He sipped his coffee as he stretched his tuxedo-clad legs in front of him, thoughts of Crystal’s beautiful face swirling through his mind and how in less than an hour she would become his wife. Then tomorrow, they would fly off to the Cayman Islands and a sumptuous honeymoon in a luxurious villa, a great trip Crystal had actually won in a sweepstakes six months ago. Perfect timing for their honeymoon. In fact, it was what had prompted him to pop the question when he did.
He had waited so long to finally get the chance to date her, even though they’d felt the powerful chemistry between them for years.
He’d met her back in college, but she’d been engaged to another guy. The attraction between Brent and Crystal had been instant and overwhelming, but there was no way either of them would act on it, given the situation.
Before meeting Crystal, he’d never believed in love at first sight, but even after he’d graduated and moved to San Diego, he’d never stopped thinking about her. The day she’d called him up to tell him she was single again and living in San Diego, too, he’d been thrilled. As soon as they saw each other again, the sizzling heat between them flared.
She had been as eager to explore the intense attraction between them as he had. That was the day true happiness had entered his life. He shifted on the deck chair. But hand in hand with grasping a dream came the fear of losing it.
For some reason, deep in his gut, he worried that he would lose her. An insecurity he hated falling prey to.
A part of him wanted to rush over to her house and talk to her. Assure himself that this dream come true was not about to be shattered.
He placed his cup on the wooden table beside the chair and stood up, then walked to the end of the deck. He gazed in the direction of Crystal’s parents’ house. He couldn’t see it through the trees, but he knew there’d be lots of people rushing around, putting final touches on the decorations and flowers. People would be arriving soon, then the ushers would show them to their chairs, laid out in neat rows on the huge lawn beside the water.
He and Crystal had driven to Emerald Haven a week before the wedding so he could meet her family and they could all get to know one another. Crystal had taken him on a tour of the beautiful lakefront property her parents owned, and she’d shown him her favorite place, where she liked to go to think and to calm her mind.
He paced across the deck. It was the waiting that was driving him crazy. His sister, Lily, was still in the shower, and she’d need about twenty minutes after that to get ready. Until then he was alone with his thoughts. Brent sighed. Being with Crystal would calm him. But since he couldn’t see her before the wedding, maybe he’d head over to the lovely secluded place she liked to go. Her private place. There he’d be able to feel her presence.
He smiled and walked down the steps, then along the dirt path. It wasn’t very far, only a few hundred yards. As he walked, he thought he saw a flash of white through the trees.
* * *
As Crystal gazed into Evan’s deep green eyes, panic lurched through her. The heat in his eyes … the intensity of his gaze … Oh, God, whatever he was going to say, she was sure she didn’t want to hear it.
She backed away a little.
“You know, Evan, the wedding is in just a few minutes and I really should get back. Let’s talk later.”
As she tried to turn away, to make her escape, he grasped her arms gently.
“But that will be too late.” Urgency filled his words. “What I need to tell you must be said now.”
He drew her back to face him, and her protest died in her throat as she became mesmerized by the intense emotion in his eyes.
She knew what he was going to say. God help her, once the words were out, nothing could be the same again. If she could only stop him. Leave things the way they were between them. As long as he didn’t say the words … but her throat clenched so tight, she couldn’t make a protest.
“Crystal, I’m in love with you.”
* * *
Evan watched her eyes shimmer, as if about to shed tears. His chest compressed painfully. All his hopes shattered in that moment.
But he wasn’t ready to give up. He’d come this far.
“Why are you telling me this?” Her voice trembled.
“I’m sorry, Crystal. I know this isn’t fair. I’d never meant to tell you, but I realized that you deserve to know. You deserve the opportunity to make a choice. If you choose Brent—”
“I already did.”
“I know, but you didn’t know I love you, too. If you still choose Brent, I’ll understand. But at least I’ll have taken a chance on happiness. If I never said anything … if you never knew how I felt about you…” He squeezed her arm gently. “I’m sorry, Crystal, but I was gambling on a lifetime of happiness and I couldn’t let that just slip away. Not without finding out how you feel.”
* * *
The pain in his green eyes tore at Crystal’s heart.
“Oh, God, Evan. I’m so sorry.” She reached out and stroked his cheek. “I don’t want to hurt you.”
The second her fingers brushed against his skin, she knew she was lost. Emotions buried deep inside spiraled through her and erupted in a painful swirling confusion.
His hand slid around her back and he drew her forward. His face lowered to hers and the moment their lips brushed, she was spellbound. His mouth moved on hers, gently at first, in a sweet, blissful caress, then his tongue slipped inside and seduced her with a sweet, passionate, tumultuous kiss.
Her heart rate accelerated, and she melted against him. Her arms wrapped around him, and the feel of his big, muscular body against hers, his arms around her making her feel soft and protected, sent her hormones into a spin.
There was a reason she shouldn’t be doing this. A very important reason. But right now, she couldn’t think what it was.
His tongue swirled inside her and her tongue coiled around his. They undulated together. She stroked his smooth, freshly shaven cheek and breathed in his musky aftershave. A need built within her. For this man. Not sexual. Something deep and indefinable. She wanted to be with him. To have him be a part of her life forever.
With a start, she drew away.
But what about Brent?
* * *
Evan’s heart soared. A woman didn’t kiss a man like that if she didn’t have feelings for him. He could feel sweet love in her touch. In the way her lips caressed his. In the delicate touch of her hand on his cheek.
But when her lips drew away, she stared at him with panic in her eyes.
Then they shimmered … and tears swelled.
“Crystal?”
“I…”
She gulped in a breath, but before she could speak, he rushed ahead, intent on preventing her from uttering the words he knew would come.
“Crystal, you obviously share my feelings. Call off the wedding. It’s not too late.”
Her head started to shake back and forth. It felt like a kick in the gut. But the doubt in her eyes spurred him on. If he could be more persuasive, he could convince her. He had to. Their happiness—his and hers—hung in the balance.
“Don’t get married just because the plans are in place. You and I are in love. We deserve to be happy.”
The sadness in her eyes told him everything. She rested her hand on his shoulder, then leaned forward and kissed him again, their lips meeting in a sweet, tender caress. He wrapped his arms around her and deepened the kiss, determined to convince her. Her arms glided around his neck and she melted against him. Passion flared and his heart soared.
Then he felt her withdraw before their lips even parted. As soon as she drew away, he saw the sadness in her eyes and knew he had lost.
He sucked in a breath.
“I’m sorry, Evan. I’m marrying Brent.”
At that, she turned around and stepped off the wooden deck, then rushed past the opening in the trees and toward the house.
His heart sank at the knowledge that he had lost. The woman he loved was going to marry another man.
Three
Evan followed Crystal as she rushed back to the house, holding the sides of her robe so she wouldn’t trip. Renee, who was talking to one of the bridesmaids, broke away and hurried over to intercept Crystal.
“Honey, your lipstick is smeared.” Renee opened her small purse and handed Crystal a tissue, lipstick, and a small compact mirror, then turned to Evan and wiped his mouth with a tissue. It came away with dark pink smudges. “Okay, so what’s happening? Do you want me to get Brent over here so you can talk?”
“What do you mean?” Crystal asked.
“Look, I’ve known all along that you have feelings for Evan.” Renee ignored Crystal as she shook her head back and forth in denial. “I know you’re very good at hiding your emotions, even from yourself, but surely you can’t deny how you feel about Evan now. Not after kissing the man less than an hour before your wedding.”
“I’ve kissed lots of people today. It’s my wedding day.”
Renee snorted. “Yeah, but not lipstick-smearing, leaving-a-guilty-expression-on-your-face passionate kisses.”
Crystal’s cheeks stained crimson, and she didn’t deny her sister’s comments. Hope danced through Evan. Could it be that she did have feelings for him?
“Renee, I’m in love with Brent. I have been for years. I’m marrying Brent.”
The optimism filling him quickly deflated, as though she’d punched him in the gut.
“Honey, look, are you sure? If you’ve found out you made a mistake, it’s better to do something about it now than—”
“Renee, I need to talk to you.”
* * *
Crystal glanced toward Brent’s sister’s voice. Lily stood a few feet away, obviously reluctant to intrude.
“Lily, now’s not a good time,” Renee said.
“I know, but … it’s important.”
Renee gave Crystal a quick squeeze. “I’ll be right back.” She walked toward Lily, and they began talking in low voices.
Crystal glanced at Evan, then gazed down at her hands.
“What do you mean he’s gone?” Renee glanced toward Crystal, then lowered her voice again.
Crystal’s heart clenched at the words, and she watched Renee and Lily confer while she wrung her hands together.
“You’re sure?” Renee stared hard at Lily. “Maybe he just took a walk.”
Lily shook her head. “His car’s gone.”
“Well, maybe he—”
Crystal’s heart thundered in her chest as she concentrated so she could hear the two women’s words, even though they spoke in low murmurs.
“No. I know my brother. He hates to be late. Ever. And with something as important as his own wedding, there’s no way he’d leave less than a half hour before the ceremony. It just wouldn’t happen.”
“So you think he’s … gone? He’s standing up my sister?”
Lily shook her head. “I don’t understand it, but … He won’t answer his cell, he’s gone, and so is his car.” She shrugged. “I don’t know what to say.”
Renee patted Lily’s shoulder, then both women glanced toward Crystal, their faces somber.
Crystal’s mind blanked as Renee approached. She couldn’t think. She felt numb.
“Honey…” Renee took her hand. It felt hot compared with her own, and … hers trembled. “Sweetie, we’re not sure where Brent is.”
“He probably lent his car to someone,” Crystal said. “And right now, he’s probably just out for a walk. I’m sure he’ll be right back.”
Renee glanced at Lily, then back to Crystal. “Okay, look. You go back to the house and get ready. I’ll call Bill and see if he knows what’s up. I’ll send Rachel up to help you get ready.”
Crystal nodded and started toward the house. Bill was one of Brent’s groomsmen. He would probably know where Brent was. Renee waved at Rachel, who stood near the house. Rachel nodded as Renee pointed to Crystal and lifted her bridesmaid’s skirt as she hurried to intercept her.
* * *
Crystal gazed at her tense face in the mirror as Rachel finished pinning the headpiece in place, then fussed with the veil. Thirty minutes had passed and she tried to quell the growing sense of dread that things were going to go terribly wrong. Didn’t every bride think that on her wedding day?
Surely Renee had tracked down Brent by now. He’d only been out for a walk. That’s all. Nothing to be alarmed about. Sure, he was late, but there was a reasonable explanation. She knew there was.
A knock sounded at the door. Crystal jerked around, the motion causing the veil to tug from Rachel’s fingers.
“Come in,” Crystal called.
The door opened and Renee stepped inside. Lily and Evan followed her in, and Evan closed the door behind them.
“Honey,” Renee said softly, “we can’t find Brent. He’s not answering his cell.”
“He’s probably just not getting a signal. But he’ll be right back.” Her head nodded up and down like a bobble-head doll.
Renee squeezed her hand. “Look, honey, we’ve got to face the fact that he might not be showing up.” She glanced at her watch. “He’s already twenty minutes late.”
Crystal found it hard to breathe. She clung to Renee. “No. He wouldn’t do that to me.” She gazed at Renee imploringly. “He loves me.”
Renee’s eyes glimmered and she pulled Crystal against her, hugging her tightly. “I know, sweetie, I know. I don’t know why this is happening, but we’ll figure it out.” She drew away and gazed at her. “But we have to deal with right now. If he doesn’t show up, there’ll be no wedding. At least, not today.”
Crystal sucked in air, feeling faint.
“Honey, breathe. Everything will be okay.”
* * *
Evan’s chest tightened as he watched Crystal struggling with the news. God damn it, how could Brent abandon her like this? Leaving a woman like Crystal at the altar … the guy had to be crazy.
Renee glanced toward him. “Evan, I parked my car over at Georgia’s in case anyone needed to run any last minute errands. All the cars here will be blocked in by guests.” She handed him her car keys. “Take Crystal over to the Windsor Hotel. Everyone thinks they’ll be staying at the Tudor Inn, but I wanted to surprise them with the bridal suite. I’ve had all her things moved there, so she’ll have a change of clothes. Stay there with her until we figure this out.”
“No, Renee, I need to stay here,” Crystal said.
Renee turned back to Crystal. “No, honey, you go with Evan. If Brent shows up, I promise I’ll call and we’ll get everything back on track. Okay?”