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.I mean, you and Drew want the same thing really, even if you’re going about it in different ways.”“Do we?” he asked softly.She didn’t seem to notice the way his eyes flickered over her as he spoke.“You want the things that mattered to your parents to be preserved, right? Hard work, integrity, excellence … Those are things kids can learn about at the Kingston Youth Center, and it’s all because of your parents.Lots of children who might not have had the opportunity otherwise will have their lives enriched because of your mom and dad.The house itself, that’s just wood and bricks.Eventually it will crumble to dust, but the effect it will have had on the lives of so many kids — well, who can really imagine how far an impact like that can go?”He knew her words were intended to be comforting, which he appreciated, but it was also clear to him she meant every word of what she said.She wasn’t making speeches just to make him feel better.“Maybe,” he said finally.“Maybe they would have liked that.I don’t know if it’s enough, but it looks as though it will have to be.”“You didn’t fail, Michael.You didn’t let them down.”He laughed bitterly under his breath.“That’s debatable.”“You didn’t!” When he only shrugged, Shannon’s expression turned stern.“Would you stop trying to turn yourself into a villain? It doesn’t suit you.”“Are you reprimanding me?”“Somebody has to.”In spite of the fact their conversation centered on the less-than-joyful topic of his failings as a son, Michael felt his mouth turn up at the corners.Her schoolmarm tone of rebuke was somewhat offset by her just-stepped-out-of-the-shower appearance, especially her wind-tousled hair.“So you’re going to scold me into feeling better about myself?”She looked a little embarrassed.“Well, maybe.”God, he was going to miss her.“Only you could do that, you know, sweetheart.” His grin grew.Blushing faintly and shrugging, she returned his smile.Their eyes met again, not a problem in and of itself.The problem was that they held each other’s gazes a little too long.One of them should have looked away by now, and if she wouldn’t do it, then he ought to.But when had he ever been able to do the right thing?For her sake, it was time for him to start.Michael tore his eyes away from Shannon’s and turned back to look at the landscape before they could focus on something dangerous, like her mouth.“It’s time for me to leave,” he said finally.“Leave? But you just got here.”“I mean leave town.”“What?”He heard dismay in her voice, and he hated himself for the spark of hope it gave him.Such feelings were best squelched immediately.“I did promise to walk away if Drew refused to change his mind, remember?” he returned lightly.“I’d like to think I’m a man of my word.”“Well, yeah … but — ”“I came to town to try to change my brother’s mind.That didn’t happen.I may have to live with that, but there’s no reason for me to stick around now and watch the fallout, is there?”“Oh.I suppose not.”The silence hung heavily in the air.He could kiss her, that seductive little voice in his head whispered to him.Right now.Just turn around and pull her to him.And then she might forget about Drew.Because she was innocent and inexperienced when it came to passion, not like Michael.And passion might make her forget what she really wanted.His body started to turn back around toward her almost of its own accord, and Michael dug his fingers into the wooden railing to stop himself.For once in his life, damn it, he was going to do the right thing.Shannon deserved her happy ever after, and Drew was the one who could give it to her.Drew was the good one, not Michael.If Shannon was feeling any kind of confusion about her feelings, it was time to take himself out of the equation and clear things up for her.Even if the idea of her putting her arms around his brother made his gut churn.Michael forced what was probably a poor excuse for a smile onto his face and turned back around.Shannon’s eyes were downcast.She opened her mouth as if to speak, but seemed to struggle with whether or not to do so.It might be best for both of them if she didn’t, Michael thought.His control over himself was weak enough as it was.“So … thanks.For everything.You more than held up your end of the bargain.”She finally nodded without looking up.He pried his fingers from the railing and took a step away from her.“Michael?”His traitorous body froze immediately.“Yes?”“Maybe … you could stay a little longer.”“Why?”She hesitated.“Well, for your brother.”He felt a flicker of disappointment.“Drew? I can’t get out of town fast enough for him.”“I mean … maybe it’s possible for you two to patch things up.He is your brother, after all.I think deep down he means a lot to you.”“He does.”“So isn’t it worth trying to fix things between you two?”Michael’s smile was more genuine this time, but far from happy.“I don’t think that’s in the cards, sweetheart.It’s best if I leave now.”She looked as if she wanted to say more.Before she could, he risked the effects of her proximity on his senses and leaned in to kiss her on the cheek.It was a foolish chance to take, and he felt the sharp pull of desire as his lips touched the softness of her skin, but he allowed himself this last temptation because he knew he wouldn’t see her again after today.Selfish to the end, he thought.For a moment neither of them moved, and he breathed in the scent of her, his cheek brushing hers.A slight turn of her head, and his mouth would find hers in a second.Then he would be lost.He forced himself to step back from her.Her eyes on him were so wide.It had been a mistake to come here, but if he left now maybe he could avoid causing irreparable damage.“Take care of yourself, Shannon.Make sure Drew appreciates what he’s got, all right?”He gave her one more forced smile before finally descending the steps from the deck.• • •Shannon’s eyes followed Michael as he walked away from the deck.Away from her.It wasn’t like she hadn’t expected this, on some level at least.She wasn’t a fool or anything.He had been quite up front from the beginning: he was in town for one reason only — to protect his family’s home — and now that reason had disintegrated.Sure, they might have spent a little time together, but had she really expected that to change anything? Of course not, she thought with a lump in her throat.Not really.But maybe she had hoped a little.The other night in his room had been so innocent on the surface, but it had been enough to leave her emotions a jumbled up mess.It’s not like he had to feel the same way that she did or anything, but —Surely he must feel something? Surely there was something different in his manner with her today.His smile had no joy behind it when he said goodbye to her.Only because of his failure with his brother, her inner voice taunted her.Not because of her [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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.I mean, you and Drew want the same thing really, even if you’re going about it in different ways.”“Do we?” he asked softly.She didn’t seem to notice the way his eyes flickered over her as he spoke.“You want the things that mattered to your parents to be preserved, right? Hard work, integrity, excellence … Those are things kids can learn about at the Kingston Youth Center, and it’s all because of your parents.Lots of children who might not have had the opportunity otherwise will have their lives enriched because of your mom and dad.The house itself, that’s just wood and bricks.Eventually it will crumble to dust, but the effect it will have had on the lives of so many kids — well, who can really imagine how far an impact like that can go?”He knew her words were intended to be comforting, which he appreciated, but it was also clear to him she meant every word of what she said.She wasn’t making speeches just to make him feel better.“Maybe,” he said finally.“Maybe they would have liked that.I don’t know if it’s enough, but it looks as though it will have to be.”“You didn’t fail, Michael.You didn’t let them down.”He laughed bitterly under his breath.“That’s debatable.”“You didn’t!” When he only shrugged, Shannon’s expression turned stern.“Would you stop trying to turn yourself into a villain? It doesn’t suit you.”“Are you reprimanding me?”“Somebody has to.”In spite of the fact their conversation centered on the less-than-joyful topic of his failings as a son, Michael felt his mouth turn up at the corners.Her schoolmarm tone of rebuke was somewhat offset by her just-stepped-out-of-the-shower appearance, especially her wind-tousled hair.“So you’re going to scold me into feeling better about myself?”She looked a little embarrassed.“Well, maybe.”God, he was going to miss her.“Only you could do that, you know, sweetheart.” His grin grew.Blushing faintly and shrugging, she returned his smile.Their eyes met again, not a problem in and of itself.The problem was that they held each other’s gazes a little too long.One of them should have looked away by now, and if she wouldn’t do it, then he ought to.But when had he ever been able to do the right thing?For her sake, it was time for him to start.Michael tore his eyes away from Shannon’s and turned back to look at the landscape before they could focus on something dangerous, like her mouth.“It’s time for me to leave,” he said finally.“Leave? But you just got here.”“I mean leave town.”“What?”He heard dismay in her voice, and he hated himself for the spark of hope it gave him.Such feelings were best squelched immediately.“I did promise to walk away if Drew refused to change his mind, remember?” he returned lightly.“I’d like to think I’m a man of my word.”“Well, yeah … but — ”“I came to town to try to change my brother’s mind.That didn’t happen.I may have to live with that, but there’s no reason for me to stick around now and watch the fallout, is there?”“Oh.I suppose not.”The silence hung heavily in the air.He could kiss her, that seductive little voice in his head whispered to him.Right now.Just turn around and pull her to him.And then she might forget about Drew.Because she was innocent and inexperienced when it came to passion, not like Michael.And passion might make her forget what she really wanted.His body started to turn back around toward her almost of its own accord, and Michael dug his fingers into the wooden railing to stop himself.For once in his life, damn it, he was going to do the right thing.Shannon deserved her happy ever after, and Drew was the one who could give it to her.Drew was the good one, not Michael.If Shannon was feeling any kind of confusion about her feelings, it was time to take himself out of the equation and clear things up for her.Even if the idea of her putting her arms around his brother made his gut churn.Michael forced what was probably a poor excuse for a smile onto his face and turned back around.Shannon’s eyes were downcast.She opened her mouth as if to speak, but seemed to struggle with whether or not to do so.It might be best for both of them if she didn’t, Michael thought.His control over himself was weak enough as it was.“So … thanks.For everything.You more than held up your end of the bargain.”She finally nodded without looking up.He pried his fingers from the railing and took a step away from her.“Michael?”His traitorous body froze immediately.“Yes?”“Maybe … you could stay a little longer.”“Why?”She hesitated.“Well, for your brother.”He felt a flicker of disappointment.“Drew? I can’t get out of town fast enough for him.”“I mean … maybe it’s possible for you two to patch things up.He is your brother, after all.I think deep down he means a lot to you.”“He does.”“So isn’t it worth trying to fix things between you two?”Michael’s smile was more genuine this time, but far from happy.“I don’t think that’s in the cards, sweetheart.It’s best if I leave now.”She looked as if she wanted to say more.Before she could, he risked the effects of her proximity on his senses and leaned in to kiss her on the cheek.It was a foolish chance to take, and he felt the sharp pull of desire as his lips touched the softness of her skin, but he allowed himself this last temptation because he knew he wouldn’t see her again after today.Selfish to the end, he thought.For a moment neither of them moved, and he breathed in the scent of her, his cheek brushing hers.A slight turn of her head, and his mouth would find hers in a second.Then he would be lost.He forced himself to step back from her.Her eyes on him were so wide.It had been a mistake to come here, but if he left now maybe he could avoid causing irreparable damage.“Take care of yourself, Shannon.Make sure Drew appreciates what he’s got, all right?”He gave her one more forced smile before finally descending the steps from the deck.• • •Shannon’s eyes followed Michael as he walked away from the deck.Away from her.It wasn’t like she hadn’t expected this, on some level at least.She wasn’t a fool or anything.He had been quite up front from the beginning: he was in town for one reason only — to protect his family’s home — and now that reason had disintegrated.Sure, they might have spent a little time together, but had she really expected that to change anything? Of course not, she thought with a lump in her throat.Not really.But maybe she had hoped a little.The other night in his room had been so innocent on the surface, but it had been enough to leave her emotions a jumbled up mess.It’s not like he had to feel the same way that she did or anything, but —Surely he must feel something? Surely there was something different in his manner with her today.His smile had no joy behind it when he said goodbye to her.Only because of his failure with his brother, her inner voice taunted her.Not because of her [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]