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“I was thinking that I’m almost out of time to tell my grandfather what is going on with his business.”
“And that’s all?” She arched a fine brow.
“I didn’t know you were the suspicious type.” He sent her a teasing smile.
“Suspicious, huh?”
They kept walking and he kept the conversation light, which was the exact opposite of how he was feeling at the moment. And somewhere along the way, Stasia had slipped her hand in his. It felt so natural for their fingers to be entwined that it drove home the reason they had to talk.
Stasia wanted more from this relationship than he could give her. He wasn’t the right man for her. He didn’t know how to have a long-term relationship. His parents were terrible role models. And he was a workaholic. Not exactly the criteria for a faithful, devoted companion.
When they reached Stasia’s cabin, she opened the door and stepped inside. He paused at the doorway, not sure he trusted himself to go any farther. All his good intentions were likely to go out the window if she were to turn those big brown eyes on him. He would be putty in her hands, but he couldn’t let her see his weakness because in the end, this thing between them, it wasn’t real.
“Aren’t you coming in?” she asked.
He shook his head. “I can’t stay.”
“Of course. You need to get back to work—”
“Stasia, it’s not that.” Although he did need to find the answer for his grandfather—prove that he was the rightful heir to the Carrass dynasty. But first he had to put right what he’d broken. “We need to talk.”
The smile faded from her face. “It sounds serious.”
“It is.” He wasn’t sure where to begin. “I owe you an apology.”
Her brows rose. “For what?”
“The other night.” He raked his fingers through his hair, scattering the short strands. He searched for the right words.
“The other night was what?”
There was no way to sugarcoat this. His gaze lowered because he just couldn’t stand to see the pain that would be reflected in her eyes. “It was a mistake.”
“A...a mistake?” Her voice was hollow.
When he lifted his gaze, he found she’d turned her back to him. She busied herself by taking off her shoes. Every bit of him longed to go to her—to wrap his arms around her waist—to plant a kiss on the slope of her neck—to hold her in his arms until the sun came up.
Stasia was amazing. If he ever imagined falling in love and starting a family, it would be with someone like Stasia. She was kind but insightful, beautiful but down-to-earth.
She turned to him. “You were saying why this was a mistake.”
He couldn’t read her thoughts. Her expression was blank. This was not the reaction he had been expecting. Still, she stood there staring at him, waiting for him to speak.
“I’m sorry. I acted without thinking. It shouldn’t have happened.”
She crossed her arms. “You don’t think we’re good together?”
That was the real problem. He did think they were good together, but he couldn’t tell her that. “I think I’m not the man for you. And I don’t want to hurt you.”
“I appreciate you trying to let me down gently, but it’s not necessary.”
“It’s not?”
She shook her head. “I didn’t think we were anything serious. We agreed to be a couple for the length of the cruise. It’s only natural being so close that one thing might lead to another, but I didn’t expect this—” she waved between her and him “—to last.”
He breathed a sigh of relief. This was going so much easier than he’d ever imagined. “So then we’re still on track?”
She nodded. “Don’t worry. Everything is good.”
It didn’t feel good. His gaze met hers and he still wasn’t able to get a handle on her feelings. “Then I’ll go.”
“I’ll freshen up and then I’ll meet you at your cabin.”
Really? This seemed too good to be true. “Are you sure you want to do that?”
She didn’t say anything as though considering her choices. “I said I’d help and I will.”
