Page 118 of Her Reluctant Hero
“What has he done for you?” Adrian pressed.
“He let me come here and get this out of my system.” She picked up Jacob’s suit, wished she didn’t have to strip to get into it. Being around Adrian made her vulnerable enough. “What about you and Linda? She doesn’t dive, right? What do you do for fun besides the obvious?”
He choked out a laugh. “You think I’m sleeping with Linda? She’s just a girl.”
Mallory stiffened, even more defensive. God, she hated that feeling. “She’s old enough. And she seems to adore you.”
He shook his head with a wry grin. “She’s in love with Jacob. Are you blind?”
Apparently. She’d never even seen the two of them together, other than that night in the back of the Land Cruiser. “Then why was she coming out of your tent before dawn?”
“I don’t—” His mouth twisted, incredulous. “She was cutting my hair. She cuts my hair once a week. I don’t sleep with students. What kind of person do you think I am?” He looked at her, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “You were jealous.”
The taunt in his voice only inflamed her temper. “Please. I’m engaged.”
“To a man who doesn’t sleep with you.”
“I don’t sleep with him.” Why did she feel the need to clarify?
“Because of me.” His tone was smug.
“God, your ego!” She tugged at the suit and staggered, off balance. Adrian caught her arm, not hard, just enough to have her stumbling. She breathed in his scent, her body responding to his proximity. Her pulse pounded with anticipation as she forced herself not to look at his mouth.
“It’s still there. Do you feel it?” His voice was a low rumble and his breath caressed her skin.
Her nerves jumped with longing to feel his mouth against hers. “It was never our problem.” Her own voice trembled, to her shame.
“No, faithfulness was.”
She looked up at him, her temper spiking. “I was never unfaithful to you.”
“Not with your body.” He flicked his gaze over her. “But you were with your heart, where it counted.” He motioned with his finger for her to turn.
Silently, he hoisted her tanks onto her shoulders, double-checked them, and she did the same for him. It was a trick to perform the task without touching him, but she managed. Even the wetsuit wasn’t barrier enough.
She understood what he meant about her being unfaithful and wished she didn’t. But she hadn’t stayed by him when the Tunisia dive dissolved, damaging Adrian’s reputation in the field. Their marriage had already been hanging by a thread at that point, and everything she’d done to help Adrian had been met with bitterness and resentment. He’d been angry she’d gone to Valentine Smoller. But she didn’t know who else to turn to for help when Adrian had been arrested for the theft of the casket no one could find. She should have listened to him when he insisted that Valentine had taken the artifact. Every time she’d gone to the jail on Adrian’s behalf, he’d berated her and accused her of wanting Valentine and his money, so she had finally taken what was left of her pride and gone home. He’d followed soon after and almost seemed disappointed when he didn’t find her cheating on him with his former partner. They’d fought, and he’d left for good.
She should keep that in mind. Remembering the good times when she was with him was too easy. And too dangerous.
He straightened, adjusting his tanks while he studied her. Her nerves were about to snap. Mistake, mistake, mistake. She should not be out here alone with him.
“What?” she snarled.
He grinned. “You never could handle the silent treatment.”
“You never were much for giving it.” Their fights had been raucous and hurtful. And frequent there towards the end. “Let’s check the site.” She took the regulator between her teeth and went into the water.
