Into the Night. Kate Hoffmann

greet the New Year alone, in a comfortable suite somewhere, Derek was glad he’d chosen to enter a balky elevator. He wasn’t quite sure what he was doing with Tess or where their time together would lead, but from the moment he’d set eyes on her, he’d decided not to waste too much time thinking about it.

      Derek reached out and touched her knee. “Hey,” he whispered. “Tess. Wake up.”

      She opened her eyes, then frowned, taking in her surroundings. At first, it seemed as if she didn’t know where she was, but then she stared straight at him. “Is there something wrong with the plane?”

      “No. But we’re going to be landing soon.”

      “Too much champagne,” she murmured, stretching her arms over her head. “And no sleep last night.”

      His eyes took in the smooth expanse of her shoulders and the soft flesh of her breasts above the deeply cut neckline. Drawing a ragged breath, he ignored the desire racing through him. He’d made a promise to her and he intended to keep it—no matter how difficult it was. “You need to put on your seat belt.”

      She straightened and searched for the ends of the belt, but fumbled with fastening it. Derek slid out of his seat and knelt down in front of her to help. As she leaned forward, they bumped heads. He glanced up to find her lush lips just inches from his and the impulse to kiss her was impossible to deny.

      He brushed his lips against hers and her breath seemed to catch in her throat. Time seemed to stand still, the soft roar of the engines lulling them both into a quiet contemplation of what had just happened. Derek had never put a whole lot of thought into kissing a woman. It normally just happened in the course of events. But with Tess, there was much more at stake. One kiss could be the end of their time together. One kiss and she might demand that he turn the plane around and take her home.

      But like a tantalizing flavor he couldn’t resist, Derek took another taste, this time tracing the crease of her mouth with his tongue. A tiny sigh slipped from her throat as her lips parted and he took the reaction as an invitation and deepened the kiss.

      Bracing his hands on either side of her body, he pressed her back into the soft leather seat. There was nothing in her response that told him to stop. If anything, she seemed curious to explore further. Her hand rested on his chest and he knew she could feel his heart pounding through the fabric of his shirt.

      Derek smoothed his hand along the length of her leg, her skin like silk beneath his fingers. The fabric of her skirt rustled as he slid beneath it. He didn’t know her, yet the attraction to her was so intense, he could barely control himself.

      Though he tried to tell himself that kissing her was enough, the process of slowly seducing her was what intrigued him the most. Each word between them, each glance, each touch took them further down that road. They’d started at square one in the elevator, two complete strangers sharing a drink in the dark. And now a few hours later, they were moving closer and closer to surrender.

      When he finally drew back and looked down at her, her face was flushed and her lips damp. He held his breath, waiting for her protest, but it never came. “I have to go up to the cockpit,” he murmured. He fastened her seat belt, then stood up in front of her, taking a deep breath and willing his heartbeat to slow down.

      “Is there something wrong with the pilot?” she asked.

      “He hasn’t done a night landing on Angel Cay before and I have. It can be tricky. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

      Derek made his way to the cockpit and slipped into the copilot’s seat. Jeremy Nichols, one of the corporation’s best pilots, was behind the controls for this flight. He’d been more than happy to leave Nashville early, especially for a two-day layover in the Caribbean.

      “You’ll want to circle around and come in from the west. There’s usually a pretty stiff breeze from the east. The runway is 5500 feet. Touch down between the blue lights and you’ll have plenty of room.”

      “Got it,” Jeremy said. He glanced over at Derek. “So, who is the girl? I thought you were planning on spending New Year’s weekend hard at work.”

      Derek chuckled. “Do you blame me for changing my mind?”

      “She’s pretty. Where did you find her?”

      “In an elevator.” He grinned, his gaze scanning the instruments. “I don’t know. There’s something about her. We were sitting in the dark and her voice just drew me in. It’s like I know this girl, but we’re complete strangers.”

      “Well, I’m happy you met her. I won’t mind spending the next few days lying on a beach and working on my tan.”

      “I thought I’d send you back to San Diego,” Derek teased.

      “No!” Jeremy said.

      “Kidding. The pool house will be empty. You can sleep there.”

      “And where is the girl going to sleep?”

      “Wherever she wants,” Derek said. “We have plenty of bedrooms, although I wouldn’t be adverse to have her share mine. Now, can we stop talking and land this plane?”

      “You got it, boss.”

      They went through the landing checklist with quiet efficiency and though Jeremy was focused on the job at hand, Derek couldn’t keep his thoughts off Jeremy’s question. Where would she sleep? Did she think he’d expect her to share his bed? Though he’d made it clear that he’d be a gentleman, there was no denying the attraction between them.

      With other women, he’d always been certain of the outcome of an evening. But for once, it felt good not to know. Whatever transpired between the two of them would be a surprise. That would be his New Year’s resolution, Derek thought to himself. “Add more spontaneity to my life,” he murmured.

      “What?” Jeremy said, reaching for the switch that lowered the landing gear.

      “Nothing,” Derek said. Hell, he’d brought her to one of the most romantic spots in the world. He couldn’t help it if the atmosphere had a seductive effect on her.

      THEY RODE from the airstrip in a Range Rover, the windows open to the warm night air. Tess sat in back with Derek, feeling a bit uneasy in the company of Jeremy and the driver. What did the two other men think of her? Was she just another in a long line of women that Derek Nolan had brought to this island to seduce? Or were they aware that she and Derek were not romantically involved?

      Tess groaned inwardly, her thoughts wandering back to the kiss they’d shared on the plane. She ought to have felt remorseful, yet Tess couldn’t muster even the smallest sliver of guilt for what she’d done.

      In all the time she’d been with Jeffrey, he’d never once elicited the kind of reaction from her that Derek had managed. She shivered, the memory causing a physical response. It was a delicious kiss and something she’d probably have to explain to Jeffrey—someday.

      Though the notion of flying off with a handsome stranger was the stuff of fantasies, she still had to rationalize her decision. Maybe this was the female equivalent of a bachelor party, that one last chance to sow her wild oats, before committing herself to Jeffrey. Besides, though the kiss was wonderful and she’d been a willing participant, Tess hadn’t initiated it.

      It wasn’t the best rationalization, but she had time to work on something better. From now on, she was going to hold Derek to his promise—no expectations. And no more kisses.

      The facade of the stucco plantation house was lit up in the dark and she could see it from the long winding driveway. As they approached, Tess realized that it wasn’t just a house, but an estate. The main house at Beresford Farms was nice, but this house was truly impressive.

      “Wow,” she murmured.

      “I know,” Derek said. “My grandfather started building and he couldn’t seem to stop. It’s big, but comfortable. You can have a room in the main house or you can have one of the cottages.”

      “I’m