What a Woman Wants (4 page)

Yes, she’d seen him earlier that day, but now she was
really
seeing him. He looked more handsome, manlier, sexier—and dirtier. His T-shirt was smeared with grease and oil, and there was a tear on the knee of his jeans that hadn’t been there hours ago. There was even a smudge of grease on his chin, but she barely registered any of that, mesmerized by his stance as he leaned against the vehicle he was working on.

There was something utterly raw and savage about him, an attitude that almost bordered on uncivilized. In the past, a man with a clean-shaven head had never set any sparks flying with her. But not only were they flying, they were landing on some pretty interesting spots.

He was looking at her with a concentration that intensified the attraction she felt toward him, making it that much wilder. Her pulse rushed, her skin felt hotter, and she had to concede that although he was probably the most unrefined man she’d ever willingly encountered, he was also the most intriguing. The words
bad boy
were written all over him.

She gathered the composure to speak. “I got a call that my car is ready.”

For a moment he didn’t say anything. He just looked at her with intense dark eyes before he finally said, “Kent’s inside.”

The sound of his voice was like the feel of fingertips grazing across her skin. She swallowed. “Kent?”

“Yeah, the owner.”

“Oh. And who’re you?”

He lifted a brow. “Who am I?”

“Yes, don’t you have a name?”

“Yes, I have one.”

When moments ticked and it appeared he wouldn’t give it to her without her asking, she did. “Well, what is it?”

“Adam. Adam Corbain.” Then as if he didn’t have anything else to say to her, he turned his back, leaned forward to resume what he’d been doing under the hood of the car. The urge to take a few steps and snuggle up against his back, wrap her arms around him, settle her body right smack up against his well-defined butt, was a temptation Shannon had to fight hard not to give in to. Instead she quickly walked over to the door of a small office.

When she walked back out of the office less than ten minutes later, he was still there with his head underneath the hood of the car. She glanced his way for only a second before walking to her car and getting into it. He turned around when he heard the sound of her engine.

Their gazes locked, held, and she could actually feel heat leap across the span of distance separating them. Nothing like this had ever happened to her before, and she couldn’t understand it. Why, of all the men she could be attracted to on this island, did it have to be him? A man who looked the part of a Neanderthal with a capital
N.
A man named after the first man on this earth. Adam. The same man whose rib started womanhood. Go figure.

She pulled out of the garage, determined not to glance back in her rearview mirror, but she couldn’t help herself and did anyway. He was leaning against that car and staring, and for a brief moment it looked as if he would actually smile. But he didn’t. She’d dare any woman to actually make his lips tilt at the corners. Just try it. The thought of doing so captivated her, made every cell within her body vibrate, made her already scorching body even hotter.

She breathed in slowly. At that moment, as crazy as it was, she knew her manhunt had ended before it had a chance to begin, in forbidden territory. Although she didn’t know anything about the man, she had to accept the obvious.

She had found her prey.

Adrianna Ross-Fuller scooped
up
a
handful of laundry from the dryer and went into her bedroom to fold and put it away. She smiled, remembering the call on her answering machine from that morning: Zach had let her know he was coming to Hilton Head for a visit.

Technically Zachary Wainwright was her god-brother, but it was hard to think of him that way, since the two of them had met only a little over a year ago. The day he had tracked her down in her emergency room in San Diego was unforgettable. In a span of a couple of hours, he had convinced her that the family she thought had renounced her more than thirty years ago had actually been looking for her. They had not disowned her because her late father had married a Vietnamese girl during the war.

That day changed her life. He had convinced her to return with him to D.C. and meet her father’s family as well as the godfather she hadn’t known existed. It was an incredible night filled with amazing people. Since then, she’d forged a close relationship with her paternal grandparents, uncle, and his family, as well as her godparents and the cousins she’d been introduced to. But nothing came close to the impact that Zach Wainwright had made on her life. She’d felt initially overwhelmed by the magnitude of love pouring forth from virtual strangers, but he had been right there for her, just a glance away, reassuring her that he was a friend she could count on. She had believed him. She’d trusted him, and eventually she fell in love with him.

She began folding up her underthings, utterly contented. Zach was not a hard person to love. One of the brightest and most sought-after attorneys in D.C., he was the subject of speculation: Zachary Wainwright. Would he eventually follow in the footsteps of his father, the senator from Florida, and choose a political career? Adri-anna couldn’t help noticing that whenever anyone brought up the possibility, he was quick to deflect the rumor.

It was also her opinion that Zach was extremely handsome, always the perfect gentleman, soft-spoken, caring, and private in certain ways. According to his sister Noelle, whom Adrianna had also gotten close to over the year, Zach had developed an extremely disciplined social life since his wife’s death five years ago, on September 11. She had been a flight attendant on the Washington-to-Los Angeles American Airlines Flight 77 that ill-fated day.

Adrianna sighed deeply. No one knew about her inner feelings for Zach, and she planned to keep it that way. There was no telling what her newfound family would think if they were to discover her secret. And there was certainly no telling what Zach would think. He saw her as a close friend and nothing more. And she refused to do anything that would ruin that friendship, despite the voices she sometimes heard in her head:
Go ahead, take the first step. Let him know how you feel.

But she couldn’t take that step. She had been rejected once by the family of a man she had intended to marry, and she couldn’t risk another loss like that, especially not with this family, a family she could finally claim as her own. So when it came to Zach, she had to keep a good head on her shoulders and never act reckless.

Adrianna continued to fold up her clothes, taking slow, deep breaths, trying to rein her overjoyed heart. Zach would be coming to see her in a few weeks, and that alone made her extremely happy.

Washington, D. C.

Zach Wainwright turned away from the window when he heard his parents enter the room. He met their curious gazes. It was late afternoon, and he knew they were wondering why he had called that morning with such urgency in his voice, asking to speak with the both of them.

He studied them before speaking. Noah and Leigh Wainwright were always such a striking couple, even after thirty-seven years of marriage. His tall, handsome, and dashing father, Florida’s senator Noah Wainwright, and his beautiful wife, Leigh Murdock Wainwright—lovely, vivacious, and the most gracious hostess in all of the District of Columbia and surrounding areas. Zach knew how very much in love they were. Over the years they had given him and Noelle strong role models for healthy relationships. He had always wanted to bring what his parents had in their marriage to his own, but he hadn’t been given the chance. He had lost Shaun after only a couple of years of marriage, and for the longest while, all his hope and dreams had died with her on board that plane. Only strong family support and love had gotten him through that time intact.

“Zach? Are you all right?” The concern in his mother’s voice matched the worried look on her face.

His father, on the other hand, just continued to stare at him with those intense, dark eyes of his, and not for the first time did Zach wonder if Noah Wainwright could read his mind. It wouldn’t surprise him if he could, since they had always been so close. The retired senator was one of those men who’d always made time for his family, no matter what political aspirations he had. Family had always come first, and Zach knew it always would.

Zach crossed the room and gently took his mother’s hand in his. “I’m fine, Mom. I just wanted to talk to you and Dad about something that’s important to me.”

Leigh nodded before glancing over her shoulder at her husband, and Zach could tell from her expression that she was wondering if he were already privy to what this was about. Guessing exactly that, Noah chuckled and said, “No, sweetheart, I don’t know why our son called this meeting, but I’m sure he won’t be keeping us in the dark for long. Let’s go ahead and sit down.”

Zach’s parents perched on the sofa in the Wainwrights’ study. It occurred to him that on that same sofa, over a year ago, he had ended his father and Randolph Fuller’s search for Adrianna Fuller. She had sat there beside Zach while he held her hand, giving her the courage and confidence she needed to confront the family she assumed had turned their backs on her for thirty-four years. That night lies had been exposed, understandings forged, miscommunications cleared up, and, in the end, all the love Noah Wainwright had felt for his deceased best friend—and all the love and admiration Randolph Fuller had felt for his deceased brother, Ross Donovan Fuller—was alive, cultivated anew in Ross’s daughter, Adrianna, whom everyone called Anna.

“Zach?”

The sound of his mother’s voice brought his thoughts back to the present. Again he heard that apprehension. She was anxious to hear what he had to say. “I’m sure you saw the article in the papers this morning,” he started off.

His father nodded automatically. “The one that claimed you’ll be making an announcement soon as to whether or not you plan to ever run for public office?”

“Yes, that’s the one.” For the past couple of years the media had speculated on the possibility. As far as they were concerned, he was following in his father’s footstep and a stint in the political arena was inevitable. But Zach hadn’t made any commitments, and at first he had laughed off the media’s inquiries as ludicrous. But now ...

“And what about it, Zach?” his mother asked, bringing his attention back to her. She had to be the strongest and the most genuine woman he knew, even in a town where most people constantly performed, as if they were on a stage.

“I’ve made a decision.”

His father lifted a brow. “And?”

“And I’ve decided to throw my hat into the ring next year and run for senator, but only on one very important condition.”

His father offered him a smile while his mother’s expression gave nothing away. He knew it had been their shared dream that he would one day go into public office, but they had never tried to coerce him in any way, preferring to let it be his decision. “And what condition is that?” his father asked, meeting his gaze.

Zach took a deep breath. He didn’t think his statement would come as a surprise to his parents, since they knew him so well, but...

“Yes, what is this condition, Zach?” his mother chimed in, repeating his father’s question.

He was watching his parents’ reactions when he said, “Anna. My decision to run for office will depend on how Anna feels about it.”

His parents contemplated what he’d just said. But he knew them. They would want him to be more specific, and he would be. “Why are Anna’s feelings about your decision important, Zach?” his father finally asked.

Zach wasn’t surprised by the question. He had expected it. They were forcing him to admit something that he’d been harboring in his heart long enough, but seeing her a few months ago had really brought it home. At the little party her grandmother, Julia Fuller, had given for her, he’d made a decision to act on his feelings. It was a party to celebrate the first year of Anna’s being a part of their lives.

“The reason it’s important is that I’m in love with Anna. She doesn’t know it, and in fact I’m certain she doesn’t have a clue, but I intend to make my feelings known to her.”

He watched his mother’s brow rise. “Just like that?”

He shook his head, grinning. “No, Mom, not just like that. I have more charm and sophistication than that. After all, I am your son. But to answer your question, I plan to take things slow when I visit her in Hilton Head.”

“You’re going to Hilton Head?” his father asked.

“I intend to spend some time with her. I’m sure she assumes, like a few others, that I’m not over losing Shaun. I admit Shaun will always hold a special place in my heart, but I truly do love Anna. I didn’t realize how much until I noticed her grandmother introducing her to so many eligible bachelors at that party four months ago.”

Leigh’s eyes lit up. “Oh, so you noticed that, did you?”

“I couldn’t help but notice,” he said with an edge in his tone. “I decided then it was time for me to make my move, and what I do in the future and how she feels about it are important. She may not want to live a life that will constantly throw her in the limelight.”

His parents understood completely. It was no big secret that the reason Anna had sought refuge on Hilton Head Island was to maintain her privacy. She’d also inherited a huge tract of land on the island from her great-grandmother, Mattie Murphy. Her family had once owned most of the property on the island before they had given in and sold it to developers. Mattie’s share had been split between her grandsons, Ross and Randolph. Upon Ross’s death, Anna had inherited her father’s portion as well as his share of a private island across the Intracostal Waterway called Glendale Shores.

Upon her family urgings, Anna resigned from her job at the hospital in San Diego and moved to D.C. But there she was constantly hounded by the media, who’d found her story fascinating:
HEIRESS FOUND AFTER 34-YEAR SEARCH.

While living in the nation’s capital those three months, she hadn’t known a moment of peace and eventually transferred to the trauma center on Hilton Head. She had a beautiful beach house built on the property she had inherited there. For Zach to make his feelings known would also mean asking her to be a part of his life and his future. He had to be sure she would feel comfortable being a politician’s wife.

“And if she wants no part of that type of life?” his mother asked softly.

“Then I won’t have a part of it either. She is more important to me than anything.”

His father said, “Then I wish you all the best, son. I think you know how we feel about Anna.”

“Yes, Dad, I know, and I want to do the right thing. I will do the right thing, and I wanted you and Mom to know it. I also plan to visit Uncle Randolph as well.” Randolph Fuller had always been such a part of his life growing up that Zach considered him an adopted uncle.

“When are you going to Virginia to see Randolph?”

“First thing in the morning. And then later this month I’m going to Hilton Head, where I plan to spend the next month or so.”

“Month?” his parents said simultaneously.

“I’ll take even more time if I have to. I’m putting in a leave at work—a much-deserved one, I might add—and that’s where I’ll be for a while if anyone needs me for anything.”

“Will you and Anna will be attending the Fourth of July celebration on Glendale Shores?”

Zach smiled. She was asking about the huge gathering the Fuller and Wainwright families held every July Fourth. “We do plan to be there. And I prefer that you not mention what I’ve discussed today with Noelle. She has a tendency of trying to play matchmaker, and I prefer doing things my way.”

“Okay, we won’t, but you know your sister. I think she has an idea already about how you might feel.”

Zach laughed before conceding, “Yes, she might, but I still want to do things my way.” He checked his watch. “Well, I’d better get going if I’m to leave for Virginia in the morning.”

His parents stood and his mother crossed the room and gave him a hug. “I wish you the best of luck where Anna is concerned. I knew from the first time I saw the two of you together that one day this would happen, and I’m happy for you.”

“Same here, son,” his father said, also giving him a big, strong hug. “Anna is a very special young woman.”

“I know. And that’s the reason I fell in love with her.”