She’d turned her back to him, hiding her sheen of tears. Her slender, sculpted fingers reached for his satchel, and he knew he should seat himself beside her and begin their dialogue, but he couldn’t. Considering his emotional and physical condition, proximity was dangerous. When had this become so difficult? In deciding to assist her, he’d merely intended a diversion from the tedium that reigned in his life, and he’d eagerly enmeshed himself in her deranged scheme. But somewhere along the way, his best-laid plans had gone awry. Instead, he found himself enchanted by her, caught up in her fantasy, and wondering what it would be like to build a future with her. Lunacy was quickly overtaking him! He’d actually spoken to her about his mother and father! Candidly, he’d professed his private opinion regarding his father’s behavior, and he’d loudly proclaimed the hurt he’d suffered as a boy that had followed him into adulthood. Except to his brother, he’d never revealed his innermost thoughts about what his father had done.
