Free No More Wasted Time by Beverly Preston Page B

he was thinking and hoped she hadn’t said
anything to scare him off.
     

 
     
    CHAPTER SEVEN
     
    Tess tossed and turned in the early morning darkness, too
anxious to sleep. For a moment last night, she worried she’d wake up and he’d
be gone. She was afraid he’d literally run to the airport and catch the first
flight to anywhere so he wouldn’t have to use the word relationship .
    Tom slept soundly on his stomach with the sheet covering him
from the waist down. She nibbled on his back, moving her way to his ear. “I’m
going for a run, do you want to come?”
    He turned over, sitting up on his elbows.
    Her heart raced just looking at him.
    “No, go ahead without me, I’ve got a few things I still need
to take care of for our trip. I’ll order breakfast when you get back.”
    Running had turned into such a great outlet, and she needed
to clear her head. Obviously, they were continuing their trip together, but one
day soon she’d wake up and it would be over. Tom only got involved with a woman
up to a certain point, and she assumed he had already gone way beyond his
relationship limits.
    I’m okay with it . She thought, rehashing the words
that slipped so easily from her lips the night before. Am I really okay with
a casual fling? Who am I kidding? It doesn’t matter if I’m okay with it or not.
I can either accept Tom the way his is, commitment phobia and relationship
hang-ups included, or I can go home . She pushed herself into a full on
sprint . God, I like him so much. I’m so attracted to him it’s ridiculous.
All I really want to do is climb back in bed and kiss every inch of his smoking
hot body . She stopped to catch her breath before turning back to the
resort.
    Tess didn’t want to torment herself for enjoying her time
with Tom, nor did she want to become too attached to him. She decided to
perceive their relationship as a rendezvous. Nothing more, nothing less. An
amazing, once in a lifetime rendezvous. A time in her life that she could look
back on with no regrets, having lived in the moment, sharing time with a
remarkable man.
    When she returned to the bungalow, Tom was gone. She
showered outside, letting the sun warm her face as the cool water washed away
her uncertainties. No more wasted time. Don’t worry about tomorrow. Enjoy
him while you have him. Life isn’t about tomorrow. Life is about today .
    “Tess.” He peeked over the shower wall with the crooked grin
she loved so much. “I have breakfast. How was your run?”
    “Great.”
    “I wondered if you’d like to visit a pearl farm today. They
grow vanilla there, too. We have today and tomorrow, and check-out the
following day at noon to make our flight,” he said.
    “Sounds perfect.” She stepped from the shower and pressed
her lips to his neck, trying to decipher his mood. He seemed slightly pensive
and a bit quiet, but still obligingly stripped her of her towel and assisted
drying her off. Leading her to believe everything was fine between them.
    Tom rented a jeep and they drove to a lovely pearl farm that
lay nestled in a beautiful bay on the other side of the island. It was a small
shack perched on stilts over the lagoon with a pier. They toured the farm,
learning the extensive process of cultivating pearls.
    Making their way next door, they meandered through the
vanilla fields, taking in the exotic aroma that permeated the air. Tess picked
vanilla beans to take home with her. The thin black beans made the best
homemade ice cream. Tom took pictures of the pearl shack, the bay, even an old
woman working in the fields.
    “That relaxes you, doesn’t it?” She nodded toward his
camera.
    “It does.” He smiled with surprise. “I love taking
snapshots. It’s kind of a hobby.”
    “What do you do with your photos?” She asked curiously.
    “I only do it for fun.”
    “Will you send copies to me? I haven’t been taking any
pictures, and your camera is a lot nicer than mine.”
    “Of course. I don’t mind if you use