Wanted by Her Lost Love (Pregnancy & Passion #2)(20)

She didn’t bother with sandals since she wasn’t going far. The sand felt luxurious beneath her feet. So warm and soft. She sighed in contentment as she headed for one of the nearby umbrellas.

The sound of the ocean filled her ears, beautiful and so peaceful. Here was a place where she could forget the pain of her past. It was a place made for being soothed. A vacation for the soul.

It sounded ridiculous and a little corny but she liked it and quickly adopted it as her motto for this trip.

She spread the towel out over the sand, positioned the umbrella just so and then sank down, drawing her knees up as she stared over the rolling waves.

Closing her eyes, she inhaled deeply and enjoyed the breeze dancing across her face. Her sleepless night quickly caught up to her as tight muscles relaxed and the tension she’d held for so long gradually fell away.

Soon it was hard to keep her eyes open, so she stretched out on the towel and turned on her side to face the ocean. The umbrella provided plenty of shade. A nap was too tempting to pass up. She’d simply wait for Ryan here.

Shortly after noon, Ryan let himself into the room and looked around for Kelly. He called out to her but got no answer. He checked the bedroom in case she was napping, but found that the maid service had already come through to make the beds.

He sighed, knowing she hadn’t paid the least bit of attention to his concern over her going onto the beach without him. It wasn’t as if he thought anything would happen to her or that she was incapable of being alone, but her medical condition concerned him. And yeah, he was probably being a little overprotective, but he found with Kelly—just as he always had—he tended to overreact.

He stepped out onto the patio and scanned the beach, looking for any sign of her. When he didn’t immediately spot her, he began walking toward the umbrellas that dotted the sand.

When he got to the third, he saw her lying on her side, eyes closed and looking so damn beautiful—and vulnerable—that it made his chest ache.

He watched the soft rise and fall of her chest. The mound of her belly moved in a ripple across the floral sarong she wore. Her feet were bare and he could still detect signs of swelling around her ankles.

It wasn’t as bad as it had been, but it still concerned him a great deal.

He eased down onto the towel beside her and stroked his hand through her silky blond hair. He slid his fingers down her arm, over the curve of her hip and then down to the tight ball of her belly.

She sighed in her sleep and shifted closer to his hand. The urge to pull her into his arms was so strong that he jerked his hand away so he wouldn’t do just that.

If only he could erase the past six months and have things back the way they were. But now he had to deal with not only Kelly’s betrayal, but the fact that she carried his child. Whether she admitted it or not he felt strongly that she carried his baby. He wouldn’t allow himself to think otherwise.

Reaching out, he shook her, not wanting her to be exposed to the midday rays of sun, umbrella or not. She came awake slowly and blinked sleepily at him. Her soft smile of pleasure warmed him to his toes.

“When did you get back?” she asked in a groggy, sleep filled voice.

“A few minutes ago,” he said, smiling at her. “Are you ready to go eat?”

She nodded and pushed herself up. He reached down to help her up, and she slid her fingers into his, allowing him to pull her to her feet. Wrapping his arm around her shoulders, he guided her back to the suite, enjoying the few moments of intimacy afforded him.

While she showered and changed, he called Devon to give him an update on the construction schedule. The two men talked for a few minutes and Dev didn’t mention Kelly once. Something Ryan was glad for.

No matter that his friends and his family thought he was crazy, this was something he simply had to do. He hadn’t been able to stop thinking about Kelly in the months since their relationship had ended. He might be the biggest fool in the world, but he was determined to figure this out between them. Even if it meant eventually going their separate ways.

When Kelly reemerged from her room, there was a lightness to her eyes that had been absent ever since he’d found her in the café in Houston. She looked a lot like the old Kelly. The Kelly he’d been crazy about. The one who always had a ready smile, was quick to laugh and who offered her affection freely.

The reserved, angry Kelly was someone he didn’t know.

She seemed a little nervous and unsure as she came to stand by the bar, and he hated that there was a tangible barrier between them. Before she wouldn’t have hesitated to launch herself into his arms and give him one of her big, squeezing hugs.

Now? He ached to get close enough to her that she didn’t withdraw.

“You ready?” he asked, forcing a casual note into his voice.

She nodded. He put his hand to her back, noting the expanse of flesh bared by the sundress. Jansen had done well. The dress fit her like a dream, molding in all the right places. The bodice was held up by ends tied at the nape of her neck; but her flesh was bare all the way down to the small of her back.

Where his palm rested, he itched to caress and stroke until she responded to him, until he proved that the attraction between them hadn’t died.

They walked down to the restaurant that overlooked the ocean and were seated in a private alcove that had a huge glass window, giving them an unobstructed view of the beach.

As they looked over their menus, Ryan stole a glance at Kelly. Seeming to sense his perusal, she looked up and offered a tentative smile. He smiled back, captivated by the sparkle in her blue eyes.