CHAPTER NINE

Judging by the closed, wounded look on Angelina’s face, he knew she wouldn’t believe him if he told her the truth. Frankly, he was having a hard time believing what his mother had done. She was worse than any of the other scheming mothers he’d encountered during the past twenty-four hours.

Was it wrong to be so pleased by her meddling?

“I hate to tell you this, but there’s only one spare bedroom.”

A look of utter disbelief and exhaustion settled over Angelina’s face.

Will cleared his throat and jammed his hands in the pockets of his jeans. He wanted to reach out for Angelina to comfort her, but something told him his touch wouldn't be welcome. Not when she was so clearly upset with both him and his mother.

“I’m going to grab my stuff right now and clear out so you can have it.”

He groaned inwardly, knowing that there was no way he was going to be able to get any sleep on the couch in the living room, with Angelina just a wall away. As it was he was fighting the urge to pull her back into his arms.

How could it be that in weeks he had gone from being perfectly sane and in charge of his life to losing control over everything?

Right now, his only chance at temporary sanity was to dunk himself into the cold lake water.

* * *

It only took Will five minutes to pack up his things, but Angelina swore it took an hour. He must know his effect on her. She was absolutely certain he was deliberately torturing her.

When he finally said, “Goodnight,” without turning to face her, then shut the door behind him, Angelina fell onto the bed gasping for air. She had been holding her breath while Will was in the bedroom with her. Within seconds, a bone deep exhaustion hit her, and she couldn't even muster up the energy to brush her teeth or take off her clothes.

She woke up at midnight, momentarily disoriented before she remembered where she was. In New York. At Will’s mother’s house.

His scent was all over the sheets and the pillowcase. It was self-torture laying there, breathing him in, having no choice but to relive the sweetness of his kisses.

She sat up in bed and brushed the hair away from her face. Maybe a walk in the brisk night air would help to clear her mind. Stripping off her horribly wrinkled clothes, she rummaged around in her luggage for a pair of jeans. She slipped them on along with a hooded sweatshirt.

A door from her room led out to the lake. She stepped out onto the deck and the moonlit view took her breath away.

She would never grow tired of the vision of still water at night with the moon’s reflection upon it. For a moment, she felt a deep sense of peace.

Angelina stepped onto the sand, which was cool and damp beneath her toes, ready to feel the water lapping against her legs. But when she heard a splash she stopped dead in her tracks, before moving to hide behind the thick tree trunk to her right.

What was Will doing out swimming in the middle of the night?

Afraid to even breathe for fear he might discover her spying, she remained standing behind the tree, gaping as he rose up out of the lake. Even though she could see that he was wearing swim trunks, he was still so physically beautiful just looking at him took her breath away.

When she inadvertently gasped, she clamped a hand over her mouth, praying he hadn’t heard her gasp.

No such luck. Will stopped his progression out of the water. “Is someone out there?”

Angelina forced herself not to act like a coward. Stepping around the tree trunk, she said, “I just came outside for some air. I’ll go back in now so you can finish your swim in privacy.”

He called out, “Come in the water. It feels great.”

She had no idea her heart could race so fast. She was so tempted—more tempted than she should have been.

“No, I can’t do that.”

“There's nothing like a midnight swim beneath a full moon,” he told her in a gentle voice that resonated all the way through her.

The picture he painted was tempting. Incredibly so. She could see it all play out in her head –she'd join him in the water and then they'd end up kissing again...or more.

And then she'd hate herself in the morning.

Still, she had to force herself to say, “Good night, Will,” and turn back toward the cabin.

Back in the bedroom, Angelina stared at the four walls until she began to notice all of the cute touches in the cabin she hadn’t seen earlier that night. The walls and the ceiling were beautiful pickled pine. The room was bright and clean, yet warm and relaxed at the same time. Will’s mother had a natural gift for balance and comfort.

And above the bed hung one of the most beautiful paintings Angelina had ever seen.

A man and a woman were entwined on the sand. Love radiated out from them.

It was exactly the kind of love she longed for...and feared she'd never find.