Truly Madly Deeply Boxed Set (32 page)

“Got any better ideas?” Carly regretted the words the minute they left her mouth.

A knowing smirk formed on his lips. “I do. Do you like amusement parks?”

“Who doesn’t?” Peter. The traitorous thought formed and she pushed it aside. If he’d returned her call before going to the office, maybe he’d be here now instead of Mike. Then again, knowing Peter, maybe not. Work came first, after all.

She forced a smile. “Disliking amusement parks and carnivals is un-American.”

“So I don’t have to pour on the charm to convince you.” He grinned. “Well? What are you waiting for?” He prodded her gently on the back. “Go get changed, unless you don’t mind roasting in those heavy jeans.”

“You’re serious.” How could she go anywhere with him and keep a clear conscience?

“Of course. I rented a car. Playland is a short half-hour ride from here, or haven’t you heard?”

The last good memory she had of her father was a Sunday when he’d taken her to Playland. “Have you been there before?” she asked, stalling for time.

“Grew up near there.”

“That’s right, I forgot.”

“You’re stalling,” he said with dead-on accuracy. “Are you coming or not?” he asked.

Playland. She reached back into pleasant childhood memories and felt the beginning of a relaxed smile take hold, her first in a long while. Mike reached his bronzed hand toward her. She hesitated, and silence stretched taut between them.

Carly listened to the conflicting voices deep inside her before making a decision. Finally she placed her hand inside his. Just this once she’d follow her heart.

* * *

Carly looked down at her hand firmly enclosed in Mike’s strong grasp. Crazy Glue couldn’t bond more thoroughly than she and Mike had over the past few hours. Unable to resist the opportunity to spend time with him, she had broken her self-imposed promise to keep her distance. One time wouldn’t hurt, she’d rationalized. She now wondered how much rationalizing her father had done during his affair with his twenty-five-year-old secretary.

She gazed around the park and listened to the shouts coming from the brazen riders of the Dragon Coaster, the Tilt-a-Whirl and the Spider. With the exception of the carousel, she had laid her head on Mike’s chest and screamed through each ride. She had loved every heart-stopping minute spent in his arms.

Juggling her newly won stuffed animals, she gingerly tugged on Mike’s sleeve. When he turned, she gestured toward the cotton candy concession stand.

“Two snow cones, one hot dog and a bag of popcorn weren’t enough for you?” he asked with a grin.

She shrugged.

He pulled his wallet from his pants pocket. “I’ll say one thing, you’re not a cheap date.”

“Maybe not, but I’m a fun one.” She laughed. “And I’m not the one who wasted almost fifty dollars trying to win that oversized bear.”

“No, but who was it who sighed and said ‘Oh, he’d look so cute sitting in my living room’?”

“Guilty.” She grinned. “And it was kind of you to accommodate me.” She thought of the cuddly pink bear that now rested comfortably on the backseat of the rental car. “How’s the pitching arm?” She gave his muscled biceps a playful squeeze, drawing her hand back before she succumbed to temptation and explored further.

He grunted and handed her the cloud of spun sugar.

“I love cotton candy.” Taking a bite of the pink fluff, she closed her eyes and let the sugar dissolve in her mouth. “Heaven.”

“Show me.”

At the sound of his deep voice, her eyes popped open wide.

“Just a little taste.” The laugh lines crinkled around his eyes. “Please.”

Before she could change her mind, she stuck one finger into the ball of pink fluff. “Open.” She barely recognized her own voice.

Mike complied. She raised her sugar-laden finger and placed it into his waiting mouth, watching intently as his lips closed around her finger. Warm, wet and welcoming. A rush of dizziness assaulted her, but that was like a small wave compared to the heady rush she received when he nibbled on her fingertip with his teeth. A tidal wave of sensations surged through her. Such a simple act threatened her very being.

She wanted what she’d never realized she was capable of wanting. What she’d never
allowed
herself to desire. She wanted passion. Wanted to soothe the ache that pounded in every part of her body. She wanted Mike.

And she couldn’t allow it.

Slowly, she pulled back, wiping her now cool finger against her denim shorts. “Well,” she murmured. Flustered and embarrassed, she turned away.

Mike cleared his throat. “You and Pete do this often?” he asked.

“What?” His question had her pivoting back to face him in an instant.

He smiled, the charming grin that came naturally but knocked the wind right out of her.

“Carnivals. Do you and Pete do this sort of thing often?” he asked.

“Oh.” She exhaled a sigh of relief. “No.” They talked, ate in fancy restaurants when he wasn’t working, attended work-related functions. His and hers, but mostly his. Not once did they let loose and have fun.

Why had she allowed herself to believe that was enough for her? Because safety and security were more important to her than a good time. Had her feelings changed so drastically in such a short period of time, or was Mike just the catalyst, forcing her to face things she’d buried for too long?

“I guess Peter doesn’t relax often enough to enjoy something like this,” Mike said.

“No, he doesn’t.”

“It’s a shame. He used to love this place when we were kids.”

“Did your parents take you?” She immediately placed a hand on his arm. “I’m sorry,” she murmured. “That was thoughtless. I was comparing my own childhood to yours and spoke without thinking.” How could she have been so careless?

He shrugged. “No problem. Pete and I were abandoned a long time ago. We made out okay.”

His words startled her. He smiled, but she didn’t buy the act. Orphaned wasn’t the same as abandoned. She wondered if he recognized the distinction.

“What happened?” she asked.

“Pete never told you?”

She shook her head. “Not in detail.” And she hadn’t pushed. So why force Mike to talk now?

He exhaled a sigh. “My aunt and uncle weren’t the best parents. Very little love and even less laughter.” He spoke without rancor, but as he looked over the park, he clenched his jaw and donned a closed expression. The carefree man of earlier in the afternoon had disappeared.

Obviously he hadn’t come to terms with his past as completely as he’d have her believe. That was something she could relate to. “So that’s why you two are so close, even when you’re not on the same continent,” she said.

“Yeah. We didn’t choose the same paths, but we’re close.”

“Looks like the Novack brothers made good.”

He shrugged. “One brother never stays in one place and the other looks for the easy way. I’m not sure I’d call that making good.”

“Law school isn’t taking the easy way,” she reminded him. Neither was traveling the globe to the world’s hot spots.

“No, but in Pete’s mind, success in law school guaranteed money. Another thing in short supply growing up.”

The sudden insight into her fiancé astounded her... not just because she had thought she understood Peter and didn’t, but because her information came from Mike and not the man she was about to marry.

Mike glanced at her, a serious expression clouding his handsome features. “Pete’s willing to sacrifice an awful lot to achieve his goals.”

She pondered his words. “Life’s full of sacrifices.”

“Do you want to be one of them?” He waved away his words with a jerk of his hand. “What I meant was, sacrifice is fine as long as you don’t give up what counts.”

What counts for you, Mike?
Though she wanted to know, she was more afraid of hearing his response.

So the question remained unasked—and unanswered.

“Hey. You up for one last ride before we go home?” He pointed toward the large Ferris wheel and all other thoughts fled.

“You bet.” She turned and ran toward the ride. The fact that she was also running from her thoughts didn’t escape her notice.

* * *

Mike followed a short distance behind Carly, admiring the sexy sway of her hips as she sprinted ahead. Until today, when he’d seen her in those brief cutoff shorts, he hadn’t realized how long her legs actually were. Long enough for a good many things, he realized, halting his thoughts before he embarrassed himself in a public place.

She stopped at the entrance to the ride and swung around. “Hey, are you coming or am I riding this thing alone?”

He grinned and caught up with her. All afternoon her enthusiasm had been contagious, making him glad he’d stopped by Pete’s apartment to retrieve his camera. Though he’d been unwilling to look at the damn thing up until now, an afternoon in the sunshine with Carly provided a not-to-be missed opportunity. He’d enjoyed today more than any other in recent memory. And he knew... the shots he’d taken today would have to last him a lifetime.

The day had been full of revelations, though. If he’d had an inkling before, he now realized how mismatched Carly and his brother actually were. Although he had no right to judge, no right to come between them, the idea of letting them end up together, making each other miserable, ate at his gut. So did the never-ending sense of guilt. Technically he’d done nothing wrong, yet he couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that he was betraying his brother.

Stepping back, he allowed her to precede him onto the ride. He handed the operator the tickets and a tip, pointing to the top of the Ferris wheel. The teenager, obviously used to such requests, slapped Mike on the back and winked.

After taking his place next to Carly, Mike nudged her in the ribs. “Drop the loot. We’ll scoop up the animals when the ride’s over.”

“Do I have to?” She looked like a child ordered to retire her favorite toy.

He nodded. “If I can drop the camera, you can drop the winnings.”

“I get attached quickly,” she said, obviously embarrassed. But she scattered them around the small area at their feet.

He wished she’d get attached to him that fast and immediately banished the thought.

“So what are your plans?” Carly asked on their third trip around.

“I got a temporary job working for a city paper.”

“How temporary?”

He wondered that himself. A light breeze surrounded them, causing tendrils of hair to caress her face. The sounds of the park and the realities of life seemed far away. When the huge wheel stranded them at the summit, Carly hung her head over the side in an attempt to discern the problem.

With a gentle tug he pulled her back into the car. “Relax, it’ll get started again soon.”

She sat back in her seat and spoke so quietly he had to strain to hear. “You didn’t answer me. How long before you’re off and running to the next trouble spot in the world?” she asked, looking off into the clear blue sky.

“No specific date.” And right now, leaving was the furthest thing from his mind. With Carly sitting beside him, nothing else seemed to matter. Not a good sign, he thought. “But when the call comes, I’ll be ready.”

He cleared his throat “Why didn’t you tell Pete about the book?” he asked, changing the subject.

She remained silent, refusing to acknowledge his question.

“What about the rings?”

“What about them?” she asked.

“You loved those other rings.”

She didn’t refute his statement and Mike wondered. If he kept pushing, would she realize that she and his brother were mismatched opposites? Would she call things off before two people got hurt? Did he want her to?

Hell, he didn’t need that responsibility. He could walk her through this now, but he wouldn’t be there for her in the long run. His lifestyle wasn’t suited to the white picket fence and security she so obviously sought.

If he pushed, he could end up hurting her as badly as his brother could. Helluva pair he and Pete made. He shook his head. “You really love him, don’t you?” Mike asked.

“Who?”

He stared. “Peter. Who else?” He held his breath waiting for her answer. An answer that shouldn’t matter to him, but dammit, it did.

“Oh. Yes. Of course.” She answered without meeting his gaze, a sure indication that his gut instincts were on target.

Since those same instincts had saved his behind many times, he hadn’t really been in doubt.

She turned her attention from the cloudless sky, fingering her bangs with trembling hands.

“You do that a lot.”

“What?” she asked.

“This.” With a slow but steady hand, he ran his fingers through her bangs. She swallowed, and his eyes were drawn to the slender column of her neck. In silence, she glanced up at him from beneath thick lashes before lowering her eyes. He had no doubt she hoped to hide the feelings he’d seen reflected there. She’d been unsuccessful.

He tried to speak but words wouldn’t come. Instead, as the silky strands of hair grazed his hands, he ached with the intensity of his feelings for this woman he’d known such a short time.

He trailed one finger down the side of her face until his hand rested beneath her chin. He tilted her head upward. Acting on impulse and not common sense, he lowered his head until his lips brushed hers. Whisper soft and brief, but that light touch stirred his body to life.

She sucked in a deep breath but didn’t attempt to break the tenuous connection between them. Mike did, drawing himself back with extreme difficulty.

Looking at her flushed face and full lips, he knew, without a doubt, she had never felt this way about his brother. Not in the past, not now and especially not in the future. He was certain, not because of conceit or arrogance, but because he’d never experienced anything like the magic of being with Carly. Something that powerful could not be one-sided.

He pushed aside the guilt that continued to plague him at the thought of Peter. His brother didn’t care about this woman, not the way an engaged man ought to care about his fiancée.

And Mike couldn’t offer her much better. But that didn’t mean he could remain silent much longer. He cared about her too much to watch her throw her life away. “We need to talk,” he said.