But being stupid didn’t stop the yearning deep inside her aching heart. Sadness overwhelmed her, and she hurriedly left the living room so he wouldn’t see her tears.

* * *

The next morning Ryan gently shook her awake and she stretched languidly before getting up. After her shower, he fixed them breakfast. When they were done eating, he gathered their luggage to take down to the car.

On the drive to the airport Kelly was quiet. A part of her felt a tingle of excitement at the prospect of a week in paradise with Ryan, while the other part dreaded the forced intimacy. She had focused so much on her anger and hatred that it had come as a shock to her that she was still deeply in love with Ryan. And that frustrated her more than anything. Was she a masochist?

First of all to love a man who quite obviously did not love her in return, but to love him even after his most cutting betrayal? Pathetic.

To her surprise, they weren’t taking a commercial flight. Ryan had chartered a private jet to take them nonstop to the island.

The flight was just a few hours, but halfway through she began fidgeting in her seat. She was nervous, edgy, and she was suffering a major case of cold feet.

“Why don’t you recline your seat,” he said, reaching over to help her.

When she was tilted back he nudged her over. “Turn on your side and I’ll rub your back.”

Too uncomfortable to turn down his touch, she faced the window and settled on her side.

Strong, tender fingers began a slow exploration of her back, rubbing and kneading. She sighed in contentment and relief as the tension faded in her muscles. Yawning widely, she snuggled deeper into the seat, enjoying the delicious sensations his touch was bringing.

For just a little while, she forced the past from her mind. She forced thoughts of the future away as well. All she focused on was the fact that she was with Ryan and he was acting as tender and loving as he had when they’d been together.

She went to sleep with a smile on her face.

As they prepared to land, Ryan shook her awake and raised her seat back up. She was so relaxed and lethargic that she sat there quietly while the plane touched down.

Fifteen minutes later, Ryan wrapped a protective arm around her as they exited the plane. He seated her in the waiting car while he saw that the luggage was loaded and then they drove away.

They checked into the lavish hotel that was situated directly on the beach, and Ryan jokingly informed her that when his partnership’s resort was built, it would make the one they were staying in look like a two-star hotel instead of the five stars it boasted.