Sea Glass Island (Ocean Breeze) - By Sherryl Woods Page 0,76

frown, there was no mistaking the quick tug of a smile at the corners of his lips. “You’d love that, wouldn’t you?”

“I wouldn’t say no,” she said agreeably.

He shook his head. “I was afraid of that.”

“The idea of sleeping with me makes you afraid?”

“Not the act of making love,” he assured her. “The implications.” He shook his head. “No, scratch that. The complications.”

“There don’t have to be complications,” she argued. “We’re a couple of consenting adults. We both want this. Why would it be so wrong?”

“Because you deserve forever, Castle women are all about forever, and that’s not on my agenda.”

“Maybe we should test your theory. You could be wrong about what you want.” Even as she spoke, she buried her face in her hands. “God, I sound pathetic. Or desperate. I’m sorry. I don’t know why I’m pushing so hard when you’re so obviously not into me.”

He regarded her with dismay. “You don’t sound desperate. Don’t you dare think of yourself that way. It’s not what this is about.”

“Oh, please,” she protested. “I’m all but begging you to take me to bed. That sounds pretty desperate to me.”

To her surprise, he pulled off the coastal road and into the parking lot at his clinic, then cut the engine. When he turned to face her, he looked as miserable as she felt.

“I’m trying to do the right thing, Samantha. I’ve been honest about where I stand on relationships. Yet here you are.”

She allowed herself a smile. “Not scared off,” she guessed. “That must be making you crazy.”

“It really is. I’m only human. I’m only so strong. And God knows I want you.”

Her heart leaped at the reluctantly spoken admission. “Thank goodness for that. I was beginning to think I was out on this limb all by myself.”

“Well, you’re not, okay? I don’t know what to do with you.”

“Take me home. Maybe I can remind you.”

“Samantha!” Her name emerged on a tortured moan.

She reached across the console of his sports car and rested her hand against his cheek. The tiny muscle tensed under her touch.

“I’m not going to beg, Ethan. I’m sitting here in a bikini, for heaven’s sake. There’s not a lot left to your imagination and yet you’re still resisting. I get the message.”

He captured her hand in his and pressed a kiss to her palm. “I don’t think you do, not if the message is that I’m rejecting you.”

“Isn’t that the bottom line?”

“I’m protecting you,” he insisted.

She shook her head. “You can keep right on telling yourself that if you want to, but I know better, Ethan. You’re protecting yourself.”

He looked momentarily startled, then sat back. He closed his eyes and fell silent. Samantha waited.

“Maybe I am,” he conceded eventually.

“You’ve taken a lot of risks in your life, Ethan. You put your life on the line when you served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Let me know when you’re ready to take one more, okay?” She opened the door and got out of the car.

“Where are you going?” he asked, clearly caught off guard. “Get in here. I’ll take you home or back to your car, wherever you say.”

“No, thanks.” She pulled out her cell phone, which had barely squeezed into her bikini bottom. “Emily’s waiting for my call. She’ll come to get me. Go back to the party, Ethan.”

“I’m not leaving you here, all alone in the dark,” he said stubbornly. “Just let me take you back.”

Samantha had already dialed her sister, though. “Em, I’m in the parking lot at Ethan’s clinic. Come get me, okay?”

“Ten minutes,” Emily said tersely. “And if that man has done anything to upset you, I’m going to personally rip his heart out.”

Samantha grinned at the fierce declaration. “I might let you,” she said softly, trying to keep the tears that had gathered in her eyes from falling.

She disconnected the call. With her back to Ethan, she said, “She’s on her way. You can go.”

“I’ll leave when she gets here,” he countered, his tone unrelenting.

“She says she’s going to rip your heart out,” she said, glancing his way to judge his reaction. He merely smiled.

“Probably deserve it,” he said. “I’m still not leaving.”

Since it was clear he was going nowhere until her ride showed up, Samantha leaned against the car with her back to him to wait. Only when she saw the headlights of her sister’s car turning into the lot did she walk around to the driver’s side. Ethan rolled down his window, and before he could guess her intention, she leaned