Very nice. Very original. And very sweet with a point. I want one of him.

~Kathy D., Goodreads Reviewer

Originally published as SARA SMILES by Kensington Publishing Corp. in the Beach Blanket Bad Boys anthology 06/07/05

Cover design by Covers by Combs

Interior design and formatting by

www.emtippettsbookdesigns.com

Sara Wade stood on her suite’s balcony overlooking the villa’s private beach of tropical white sand, and stared unsmiling across miles of blue Pacific at the horizon awash with the first rays of the sun. She’d been up long before dawn.

Sleeping in an unfamiliar bed, an unfamiliar room, no matter how comfortably lush, never came easy.

But last night’s insomnia had another name.

Jax Stacey.

The man she’d been seeing for three years, in love with for two, living with for one.

The man who, six months ago, had proposed.

The man to whom she’d said no.

He’d taken her refusal better than she had. She’d wanted immediately to call back the word, retract the shake of her head. What she had not wanted was to replace it with a nod, or to say yes.

She’d only wanted not to hurt Jax.

He’d told her that she hadn’t, that he understood her reticence—hell, he’d known her long enough, loved her long enough, to get where she was coming from, especially considering the circumstances.

It was hard for both of them to watch marriages of friends and family disintegrate around them and want to risk their own status quo. Why mess with a relationship that was perfect by putting matching rings on their fingers?

They didn’t need an outward symbol, a document, a ceremony to prove to anyone what they already knew.

That their love was meant for a lifetime.

She’d felt even worse after that. His steadfastness meant everything to her; her refusal reduced his needs to nothing. And he was arriving today. Any moment, in fact. Her stomach fluttered madly at the thought.

It had been a spur of the moment decision that had her booking the long weekend at the plush resort nestled into Mexico’s Pacific coastline. A decision as right as the reason behind it. A reason that, right or not, had her as nervous as did the wait for Jax.

She’d spent a tidy sum from her savings—money earned billing clients for a Houston law firm—after he’d assured her he’d have no problem getting free. He and his partner often traded weekends; their auto body shop was closed half days on Saturdays as it was, and going in late Monday would be no big deal.

The sun now sparkling on the rippling ocean water, Sara breathed deeply of the salty air, of the chlorine rising from the private pool on the suite’s first floor, of the tropical blooms turning a kaleidoscope around hovering butterflies. She had come a day early to make certain the place was as wonderful as her travel agent promised.

It was more than wonderful. It was perfect. The service, the food, the facilities made for the perfect getaway. The ambience made for the perfect lovers’ tryst. All she could do now was hope it also made for the perfect magic she needed to pull together her full-circle plan.

Oh, but wasn’t Jax going to be surprised.

She curled her fingers over the balcony’s dark green railing and leaned forward, eyes closed, absorbing the tingle of the ocean cooling the breeze. The sun hadn’t yet risen fully to heat the surf and the sand.

It would be a good time to walk down and enjoy the secluded beach, to get a grip on her emotions, to organize her thoughts so he wouldn’t see her anxiousness