Page 29 of Troy Story
When she leaned in to tell him something, Stuart battled a wave of frustration. He flipped the lid on the cooler near his feet and pulled out a bottle of water. He drained half of it in a few swallows, hoping the icy liquid would cool his overheated emotions. Against his better judgment, he peered over at Dusty again. Now she was standing so close to Kerim that their bodies were almost touching. Was he going to kiss her? Right here, in front of everyone? Stuart clenched the water bottle so tight it crumpled.
“Hey.” Clarissa’s soft voice startled him into dropping the bottle. When he retrieved it and stood to face her, she placed a gentle hand on his arm. “Don’t look so worried. Kerim seems like a decent guy. I’m sure you can trust him around Dusty.”
“What?”
She laughed. “You’re giving off a protective older brother vibe right now. Like you’re worried he’s going to mess with your little sister. It’s cute the way you look out for her. The other day, when she told me you two grew up like a brother and sister, I couldn’t quite envision it. But I totally see it now.”
Like a brother and sister?Was that how Dusty viewed them? As kids, they’d treated each other like siblings, but once he hit puberty, he’d never thought of her that way again. A friend? Yes. But definitely not a sister. “Is that what she told you?”
“I think it’s nice. When I was younger, I used to wish I had an older brother or sister.”
“You don’t have any siblings?” Though he’d spent a lot of time teaching Clarissa the basics of field and lab work, she hadn’t shared much about her personal life other than her love of ancient history and her passion for teaching.
“I’m an only child.” Her voice carried a slight wobble, as though speaking about it pained her. “My mom died right after I was born.”
“I’m sorry. I…I had no idea. Since your dad never mentioned her, I thought maybe he was divorced.” Either way, Stuart felt like an idiot for not knowing about it sooner.
“It’s fine. I don’t remember her, but Dad was devastated. He never remarried, just threw himself into his work. By the time I was five, he’d made his first million, but he was hardly ever home. I was raised by a series of nannies.” She took off her sunglasses and wiped her eyes.
“That must have been hard.”
“It wasn’t that bad. But two years ago, he had a serious heart attack. Too much stress and too little self-care. He decided to sell the business and enjoy all the things he’d never made time for.” A gentle smile crossed her lips. “Like travel. I told him I’d go with him whenever I could. That’s one benefit of being a teacher—summer vacations guaranteed. When he said he’d gotten a chance to dig at Troy, I couldn’t resist coming along.”
“I’m glad he went for it.” Over the past three weeks, Stuart had come to appreciate Mort’s eager attitude and his colorful stories. The guy wasn’t just an entitled millionaire trying to live out his Indiana Jones fantasy but someone whose brush with death had given him the courage to try new opportunities. “I also think it’s admirable that you joined him. I know you’ve been out of your comfort zone.”
Her soft laughter was like the tinkling of bells. “Thanks to your help, I’m slowly getting the hang of things. Dusty’s also teaching me the basics of archaeological illustration so I can contribute even more.”
Once again, his gaze was drawn to Dusty, whose hand was resting on Kerim’s shoulder. Any minute now, they’d be in each other’s arms. It was too much.
Clarissa gave his arm a gentle squeeze. “Stop checking on her. She’ll be fine.”
He had to get over it. If he couldn’t accept them as a couple, he’d spend the next five weeks wallowing in misery.
Unless they weren’t a couple yet. Maybe he still had a chance. But he had to let Dusty know he was interested. Above all, he needed to make sure she didn’t think of him as a big brother. Anything but that.
* * *
While Dusty appreciatedKerim’s attentiveness, the more she flirted with him, the guiltier she felt. When she and Clarissa had first boarded the boat, she hadn’t missed the way Stuart’s eyes lit up, no doubt admiring Clarissa’s figure. In response, Dusty had behaved like a petty teen. At first, she’d teased Stuart by applying sunscreen longer than necessary; then, she’d left him abruptly, directing all her attention to Kerim.
Which wasn’t like her. As much as she delighted in flirty banter, she wasn’t the type to play games. If she met someone who sparked her interest, she was always up-front about what she wanted: a little fun in the field, but no promises once it was over. When she met Kerim two years ago, she’d suspected he would have been up for a short-term arrangement of that nature. And now, she was getting those vibes from him again—that if she wanted a steamy, no-strings hookup, he’d be willing to go for it.
But despite all Kerim had to offer, he wasn’t the one who’d occupied her dreams over the past three weeks. At night, when she drifted off to sleep, it was always Stuart who played a starring role in her fantasies. His body, his hands, his kisses.
“Dusty?” Kerim’s voice brought her back to the moment.
“Sorry, I was just daydreaming.”
“Last week, when we were working in the lab, you asked me for help with your dissertation topic. I’ve been thinking about it.”
She gave his shoulder a playful shove. “This is our day off. You don’t need to think about archaeology.”
He chuckled. “I’m always thinking about archaeology. I’d be glad to help.”
“How about we spend an afternoon looking over some of the material in the research library? Would that be okay?”
“I have a better idea. After we’re done on the boat, why not have dinner with me here in Çanakkale? We could talk about your topic for as long as you like. Then I could bring you back to the field house later tonight.”
Maybe all he wanted was a quiet dinner between two professionals. But his smile and his nearness made her suspect otherwise. If she accepted his offer, she’d be signaling her interest. Which wasn’t fair to him. Or to herself.
