Page 18 of The CEO

“I agree, though in places like Mexico, it’s hard to keep ice cream at the beach bar…or the pool bar.”

“Don’t I know it, but it was still a good drink. At least I didn’t have any problems getting completely drunk on them. Do you own a home in Mexico?”

Adam set the drink, which he’d put in an oversized martini glass, in front of her. “I do. I have several homes all over the world. I happen to use the one in Mexico the most. It’s right on the beach in Cancun.”

“That sounds wonderful. What are you having to drink? Something special for our wedding night?”

“I’m having my old standby of a Manhattan.”

“You are a man of habit. Though, I think you’ll have to be making new habits with Lilly here.”

He came around the bar and sat on the stool next to Bree. “And I’m more than willing to make them. Working from home for a while is just the first. I plan on making a place for her in my office, so I can take her to work when I need to…or want to.”

“I’ll be with her during the day. You don’t have to worry about that.”

“I know I don’t, but I want to be able to take her with me. I want to show off my daughter to my employees.”

Bree laughed. “That makes perfect sense, especially since most of those employees never thought you’d marry or have children. You’re thirty-six now. You’re getting long in the tooth, as my mother would say.”

He snorted. “And what about you, dear wife? Are you on the shelf, asmymother would say? You’re twenty-eight now. That used to mean you were an old maid…destined to be a spinster and live alone except for your hundreds of cats.”

She lifted a brow. “Ha ha. Very funny. Well, no one is an old maid or long in the tooth anymore. We stopped those rumors today.”

He frowned. “And started an entirely new set of rumors.”

Bree took a sip of her drink. The creamy, chocolatey mixture sliding down as easily and any ice cream shake. “This is great. Thank you.” She took another sip and smiled.

“You’re easy to please.” He chuckled before he took a cocktail napkin and wiped away the mustache, she’d given herself.

“Thanks.” She took the napkin and wiped her mouth again.

“You’re welcome.”

They talked and drank their cocktails.

Before she knew it, she’d had three of the drinks and was feeling a pleasant buzz.

“Adam.”

“Hmm?”

“I want to kiss you.”

His eyebrows practically leaped off his forehead as they went so high, so fast. Then his expression settled, and he cocked up one side of his mouth. “That’s good, because I want to kiss you, too.” He slipped an arm around her waist and leaned over, pulling her close at the same time.

“You do?” She went willingly.

“I definitely do. Very much,” he whispered when he was a hair’s breadth away.

The moment his lips touched hers, Bree was lost. She let herself go, enjoying the way warmth spread through her body and the feel of his soft, yet firm lips.

After a few moments, he pulled back, resting his forehead against hers. “That was nice. I want you, Bree. More than I’ve ever wanted anyone.”

“I want you, too. But we can’t. You know that and I know that. We’re best friends and I don’t want to risk that.”

Adam slowly shook his head. “We are best friends, we’re also husband and wife. We can do this. Let me make love to you?”

Should she? Was she wrong to expect their marriage to be forever and never make love, never have more children. Was shewrong to just want their friendship? Could she ask that of Adam? But she needed to be loved…utterly and completely, like she and Brad had loved each other. What would Brad say about what she’d done? She was so tempted…and very scared. She knew having sex would complicate things and if something happened, it might break them apart irrevocably.