He froze in his chair, feeling as if he’d just kicked himself in the chest.
Holy shit.
“Derek?”
Derek found himself on his feet, gaping at Paul and Joe. He forced himself to focus on his friend’s concerned face. “Paul. Was Addie in the room when you were talking to Sarah?”
“No, why?”
“Any idea where she is?”
“No.”
Derek was already half out the door. How stupid could he be? Had he told Addie how he felt? Had he told her what he really wanted?
He’d just given Joe the exact advice he needed to hear himself.
* * *
ADDIE SAT ON the promontory where she and Derek had walked to watch the sunset his first night on the island. Wednesday night. Today was Friday—or rather the wee hours of Saturday. Three days. It was ridiculous to be feeling that strongly about him so soon, and it was stupid to be sitting out here this late. She should be in bed so she could enjoy Paul and Ellen’s wedding the next day without being exhausted. Where was her common sense?
She didn’t know. All she knew was that at the moment, she couldn’t move. The hypnotic rhythm of the sea, the glittering reflection of even the tiniest crescent moon, the sense of wild wide-openness around her—who wanted to be confined to a cabin, to a bed? If she could, she’d blast off into space and just keep traveling to infinity for all eternity.
No, she wouldn’t.
She’d summon Derek here with magic powers she didn’t have, and cast a spell to force him to fall in love with her so they could live happily ever after.
If only it was that easy. Her superpower was not the ability to summon hot men; it was being rational and practical. Like this: she knew that the intense feelings she was experiencing right now were simple infatuation, and that they’d pass easily once she was back to her old life, away from this seductive and wonderful-smelling place. And away from Derek.
The rehearsal dinner had been so lovely, the intimacy between Paul and Ellen so beautiful. Watching the way they knew each other inside out and were so looking forward to making the ultimate commitment—the more Addie saw, the more she realized how silly to think she could have fallen for Derek in such a short time. He must have realized it, too. They’d started the evening with longing glances, not ready to show the gang their new status as...what? Not a couple, yet. Lovers, anyway. A concept well demonstrated by Kevin and Carrie, who were practically humping each other into the bonfire.
But over the course of the evening, the tenuous tie that had been formed between Derek and Addie on the private beach started fraying, strand by strand. Their hot looks turned lukewarm, their conversations with people around them intensified. They didn’t seek out or spend time alone. Not that there was that much opportunity, except to say good-night.
Such a comedown. But good. The hurt showed her that she was really no good at this wild woman thing. Jumping into a sexual relationship wasn’t something she could handle. The sharing of their bodies so soon after meeting had only confused the issue, making her think their feelings were deeper than they were.
But, oh, they had felt so deep. Everything about Derek Bates had been intense from the moment she first said hello to him on the house’s front steps. She should have known their lovemaking would seem to engender intimacy so soul-wrenching it put all her other relationships to shame.
So. She’d made a mistake. If they had truly connected that deeply, if their souls really had been...uh, wrenched...that connection would not have eroded a mere hour or two later. They’d be upstairs in his room right now making wrinkles in the sheets.
She stiffened. A rustling through the woods behind her. A light bobbing closer. Someone was coming.
Immediately Addie told herself not to get excited, that it wasn’t necessarily him. And even if it was, she shouldn’t get excited. There were twenty plus people on the island, which made the odds of it being Derek a mere—
“Addie.” His deep voice shot thrills through her. Oh, Addie. Be sensible. “What are you doing out here so late?”
“Hi, Derek.” She turned her head to acknowledge his presence, awareness of him making her skin feel as if it were coming to life, nerve endings reaching for his touch. Shameless little buggers. “I’m sitting here soaking in the atmosphere. I wasn’t sleepy.”