A Perfect Compromise. Anna Sugden

pricked her eyes. If only...

      A beeping sound alerted her to a text. Raising her head slightly, she saw it was from Sapphie.

      We need to pack. Shuttle leaves at 12. You have one hour. Make the most of it!

      And there it was—the reality she’d dreaded. Like the clock chiming midnight for Cinderella, the message signaled the end of Issy’s night and with it the fairy-tale world she’d been living in. Even though she’d known it was only for one night, the thought that she probably wouldn’t experience anything so wonderful again for a long time, if ever, was hard to take.

      As the last remnants of her afterglow faded, so did Issy’s confidence. She began to feel awkward and a little foolish. However she dressed it up and in spite of the exotic setting, she and J.B. had still only had a one-night stand. Was she really so different from her family?

      Stop! She wouldn’t beat herself up and she wouldn’t allow herself regrets. The night, the experience, had been too special to be spoiled by recriminations.

      Even so, suddenly she wasn’t as comfortable sharing her bed with J.B. She shifted slightly, trying to ease away from him before he woke up. But he stirred behind her, pulling her tighter against him. He brushed a kiss against her neck, below her ear. His second kiss was a little lower. His third at the curve of her shoulder.

      With each kiss, Issy’s pulse jumped. How was it possible that he could still coax a response from her so easily? She’d have thought that he’d wrung every last bit out of her.

      Clearly not.

      “Hello, beautiful.” His husky voice sent a delicious shiver though her.

      “Good morning,” she said with false brightness as she started to move away again.

      He wouldn’t let her. “Not so fast.”

      His erection pressed against her bottom.

      She swallowed hard. “I see Mag is an early riser.”

      “Honey, with you around, he never sleeps.”

      The urge to wriggle against him, to reposition her body so he could easily slip inside, almost overwhelmed her. She reveled briefly in his hardness against her, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that it would be a mistake. It certainly wouldn’t change anything.

      Issy pushed out of his embrace and sat up. “Our time’s up. Sapphie will be coming back to the room shortly.”

      J.B. propped himself on one elbow. “Shortly, as in she’s outside the door, or do we have a few minutes to welcome the new day properly?”

      She could lie—tell him Sapphie was nearby—but she didn’t want to. Not when she could create one last precious memory with him. Knowing she’d probably curse her weakness later, she gave in. “We have less than an hour.”

      “No problem.” He reached over, snagged the last condom and rolled it on.

      Their lovemaking had a desperate edge this time. They drove each other higher, faster, using what they’d learned through the night about their bodies, their needs and their desires until, as one, they shattered. Though the throbbing from their completion had faded, they clung together tightly, still intimately joined, for long minutes afterward.

      A tear trickled down Issy’s cheek. This really was the end.

      “So...” J.B. cleared his throat as he gently dried the damp trail with his finger. “I know this was meant to have been one night, but maybe we could see each other again. It wouldn’t be too hard, since we both live in Jersey. We could meet up for a drink or dinner. No pressure, no commitment.”

      Her heart leaped, but she quickly tamped it down.

      Much as she hated to admit it, that simply wasn’t possible. Spending any more time with J.B. raised too many red flags. Even though he’d changed her opinion of a professional athlete—from their conversations over the past few days and especially last night—she knew that they wanted completely different things from their lives. She couldn’t risk ending up like her sister or derailing the course she’d set. Ultimately he could be nothing more than a pleasant—okay, a wonderful—but dangerous distraction.

      Fighting the urge to agree, she shook her head. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. This has been incredible—the best night of my life—but we’re from two very different worlds.”

      Frustration filled his dark eyes, mirroring the feeling that clawed at her. “We’re only talking dinner.”

      Be strong. “We both know it wouldn’t just be dinner.”

      “Okay, dinner with a really nice dessert. Would that be so bad?”

      “Of course not.” She caressed his cheek apologetically. “But if we do it once, what’s to stop us doing it a second time? Then a third. Or more. How long will we let it go on before we know we have to call it quits? A month? Six?”

      He started to speak but she stopped him.

      “You know about my family, my background. Why I want stability and security. If I start a relationship, I want to be sure it’s with someone who feels the same. Who’s ready for and, more importantly, wants commitment.”

      The regret in his expression told her that he wanted to disagree but couldn’t.

      “It’s okay. I know that’s not what you want.” Issy smiled sadly.

      J.B. was silent for a few minutes. Finally he sighed. “You’re right.”

      Even though she knew it was the correct decision, she couldn’t help feeling disappointed that he didn’t argue his corner a little harder. “If it’s any consolation, I wish I wasn’t.”

      “Yeah. Me, too.” He pressed a quick, hard kiss to her lips, then eased away.

      She missed his warmth instantly and wrapped her arms around herself.

      “Damn it!” J.B. jumped up. “Freaking condom broke.”

      Issy’s gut tightened. “You’re kidding.”

      “That’s one thing I don’t ever joke about.” He stalked to the bathroom.

      No! She’d only stepped outside her carefully drawn lines once—once—it wasn’t fair. This couldn’t be happening. She buried her head in her hands.

      The bed dipped as J.B. sat beside her and draped his arm around her shoulders. “Hey, it’s not as bad as you’re thinking.”

      His soothing voice had the opposite effect. “It’s a disaster. I can’t get pregnant.”

      “The chances of you getting caught this one time are really slim. You’re on the pill, aren’t you?”

      She nodded.

      “Then you’re protected. The condom was only a backstop. Trust me—it’ll be fine.”

      While her panicking brain fought to deny his reassurance, his logic seeped in and began to calm her. Her thundering heart slowed.

      “Of course,” she said finally, when she could trust herself not to sound hysterical. “I’m sorry. I lost it for a moment there.”

      “That makes two of us.” His chuckle sounded relieved. “All’s well that ends well.”

      He turned her more fully into his arms, leaned down and touched his forehead to hers.

      They remained like that, silently, lost in their own thoughts, until the clatter of a trolley on the path outside jolted them out of their reveries.

      “I should go.” J.B. eased himself from their embrace and gathered his clothes.

      Still feeling vulnerable after the scare, Issy wound the sheet around her. “Thank you. For...everything.”

      “Thank you.” He shrugged into his shirt. “You are an incredible lady.