* * *
Mike jogged down to the beach and watched as Carly sat on the sand, gazing out at the waves crashing against the sandy shore. A light breeze blew her hair around her face. She had attempted to tie it back with a bandanna, but the wind had destroyed the effort. As he neared the water, the smell of salt air tickled his nose. He’d miss the beach, he realized with a pang of regret.
He’d miss a lot of things. “Carly.”
She turned at the sound of her name. “Hi.”
“Hi.”
She didn’t smile. “Well, how’d it go?”
“Everything’s fine. Back to normal.”
She let out a sigh of obvious relief. “He came to apologize, and you know, I believe he meant it.”
Mike sat down next to her.
“So you’re on speaking terms again. I’d never forgive myself for coming between brothers.”
“You are something special, sweetheart.”
She blushed. Her face turned a shade deeper than the lobsters they’d shared. “Did I ever mention how much I like it when you blush?”
She laid her chin on bent knees. “You have a way of doing that to me.”
“If you’re talking about last night, I’d love to do it again.” His hand came to rest on the back of her neck and he massaged the back of her skull with his thumb. But instead of relaxing, she grew stiff and unyielding beneath the innocent touch.
He swallowed a groan. He had an uphill battle ahead of him and he refused to draw back. Not because he wanted to sleep with her again, but because she had to learn that passion between two people could be a wonderful thing.
“So he really forgave us?” she asked.
“After cheating on you, he really can’t pass judgment. And you two are over, remember? You didn’t do anything wrong.”
“Depends on your perspective. I can’t believe we jumped into bed without ever considering the consequences. We should have given some thought to Peter’s reaction before we jeopardized your relationship by getting involved. And the fact that we didn’t is telling.”
It sure was. Mike had no illusions. Carly’s emotional withdrawal now wasn’t aimed at protecting Peter, but herself. “Getting involved. Is that what you’d call it?”
“Yes. Wouldn’t you?”
“Hell, no. We had sex. Isn’t that what you’re trying to say? A purely physical relationship, no strings, no ties, no caring involved.”
She winced at his blunt description of what they’d shared, and at that moment Mike hated himself for hurting her. But he knew damn well what she was thinking. That by keeping their relationship on a purely sexual plane, she could equate it to her father’s affair... and all the subsequent pain it had caused. Instead of facing what she felt for him, she’d run far and fast.
A part of him didn’t blame her. He was no safer than his brother for her sense of security. He couldn’t be the hearth-and-home kind
of man she needed, yet he couldn’t leave things alone. “Just sex,” he said again. “Am I right?”
Carly licked at her dry lips. “Sounds reasonable to me.” But it didn’t. Hearing Mike’s passionless, uncaring description of what they’d shared cut deep. Yet his words stated what she had forced herself to believe was the proper way to categorize their relationship. The safest way to avoid complications like this afternoon. The easiest way to let him go when he decided it was time to return to his nomadic, dangerous way of life. It was her heart that refused to cooperate and believe.
“Very generous of you.” He leaned back on his elbows. “You know, Carly, you aren’t fooling me.”
“That’s good, because I wasn’t trying to.”
“You’re afraid to let yourself feel. So you label us with the one thing that scares you above all else, you beat yourself up for acting selfishly like your father and you run. Far and fast instead of facing the truth.”
“Which is?” she asked, with pure sarcasm lacing her voice. “Since you know so much about running, you’d have to be right. So what truth is it that you think I’m afraid of?”
His hand cupped her chin and he met her gaze. “That if you look us in the eye, you’ll see a lot more than just sex... and that scares you a hell of a lot more than a lust-filled relationship you can walk away from unscathed.”