The car he’d hired sped them down to the marina, and he tipped the driver generously when they got out. If everything went to plan, they wouldn’t need him until the next morning.
‘The marina?’ Sadie asked, looking around her at the lights. The whole town seemed lit up in the almost darkness of the autumn evening. ‘What are we doing here?’
‘I have a friend who has a yacht—and he owed me a favour,’ Dylan explained, leading her towards the vessel in question. ‘So tonight we shall be dining aboard the Marie Bell, catered by one of the finest chefs I’ve ever met. And, if it’s okay with you, I thought we might take her out for a spin out on the Aegean.’
Her gaze shot to his. ‘Overnight?’
‘Yes. She has two bedrooms, and is fully equipped with anything we might need for an overnight stay, but if you’d rather come back sooner...’ He trailed off. ‘This can be anything you want, Sadie. I just wanted to give you a special night.’
She nodded slowly, her teeth tugging on her lower lip again in that way that just made him mad to kiss her. ‘Okay.’
The yacht was every bit as spectacular as his friend had described, and watching Sadie stand at the prow as they motored out of the marina, staring out at the darkening water, Dylan knew he’d made a good choice in bringing her there. They needed tonight—even if it was all they ever got.
And just in case it was, he intended to make the most of every single moment.
Grabbing a bottle of champagne and two glasses from the bar, he headed out on deck to share it with Sadie.
* * *
Sadie stared out at the water, dark and constantly changing under the moonlight. Dinner had been beautiful—all four courses of it—and more than made up for their skipped lunch at Ephesus. The conversation, too, had been light and easy—after Dylan had declared a moratorium on business talk the moment they’d sat down. And neither of them had seemed inclined to discuss the past after the day they’d spent together.
Instead, they’d talked about Finn, about cities Dylan had visited recently, places she’d love to go one day, her sister and parents—anything except what was happening between them, or anything that mattered.
It almost felt like a first date.
But now dinner was over and she had to decide what came next. She could tell Dylan was leaving it up to her—which was probably why he’d removed all their other issues from the evening.
It was just them now.
No hotel, no history—no husband. Not any more.
She shivered, and Dylan wrapped his jacket around her shoulders without a word.
Out here at sea, it was just Sadie and Dylan. And it was up to her to decide what that meant.
But only for tonight.
That, she was sure, was the main reason he’d brought her so far from the real world. Not just to give her a treat at the end of his visit but because, whatever she decided, once they returned to shore it was all over. He’d move on. They’d be business partners perhaps, or maybe not. She hoped they’d still be friends, whatever happened.
But nothing more.
‘You’re thinking too hard.’ Dylan rested against the rail beside her, leaning back to get a good look at her. The lights from the boat lit his face, but hers must be hidden in shadow, she assumed. Yet still he stared at it. ‘You’re supposed to be relaxing.’
Sadie turned, her back to the water, and he shifted nearer, until he was half in front of her, so close against her right side that she could feel his muscles against her body, even through two layers of clothes.
No pretending this was anything other than it was now. And not even a hint of a suggestion that they might be using that second bedroom.
Sadie sucked in a breath, the scent of him mixed with the sea air filling her lungs, an intoxicating combination. God, she wanted him so much. It felt good to admit that, after so long.
Maybe she always had. But want and love were very different things—and she’d loved Adem.
Strangely, it was that thought that made it all feel possible. This wasn’t love—and never would or could be with a man like Dylan. For him, love was commitment and thus impossible. However he felt about her, he’d never let it move past tonight—so neither would she.
Sleeping with him wasn’t the same as betraying Adem’s memory, not in the way she’d been afraid it would be. Not unless she never planned to sleep with another man again for the rest of her life. At thirty-two, that seemed a little impractical, even to her.
She could have this. She could have one night and no more. She could give in to that curious want that had plagued her since she’d met this man—and that had only worsened over the last week.
As long as she walked away with her heart intact in the morning. And her heart was buried in England with her husband.
Decision made, Sadie rose up on tiptoe before she could change her mind. Dylan’s eyes widened, just a fraction, and his arms tightened around her. But he didn’t move closer. He was still leaving this up to her.
Sadie closed her eyes, raised her lips to his, and took what she wanted.
The first kiss was gentle, tentative, like the one in Ephesus. But within moments it changed.
‘God, Sadie,’ Dylan muttered against her lips, and his arms hauled her up against his body so her bottom rested on the higher rail and she could barely touch the deck with her toes. It should have felt unsafe but with Dylan’s arms so tight around her body she knew there was no chance of her falling.
She knew he’d never let her go.
‘I can’t tell you how long I’ve waited for this,’ he murmured, as she placed kisses across his jaw and down his throat.
‘About as long as I have,’ she admitted, pressing an extra kiss to the hollow of his collar bone, as thanks for discarding his tie and undoing those top shirt buttons after dinner.
His thigh pressed between her legs, her bright red dress rising up high above her knees, and the pressure almost made her lose her mind.
‘Really?’ he asked, dipping his head for another kiss. ‘You wanted this too?’
‘Always,’ she admitted. ‘I just never thought I could have it.’ Or should.
‘Because— No. Not tonight.’ He kissed her firmly. ‘Tonight is just for us. No ghosts, no history, nothing between us.’
Sadie looked up into his eyes, almost black with wanting her, and kissed him in agreement. ‘Just us. Just for tonight.’ She swallowed, hunting down that last bit of courage she needed. ‘So, how about you show me the bedroom you promised me this place had?’
Dylan grinned, a wolfish look on his face. God, what was she letting herself in for? And how would anything after it ever live up to tonight?
‘Your wish is my command,’ he said, and Sadie knew none of it mattered.
Just for tonight she was going to live in the moment, and enjoy every second of it.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
DYLAN WOKE TO the feeling of something missing. Forcing his tired eyes to open, he waited for them to focus then frowned at the sight of Sadie already pulling that glorious red dress over her even more spectacular body. Without looking back at the bed, she began hunting around for her shoes, pulling them on as she found them.
Huh. Talk about a rude awakening.
Last night had been everything he’d ever dreamt it might be, and more. He could never have imagined the way they moved together would be so in tune, so perfect. He didn’t know what had changed that week but, whatever it was, it had only brought the two of them more in sync.
But apparently that perfect connection was over with the sunrise.
‘Morning,’ he said, levering himself into a seated position and letting the sheets fall away from his torso.
Sadie jumped at the sound of his voice, which gave him some small satisfaction. ‘You’re awake.’
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‘As are you. And dressed, too.’
‘Yeah, well...we’re back in the marina,’ she said. He wanted her to come and sit beside him on the bed, just enjoy these last few moments away from the real world, but the look on her face stopped him short of suggesting it. What was it he saw there? Uncertainty, a hint of fear, maybe a little sadness? Or was he just projecting his own feelings onto her expression?
‘Time to get back to the real world, then, huh?’