Heal My Heart

SEVEN

Adrian shouldn't have followed her to the river. He shouldn't have sat so close to her. And for certain, he shouldn't have said the words in his heart.

Something had happened to him during that time with her in the cave, and it was like he looked at her for the first time – as if he really never knew her at all. He hadn't. But now he did. He knew what made her heart beat, and although she was still stubborn, he liked it this time around. He liked that she was far prettier than he'd ever imagined, and he really liked thinking of her.

As a child, she had followed him around, and now he felt the pull of interest as he watched her... and yes, he was starting to follow her, too. Somehow she had infatuated him, but he didn't mind so much, mainly because he enjoyed the different rhythm of his heart whenever she looked at him. He enjoyed hearing her voice, especially when she laughed.

Just now as he was talking about her future husband, he couldn't help but picture him in that role. Part of him wanted to laugh at the ridiculous idea, and the other half of him was eager to see if that was what he really wanted... if that was what she wanted, too.

"Adrian?" Her question was soft and sweet.

"Yes."

"Why are you staring at me in that way?"

He couldn't take his eyes off her, even if he wanted. He didn't even know if his hands were still holding his fishing pole. But right now, he didn't care. "Don't you want me to look?"

One side of her smile lifted higher than the other. "That's not the point. You've just been looking at me differently, and... I want to know why."

He shrugged. "Maybe it's because I'm very grateful that you decided to save my hide by stopping the bleeding from the gunshot."

"Is that all?"

A spark of hope was in her eyes, at least that's what he wanted to think. "I also see you in a different way. No longer do I see the little girl I used to know. Instead, I see a beautiful and very intelligent woman."

Her cheeks reddened. "I'll admit that when I look at you, I don't see the mean boy I remembered from my childhood."

"Good." He reached out and caressed her hot cheek, not carrying that he wasn't holding his pole any longer. "Because I'm not that boy. I don't ever want you to think of me like that again."

"Isn't it funny how the years change people?"

"I'm very glad it did."

Her throat jumped in what looked like a hard swallow. She grasped his hand, moving it off her cheek. Worried that she was pushing him away, he entwined his fingers with hers. She looked at their hands, but didn't say anything.

"You'd asked me earlier about my thoughts."

"Yes." He ran the pad of his thumb over her knuckles. "Penny for your thoughts. I'm still waiting."

She smiled, but didn't look at him. "Waiting for a penny or for me to tell you what I was thinking?"

"I don't want your money."

Finally, she lifted her gaze to him. "I was thinking about the first time I came fishing here. I was grieving the loss of my parents and feeling very lonely. I heard a noise not far from here." She motioned her head. "Over there in the trees."

"What did you hear?"

"You were with a girl. You were trying to teach her about fishing, but I could tell you just wanted to kiss her."