Page 12 of Jilted

Chapter Eleven

A my stretched and smiled. She slept so well last night. No doubt it was a result of what happened between her and Brett. She touched her lips. They still tingled from his kisses. He’d actually kissed her. How many years had she fantasized about that very thing?

And now that he’d done it, she was terrified of where it would lead.

In her heart, she wanted Brett. She’d always wanted Brett.

But...God, there were so many buts to consider.

She knew she could not survive without Brett in her life – even if it was just his friendship – but if things didn’t work out, there would be no way she could still be his friend. It would hurt too much.

But...damn it, she wanted him. She wanted him so bad it hurt. She trusted him in every other aspect of her life. Could she trust him with her heart, too? He already owned it; he just didn’t know it.

With a sigh, Amy got out of bed and headed for the bathroom.

Before she could grab the doorknob, the door swung open, and she came face to face with Brett.

He was wet from his shower. Amy’s gaze drifted down his chest and torso, lingering on his abs for a moment before lowering to the towel that hung from his hips.

What were all the reasons she said they couldn’t take things further last night?

“Morning,” he said with a grin.

“Morning,” she echoed. This is what she was afraid of – the awkwardness between them.

“I was thinking we could head over to the other side of the island and walk through the gift shops, then grab some lunch somewhere.”

She gave him an odd look. “You know I’ll never turn down shopping, but you hate to shop, Brett. What gives?”

He laughed. “I’m hoping if I go shopping with you, you’ll go scuba diving with me.”

Amy rolled her eyes. “We’re back to this, are we?”

“C’mon, Amy. It will be fun, and you know I would never let anything happen to you.” He took her hands and brought them to his lips, giving them a lingering kiss. “You can trust me.”

“I’ll think about it, okay?”

“Okay.” He winked.

An hour later, Amy and Brett walked hand in hand down the stone laid pathway through the Tri Pinnae Village Shops.

During their first walk around the island, she hadn’t realized how many small shops there were.

And there were a lot of them. There was even a fresh fruit and vegetable store at the end of the path.

To her surprise, Brett followed her into every single shop and didn’t complain once.

Man, he must really want to go scuba diving, she thought.

Something in the window of a shop across the way caught her attention.

She tugged Brett’s hand until he followed her.

Inside, she inspected the item closer. It was a necklace with what looked like a tiny seashell encased in a clear, turquoise colored rock.

It was the strangest thing she’d ever seen. It was also the coolest.

“Excuse me, how much for this?” she asked the woman behind the counter.

“One hundred fifty dollars.” The shock on Amy’s face must’ve registered with the salesclerk because she quickly added, “It’s the only one of its kind. It’s good luck.”

“We’ll take it,” Brett said as he reached for his wallet.

Amy jerked her head to look at him. “What? No, Brett, it’s too much. I won’t let you...”

But it was too late. Brett handed the woman money in exchange for the necklace.

“Thank you,” Brett said to the woman, and then he escorted Amy out of the store.

“Why did you do that?” she asked him.

“Because you wanted it.” He unclasped the necklace and held it out as if he were going to put it on her. “And I liked the look on your face when you saw it.”

Amy lifted her hair so that Brett could fasten the necklace around her neck. She touched the charm and smiled. “Thank you.”

Brett spun her around and slanted his lips over hers, taking her momentarily by surprise, but then she embraced him fully, luxuriating in the feel of his kiss.

God, he was a great kisser. She could spend the rest of their time on the island standing right there kissing him, and she would be happy.

It barely registered that she’d told him last night that they couldn’t do this again, but her response to him clearly said the exact opposite.

When he released her, she fought to get her eyes to open.

“It looks great on you,” he said.

She touched the charm once again. “I love it. Thank you.”

He put his arm around her shoulders, and they made their way away from the shops.

Brett was acting a lot like her boyfriend today and that was a bit unsettling – especially considering she liked it so much.

And it felt right, too, natural. Maybe Amy should stop overthinking this thing between them and just let her heart guide her.

Let Brett take the lead and see where and how far he took things.

“Where to now?” she asked.

“It’s a surprise.”

His eyes twinkled in that way they always did. She loved it when he got that look in his eyes. It excited her. Amy rested her head on his shoulder, and he kissed her forehead. “And how long do I have to wait for this surprise?”

“Not long.” He veered off the path and ducked under some low hanging tree branches, holding them out of the way so that she could get through them.

A short walk later, they emerged on a secluded part of the beach surrounded by large rocks. A blanket was spread out with a picnic basket on the sand beside it.

Amy took in the scene and was struck by how sweet it was of him to go to so much trouble. “When did you do all of this? How did you find this place?”

Brett laughed. “Jason and Emma told me about this place, and I enlisted Emma’s help. She’s a real sucker for a romantic gesture.” He took her hand and led her toward the blanket. “I hope you’re hungry.”

“Starved.”

“Good.” Brett sat on the blanket and opened the picnic basket, pulling out a bottle of champagne, two glasses, and several containers of food. He poured her a glass of the bubbly liquid and handed it to her. “To new beginnings,” he said.

“And lasting friendships,” she added before tapping her glass to his and taking a drink. Dom Perignon, her favorite. “Is all of this part of your plan to convince me to go scuba diving with you?”

He laughed. “No. I just wanted to show you how much you mean to me, how grateful I am that you’re here with me.”

“Can I ask you a question without you getting mad at me?”

“Depends on the question.” The corner of his mouth quirked up, and she knew he was teasing, trying to lighten the mood.

“Why now, Brett? We’ve been friends for years and not once have you ever shown any interest in me like you did last night.

So, why now? Are you trying to use me to fill the void left by Vanessa?

” She chewed nervously on her bottom lip as she waited for him to answer.

Although, she wasn’t sure she wanted an answer.

“I would never use you to fill a void.” He settled on an elbow beside her, his hand resting on her knee.

“This whole thing with Vanessa has me re-evaluating life and the choices I’ve made in my relationships.

And I don’t know...being here with you has made me see you in ways I didn’t think were possible. ”

Her heart raced, and her breath caught in her throat. “What kind of ways?”

He trailed his finger up her leg and down again to rest on her knee. “The same way you’ve seen me.”

She swore her heart stopped. How the hell did he know that? Amy had always been so careful to keep her true feelings hidden from him, locked away deep in her heart. She swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat.

“I meant what I said last night. This can’t happen.” She stood, intent on getting away from him before she changed her mind and threw herself at him.

Brett was on his feet after her. “Why not?”

“When I found out you were marrying Vanessa, I knew our friendship was over. Whether you wanted to admit it or not, it was. I resolved myself to that fact, and it hurt like hell, but I was dealing with it. And now this.” She waved her hand toward the picnic and the beach.

“It’s too much, and I won’t go through the pain of losing you again.

We’re friends, Brett. That’s what we do best. Don’t ruin it.

” Amy snatched her purse from the ground and walked away.

Her entire body was shaking, and she hoped Brett didn’t notice.

“How long?” he shouted after her.

She stopped and turned to face him. “What?”

“How long have you had feelings for me?” He walked toward her.

“Does it matter?” That was something she didn’t want to tell him. It would make her look pathetic, and that’s not how she wanted Brett to see her. Nor did she want any sympathetic looks or false admissions from him.

“How long, Amy?”

Fighting back tears, she looked him in the eyes and said, “Since the day I met you.”

Brett didn’t know what to say or do, so he let her walk away. Since the day I met you. Christ, how the fuck had he been so blind to that?

“Sonofabitch!” He kicked at the sand. “You just don’t know when to keep your mouth shut, do you?” he muttered. “You just had to pry.”

He grabbed the blanket, rolled it up, and stuffed it inside the picnic basket, all while berating himself for being so dumb. He gathered everything in his hands and went back to the bungalow only to find it empty.

“Amy?” After checking the bedroom, bathroom, and balcony, it was clear she was gone. He had to find her and make things right. He had no idea how, but he sure as shit was going to try.

All her things were still lying around, so she wasn’t attempting to leave the island. That was a good sign. Maybe she went for a walk or something. He scrawled a quick note to let her know that he was out looking for her and to stay put if she came back. Then he left.