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“Just Grand Haven,” Mars said, giving my hand a little squeeze. That small gesture pushed my troubles and my past back into the dark corners of my mind and brought me back to the present and the mouthwatering man beside me.
“That’s…far.”
“Not that far. It’ll give us time to talk. For you to start getting used to being around me, too. I thought maybe we could walk the pier and have ice cream—away from prying eyes and all.”
“That’s…thoughtful.” Sweet. Mars could easily take me back to the days when I was younger and undamaged, times when I’d run around with friends, carefree and looking for fun.
He shrugged. “I guess. I want to go out with you and you don’t want anyone to know. It’s a compromise, yeah?”
“I’m older than you,” I blurted, needing to remind myself more than I needed to remind him. “A lot older.”
“You’re not.”
“I’m twenty-eight. You’re eighteen. At our ages, that’s a lifetime.”
“I lived a lifetime by the time I was eight,” he muttered, and I shivered at what he wasn’t saying. I worked at the mansion and had seen crap that went on. I could only imagine what a little boy growing up there had gone through.
Still, I couldn’t understand why me. He could have any socialite he wanted. He could leave Cherish Cove and travel the world, getting far away from the depravity.
“Why me, though?” I whispered. “Is it…am I just a distraction until you can get away?”
That was all I could think of.
“No!” he exclaimed. “Shit! Is that really what you think?”’
“I don’t know what to think. I just… I wanted to know what volunteer work you do when you disappear during the day. That’s how you lured me out.”
“Right, yeah… But first, let’s get this straight, yeah? I want you. You, not anyone else. And if I could sweep you up and take you away with me today, never go back there, I would.” He huffed an incredulous half-laugh. “Fuck, Sunshine, you are literally the only reason I haven’t left yet.”
“But…I thought it was because your condo wasn’t ready.”
Now, he actually laughed. “Baby…you really think I couldn’t rent a place for a month? Hell, I could stay at a hotel, take a cruise, fly to Saskatchewan… The only reason I haven’t packed up and gotten the hell outta Dodge is you.”
“Oh…” What else could I say?
I hadn’t noticed we’d gotten to Grand Haven, and Mars had been driving through the city toward the pier. He pulled into a small well-lit lot and turned off the SUV. “Let’s get that ice cream and take a walk. We’re in time to see the Musical Fountain.”
“Musical Fountain?”
“You’ll see.” He reached for his door. “Hang on. I’ll come around to let you out.”
I watched him grab a blanket from the back then jog around the vehicle. God, he was good looking and fit. I could just climb him like…
No, you can’t, Reba. Get it together.
My admonition to myself evaporated when he opened the door and helped me down. His hands locked on my waist, lifting me, and my body slid against his as he settled me on my feet. I hadn’t even caught my breath when he captured my hand and started leading me toward the shops and the lineup there, presumably waiting for ice cream.
Did he do that on purpose? He acted as if it had been nothing. As if he hadn’t aroused all the nerves in my front side. As if I hadn’t been a moment from wrapping my legs around him and holding on. Hell, my nipples were probably pressing against my T-shirt, and I couldn’t even cross my arms over them without being super obvious since he had my fingers clasped tight in his.
He leaned toward me, and his lips brushed the top of my head before moving to my ear.
“Yeah, I feel it, too,” he said, making me wonder if I’d spoken aloud or he’d read my thoughts.
I nibbled the corner of my lip and shook my head. “You’re dangerous, Mars.”
He shook his head. “And with that thought…” he said as we neared the line. “That volunteer work? I spend time working at the women’s and children’s shelter in Adrian Point. So…your pretty safe with me. I see the result of abuse every day. I see what…could have happened. It’s, um, kind of like therapy and penance, you know.”
“I—”
“Shit,” he muttered, looking over my head before I could say anything. Not that I knew what I’d been about to say. He’d shocked me. That was the last place I’d expected him to volunteer.
“What is it?” I asked.
“I’m sorry,” he muttered just as a couple walked over to us.
“Mars! With a girl. Is it the end of the world?” the guy said.
Now, I understood. Shit indeed. Of all the places… We’d just run into two of his friends.
