“So soon?” Her heart had somersaulted and dropped to the bottom of her feet.
“There’s no reason to delay, and every reason to wrap up this mission and depart as soon as possible. We have collected the information we came to find. The more we stay, the more waves through time we will create. And you see what happened today. It is no big deal, but it made me think. What if something serious occurred to one of us? What if they disappear again?”
She looked down. “You are right, of course. I’m just dreading the visit tomorrow. The pain we will cause... Can we give them at least a week? Would it make that much more difference?”
He looked straight at her, and she wanted to hide from his too perceptive gaze. It made her feel exposed, vulnerable. Of course, she felt bad for Avondale and Olivia, but she was also doing it for her own benefit. To scratch a few more days in his company. The notion was so pathetic. Any moment now, he would start chiding her for her foolish, romantic notions. But when he spoke, there was no condemnation in his tone.
“All right, then. We will stay for one more week. Provided she agrees to depart with us at the agreed time and place.”
The understanding and pity in his eyes were almost harder to bear.
CHAPTER 22
Maybe it was the aftereffectsof danger, or the warmth of the fire, or the effects of the brandy he was drinking, but desire curled through him, coalescing in the area around his heart. Looking at Kalli now, her fine-boned features taut with ruthlessly contained emotion, he felt his own control slipping.
It would be so easy to give in. To surrender to the undefinable but strong pull she exerted over him. He was tired of fighting it. Sometimes he forgot why he fought so hard. But then he remembered. The turmoil, the anguish, the indescribable sense of loss...
But maybe it wouldn’t be like that this time. Kalli wasn’t irrational or unstable. And wasn’t he already experiencing the sense of loss at the thought of parting from her at the end of this mission? Maybe they could explore this feeling.
The thought produced such relief that he was immediately suspicious of his own rationale. He would take some time to analyze this decision. But right now, the mere idea of allowing himself to contemplate a future with her was... freeing.
Kalli was still fiddling with the emergency kit. Avoiding his eyes. Was it just the tantalizing promise of her alluring body, or was it her womanly essence? He had never needed anything as much as he needed her right now.
“Kalli, look at me.”
She turned around, and her eyes widened. Maybe she read his intent. Maybe she shared it.
“Come here.” He patted his thigh, inviting her to sit on his lap.
She shook her head. “You have been wounded. We shouldn’t...”
“Oh, we definitely should.” He imbued the words with all the desire he felt. And something more he couldn’t name.
She felt it, for she moved towards him. But still refused to sit on his lap. He lifted his hand, and she took it, allowing him to tug her closer.
“Be careful. We don’t want the wound to re-open.”
