Page 125 of Her Reluctant Hero
Chapter Seven
“He’s a nice guy.”
Since when did her conscience have a Scottish burr? Mallory turned from coiling the rope on the deck to face Adrian. Jonathan had gone to help Linda with dinner, leaving her alone with Adrian. She unconsciously braced herself for his criticism of Jonathan before she remembered he’d just complimented him.
“Yes, he is,” she said. “You don’t have to sound so surprised.”
He rested a foot on the bench at the stern. “So why are you breaking it off?”
She whirled on him. If he saw it, did Jonathan?
Adrian straightened, holding his hands in front of him in a calming motion. “Don’t worry, I don’t think he realizes it. He doesn’t know you as well as I do.”
She dropped to a seat by the pilothouse, her head in her hands. “I don’t want to hurt him.” Unbidden, Jonathan’s proposal played in her mind, how eager he was, how pleased.God, Mallory, what are you thinking?
Adrian sat beside her. “I can’t say that won’t happen. The man loves you. Deserves you more than I expected. Worried himself half to death when you were down.”
“Which is why I have to end it.”
“Mallory.” He rested his hand on her wrist. “Not that I’m all anxious for you to get married because I’m not. But you need to understand why you want to do this. What about the white picket fence and the three kids?”
Yes, why did they no longer seem as important—at least the picket fence? The wedding they’d planned together, the house they’d chosen…nothing held the appeal it had before she came here. And the babies in her mind’s eye had Adrian’s silver-blue eyes. “I want to go back to archaeology, and I know I can’t do that and be married to him, not without doing to him what you did to me.”
“Ouch.” He withdrew his hand, sat back.
She rubbed the hand he’d released over her eyes. “You know what I mean. Putting the job before the marriage. It’s not fair to him.”
“But you need to remember that you walked away from the job, wanting everything this man can give you. You come here at the peak of the excitement. You’re forgetting all the hard work, the struggles. I don’t want you to make a decision like this based on emotion.” He pushed to his feet. “At least sleep on it.”
She leaned back to look up at him. “I thought this would make you happy.”
He frowned. “Why would you think that?”
“I know the idea of me moving on wasn’t easy for you.”
“I just want you to be happy, Mal. I want you to get what you want.”
He hopped onto the dock and walked away.
What the hell was he thinking, pushing her toward Jonathan like that? She wasn’t happy, and God knew he didn’t want her with anyone but him.
But Jonathan was willing to give her all she desired. She might think she didn’t need it anymore, but Adrian wanted her to be sure.
Because even if she was sure, he couldn’t guarantee she’d come back to him.
“Where am I going to sleep tonight?” Jonathan asked as they ate dinner around the fire.
Mallory sat beside him but not next to him. She was already breaking away. Did Jonathan recognize that? Adrian wished he didn’t feel this hope at seeing it.
“Jacob and I are already roomies.” Toney’s eyes crinkled with wicked humor. “You could bunk with Adrian.”
“I don’t think so,” Mallory said quickly, and Toney laughed.
“He could put a cot in with me,” Robert said. “It’s just the one night.”
“I’ll get it set up.” Adrian rose and nodded toward the beach. “It’s a nice night for a walk on the beach.”
Mallory glared at him until Jonathan cupped his hand around her elbow and drew her to her feet. Adrian remembered a different reaction when the two of them had had chances to be alone. No one ever had to suggest it, and, after catching them in compromising positions more than once, people learned not to follow them. Their hunger for each other hadn’t waned over the years, and Adrian wished his hand was on her arm right now.
