Free Designed for Love by Yvette Hines

Tamara, she’d folded right in
and treated him like a brother and uncle to the children. His best friend was
also the only one who knew how deeply it had affected him to respect Chelsi’s
wishes for them to part after the summer and concentrate on school. In the
beginning, he’d felt like half a man without her.
          “How
about a walk now that your stomach has been satisfied?” He got up from the
table, collected their plates, and headed to the kitchen.
          She
followed behind him with their glasses. “That would be a great.”
          He
was glad she agreed. He wanted to spend as much time with her as possible, but
being indoors with her was driving him quickly towards sexual insanity.
Hopefully the night air would restore his physical urges to a more tolerable
state.

 
     
    Chapter Six
     
     
          Summer
was coming to a close, and it was now cooler at night, Chelsi rubbed her arm,
feeling the raised goose bumps on her skin. Her reaction wasn’t because of the
night air but the man beside her. A slight breeze carried nature’s scent and mingled
it with Vincent’s rich, spicy aftershave as they stood on his flagstone patio
before his pool and hot tub.
          Holding
her hand, Vincent had taken her along a trail as they discussed her career and
all the different paths she’d followed to finally become second designer to
Peter Densa. They’d been standing there for a few minutes just silent and
listening to the night sounds around them.
          Chelsi
didn’t mind the quiet. She’d always felt centered around Vincent even when they
were teenagers. They could go for long drives in her car and not talk, just
enjoy being in each other’s company. The years hadn’t changed that.
          It
also hadn’t dampened her desire for him. The kiss in his boardroom and the one
in the kitchen were proof. If he would’ve suggested they postpone dinner until after
he’d carried her upstairs and satisfied her sexual need, her body would not
have complained. Hell, at this point her mind wasn’t voicing any protest,
either.
          Glancing
at the strong, confident man beside her, she asked the question that had been
plaguing her mind all night. “Why aren’t you married? You’re a successful
business man who I’m sure has not led a celibate life over the last twelve
years. How are you still single?”
          Squeezing
her hand, he said, “First, there haven’t been that many women. I’ve always been
selective with who I allow in my life and especially in my bed.”
          She
was glad to hear that he hadn’t turned into some million dollar playboy. “None
of those selected women made you want
to see them in a white dress?” Her mind forced her to ask the question, but her
heart screamed it didn’t want to know the answer. She didn’t want to know if
he’d ever loved anyone else. That love, in her mind, would have been greater
than the puppy love they had in school. The latter love would’ve been built
from a mature relationship.
          “There
was one woman that I considered marrying.”
    Oh God, he had
found love.
          “What
happened?” Her throat thick with emotion, she had to look away from him. She
couldn’t breathe, and the pain in her chest grew.
          “The
woman turned me down.” His thumb stroked the back of her hand. “ Lydia knew I
was only asking her because it made good business sense. So we ended the two-year
relationship and stayed friends.”
          Friends.
He still kept the woman close in his life. Did he hope that things would resume
one day between them? After all, he said the woman had ended the relationship
not him.
          “Chelsi,
look at me.” He tugged her hand until she faced him.
          When
she looked at him, he cupped her face and searched her gaze. “I’m no saint.
Hell, the only angel I’ve ever known is you.” He blue eyes shone bright in the
lamp lighting fixed around his patio.