Total pages in book: 126
Estimated words: 121696 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 608(@200wpm)___ 487(@250wpm)___ 406(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 121696 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 608(@200wpm)___ 487(@250wpm)___ 406(@300wpm)
When all emotion bled from Sean’s eyes, her heart ripped in her chest. Squaring his shoulders, he schooled his features and hardened his expression. After making himself vulnerable by opening up to her, her rejection had been savagely cruel. She expected him to turn his back on her and walk away, but instead, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against his chest.
“I’m here for you, kitten.”
He was only making this harder. She tried to push him away.
He loosened his hold to meet her gaze, but he didn’t let her go. “I’m not going anywhere.”
Treating him coldly tore her apart. Driving him away was like a knife twisting in her stomach.
“I don’t know anything about you,” she said, throwing his beautiful declaration of earlier back into his face.
He flinched. The smile he plastered on his face couldn’t hide the hurt. “What don’t you know?”
“Nothing.” The lie tasted bitter in her mouth. “I don’t even know your telephone number.”
“Easily fixed.” He held out his hand. “Give me your phone.”
She uttered a wry laugh. “I’m sorry, Sean. Too little, too late.”
The tightening of his eyes was the only sign that betrayed any emotion. Taking her phone from her back pocket, he gripped her hand, used her thumb to unlock the screen, punched in a number, and slipped it back into her pocket. “That was easy. What else?”
Asking a question she knew he wouldn’t answer was foul play, but what choice did she have? “Why the formulas on your body?”
He stilled. Something dark flashed in his eyes. Even before he opened his mouth, she knew he wasn’t going to tell her.
“I like physics.” His attempt at humor was weak. “I’m a nerd that way.”
It was what she’d wanted, to prove to both of them that she didn’t know the things about him that mattered. Then why did it hurt so much?
Taking a deep breath, she put on a brave smile. “You won. The bar is yours.”
“Asia,” he said with a pained expression.
She stepped out of his touch. “It doesn’t matter. I don’t need the spa any longer.”
He grabbed her shoulders. “It’s not about winning and losing anymore. It hasn’t been for a while. Yes, we still have to talk about that, about what happens after.” He paused. “When all of this is over. We have to talk about what you and Matthew want, and about us, but money won’t be an issue.”
She frowned. “I don’t want your money.”
He tightened his hold. “Let’s not talk about it now. One step at a time. Can you do that for me, kitten?”
Right. The next step was getting off the island and protecting her secret from Juan, which meant she also had to hide it from Sean. He didn’t need to know she’d fallen in love with him. Why would she load more guilt on his shoulders? None of this was his fault. It was all her own doing—one bad decision. All right, maybe a string of bad ones. First the move to Cartagena, then applying for the school, looking for a location, entering into a silly bet with Sean for the premises, and then working for Juan. Loving Sean. No, she could never regret that.
She straightened her back. “I better go to bed. I haven’t done a stitch of work in days, yet, I’m exhausted.”
His brow furrowed. “I’ll come over when the party is done.”
“No,” she said quickly. She needed time to think, to prepare. She needed to break the ties. If only she could come up with a plan. “Let’s just give each other some space tonight.”
He searched her face. “Is that really what you want?”
“Yes,” she lied.
The frown on his forehead didn’t even out, but he dropped his arms, setting her free.
Not daring to look back, she hurried to her unit, took a long shower, and dressed in her comfortable pajamas. As she was brushing out her hair, Juan walked into her room.
She gave a start. In the reflection of the mirror, she watched him move to the dresser and open a drawer.
“What’s going on?” she asked, clutching the hairbrush to her chest.
He pulled out a set of underwear. “Does any of these have special meaning to you?”
She swallowed away the dryness of her throat. “No.”
“Good.” He dumped the underwear on the bed. “Then you don’t have to pack.”
Her mouth dropped open. “Pack?”
“We’re leaving.”
Her heart slammed like a pendulum between her ribs as she turned on the seat to face him. “Now?”
“I have an important meeting scheduled on the mainland. Unfortunately, I have to cut my holiday short.”
“We’re not coming back?”
“You sound disappointed. You know what they say about all good things coming to an end. At some point we have to get back to real life, Marina, but don’t worry. I’ll take you somewhere nice for our honeymoon.”
“What about Matt?” she asked in a hoarse voice.