The Groom's Stand-In

It was no longer possible to deny a fact she’d been trying to ignore since she’d first met Donovan Chance. She was very strongly attracted to him. She still couldn’t say she liked him—but she was physically drawn to him in a way that worried her.

Though she had tried to tell herself the attraction was simply circumstantial, the rationalization just didn’t ring true anymore. She certainly didn’t fall for every interesting man with whom she spent time. Which made it even more perplexing that, for the second time in a short period, she found himself intrigued by a strange man.

She moistened her suddenly dry mouth. “Um…”

So abruptly she nearly stumbled, Donovan released her and backed away, shoving his hands into his pants pockets. “Maybe Bryan’s the one who should help you with this,” he said.

It demonstrated exactly how far her thoughts had wandered when she gaped at him and asked, “What do you mean?”

His left eyebrow lifted fractionally, “Bryan’s better at teaching things than I am. He explains things more clearly. He could probably show you how to skip a rock halfway across the lake.”

She managed a weak, decidedly fake smile. “I doubt that.”

Motioning toward the path they had come down, he moved another step backward. “Ready to head back up to the house?”

“Sure. Bryan could be trying to call us.”

His face could have been carved from the same hard rock that made up the bluff behind him. “I have my cell phone. He’d call that number if he wanted to reach us.”

Nodding, she made a sign for him to proceed her. “I’ll follow you.”

“It would probably be

better if you go first. Just in case you slip or anything.”

She stepped onto the path, but asked over her shoulder, “Still playing bodyguard?”

“I told you. I’m not a bodyguard.”

The word always seemed to annoy him. Something else from his past, perhaps. Another little psychological quirk she would probably never understand because she didn’t expect to get to know him that well.

She started up the path with as much speed as she could safely manage. She had no intention of falling into his arms, or making a fool of herself in some other way with him.

It seemed the best thing for her to do when she reached the top was to lock herself in her room with a book—rude or not—and try to put Donovan Chance out of her mind. While she was in there, it wouldn’t hurt her to do some thinking about her true feelings for Bryan. After all, she’d come here to consider marrying him—only to find herself inordinately fascinated by his best friend.

Definitely something wrong with that picture. Something she should consider very seriously before she made any commitments—to anyone.

It was beginning to look more and more as if Grace had been right all along, she thought somberly, and then winced at the thought of her twin saying, “I told you so.”

Donovan hesitated outside Chloe’s bedroom door, his hand half raised to knock. For some reason, he was having a little trouble following through with that motion.

After making her way up the path with a speed that had left him almost breathless, she’d closed herself in her room for the remainder of the morning. She’d murmured something about having brought some paperwork along. Rather unexpected, considering this was supposed to be a romantic getaway for her and Bryan—but then, it wouldn’t surprise him at all if Bryan brought a briefcase full of paperwork with him. Maybe Chloe and Bryan really were two of a kind.

Scowling, Donovan rapped on the door more sharply than he had intended.

Chloe opened it quickly. “What is it?”

“It’s nearly one o’clock. I thought you might be hungry.”

She looked surprised, as if the morning had slipped away from her. “I didn’t realize it was so late. I hope you’ve already eaten.”

“No.”

“Then you must be starving. Since you cooked breakfast, I’ll fix something for lunch.”

“Too late. I’ve already prepared lunch. I hope grilled chicken and vegetables sound good to you.”

“That sounds fine, but you really shouldn’t have gone to so much trouble. I let the time get away, but I certainly don’t expect you to cook for me.”