Follow Your Heart (Catalina Cove #4) - Brenda Jackson Page 0,49

everything done that you needed to do?”

She looked up at him. “What things?”

He met her gaze. “Whatever those household chores that needed your immediate attention earlier today.”

It was obvious from the look in her eyes that she hadn’t expected his question. “Oh, yes, I finished everything.”

“Good.”

The band was playing a slow number and he appreciated it because he needed this. He needed her hands resting on his shoulders, her nearness and the scent of her. He wished that right now, he could lean more in to her, whisper into her ear that she was making him feel emotions that he hadn’t ever felt before. And then tell her why. Specifically, that he had fallen in love with her.

There was something about her that had gotten beneath his skin, deep down to his very nerve endings, from the first. More than anything he wanted what they’d started here in Catalina Cove to continue when he returned to DC. But knowing how she felt about politicians and potentially being thrust into the limelight, would she agree to it?

Now would be a good time to start an open dialogue with her about the obstacles that could keep them apart. “Did anyone ever tell you why my father turned down the chance to run for governor?”

If she found his question odd, she didn’t say so. “No, I never heard anyone say.”

“It wasn’t that he didn’t think he could do the job or didn’t have the support. Mom would have backed whatever decision he made.” He paused a moment and then continued, “Dad had known that being a senator in the state of Texas had its own demands and knew just what being governor meant. He refused to subject his family to any more scrutiny and lack of privacy.”

“Oh, I see,” she said. “But you don’t have a problem with the scrutiny or lack or privacy?”

“I think anyone would, Victoria. But my desire to be a public servant outweighs all of that.” He was who he was. He did what he did. Certain things came with the territory he’d decided to be in. More than anything, he wanted her to one day share his life. That meant he needed her in that territory with him.

And that was his plan. He loved Victoria and was claiming her here and now, regardless of her belief that she was to one day belong to someone else. All was fair in love and war and he would declare war if he had to.

The music came to an end and he reluctantly released her. “Thanks for dancing with me.”

“Don’t thank me. I enjoyed our dance, Roman. I think we move well together.”

He smiled as he led her back to the table. “I think so, too.”

* * *

WE DO MOVE well together, Victoria thought again hours later as she stood beside Roman on the top deck of his yacht waiting for the fireworks to start. Tonight’s color was red, which happened to be her favorite color. She wondered if the sky would appear like it was on fire or something. She couldn’t wait to find out. Anything to take her mind off the man standing close to her.

“Would you have breakfast with me tomorrow?”

She was surprised he was asking since she had backed out on him today. And now she regretted doing so. She enjoyed spending time with him, yet for a moment, emotions she hadn’t been used to feeling had made her run scared. She’d done more than taken a pause. She’d taken a seat and the unknown had nearly made her too afraid to stand up again.

All it had taken was to have a serious talk with herself and remember what she’d decided. She did not have a ring on her finger. She had not promised herself to Tanner and he had certainly not promised himself to her. He was going on with his life as if she didn’t exist. And there was no reason for her not to do the same. When the time came, there was no doubt in her mind that whatever was meant to be between her and Tanner would be. Until then...

She figured because of her skittishness after their last kiss, Roman would leave it up to her to make the first move, and she had no reason not to make it. Not when she’d made up her mind about a few things. The main one that headed the list was that she wanted Roman Malone.

At that moment she intentionally leaned her body closer