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Yet he didn’t want more than mutual physical satisfaction with any woman. Not even Faith. Just look at how his few relationship attempts had ended when he’d involved more than his body. Not good and not something he’d repeat.
“I don’t know the answers to your question, Faith,” he answered honestly, struggling with his conflicting desires where Faith was concerned. “Like I said, you aren’t like other women.”
“Because I work for you?”
“Maybe.” He enjoyed working with her, enjoyed the sharp way her mind tackled problems, came up with innovative solutions, the way her eyes lit up when they operated successfully, when they discovered a new abnormal neuronal pathway trend on the brain maps Brainiac Codex generated on their Parkinson patients.
“I like my job, Vale. A weekend romp with you isn’t worth destroying my career or placing myself in a position where I’d be forced to relocate.”
That said it all. A weekend romp wasn’t worth losing his relationship with her either. Was that why he’d let her feign sleep when he’d wanted nothing more than to spread her legs and lose himself? They’d said as much the night before but, having spent the night tormented with being so close to her yet so far away, he’d lost sight of that. Something he couldn’t allow himself to do. Otherwise he’d seduce Faith before the weekend ended, and then where would they be?
Other than blissfully sexually satisfied, that was?
Faith could easily have felt like a fifth wheel with all the wedding activities. Between Vale’s constant attention and his family including her as if she’d been a part of the family for eons, only the occasional doubt plagued her. Sharon Wakefield had been a doll, more genuine and kind than Faith would have believed possible of someone so physically flawless.
Most of the day had been planned to a T, but not long after lunch Faith had time on her hands and a heart longing to walk on the beach. She wore white Capris, a silky green top the sales clerk had said
perfectly matched her eyes, and sandals she could easily kick off for a beach walk.
First telling Virginia that she was going to take a walk, Faith weaved her way through the flowers, chairs, and wedding regalia, to head down the path toward the water.
Once barefoot on the sand, she opted to head in the opposite direction from the one she and Vale had taken the night before. She’d had enough problems keeping her mind off him today without reminders of that kiss. A long walk on the beach would do her good, would help clear her mind so she could think straight.
“Hey, wait up.”
On hearing Vale’s voice, she bit back both a sigh of appreciation and a wince at not having the much-needed break from his overwhelming appeal.
“I thought Sharon needed you?” She waited while he rolled up his pants to mid-calf, exposing the sprinkling of dark hair covering his legs. Faith gulped back another sigh, staring down at his bent head. Sunshine glistened off the natural lights in his thick locks, off the flexed muscles in his neck.
He glanced up, caught her watching him, and grinned. “Sharon can get by without me for a few minutes. She has everyone else jumping to her tune.”
“It’s her wedding day. Everyone should be jumping to her tune. Besides, you don’t have to entertain me 24/7,” she responded, resuming her walk along the edge of the water. “I’m a big girl and can take a walk on the beach by myself.”
“I know you can, but humor me. I’ve had about all the wedding I can stand and the ceremony hasn’t even begun yet.”
That, Faith understood. For a few brief moments every now and again she got caught up in Sharon’s excitement, forgot how much she detested weddings, but most of the time that same old pain gnawed in her belly.
“I’m no more a fan of weddings than you are.”
“Because of your mother?” He fell into step beside her.
“I suppose.” She didn’t want to talk about her mother and her many weddings. Not on the beach with Vale on the day of his cousin’s wedding. The only wedding Faith had agreed to attend other than her mother’s. She’d refused every single invitation from friends, had pleaded out of the weddings of two med-school friends who’d asked her to be a bridesmaid. Yet Vale had convinced her to come this weekend without too much cajoling. Why was that?
“How many husbands has she had?”
Why did he always push when she wanted him to leave a subject alone?
“John’s her sixth.” She stepped into the oncoming wave nipping at her feet.
“Ouch.”
“Yes, ouch.” And not the cold Atlantic water rushing around her ankles, although that had definitely bitten. “It’s difficult to watch her make the same mistakes over and over.”
Having stopped beside her, he considered her answer. “They’re her mistakes to make.”
“True, but you’d think she’d eventually learn.”
“Maybe she’s just lonely.”
