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Nic’s beer bottle hung between the table and his lips. “I suppose I owe you that.”
“You’re darned right you do.” She ignored the brief flare of amusement in his eyes. “I want to know the real reason you broke up with me.”
“I’ve already explained the reason. We have no future. I have to go home and I have to marry.” He stared at the harbor behind her, his expression chiseled in granite.
She’d obviously phrased her question wrong. “And if your brother hadn’t married someone who couldn’t have children? Would you have broken things off?”
What she really wanted to know was if he loved her, but she wasn’t sure he’d pondered how deep his feelings for her ran. Also, a month ago he’d apparently accepted that he had to marry someone else and it wasn’t his nature to dwell on impossibilities.
“It’s a simple question,” she prompted as the silence stretched. He surely hated being put on the spot like this, but she couldn’t move on until she knew.
His chest rose and fell on a huge sigh as he met her gaze with heavy-lidded eyes. Something flickered within those bronze-colored depths. Something that made her stomach contract and her spirits soar.
She’d journeyed to Ithaca to tell him about the baby, but also because she couldn’t bear to let him go. Now she understood that she had to. But not yet. She had two days before she had to return to the States. Two days to say goodbye. All she needed was a sign from Nic that he hadn’t wanted to give her up.
“No.” He spoke the word like a curse. “We’d still be together.”
* * *
The instant the words left his lips, Nic wished he’d maintained the lies. Brooke’s eyes kindled with satisfaction and her body relaxed. She resembled a contented cat. He’d seen the look many times and knew it meant trouble.
“I think we should spend the time between now and when you leave together.” She gave the last word a specific emphasis that he couldn’t misinterpret.
Nic shook his head, vigorously rejecting her suggestion. “That’s not fair to you.” Duty. Honor. Integrity. He repeated the words like a prayer. “I won’t take advantage of you that way.”
Brooke leaned forward, her gaze sharpening. “Has it ever occurred to you that I like it when you take advantage of me?”
The world beyond their table blurred until it was only him and her and the intense emotional connection that had clicked into place the first time they’d made love, a connection that couldn’t be severed.
“I never noticed.” His attempt to banter with her so that she’d adopt a less serious mood fell flat.
Her determination gained momentum. “Tell me you don’t want to spend your last days of freedom with me.”
Every molecule that made up his body screamed at him to agree. “It’s not that I don’t want to. I shouldn’t.” He spoke quickly to prevent her from arguing with him. “Ever since finding out I had to return home and get married, I promised myself I wouldn’t touch you again.”
“That’s just silly.” She gave him a wicked smile. “You like touching me.”
In the time he’d known her, he’d learned just how powerful that smile could be. It had whittled away at his willpower until he’d done the one thing he knew he shouldn’t. He’d fallen hard.
Duty. Honor. Integrity. The lament filled his mind. If only Brooke didn’t make it so damned hard to do the right thing.
She got up from her chair and stepped into his space.
He tipped his head back and assessed her determined expression. His heart shuddered as she put her palms flat on his shoulders and settled herself on his lap. Even though Nic had braced himself for the arousing pressure of her firm rear on his thighs, it took every bit of concentration he possessed to put his hands behind his back, safely out of range of her tempting curves. What sort of hell had he let himself fall into?
“What do you think you’re doing?”
“Are you all right?” she asked, tracing her fingertips across his furrowed brow.
God, she was a tempting lapful.
“I’m fine.”
“You don’t look fine.”
“I’m great, and you didn’t answer my question.” He pulled her spicy scent into his lungs and held it there. He longed to bury his face in her neck and imprint her upon his senses. “What are you doing on my lap?”
“Demonstrating that you want me as much as I want you.”
He hated himself for hoping she’d continue the demonstration until he couldn’t catch his breath. Making love to her was amazing. He’d never been with anyone who matched him the way she did. Anticipation gnawed on him like a puppy with a stolen shoe.
