"Sam, I'd like for you to meet my best friend, Sarah," Emma swept past me in a cloud of coconut perfume and put her hand on the brunette's shoulder. "And this is Sarah's wife, Laura. She's Caleb and Colin's sister."

It was then that I noticed Sarah had a baby swaddled in a cloth papoose around her chest. I nodded with relief, but was still too nervous to take anything but a shallow breath. I took a few steps toward a desk and set my purse on it, unable to hold anything because my muscles felt weak.

"And this is Christopher, their son. He's four months old."

"Hi," I said again, softly, unable to rip my eyes from Colin's. "Happy Birthday."

"Pumpkin," Colin said, standing up as if in slow motion. He took a few steps toward me .

I grinned wildly and my heart thrashed in my chest.

"So this is the surprise you've been promising, is that correct, Emma?" Why wasn't Colin smiling when he spoke?

"Yes." Emma clapped her hands. "Well. How about we let Sam and Colin have some time alone together, and the rest of us can go down to that new ice cream shop next door?"

Colin came closer and stood, his hands stuffed in his pockets. I was breathing through my mouth, hard. Had I done the wrong thing by coming here? Was he mad? He didn't look ecstatic to see me. I watched him roll his bottom lip between his teeth.

I barely noticed how everyone gathered sweaters, purses and baby gear and scrambled out of the room. Finally, Colin and I were alone.

"Jesus, Samantha. I was afraid I'd never see you again." He came closer, opened his arms and embraced me. I exhaled and pressed my nose into the skin of his neck.

He stroked my hair, then leaned back to look at me. It seemed like the lines on his forehead were a deeper, and his eyes, a bit darker. Still, he was gorgeous.

He kissed me on the forehead and although I wanted to seize his lips, I broke away to swallow a lump in my throat. It was time for me to apologize and hope for the best.

"I'm sorry. I should have returned your calls. I feel like an ass. I got scared. And when you didn't show up for the fashion show, I assumed you weren't interested and I didn't want to give you another chance."

He pushed out a breath. "No, I'm sorry for that. I should have handled that better. I was so frantic about my sister and the baby. No sooner had I sent you those flowers that I got the call from my family. Caleb and I managed to charter a flight and we worried the entire way home. But all I could think of was Laura, and her anxiety and little Christopher. I was beside myself, especially after what happened with Caleb. The thought that I wasn't there for her when something happened nearly killed me."

"Please don't apologize. You have nothing to be sorry for. You're an amazing brother." I pressed my forehead to his chest. He had the same chocolate-spice scent and I inhaled several times, reveling in his essence. "I didn't even think about your sister and her pregnancy. Even though you'd told me about her. It was totally my fault."

"No one imagined she was at risk. Otherwise we wouldn't have gone to London. But hey." He worked his fingers in my hair. "I'm glad I get on that plane to London."

He cleared his throat and I lifted my head. He kissed me, a kiss that spelled both relief and something deeper. Something like a I-haven't-forgotten-you-not-for-one minute kiss. It was sweet and not carnal.

I wobbled in my tall heels. Fortunately, he was holding onto me with strong arms.

"Thank you for the bilberries," I murmured. "They were delicious. I didn't know you'd sent them because I'd asked my staff to not tell me if you tried to contact me."

He kissed me again, softly.

"I'll buy you more. Hell, I'll buy you a bilberry farm in Iceland. But listen, pumpkin. Something needs to be said. I know why you're hesitant about trusting me." He gathered my hair back with both hands and tilted his head. "God, you're gorgeous."

I rubbed my lips together and shrugged. He wound one of my curls around his finger.

"It's probably not news to you that in the past, I haven't been a saint. You're a smart woman who's been around the block a few times. You went through hell with your divorce and your parents. You know men, all too well."

I nodded, now serious.

"But I'm certain I can be a saint for you. I've changed. Way before I met you, I decided I didn't want to be one of those rich assholes with women anymore. Okay, I might still be a rich asshole, but I don't want to be one around women. I want you to know that I can be faithful. I want to be faithful to you. I want a future with one woman."

I blinked. Was he for real?

"That one woman would be you, just to clear up any confusion."

Was he really saying these things, after I'd been so awful? I swallowed hard. "Why are you so certain you've changed?"

"Because I can't stop thinking about you. Because I've felt lovesick without you, these past months. Because you're my mirror image, don't you see that? You're smart and funny and driven. I've been reading about you non-stop, all the articles from years past. You've built an incredible business. I didn't give you enough credit for that in Iceland. I also wanted to apologize, because I didn't want you to think I dismissed your business or your expertise."

"Thank you." I didn't expect him to apologize at all. "You don't have to say that."

"I do, because I realize sometimes I can come off as arrogant and not appreciative or impressed of the people around me. I'm trying to change that. I want you to know that I am impressed by you. By your intelligence. You read a lot. And you also overthink things and can be a little uptight — just like me."

I laughed softly and kissed his cheek. "I guess that's true."

"It seems like I've had an eternity of sleepless nights, thinking of you. You're the one, Samantha."

"Please don't lie to me. I don't think I can take it."

He nodded gravely. "I'm not lying, not about any of it. You are the one. And I do believe I've changed. I have a life define by work, tiresome luxury and high- and end hotels. The planets are aligning. Before my brother went missing, all those years, I was working with a pretty small emotional toolbox. I realize that."

"And now?"

"The toolbox is bigger. And growing. I'm putting more tools in. It's kind of an apt and silly metaphor, for a developer, isn't it?"

I nodded and smiled. "It's a bit absurd."

He cupped my face in his hands and I felt like I was melting into him. "Spoken like a true realist. But, seriously. I'm not so emotionally stunted to know that you deserve only the best. You're so special and you don't even know it. You have all of the qualities of all the people I love, plus a thousand more. You're funny and smart and you're complex. I love that about you. That you're not superficial. That's what makes you remarkable. I'm going to try until the day I die to give you what you deserve. If you'll let me into your life."

Unable to speak, almost ready to cry, I nodded.

"Will you allow us, to try together? Samantha? I know you need time, for trust to build."

We kissed and kissed, until my skin became hot and the blood running through my veins even hotter. I pressed my forehead to his chest and sighed pleasurably, letting his spicy chocolate scent wash over me.

"I missed your smell," I murmured.

"I missed you. I want you near. Much nearer than you have been in these past months. Near, all the time."

"We hardly know each other, you know that, right?"

He tilted my chin up with his fingers. "I wasn't joking in Iceland when I said we'd been through a lot together in a short period. I feel like I know you. And what I don't know, I can't wait to find out."

"You don't feel this is impulsive?" I swallowed. "I have baggage. I'm older. I'm divorced. I don't want kids. I have a business to run. I live a few hours away."

"I'll address your points one by one. But first, I need a kiss."

He pressed soft lips to mine, slipping his hands along my jaw and cradling my head. Then he stepped forward, forcing me to step back. We did this a couple of times, until my backside was pressed against the sleek wooden desk.

"I don't care that you're older. I'm now forty. And I don't care that you're divorced. It means nothing to me."

I hummed and he kissed me again. Since he was pressing into me with such force and the desk was cutting into the small of my back, I put my hands on the edge and hoisted myself to sitting.

His eyes scanned me lustily. "I don't want kids, either. Charlotte and Christopher are all I can handle. I'm happy being an uncle. In fact, I don't want to share you with anyone else. I'm selfish. I want us to explore the world, in our own two-person bubble. Like we did in Iceland."

He allowed his lips to hover over mine for a few seconds, until I grinned and tried to nip at his bottom lip.

"And I have a business to help run as well. Fortunately, I can do it from here, or from Palm Beach. I've got plenty of business in South Florida. Or we can go anywhere you want. For as long as you want."

He smoothed my hair and stared at me. "Any other lingering questions?"

"What about my panic attacks? My fear of flying?"

He shrugged. "We'll work on those together. I'm patient. I've discovered in the past few years that I actually like caring for someone other than myself. And, anyway, how did you get here tonight? Did you drive?"

I shook my head. "I flew. In a small plane."

"That's my girl. See? You're facing your fear all on your own."

"Because I had something to look forward to when I landed. I wanted to surprise you. I wanted to be your birthday gift."

"And that you are. The best gift I've ever been given, by anyone." He pressed his lips to mine.

I wrapped my arms around his neck. And my legs around his hips, taking care not to poke him with the spike of my heels. My skirt rode up and Colin growled. I hiked it higher so the pink lace of my panties was visible.

"Christ, you look stunning tonight. So proper with the black dress and so dirty with that lace."

"So you're not mad at me?" I murmured into his ear. Something about the way his face was clean-shaven turned me on. My finger traced his jaw and I pressed my lips to his neck.

He extricated himself from my full body hug and smoothed my hair with both hands. "I'm not mad at all. I knew we'd eventually be together again. Somehow. I had to believe. I figured that you putting me through hell with your silence for four months was karma for all the times I've been indifferent to women over the years. It was my penance, and you're my reward."

He let go of my hair and put his warm hands on my thighs, skimming under my skirt and sending electric charges through me.

"I want you," I whispered.

"Good. Because I'm going to make love to you now." His hands reached for the fabric of my panties at my hips. With little effort, he stripped them off my legs, then paused to stare at me, bared and spread for him. I was vulnerable for this man and I loved it.

A flash of arousal at my sex made me shiver.

The way he seized my face in his hands and how he kissed me, needy and desperate, made me even wetter than I was when he'd gazed at me.

I ran my hands over his chest, the feel of the linen and his muscles making me shaky. I unbuttoned his shirt and brushed my fingertips over his smooth skin.

He groaned in response. "Wait. We should go in the guest room—"

"No. I need you, right here."

His grin spread across his face, all the way to his eyes. I twisted for my purse and reached in to extract one of the condoms I'd tucked into the side pocket just for this moment. I held it up to him and he took it from me, letting out a low noise.

"I love when you growl," I murmured.

Then he groaned when I went to unzip his jeans.

"And I love that sound even more." I paused to tease and caress the fullness beneath the zipper while he swore under his breath. I wriggled his jeans and boxer briefs down, then inhaled sharply at the sight of his cock, hard and insistent. He hadn't taken his shirt off and the combination of the white linen against his stomach muscles, the fabric near his erection, made my breath catch from the sheer masculine beauty.

I reached for him and stroked him once, then twice, then he grabbed my wrists.

"Samantha, please. I don't want teasing now. I only want this. Only want you. We can take more time to play later."

"You can have me however you'd like. I'm your birthday gift."

He exhaled and hungrily devoured my lips, pausing to whisper. "I want to have you for a very long time, and in so many filthy, sweet and creative ways. But for now, I just want this, nice and simple."

After he rolled on the condom, he entered me and I cried out. I shifted toward him, tilting my hips to meet him. I moaned again as he thrust harder.

"It doesn't hurt, does it?" he asked in a low voice.

I shook my head. "God, no. Quite the opposite. It's the stuff of my dreams."

"And this? Is this the stuff of your dreams, too?" He paused while inside me and looked down. He yanked my skirt up further and I wriggled into him so my hips were totally exposed, then his thumb went to my clit.

I gasped. And while I shut my eyes so I could enjoy the sensation of being simultaneously stroked and filled with his cock, I couldn't keep them closed for long. His beauty in that moment, his focused, determined, raw beauty, dissolved any doubts I had about him.

I whispered his name. Many times.

"That's right, Samantha. I'm yours. Keep saying my name. I'm yours and yours alone. Trust me."

I wanted to tell him that I was his, but my orgasm seized me before I could say a word. I sobbed into him, and he thrust, changing his rhythm to slow and languid. His grind was erotic, and made me lose my mind. My eyes fluttered shut.

I felt another orgasm building in my core. Or maybe I hadn't been finished with the first? I pulsed and swooned with the sensation, and pressed my face softly into his neck.

"You're my angel," he groaned. "Seriously. The best gift of my life."

He seemed to go deeper, and then faster, and then he bit my neck, the sting making me shimmer with pleasure. With a guttural growl, he shuddered and climaxed in me.

Panting in unison, we clung to each other. My heart felt too big for my body, as if it could burst at any moment. It felt like something important and big had happened and I couldn't let Colin go.

This man would be my undoing or my salvation. Either way, I wasn't leaving his side until the end.

____