*


Derian collected her winnings and wended her way through the gaming tables to the bar for a drink before heading back to her hotel. At three in the morning, most everyone was at the tables, and the bar was almost empty except for a brunette in a red sheath dress at one end and two men at the other. Derian slid onto a stool halfway down the bar and nodded to the bartender in a crisp white shirt and black bow tie. “Macallan, neat.”

A minute later, the bartender placed a tumbler of scotch onto a square white coaster on the polished black marble-topped bar in front of her. “Thanks.”

The brunette eased onto the adjacent seat. “You don’t remember me, but I was at the Speed-Pro company party the other night.”

“I remember.” Derian had a good memory for faces, and she’d noticed the brunette in a low-cut black dress that had showcased her killer body. She remembered the burly older man whose arm she’d clung to as well.

“I don’t recall seeing you with anyone.” The brunette’s voice was a low, smoky purr.

“I’m not here with anyone.”

“Neither am I.” At Derian’s slightly raised brow, she laughed. “Oh, I am married, but my husband prefers to spend his time at the tables. We have an understanding, in case something like that matters to you.”

Derian savored her scotch. “I appreciate you telling me. It makes things easier, but I’m not looking for company.”

“Everyone’s looking for company of one sort or another.” The brunette signaled the bartender and he placed another martini in front of her. “Whether we know it or not.”

“You might be right,” Derian said. “I should have said I’m not looking for anyone’s company but one particular woman’s.”

“I see. Someone special.”

Derian turned the glass in her hands, Emily’s face all she could see. “Very.”

“Well, how about another kind of company, then. For a little while.”

“I’m Derian Winfield,” Derian said, offering her hand.

“Veronica Riley.”

“Nice to meet you, Veronica.”

They shared another drink, and Derian offered to see Veronica back to her hotel.

“That’s kind of you, but I’ll be fine.”

“Thanks for the company, then.”

Veronica smiled and Derian walked away. As the cab brought her back to her hotel through the dark, quiet streets an hour before dawn, the restless unease of the last few weeks settled between her shoulder blades with an insistent throb. She’d done what she’d come here to do. Her business was finished, and what remained held no promise of pleasure. Time stretched out before her like a prison sentence, but she didn’t have to accept the verdict. Maybe she’d left this life behind before she’d even returned. She just hadn’t known it.

When she walked into her suite, the red light on her phone was blinking and she pushed the button for her messages. Emily’s voice stopped time—stopped everything as Derian concentrated on the lift and fall of her voice, shuddered as warmth coursed through her. She steadied herself with a hand on the back of the sofa. What had she said? The words hadn’t registered. Derian played the message again, and then again just to hear her voice. Emily was thanking her for being so kind, so helpful? That was all Emily had heard?

Derian closed her eyes. What an idiot she’d been.

Chapter Twenty-nine

Emily kissed Pam’s gaunt cheek and reflexively tucked the colorful plaid blanket around her thin shoulders. “It’s almost time for your dinner. I’ll be back tomorrow. I love you.”

She nodded to Yi Ling, gathered her purse and jacket, and walked outside. She paused in front of the residential center to breathe in the cool night air and shake off the sadness. She loved seeing her sister, but this city, this country, was not home to her anymore. She missed her apartment and her friends at the agency and her work and her life. She sighed. And she missed Derian. She hadn’t heard from her, and she hadn’t expected to, but a little part of her had hoped.

There was that word again. Hope. She couldn’t shake it—not when it came to Pam, and not, it seemed, when it came to Derian. She joined the crowds on the sidewalk and walked back to her hotel. By the time she got there the sadness had dissipated along with the sun. In another few minutes twilight would give way to evening. Too keyed up to go inside after a day spent talking to a sister who might or might not have known she was there, she strolled aimlessly along the edge of a small park across from the hotel. All she had to look forward to was another evening with a solitary meal and a book. Something she usually looked forward to on vacation, but this time, her solitary pleasures were not enough to satisfy.

Emily stopped abruptly and stared, giving herself a second while her breath stuttered in her chest to be sure her imagination hadn’t blindsided her.

Derian sat on a bench just inside the park, arms stretched out along the top, a slow smile on her face. Emily took a second to steady herself before walking over to her. If she let her heart lead the way, she’d be racing. And she didn’t want to be wrong, couldn’t bear to be wrong.

“Hello, Derian. I didn’t expect to see you.”

“I got your message. Sorry I missed your call. I wanted to say thank you.”

Emily laughed softly, teetering on the brink of fleeing and touching her. Derian was really there, in the flesh, of course she was. “Most people would’ve just called me back.”

“I did.” Derian tilted her head to meet Emily’s eyes. She looked tired, smudges under her eyes, and so incredibly beautiful. “You weren’t at the agency.”

Emily gestured to the bench. “May I?”

“Yes.”

Emily sat and immediately felt the tips of Derian’s fingers touch the back of her shoulder. Even through her jacket, the contact was electric. Familiar heat rushed through her. Oh yes, she was real all right. “I’m on vacation.”

“I know, Ron told me.”

“He didn’t know where I was staying.”

“Monica—my travel agent—is a wizard. Hope you don’t mind me showing up.”

“No, of course not.” Of course not? How about, Oh my God, I’ve been so miserable since the moment you left. Can you just please not move for about a century. “I thought you were in Rio in the midst of business and…whatnot.”

“I’m done with whatnot.” Derian slipped her fingers from cotton to the bare skin at Emily’s nape. She couldn’t resist touching her any longer. The connection was like coming home, and the coiled tension inside her unwound and faded away. The ache that had tormented her for days dissolved in the welcome in Emily’s eyes. “I had to see you. I missed you.”

Emily’s breath caught. “Derian.”

“Emily…” Derian leaned closer and kissed her. “I made a mess of things the last time we talked.”

Emily slid her hand onto Derian’s leg, stroked up and down her denim-clad thigh. “No, you didn’t. Well, maybe, but so did I. I know you were only trying to help. That’s why I called, to thank—”

“No, no.” Derian grimaced impatiently. “I was, trying to help, I mean, but that’s not really what was going on. You were right about that.”

“No, I wasn’t.” Emily needed her to believe this. “I meant what I said on the phone. I know you’re not your father, and I know you weren’t trying to use me to get back at him.”

“Thank you. I need you to believe that.”

“I do.” Emily sighed. “How long are you here for?”

“Until you get tired of me.”

The words pierced with the sweet blade of hope Emily couldn’t allow herself. “I have another ten days.”

“My reservation at the hotel is open-ended.”

“You’re staying here?”

“Yes. But if you don’t want to see me, I’ll leave.”

Emily cupped Derian’s cheek. How could she even think that? “Of course I want to see you. I hope…I hope at least we’re friends.”

Derian turned Emily’s hand over and kissed her palm. “I don’t want to be your friend, Emily.” She met Emily’s gaze. “I want to be your lover.”

Emily summoned every ounce of will. Derian was going to break her heart, and she’d never recover. “I can’t, Derian. I—”

“You really aren’t going to tell me it’s because of the business, are you?”

Emily shook her head. No more time for hiding the truth. “No, it’s not that. I—”

Derian gave an impatient growl and, still holding Emily’s hand, slid gracefully onto her knees in front of Emily.

A few people passing by paused to stare.

“Derian, what are you doing?”

“What I should’ve done before.”

Derian’s eyes gleamed and sent Emily’s heart racing.

“I love you,” Derian said, her voice strong and pure. “I want to be your lover and your mate, your friend and your spouse. I want you to marry me, Emily. Will you?”

Emily’s heart said yes, oh yes, yes. The words would not come out. Derian was watching her, clear-eyed and intense. “I wasn’t expecting this.” She laughed shakily. “I might need a few minutes.”

“How about you think about it over dinner? Long enough?”

“I love you,” Emily said, unwilling to let Derian be the only one taking a chance. “I have for a long time.”

Derian grinned. “Me too.”

“I’m just not sure about all the rest.”

“That’s okay. I am.”

Emily laughed. “You can get up off your knees now.”

“I like it here.”

Emily freed her hand from Derian’s grasp and framed Derian’s face. Leaning over, she gave her a proper kiss, slow and deep, that helped fill the emptiness she’d been carrying inside her since the moment Derian walked out of her apartment. When she drew back she whispered, “I love you.”

Derian somehow managed to flow to her feet and pull Emily up with her, catching her in the circle of her arms. “Tell me we can have dinner in my room and you’ll think about being mine.”