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“No, it doesn’t.”
He decided not to push the issue. “All right then. Let’s talk about the issue of love. You don’t think two people can fall in love with each other?” he asked, deciding not to admit he was already there. No need to bring that into the conversation when she wouldn’t believe him.
“Yes, but they fall in love first and then talk about marriage and not the other way around, Jaxon.”
“The reason I talked about marriage was because I wanted to be honest with you up front, to let you know my intentions toward you were honorable, Nadia. I am not a womanizer or a man on the prowl. I want you as part of my future.”
“But you don’t know me.”
“I know you are a very beautiful and desirable woman. A woman who is deserving of a man who will love you, cherish you and make you happy.”
“And you believe you are that man?”
“I know I am. All I need is a chance for you to get to know me and for me to get to know you better.”
She shook her head. “What if once you get to know me you don’t like me after all? But I discover I like you? All I can see is another heartbreak, Jaxon, and I won’t go through something like that again.”
Another heartbreak?He’d guessed right. At that moment the pilot asked them to take their seats for the landing. They had returned to Gamble. He inwardly cursed the timing. It was just as he’d suspected. Some man had broken her heart. Was it someone she’d met during the six years she’d been in college? Had it been someone she’d met after moving back to Gamble? One of those cowboys she’d gotten so uptight about?
He needed to convince her that they should spend more time together. It would only be then that she would believe he’d never break her heart. Instead of saying anything else to him, she left the sitting room to return to her seat in the cabin.
By the time he got there she was already buckled in and staring out the window. She didn’t even look over at him.
After sitting down and snapping his seat belt in place, he glanced over at her. “Nadia?”
She turned from the window to look at him. “Yes?”
“I want to see you again. Spend time with you.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
He disagreed—he wanted to get to know her—but one thing he knew how to be was flexible. Normally, he wasn’t one who liked changing the rules of any game, but for her he would. Apparently telling her up front that he wanted to marry her hadn’t been a good idea. Yet he couldn’t backtrack on it now or else she would think he really didn’t know his own heart and mind.
“I’m not interested in anything other than an acquaintance type of relationship while you’re in Gamble,” she continued. “Of course when we’re around the Westmorelands and Outlaws it can extend to one of friendship. There’s no way we can avoid it being any other way when we’re there.”
He didn’t like what he was hearing. “And if I don’t want that kind of relationship?”
She frowned at him. “You don’t have a choice.”
She was wrong—he did have a choice—but he would let her assume she was calling the shots. “I will give you what you want.”
“Thank you.”
“However, I am open to you changing your mind at any time.”
“I won’t change my mind, Jaxon. Unlike some women, I don’t need a man in my life.”
He nodded. More than anything he was determined to make sure she did, and that man would be him.
Nine
“Iwould help you out if I could, Nadia, you know that. However, I just donated to the community’s college scholarship drive.”
Nadia released a disappointed sigh. “I understand, Marv. Tell Harriett and the boys hello for me.”
“Will do. Goodbye.”
“Goodbye.”
