AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I should teach you,” he said. “How to sail.”
“Could you?” she asked, nearly tripping over herself in excitement.
“If you want.” He grinned and she smiled back, feeling as if the goofy smile might just bubble over into laughter. She couldn’t remember feeling this happy.
Mark went through a quick rundown of the lines and worked on teaching her a few basic skills. She took everything in, studying every detail. She wanted to know this more than anything.
“Just remember,” he warned. “Conditions can change like that.” He snapped his fingers. “We have calm winds right now, but when they pick up, they take us with them.” Mark nodded up at the huge mast towering above them, and the bright white triangle of a sail.
As he taught her how to lower and then raise the mast, he held her hands tightly, and she felt the heat of contact. The sudden tingling in her belly had nothing to do with the dip of the bow beneath a wave, either.
Being so close to Mark, feeling his touch, she couldn’t deny that she did have feelings for him. She was already attached, whether she liked it or not. She had to work harder at pulling back. He might be single, but he’s not available, she told herself. And no more unavailable men. She didn’t want someone who ran hot and cold like Dean. She wanted a man who wanted her as much as she wanted him. Period. She was done being an afterthought.
Besides, did she really want a man who put his wife in jail? She was still not sure about that. Part of her wanted to ask him about it and then part of her didn’t.
During a lull in the lesson, she grabbed her cell phone from her pocket and took a few quick shots.
“Let me take your picture,” Mark offered as he secured the rigging. She handed him her phone. She posed at the ship’s wheel and he snapped a few.
“Why don’t we take one together?” Laura asked. As soon as the question popped out of her mouth, she regretted asking. What was she doing? She expected him to turn her down flat, but Mark, seemingly lightened by the wind and sea, just shrugged and loped over. He put his arm around her and clicked a shot.
“Here you go,” he said, handing her the phone. They were nearly nose to nose.
“Uh…thanks,” she said, feeling a bit awkward suddenly. His dark eyes were so very close to hers. All she had to do was lean a bit forward and she’d be kissing him. She expected him to scurry away, but he didn’t. He lingered, his dark eyes meeting hers in a way that told her maybe he wasn’t running very cold today.
Hot. Cold. Hot. Cold. He needs to make up his mind.
“I didn’t kiss you because my brother was watching,” Mark declared out of the blue.
“W-what?”
“It’s what you were thinking. It’s what you said that night. It’s not true.”
Laura swallowed. “It’s not?”
“No. You’re gorgeous. I…I wanted to kiss you because I wanted to.”
Did he just call her gorgeous? Laura felt her heart skip a beat.
The wind whipped up and teased his dark hair. She wanted to run her hands through it. She wanted to touch him. No. He’s not who you need. Not right now.
“But you—”
“Look, Laura. I don’t get women.” Mark shrugged. The sun hit his bare chest and the bits of sweat on it glistened. “I’m always doing the wrong thing. I’m always pissing them off. Ask my ex-wife.” He rubbed his tanned neck sheepishly. “I just… I don’t have anything to offer you right now. I’m only here until the race and then—”
“I’m only here for three more weeks,” she pointed out, wondering why he was jumping so far ahead. She didn’t know what she wanted to be doing next week, much less next year. “What did you think I wanted? An engagement?”
“Well.” Now Mark looked a little embarrassed as his cheeks turned pink. “No, but. I mean women fall in love—”
“Slower than men, actually.” Laura crossed her arms. “It’s science. Look it up. Men fall in love faster than women. Fall out of love faster, too.” She couldn’t quite help but sound bitter at the last part, remembering how quickly Dean had lost affection for her. She knew all about how quickly men could change their minds.
Mark laughed. Even with his sunglasses on, Laura could tell he was doubtful about the claim. “That’s not true. Is it?”
“There’s been loads of psychological studies. Men say ‘I love you’ first and faster than women. It all has to do with biology. Women have to protect their resources. We have one egg a month, and when we’re pregnant, that’s it for nine months. That’s why they can fall in love faster. It’s less of a commitment for them, physically at least. Men can afford to…well…” The heat rose in her face as she thought of how Mark’s body had felt pressed against hers. “Well, spread their love around.”
