Free The Night Before Thirty by Tajuana Butler

odds of she and Louisa Montero having the same birthday? Plus, after all the hard work she'd put in at Saks, her ordeal with Rondell, and missing the appointment of a lifetime, she mentally claimed her spot at the spa, the shopping spree, and the cruise. As she trekked her way to her apartment, she imagined what hanging out with Louisa Montero would be like. She couldn't wait until she got home to begin scribbling down why she should be chosen for the weekend getaway.

LECIA ROLLED OVER and wrapped her arm around William's waist. The San Diego sun was setting over the Pacific Ocean, and the soft, warm breeze blowing from the water onto the terrace of the beachfront suite was turning cool. The two had been lying there in the wide lawn chair for the past few hours and had fallen asleep to the sound of the waves hitting the beach.
    Alecia was disappointed—being awake meant that she would again begin counting time. It was their second day alone together, and she didn't want their special weekend to come to an end. She nudged herself closer to him and savored the moment, because William, in that time and space, belonged only to her. She had his undivided attention.
    He looked so peaceful sleeping next to her in his swim trunks that she couldn't help but sneak a quick kiss on his cheek. Then she took the back of her hand and stroked his cheek, allowing her hand to brush past his neck, down to his chest. More days of intimate solitude with him would not be enough to quench her desire to belong to him forever.
    William awoke with a smile on his face and yawned. “Uumm, this feels good.”
    “Me touching you?”
    “You, the breeze, the beach. All of it.”
    “I know,” she said wistfully. “I could stay like this forever.”
    “Me too,” he agreed.
    William eased up in the chair so that he could get a better view of his surroundings. Alecia adjusted her position accordingly.
    “Breathtaking,” he commented of the red and blue hues that mixed together and surrounded the huge sun as it set, looking as if it were gradually submerging into the ocean.
    “Breathtaking,” Alecia sighed.
    The two remained silent as they watched the sun gradually sink until it was no more. What had been a fairly active beach earlier in the day had now become deserted and romantic, sexy.
    “I love it when it's like this. It feels like we're the only two people on our own deserted island,” William said.
    “Uh-huh,” Alecia agreed.
    “So do we continue like this, starving, or do we eat?” he asked.
    “We starve.”
    “We could. But I say we eat.”
    “Let's order room service and stay in all night,” she suggested.
    “We did that last night. Don't you want to see the city?”
    “I've seen the city, several times. We both have.”
    “But there's a new spot downtown that I have to go to tonight.”
    “Oh, so this is a business trip?” Alecia was disheartened. She had thought the weekend was only about his wanting to do something special for her.
    “Not exactly. Well, kind of—John, a client of mine, recently purchased the club. I just have to make an appearance. We can eat on the waterfront, and then we can go to the club.” William squeezed her tight. “You can work me out on the floor, and then we can come back here and you can finish off the job.”
    Alecia pouted a bit, but she knew there was no way around it. She had to go.
    She lay there a while longer then forced herself up. “I'm taking a shower.” She yawned. “You can join me if you'd like.” She winked at him and posed between the sliding-glass door.
    “It's tempting, but if I do that, we'll never get out of here.” William reached over to the table next to the chair, picked up his Palm, and began fidgeting with it.
    Alecia hated being ignored, especially by William, and it was tough for her to accept that all the stops had been pulled and there was nothing more she could do except get dressed and join him for a night on the town.
    DOWNTOWN SAN DIEGO was