic food with relish.

By the time Diana had eaten the last chocolate-covered strawberry, she was ready to take a nap on Jake's lap. A young family of four had arrived at the meadow and was playing Frisbee while an elderly couple had set up camping chairs nearby and looked to be set on bird watching with their binoculars.

"I wanted to give you something," Jake said suddenly, his voice serious.

Diana's eyes widened in astonishment as she watched him take out a small, black velvet box from the back pocket of his jeans.

"Jake, what -" Diana started, but he held out his hand to stop her from continuing.

"Just listen to me for a minute," Jake said earnestly.

He opened the lid of the box and Diana's eyes widened farther at seeing the large diamond ring nestled inside.

"Oh, wow, Jake," she said slowly. "That is the most beautiful ring I have ever seen."

Diana's heart was galloping a mile a minute as her mind tried to wrap itself around the fact that Jake was about to propose to her.

"Will you marry me, Diana?"

Jake's voice was full of emotion as he asked her the question. She couldn't look away from his intense gaze and her heart melted when she read the tenderness there.

"Jake...this is so unexpected."

Diana was at a loss for words. His marriage proposal was honestly the last thing she had expected from him.

"Say yes," he said urgently, the intensity in his gaze deepening.

Diana was tempted to throw caution to the wind and say yes immediately, but something held her back. She needed to hear the words that would make both her heart and mind agree to accept his proposal.

"Why do you want to marry me, Jake?"

"Because you're the one woman in the world whom I can't live without," he said softly.

It was close, but it wasn't enough for Diana.

"And?" she persisted, her hands clenched as she willed him to say the words she needed to hear.

"And?" he repeated, frowning.

"What else?" she prodded him.

"Well...I know you and I are compatible in bed and out of it." He paused and added, "And I know that you'll love New York."

He stopped, looking momentarily stymied, and she didn't know whether to laugh or cry. The man she loved had proposed, but for reasons that were completely unacceptable. Her heart dropped like a stone into her stomach at the acute disappointment she felt at his answer.

"You're joking, right?" she asked, becoming upset. "You know that you're proposing for reasons that are so unacceptable that they're almost ludicrous."

"What is wrong, Diana?" he asked in genuine surprise. "I thought you'd be happy."

"If all you're looking for is a bed buddy, then count me out," she said stiffly.

"That is _not_ what you are to me and you know that, Diana," Jake answered in an aggravated tone. He swept his blond hair back in frustration.

"I need a better reason for uprooting my whole life and moving to New York with you."

"Isn't marriage a good enough reason? Besides, it's not as though you would suffer with the lifestyle I can provide for you, Diana."

Diana eyes narrowed at his slightly pompous statement.

"What do you mean?" she asked stiffly.

"I'm sure you could adjust to living with me. I have a beautiful town house in Manhattan and I also own a vacation house in the Bahamas. I can provide you with anything you want," he said with confidence.

Diana was completely affronted. Did he think that his money could sway her into marriage?

"You think that material things are very important to me, Jake?" She suddenly started feeling sad at his estimation of her. When had she shown him that she only cared for his wealth?

Jake stared at her for a moment. She could see that it had finally dawned on him that he had said one too many blunders, but it was too late. She was no longer sure if could spend one more minute in his presence without wanting to slap him.

"I'm just saying that I'm wealthy and you would want for nothing."

"Do I look poor or something?" Disgusted by his focus on money, she looked away. "When have I ever made you think that I was materialistic?" "I -"Jake stopped and sighed, running his hands through his hair again. "I'm sorry, Diana. I just want you to be happy. I'll be a good husband...and a good father."

The mention of parenthood affected Diana in an unanticipated way. She had always wanted to be a mother, but she had not seriously considered it until now. She pictured an adorable, green-eyed little boy in her arms and the ache inside her intensified.

"I know we'd be good together, Diana. We already are," persisted Jake. He took her hand in his and kissed her palm. She drew her hand away and shook her head.

"But how do you _really_ feel about me, Jake? Please, be honest," she said, staring into his eyes. She mentally willed him to open up his heart to her.

"Diana, you mean so much to me. I - I can't envision my future without you." Jake paused and then sighed. "What more can I say?"

For a moment, the confusion on his face made her sympathize with him and indecision made her hesitate.

"I - I care about you, Jake," she said, but she wasn't going to tell him she loved him. It would leave her too vulnerable, especially since he clearly didn't love her back. "But marrying you would be a mistake."

Diana stood up on shaky legs, wanting nothing more than to go home and lick her wounds. She had so desperately wanted to accept his marriage proposal and be his bride, but she realized now that Jake wasn't in love with her and she couldn't force him to be.

"Diana, wait," Jake said in an urgent voice as he stood and placed his hands on her shoulders.

"We can't leave things like this," he said sternly.

She felt shattered, but she knew that she had to walk away. Without love, she had no choice but to deny him.

"I don't understand what you want, Diana. I already told you that I can't live without you, that you mean so much to me, and that I can't imagine a future without you. What more do you want?"

"It's not enough, Jake," she replied sadly. "I need a better reason for why you want to marry me."

Jake's eyes widened as comprehension finally dawned.

"You want me to say I love you?"

Diana's heart began to beat frantically in her chest as he gazed down at her intensely. She nodded slowly, but knew from his body language that he wasn't able or willing to say the words she so desperately needed to hear. Jake removed his hands from her shoulders and looked away.

"Diana, I don't know if I love you...I've never been in love before."

She nodded and closed her eyes briefly, not wanting him to see the pain in them.

"I understand, Jake," she said softly, opening her eyes. Overwhelming hurt permeated her entire body, but she was determined not to show him the extent of her misery. With an inborn strength she didn't know she possessed, she maintained her composure even though she wanted to scream.

"Thank you for being honest with me."

Diana turned to walk away, but Jake captured her hand.

"You're being stubborn, Diana," he said in a hard voice.

"Let me go, Jake. We have nothing else to say to each other," she said, glaring at him.

"I'll never let you go," he answered, glaring back.

Diana was rendered momentarily speechless, seeing the turbulence in his eyes.

"I have to fly back to New York tomorrow night to take care of business, but I'll be back in a few days. I want a different answer from you when I return."

Diana could sense that he was restraining his emotions tightly, but she wasn't going to back down. Her self-preservation was on the line and she had to stay strong.

"Have a good flight," she said softly. "Now please release me."

Jake released her reluctantly and she was finally able to tear her gaze away from his. She slowly walked back to her car, each step away from him compounding her misery. It felt like little pieces of her heart were falling onto the ground. The cold, hard truth was that he didn't love her, therefore, she had no intention of giving him a different answer.

~

Back at her apartment, Diana wallowed in her bed, a box of tissues at her side. Even though it was only six o' clock in the evening, she had already changed into her short, pink nightgown and was staring at her bedroom ceiling morosely, wiping at the tears in her eyes with a tissue. Everything would have been so different if she had said yes to Jake's marriage proposal. She would have been gleefully telling her mother and Natalie the great news; she would be busy planning her wedding and her move to New York. She would have been overjoyed to be Nathan's new aunt.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang and hope exploded in her chest. It could be Jake. Perhaps he had just realized that he loved her after all. Jumping out of bed, she put on her white, silk, short robe and ran out to her living room to fling open the door.

Her heart fell as she recognized the one person she had never expected to see again. Richard.

~

"Hi, Diana," Richard said uncomfortably. "May I come in?"

Diana stared at him in puzzlement. She hadn't seen Richard in almost two months. Tightening the ties of her robe around her waist, she opened the door wider and gestured for him to come in.

"Hi, Richard. It's been a long time."

Richard cleared his throat and she sensed that he was ill at ease.

"I didn't want to disturb you, but I wanted to say goodbye."

Diana frowned. "Where are you going?"

"Portland, Oregon. I accepted a teaching position there."

"I didn't realize you wanted to move."

"After we broke up, I figured I needed a change of scenery," Richard said sadly.

Diana felt terrible seeing Richard's downcast demeanor. Her sudden and immediate romance with Jake had blinded her from seeing the pain she had inflicted on Richard. Now that she was experiencing some misery of her own, she sympathized deeply with him.

"Oh, Richard, I'm so sorry. I never wanted to hurt you," Diana said sincerely and placed a hand on his arm.

"It's all right, Diana," he said quietly with a sad smile. "I've done some soul searching and I know now that you were right. We were not meant to be together."

Diana was both relieved and thankful that he had come to that conclusion.

"Why don't you sit down and I'll get you a glass of wine?"

Richard shook his head. "No, I can't. I still have to pack."

"When are you leaving?"

"In two days."

"Sit," Diana insisted. "I'll go get us that wine."

Richard frowned but allowed Diana to take his arm and lead him to her sofa. She then went into her kitchen, took out wine glasses, and poured red wine into them, all the while feeling vaguely distressed that Richard felt compelled to leave Vegas because of her.

"How are things going between you and...him?" Richard asked as Diana sat down next to him on the sofa.

"You mean Jake?" she asked, handing him his glass of wine.

Richard nodded uneasily.

"Well, things aren't going so good at the moment," Diana said grimly, gulping down a large portion of her wine.

"Sorry to hear that."

Diana smiled and shook her head. "No, you aren't."

They stared at each other for a moment before they both began to laugh. It felt good to laugh since all Diana had been doing since she left Jake in the meadow was cry.

"It really is good to see you again, Richard. I'm sorry that I didn't keep in touch."

Richard released a deep breath and stared down into his wine glass.

"I didn't expect you to." He held out his glass to her in a toast and said, "Here's to new beginnings."

Diana smiled and tapped her glass to his.

"And to bright futures ahead," she said, sincerely. She hoped that they both find true happiness.

"I'll miss you, Diana. I hope you and Jake patch things up."

Diana was touched by his kind words and reached over to give him a soft kiss on his cheek.

"You're a good man, Richard. I know you'll be happy in Portland and you'll find a special woman out there."

Richard sighed and smiled sadly.

"I hope so."

Suddenly, the doorbell rang and Diana put her wine glass down before going to answer it. Her mind raced when she opened the door and found Jake standing there.

"Jake?"

Jake looked behind her, frowned grimly and then stalked into her living room. Richard stood and stared at him while Jake glared back.

"I see you have company," Jake said sarcastically.

Diana realized that the scene he was seeing was very misleading.

"Richard was just saying goodbye," she rushed to say.

"Yes, actually I was," agreed Richard, feeling the tension in the room. He turned to Diana and smiled weakly. "It was nice seeing you again, Diana."

Diana tore her gaze away from Jake's angry visage and gave Richard an apologetic smile.

"Good luck in Portland, Richard. Thank you for coming by."

Richard nodded and walked toward the door without a backward glance. Diana knew that she would probably never see him again.

"A few hours ago, you rejected my marriage proposal and now you're spending the evening with your ex?" asked Jake angrily.

"Stop it Jake," said Diana in exasperation. "First of all, you know Richard was never really my boyfriend. Second of all, he came by because he's leaving for Oregon in two days."

"Good," nodded Jake in satisfaction, "because if I ever catch him in your apartment again with you wearing your nightgown and drinking wine with him, he wouldn't be able to stand up."

"You don't have to tell me about your caveman tactics."

Diana went to pick up the empty wine glasses to prevent herself from becoming more upset with him and walked into her kitchen. Jake followed closely behind.

"He still wants you."

Rinsing out the wine glasses, Diana turned from the sink to roll her eyes at him.

"Don't be ridiculous," she scoffed.

Jake stepped closer to her until he had trapped her against the sink. Wearing only her thin nightdress and her short, silky robe, she could feel the heat emanating from him. She looked up at his green eyes, glittering with emotion, and felt her body melt against his.

"He found an excuse to see you again."

"He was saying goodbye, Jake."

Jake lowered his head until his lips were barely a breath away from hers.

"You don't think he would change his mind about leaving if you took him back?"

"There's no need to be jealous."

"Yes, there is. You're mine and nobody else will ever touch you," he said roughly before settling his lips over hers.

His possessive statement touched a chord within her that ignited the flame of passion between them. It was like spontaneous combustion.

Diana wrapped her arms around his waist while her lips clung to his. He kissed her voraciously, his tongue tangled with hers as he angled her head so he could go deeper. He groaned as she arched into him and felt her excitement.

But Diana knew this was wrong. She had to stop him. Tearing her mouth from his, she breathed heavily and stared into his passion glazed eyes.

"We can't do this, Jake. You told me you didn't love me this afternoon and I refuse to be your convenient bed buddy."

"I said I didn't _know_ if I loved you," said Jake in a frustrated voice. "Words are powerful and I don't believe in saying something I don't mean."

"Well, kudos to you for being so honest," she said sarcastically.

She pushed against his chest, forcing him to release her from the circle of his arms and walked back into her living room. Hugging her arms around her waist, she stared out her living room window sightlessly. Confusion and irritation warred with desire and frustration and she tried to stop her chaotic emotions from unraveling her. She also refused to satisfy her body's urgent cravings.

"I'm sorry you're so upset with me, Diana. I didn't come here to fight with you," Jake said as he walked toward her.

"Then why did you come here?"

"To make amends. I didn't mean to imply this afternoon that you dated me only for my money."

"I'm not materialistic. I base people on who they are, not on their income," she said, feeling her ire rise.

"I know that," Jake said quietly.

"And how do you know that?" she asked curiously.

"Because you dated Richard."

His answer startled her.

"He's not exactly poor," she said dryly.

"Well, he's not exactly rich either," Jake retorted. "You're beautiful inside and out, Diana. I know that you aren't materialistic."

Her irritation dissipated at his words, but she became morose again as she contemplated the dilemma that she was in. He still didn't love her and she loved him to distraction.

"We're good together," Jake said huskily.

"Sex can't solve everything, Jake," she said sadly. He loosened the ties of her robe to reveal her short, silky nightgown.

"I know that, but it is a big part of our relationship," Jake insisted wrapping his arms around her slender waist. "I care about you deeply, Diana. I want to share my life with you. What more do you want?"

"I want your love," she said, biting her lip. She felt him sigh deeply as he rested his chin on top of her head.

"I'm sorry, Diana, but I honestly don't know if I love you," he said regretfully.

Diana winced as agonizing hurt struck her again. Tears threatened to fall, but she held them back. She wanted to scream at him, to be angry with him, but the fight had gone out of her.

"Then I guess we're at an impasse," she said sadly.

Jake swept her hair back away from her nape and kissed her neck, his lips caressing her soft skin. His lips felt so good that she involuntarily angled her head to give him more access.

"Let's not argue anymore tonight. Maybe we can resolve things in the morning."

"In the morning?" she asked, knowing that sleeping with him again would probably be a mistake, but her body was more than eager to comply.

"It's been a long day. Let's go to bed," he persuaded huskily.

Diana slowly turned in his arms and the minute she looked into his eyes, she knew she was lost. She loved this man and it was futile to think that she could resist him. If he didn't know whether or not he loved her, then she had to find a way to convince him that he did.

Diana placed her arms around his neck.

"You're incorrigible," she said, succumbing to her body's needs.

"And you are irresistible," Jake answered before sweeping her up into his arms and taking her to the bedroom.

~

Jake watched her sleep, her deep breaths causing her chest to rise up and down gently. With one elbow on a pillow, he gazed down at the woman whom he couldn't allow to get away from him. Feeling an emotion that he had never felt before, Jake winced at the vulnerability he felt. Vulnerability was a virtual anathema to him. When she had rejected his marriage proposal yesterday, he had been taken aback by her refusal. He had been so sure she would say yes. Her continued stubbornness was making him go mad with frustration. Seeing her with Richard last night in her sexy robe had made him so jealous that for a moment he couldn't see straight.

His flight was leaving in a few hours and he still had to pack and get to the airport. They had made love several times throughout the evening and this morning and now it was the afternoon and he was loathe to wake her up. His business obligations had him staying in Manhattan for several days, but when he returned he was going to make damn sure that she accepted his marriage proposal. She completed an emptiness inside him that he had not even known needed to be filled. He may not have known if he loved her, but he knew with absolute certainty that he couldn't live without her.

~

"Have a safe trip," Diana said.

She tried to keep her voice even as she fought her inner turmoil. She was finding it difficult to keep her composure as she sat in her car with Jake. They were parked curbside in front of the airport terminal.

She had decided to drive Jake to the airport even though she knew it would cause her a lot of pain, but she wanted to spend every possible moment with him before he left.

Jake looked torn as he stared at her for a few seconds. Then he reached down abruptly to give her a heart-wrenching kiss that stole her breath away.

"I'll be back soon, Diana," he told her reassuringly. "I'll call you every night."

She gulped and nodded.

"All right. Take care of yourself, Jake."

To her embarrassment, she felt a tear escape and flow down her cheek.

"Don't cry, sweetheart," said Jake in concern, touching her cheek gently with his fingertips. He kissed her forehead. "I can't stand seeing you cry. I'll be back in a few days. I promise."

"I just..." She didn't want him to leave without telling him how much he meant to her, despite her irritation at him.

"Just what?' he asked gently.

"I love you, Jake," she said, her heart leaping in her throat at the intense emotion she read in his eyes.

"Diana..."

"No, don't say anything. I just wanted to let you know that before you left."

They stared at one another before Jake enveloped her in a tight hug.

"Be safe and I'll call you once I land," he whispered in her ear just as an airport security guard rapped on her car door.

"You can't park here, miss," said the guard sternly.

Jake released Diana and she nodded at the guard. She watched Jake as he got out of her car, opened her back door, and took out his luggage. He stuck his head into the passenger side window, his eyes gleaming with an unreadable emotion.

"Remember, I want a different answer to my proposal when I come back," he said seriously.

Diana couldn't speak, so she just nodded. The guard motioned her to drive away, so she waved at Jake before pulling out. She watched him from her rearview mirror and saw him staring after her. Another tear dropped down her cheek as she lost sight of him. If it was only a few days of separation, then why did it hurt so badly?

# Chapter Nine

A few days turned into two weeks. Jake explained that he had unexpectedly found himself with too many problems at work that he could not quickly resolve. As promised, he called every night, but lately his conversations had been getting shorter and shorter and he seemed to be very distracted.

The other night, when Diana had asked him when he was planning on returning to Vegas, his answer had been vague and noncommittal. She was becoming increasingly uncertain that he even intended to return to her and it was driving her slowly crazy.

~

"You need to fly over there and ask him what's going on," Natalie said over a cup of coffee at their favorite café on the Strip.

Diana had called Natalie that Saturday morning for an impromptu get-together so she could escape her morose thoughts and get out of her apartment. She didn't want to spend the day moping around her place, mulling over everything Jake had ever said to her. She did that enough during the weekdays.

"I can't do that," muttered Diana. "He's very busy."

"Diana, it's been over two weeks now and you said he was only going to be away for a few days."

Diana fidgeted in her chair as Natalie looked at her expectantly.

"Go there," Natalie insisted. "Now."

"No." Diana was adamant. If Jake didn't want to come back, she wasn't about to beg.

"You're being stubborn," Natalie said, shaking her head. "I know you love him -"

"But he doesn't love me."

Both women were silent for a moment as they drank their respective coffees.

"Do you really need the words?" Natalie asked softly.

"What words?"

"The 'I love you' words."

"You know I do," Diana said before she gulped down the last of her coffee.

"Actions speak louder than words, Diana. The man calls you every night. He proposed to you. It's obvious that he loves you."

"Is it?" Diana asked glumly. "He barely says anything on the phone lately. Our conversations last about ten minutes. Then he says he's tired and hangs up. I really don't know what is going on with him. I'm no longer sure if he plans on coming back here. Maybe he met someone else."

"Don't be silly," scoffed Natalie.

Suddenly, Diana had to bite her lip from crying. She had shed enough tears the past few days and she refused to cry anymore.

"So, that's it? You're just going to give up on him?" Natalie asked in exasperation.

"What do you want me to do, Nat? Fly to New York and drag him back here?"

"Actually, yes," Natalie answered, grinning.

"That's ridiculous," Diana said, shaking her head.

"I honestly think that Jake does love you. He just doesn't know it yet."

"How could he possibly not know if he loves me?"

"Because men are stupid."

Both women suddenly erupted into laughter. As Diana's chuckles slowly died, she looked at Natalie over her empty coffee cup and sighed.

"I miss him, Natalie," Diana said sadly.

Natalie placed her hand over Diana's comfortingly.

"I know you do, honey. Just be patient. He'll return to you."

"And if he doesn't come back?"

"You'll have to make him."

Diana rolled her eyes at her best friend.

"You're incorrigible."

Natalie grinned. "That's why you love me."

~

Later that night, Diana lay in bed wide awake, going over her conversation with Natalie. She knew she tended to be stubborn and had to mull things over thoroughly before making decisions, but she also knew that if she didn't decide soon about what to do with Jake, she might just lose him. She glanced at the clock on her bedside table and frowned. He still hadn't called and it was already past ten p.m. He always called by nine p.m. and what if he never called her again? What if she never saw him again?

Suddenly, her cell phone rang and she scrambled to grab it from the bedside table.

"Sorry for calling you so late, sweetheart."

His endearment made Diana feel better and she let out a sigh of relief. He had not forgotten to call her after all.

"Long day at the office?" she asked lightly, trying to sound nonchalant, as if she had not been spending the last hour waiting for his call.

She could almost hear the hesitation in his voice and she frowned while she waited for his reply.

"Things have become a bit...complicated here, Diana."

She felt her heart clench wondering what he meant by "complicated."

"What do you mean?" she asked, telling herself to calm down.

"I mean that I may have to stay a few more days."

Diana slumped back on her pillows and closed her eyes briefly. She knew what the underlying meaning of that statement meant. "A few more days" translated to "indefinitely," which could lead to "never." She could practically hear her heart breaking.

"I see..." she said slowly, at a loss for words. She was afraid she was going to beg him to come back, so she bit her tongue and waited to hear his next words.

"How are you doing?"

"All right," Diana answered, "I...miss you." She couldn't stop herself from saying the words.

"I miss you too, sweetheart. I'm sorry that this is taking longer than I thought it would."

His words were like a balm to her sore heart. She heard him take a deep breath.

"You're never far from my thoughts. You know that, don't you?"

Diana smiled, feeling much better than she had in days.

"Please come back soon," Diana said and then bit her lip. She had not meant to speak in such a pleading voice.

A few seconds of silence followed where she held her breath. Had he been put off by her request?

"I'm trying, sweetheart. I'll call you tomorrow night," he said softly. "Goodnight, Diana," he said before ending the call.

She stared at her cell phone for a moment before setting it down on her bedside table. As far as conversations went, this one had actually been not too bad. He had called her "sweetheart" several times and he said that he was trying to come back. So, why did she still feel so uncertain? Hugging a pillow close to her chest, Diana closed her eyes and dreamed of Jake the rest of the night.

~

"Are you sure this is what you've decided to do, Jake?"

Jake stared at Robert, his chief operating officer and nodded. He had made his decision and he knew he wouldn't regret it.

Robert looked resigned as he shuffled papers into his briefcase.

"When are you going to tell her?" Robert asked.

"I have a few things I have to take care of, but as soon as I'm done I'll let her know," Jake answered. He ran a hand through his hair and sighed.

He hadn't slept much over the past two weeks, but he knew that he had made the right choice. It had been a difficult decision but the right one - one that he hoped was the best for himself as well as for Diana.

"By the way, your father has requested several more financial reports on the new project," Robert said as he shut his briefcase and walked toward the door.

"I'm just glad he has this new project to focus on," Jake said as he sat at his desk and stared at a picture of Diana.

"You and me both. He hasn't slowed down even though he's retired back in San Diego."

Jake let out a laugh. "And now he's going to be revving up again."

"Thanks again for this opportunity, Jake. I promise not to let you down," Robert said sincerely.

"I know you won't," Jake said before Robert opened the door and let himself out.

Jake swiveled his office chair toward the floor-to-ceiling window. He stared out over Manhattan's glittering night sky and thought about Diana. It had taken this separation to realize that he loved her with all his heart. Not an hour went by when he didn't think about her. It came as a mild shock to realize that he had probably fallen in love with her the moment he had set eyes on her at the beach nine years ago. He had just been too blind and stupid to acknowledge his feelings. Everything would change the minute he saw her again because he intended to let her know how vital she was in his life if it was the last thing he did.

~

"I suppose you're going to tell me that this is what happens when you fall in love with somebody too fast and too hard," said Diana wryly, as she and her mother walked through a mall looking for a birthday gift for Murray.

"On the contrary, dear. I fell for Murray quite fast and hard," replied Trina as she stopped and looked at a window display of men's dress shirts.

"Really?" asked Diana curiously.

Trina nodded and walked into the store and selected a blue polo shirt for Murray.

"Yes," said Trina and turned to look at her daughter seriously, "and it took me by surprise, but we were meant to be together. My heart must have known it from the first time I saw him."

"You were lucky, Mom."

"Jake is a good man, Diana. Don't lose hope."

"But, Mom, I'm not sure if he loves me."

Trina paused to smile at her daughter.

"I'm pretty sure he does, Diana."

Trina placed her hand on her daughter's cheek gently.

"Fly to New York," her mother said firmly, "and find the truth yourself."

Diana nodded and let out a breath. It was time to confront her man.

~

Chewing her bottom lip with indecision, Diana threw in two more pairs of shoes into her suitcase, hoping that everything would fit in her luggage. Deciding to let her pride go, she had booked a flight to New York and was planning on giving Jake the surprise of his life.

"Ready or not, here I come," she mumbled to herself as she checked her purse one last time.

She had told Joan at work that she needed a few days off to take care of some personal business. Fortunately, the teacher in the classroom next to hers had been experiencing a shrinking class size and was able to take Diana's children in temporarily. Joan had allowed Diana some time off, much to Diana's relief.

She took her purse, grabbed the luggage handle, and wheeled it out of her bedroom when she heard the doorbell ring. She frowned, hoping it wasn't her neighbor who always wanted to chat. She had spent too much time trying to decide what clothes to bring and was now cutting it close on the time. Glancing at her watch, she opened the door ready to tell her neighbor goodbye when she looked up and gasped.

It was Jake.

~

"Going somewhere?"

In one encompassing look, he had taken in her luggage and the surprise in his voice snapped her out of her shock at seeing him at her front door after nearly three weeks of separation.

"Jake," she said breathlessly. Her heart felt like it was exploding from her chest as her eyes lovingly roved over his handsome, chiseled face. She had to resist flinging herself into his arms.

"Diana," he said, his voice rough and the warmth in his green eyes making her lose all restraint.

She fell against him and wrapped her arms around his waist. She heard him chuckle as he tipped her chin up and kissed her soundly. After a long, searching kiss, he finally released her lips and embraced her tightly.

"I've missed you so much, sweetheart," he said and Diana looked up at him curiously, hearing the break in his voice.

"What took you so long?" she accused him.

She couldn't help it. He had practically had her on a torture rack these past few weeks and she wanted explanations.

"Where were you going?" he asked, ignoring her question.

"To you," she said impatiently and wiggled in his arms as he let out a bark of laughter.

"It's not funny," she said as he swooped down to give her a short kiss.

"Were you going to drag me back from New York?" he asked in amusement.

"Maybe," she hedged, embarrassed.

"Missed me that much, huh?" he asked teasingly.

"Like crazy," she answered reluctantly.

Jake caressed her silky, brown hair.

"Sweetheart, I have been stupid and delusional this whole time. I not only missed you, but I love you. How could I not?"

Diana's eyes widened. He loved her? She couldn't believe it.

"With my father's blessing, I've given Robert, my chief operating officer, the responsibilities of the Manhattan office."

"What?" Diana was shocked.

"That's right, sweetheart, I've moved to Las Vegas permanently, so I can be with you. It took me a few weeks to wrap things up in Manhattan, but I was determined to come back to you."

"But your company needs you," Diana said, happy but unwilling to have him give up his career just for her.

"I can still make decisions from here as president of the company. I just won't be involved in the day-to-day operations unless there's a big project that needs to be dealt with, in which case I can always fly to New York to handle it."

"Jake, your father must be disappointed," Diana added hesitantly.

"Sweetheart, I told him that I don't care where I live and work as long as I'm with you. He understood and he can't wait to meet you. Besides, he's decided to take on some duties for the new project. My mom has said he's been itching to work a little and his boredom was driving them both crazy."

Diana gasped as Jake abruptly bent down on one knee before her and took out a small, velvet, black box.

"Will you marry me, Diana Mulroney?"

Jake opened the lid and Diana gasped again as she beheld a large diamond ring nestled inside. She didn't even pause.

"Yes!"

Jake let out a joyous whoop as he placed the ring on her finger. He grabbed her around the waist and twirled her around her living room.

"I told you I wouldn't take no for an answer," Jake said, grinning widely and kissing her firmly on the mouth.

"You were right, my love," Diana said and silenced him with a triumphant kiss of her own.

# Epilogue

### Three Years Later

"Nathan, stop bothering your aunt Diana and come over here and help me and your little sister," called Lana from the kitchen entry.

Seven-year-old Nathan looked up and frowned along with three-year-old Sara, Natalie's little girl.

"Aww, Mom, I just wanted to feel the baby kick again," whined Nathan.

Diana tousled her nephew's blond hair and smiled as the little boy patted her pregnant stomach gently. Natalie walked by and smiled as she picked up her daughter before heading into the kitchen.

"Go help your mother, Nathan," Diana ordered gently. "I'm sure the baby will move when you come back."

Nathan grinned at her before running into the kitchen.

Diana smiled as she settled more comfortably on the sofa. At eight months pregnant, she felt as though she was going to burst. She looked at Jake comfortably ensconced on a lounge chair in the corner with their two-year-old daughter. The child nestled against her father with her thumb in her mouth as he read her a children's book. Jake looked up and smiled lovingly at Diana across the room.

"Are you all right, darling?" Jake asked.

"I'm fine, honey. Keep on reading to Charlotte."

Jake smiled once more before turning his attention to his daughter.

Diana rubbed her stomach gently and closed her eyes as she listened contentedly to her husband's deep voice reading to their child. She could also hear her mother, Natalie, and her sister-in-law talking in the kitchen along with children's voices. Since they couldn't travel because of her condition, Jake had asked his family to join them for New Year's Eve in Las Vegas. Diana's mother had agreed to host a New Year's Eve party and now everyone had gathered today to ring in the New Year.

Diana opened her eyes and, through the large living room window, she saw Murray and Jake's father on the front lawn playing with the new St. Bernard puppy that Jake had bought Jacob for Christmas. She felt the sofa sink under the weight of her husband and daughter and smiled as Jake sat close to her.

"Charlotte fell asleep," whispered Jake as he cradled the toddler in his arms.

"She looks just like you," Diana said as she gazed lovingly at her daughter.

"No, she's a carbon copy of you, sweetheart. A little replica of her beautiful mother," Jake said as he reached over and kissed her softly on the lips.

"I love you, Jake."

Diana's love for him had only grown these past few years and she couldn't imagine her life without him.

Jake's green eyes twinkled and the deep love he felt for her shone through.

"I love you more, Diana," he said simply before bending down to kiss her again.

# ABOUT THE AUTHOR

When Joy Tremay isn't reading romance novels, she's busy using her over-active imagination writing them. A graduate of Loyola Marymount University, Joy enjoys dancing, especially Hawaiian hula dancing, kayaking and swimming. She lives with her husband in northern California and would love to hear from her readers. She can be contacted on her Facebook page and on Twitter.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/joy.tremay

Twitter: @JoyTremay

### Coming Soon By Joy Tremay

His Unquenchable Desire

