It was acceptable for a while until she’d wanted more. Cass wanted him to make love to her, to make her his once and for all. It didn’t take much to convince him after they’d been out dancing one night. A night of passion, grappling each other like horny school kids, Cass had finally gotten what she wanted—a night in his bed. He’d made love to her with a passion she craved more of— like a drug after one hit—but the next day he was gone again, just like before. Unlike the last time, now she was hopelessly in love with him. He just didn’t know it yet and she refused to tell him.
Now he wanted her to talk when she knew he would love and leave her again and again because that was how he rolled.
“Fine, but this is the last time, Hawk. You leave me without a word and you can go whistle for one of your little groupie girlfriends to take you back because I won’t.” She poked him in his very broad hard chest with her finger. “I’ll be done. Do you understand?”
“Yeah, I hear you.”
He grabbed her hand in his, winding their fingers together and guided her to the little cabin behind the resort where she stayed during the week she was on roster. Heart pounding in her chest, Cass hurried with him through the cool leafy pathway. Her little cottage stood at the end of the staff quarters facing the beach. She scrambled in her back pocket for her keys, handing them over to Hawk. When they were inside, he slammed the door closed behind him and pushed her against it.
“I’ve missed you so damned much.”
The dark shadows under his eyes marred his otherwise good looks giving him a haunted appearance. The uncertainty in his stance amazed her. This was so out of character with his usual forceful style. Cass had a fleeting moment of hope before apprehension sunk in again. He rested his forehead on hers.
“I missed you too. I didn’t know if you were coming back, Hawk. I can’t live like that anymore, you understand, don’t you?”
He closed his eyes, his mouth pinched in a grim line. “Yeah, I get it.” Hawk kissed her softly, with such delicate touches she wondered if she imagined his lips on hers. “We need to talk.” He opened his eyes, turned away and walked into the room. Over at the window, he leaned against the frame looking out to sea.
A heavy fear settled in her stomach. “What about?”
He continued to look out the window. “Us. If there is an ‘us’.”
Cass walked over and sat on the edge of the couch, her hands gripped together on her knees. “Okay. I’m listening.”
He stretched his neck and raised a hand to rub the tanned skin above his t-shirt collar. “I want to see where this will go … you and me.” His eyes were bright clear blue when he turned back to her. She’d always loved the color but now they were an almost cold, detached hue that made her wary. “But there have to be rules if we’re together.”
“Rules? Like no dating other people kind of rules?”
“No. I wouldn’t anyway but it’s more than that. It’s about my job.” Hawk stepped away from the window and pulled out a chair, flipping it around and lowered onto it so he was sitting with his arms resting on the back. “I can’t talk about it—what I do—not even to you.”
“Why?” Cass swallowed. Before when he said it was off limits, she’d thought it was his way of not committing to a relationship. Now it was sounding like something more sinister.
“What I tell you can’t leave this room, Cass. You understand that?”
She nodded.
“I work for the government. There are times I have to leave on short notice and I can’t tell you where I’m going or when I’ll be back.” He gave a bitter laugh. “It’s not the ideal job for someone who wants a relationship, is it?”
“So why are you telling me then?” A sense of sadness washed over her. Just when she thought they stood a chance, he gave her bad news. Her day couldn’t get much worse.
“Because I want you … I’ve always wanted you.” He wiped his hand across his face. “Ever since we met, it’s been you. When all those other girls came onto me, I wanted it to be you chasing me, and you never did. I figured you weren’t interested in being with me like that. Acting like my little sister was enough for you. That changed the last time I was home.”
“Yeah well, what can I say? It’s always been you but I’m not like the others. I can’t chase guys and throw myself at their feet. It’s just not my style.”
“And then I had to leave.”
“Yeah, you do that well. So, why are you here now? Are you serious about a relationship, or is this just another break for you and you want to kill time?”
“I want you, if you’ll have me. I have two weeks off. Figured it might be enough time to convince you I’m serious. I need to know this is what we both want.” He rose to his feet and walked over, stood looking down on her with such a little-boy-lost look on his face she melted.
“Does that mean I have you all to myself on the island for two whole weeks? No leaving in the night when I’m sleeping?” She held her breath.
“Yes, it does.”
Cass jumped up and threw herself into his arms, squealing with joy.
Chapter 2
The look of adoration in her eyes did him in. He was taking a huge chance trying to see if this relationship would go anywhere. If they didn’t work out as a couple, it would no doubt impact on his work performance but it was a chance he had to take. His boss hadn’t liked the
