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Irritation chased across his face. “I had a job to do. I couldn’t tell you top-secret, classified business that falls under a need-to-know-only status. You of all people should understand that.”
She frowned. “Of course I do.”
“Then what’s the problem here?”
“Problem? If anyone knows about duty and service to country first, you’re looking at her. Problem? You’re the problem.”
“O-kay. Then you’re still upset over the beach? Over my pushing you away?”
Of course she was. “You called my father.”
Max’s jaw thrust. “Excuse me for thinking your life seemed more important than your pride.”
“Pride?” Indignation and more than a little pain chased away all traces of exhaustion. “You think this is aboutpride?It’s about being treated with respect. If Crusty was the one lying in this bed, would you have called his mommy to come look out for him?”
He shoved to his feet and advanced one stalking step at a time, flowered swim trunks riding low on his hips, T-shirt stretched across broad shoulders that had saved her just twenty-four hours before. “I’m tired of apologizing for keeping you alive the past three weeks. Tired of apologizing for making sure you’re safe now.”
Stopping beside her bed, he planted his hands on the silver rails as he leaned closer. “Most of all, I’m tired of trying to keep my mind on the job while keeping my hands off you out of some misplaced sense of honor.”
His words sunk in. He wanted her. Still. For real. No undercover act.
And in that burst of realization she acknowledged her secret fear—that he’d been pretending the attraction and she’d been too naive to know. That he hadn’twantedto take their kiss further.
Hadn’t wantedher.
Now she knew, that was wrong. He desired her and she reveled in the power.
She met him nose to nose, this stranger who evoked a now-familiar heat within her. “Nobody asked you to be honorable.”
A flame lit his eyes a split second before his mouth met hers. Or did hers meet his? She didn’t know and didn’t care. She just wanted closer. Deeper.More.
Her lips parted under his and he took her mouth. Took her senses. Took her ability to do more than hang on to his neck and kiss him back, explore the taste and warmth of Max, the part of him she knew well.
His hand reached to drop the metal rail, his body following as he sat on the edge of the hospital bed. He slowed their kiss, savoring, so different but no less enticing than their devouring frenzy on the beach. She wanted to hold on to this moment, to the remnants of familiarity between them.
Max brushed her lips once, twice, again before he rested his forehead on hers. “What am I going to do with you?”
Familiarity faded, painful reality threatening to intrude. Her hand cradled his bristly cheek. “You don’t get it, do you?”
“Apparently not, Darcy.”
She held back the words for a second longer, held him. For one more selfish minute she wanted to pretend he was just Max Keagan, marine biologist with an attitude. Her own James Dean rebel with a Ph.D.
Instead…she didn’t know what or who he was, and as much as his kiss rocked her, his words chilled her.
“You’re not going todoanything to me.” She’d had enough of people controlling her life. She was willing to relinquish control when necessary in the professional world, but she couldn’t settle for less than a partnership on her personal turf. “I understand why you hid your mission. There’s nothing to forgive there. But the way you used what I told you against me… That hurts.”
“I’m so sorry. But do you know what it did to me seeing you bleeding in the water and your eyes fogging over?” he paused, his chest pumping with each ragged breath. “I’d make the same call all over again to keep you safe.”
The callused pad of his thumb rasped along her jaw, down her neck before his fingers slid into her hair to cradle her head. “You don’t think I wish we could back up and be friends again? I don’t want us to leave things this way any more than you do.” He cursed softly. “There has to be a better way to say goodbye.”
Goodbye?
Darcy shook off the intoxication daze threatening to drain her will faster than rapture of the deep. He wanted her to see the big picture? Fine. They needed to both be professionals and get over their hormones.
Apparently, Max didn’t know her very well, either, if he thought she would simply pack up and head home. She swallowed back the surge of longing still shimmering through her.
The time had come to take a stand. “Who said anything about goodbye? I’m not going anywhere,friend.”
