Page 88 of The Mech Who Loved Me
"Of course," Ava stammered. "I just think I need a littlemorerest."
Scraping away from the table, she made her goodbyes,andfled.
* * *
Ahand shovedhim in the chest as he turned the corner on his way up to Ava's room, and then Gemma was there, slamming him back againstthewall.
Kincaid let her, holding his hands up in surrender. Their gazes locked, and he saw the fury in her eyes. "Problem?"
Gemma's lips thinned. "Any reason Ava's unable to so much as look at you without blushing thismorning?"
Kincaid saidnothing.
Gemma growled, turning away with a filthy curse. She shot him a dark look. "Youpromised—"
"I didn't promise anything. And I tried to stay away from her," he snapped, shoving away from the wall. "It justhappened."
"Itjust happened?" she mocked. "Christ, don't pretend you don't know exactly what you're doing when it comes to chasingskirt."
"Ava's different." When Gemma shot him another glare, he held his hands up to placate her. "Nothing happened. Nothing...permanent."
"And is it going to staythatway?"
He saidnothing.
"Jesus, Kincaid. She's a bloodyvirgin—"
"She's tired of being one. She wants to know what passion feels like, and we've reached anagreement."
"An affair? You're going to seduce her and then… what? She's not the usual sort of woman you toy with, Kincaid. Ava's vulnerable. She's too kind, toosweet,too—"
"Have you ever thought she's six-and-twenty, and not a maid fresh off her father's farm? And she's more than sweetness, and kindness. She's a strong, determined woman who could outthink the lot of us," hegrowled.
"Have you ever thought she just watched the man she loved marry? And now she wants to start an affairwithyou?"
He flinched. "I know she did. I know I'm not the one she wanted. But I can't stop her from making a decision like this, and I'll be damned if she goes searching for a remedy with someone who doesn't have her best interests at heart. I'm not going to hurt her, Gemma. Ava's.... You're right, she is too kind. Sheisvulnerable. There's a part of me that likes her a lot—" Those dark blue eyes locked on him. "Even knowing I can't give her what she truly wants, I'm still tempted. I can't marry her, or offer her afuture,or...."
Or worse,children.
He wouldn't do that to a child. The curse ran in his blood, and he wouldn't. Hecouldn't.
"Can't?" Gemma asked softly. "Orwon't?"
His nostrils flared. Jaysus. "Can't," hecroaked.
"Kincaid—"
But he held his hand up toforestallher.
"It's possible I've seen the files Malloryn has on all of us," she continued, despite the gesture. Sympathy flashed through her eyes. "I know what he's asked the Royal College of Physicians to look into. I know your uncle is dying, that you were diagnosed only fouryearsago—"
"I told her," he rushed to say, scrubbing his hands through his hair. A sudden stab of panic made it hard to breathe. "I'm only just starting to display the symptoms. She doesn't understand. She wants tocureme."
And there wasnocure for the muscular dystrophy that would eventually stop hisheart.
A gentle hand pressed against his arm. Gemma tugged it down, sliding her hands into his, even the mech one. "Is that why you're doing this? Is that why it had tobeyou?"
He could barely breathe. Orla and Ian were the only ones who knew what he faced. He'd never spoken of it with anyone else. "I don't know. I just wanted her. Ava makes me feel like there's hope in my days. Have you ever looked at someone and felt like you know happiness for the first time in your life? I can't give her up, Gemma. Iwon't."
