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Authors: Ann Montclair
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pent within him.
He looked up, over his shoulder at her and said, “Thank you.”
His simple gratitude almost undid her. She wanted to massage every inch of his body, take away all his pain. Sloane wanted to make love to him, to show him how much she already cared. She dropped her hands and returned to her chair.
“So you live in this big, giant mansion all alone? Why?”
“What do you mean, why? I just explained my parents are dead, and I don’t have siblings.”
“Yes, but you’re a handsome, successful man. I would expect you to be married, to have children.” Sloane wanted to bite her own tongue, but David shook his head side to side.
“Never,” he said, and Sloane’s mouth dropped open in disbelief.
“Never happened or never going to happen?” she pressed.
“Both,” he said, and his jaw set.
“Why?” she said, and she could hear the surprise in her voice.
“I’ve never been in love. I tried living with a woman once, but she ran out on me, and I hardly noticed.”
“She wanted your heart and you denied her?” Sloane guessed, and by the way he lifted one shoulder, she understood he didn’t really know.
“I was too busy, too preoccupied with Grant Oil. I spent all my energy turning a million dollar company into an industry giant. Lexi loved the money, the house, the travel—like most women. Loved me? Maybe. But I never loved her.” David’s eyes burned intensely, and Sloane felt like he was telling her he’d never love her.
Sloane couldn’t handle any more. She felt like she might vomit. She rose from her chair and said, “Excuse me. I need to use the powder room.”
“I’ll clear these dishes,” he said, and they both bustled away.
Sloane wet her cheeks and combed her fingers through her hair. She looked in the mirror and told herself to be strong. She’d put everything out there and so had he.
He didn’t want happily ever after.
Sloane could hear her mother saying, “People only know what they know.” Sloane’s stomach calmed.
Sloane’s mom was always smart about people, about feelings. Sloane wished she had half her mother’s wisdom. David had never seen true love, a happy family, a commitment that lasted. Sloane had. How could he know how wonderful, how utterly possible happily ever after could be? He may have all the money in the world, but without love. . .
Sloane stopped her romantic musings. The man didn’t believe, and belief was Sloane’s foundation. It seemed she’d wasted her time staying in Alaska, trying to find her “mystery man.” Well, she tried.
Sloane exited the bathroom and was surprised to hear voices coming from the terrace. She approached slowly, tentatively, suddenly feeling suspicious.
When she identified the voice, she almost fell over. Dr. Traynor tittered, clearly divinely amused. What was she doing here? Did she have a late date with David? Sloane couldn’t believe the viper had the nerve to show up while Sloane was still visiting.
Everything in Sloane’s body yelled run, but she resisted the urge and compelled herself toward their animated voices.
When she charged onto the deck, she must have surprised them because they stopped talking mid sentence. David said, “Sloane, are you well?”
“Quite,” she said and choked down the scene.
David had his arm around Maya’s tiny waist, and their heads were tilted together, perusing a paper David held in his hands. Maya’s purple silk dress accentuated her dark eyes and showed off her small, perfectly formed breasts. David certainly looked like he was comfortable with his hands on the doctor’s body. Sloane saw crimson, and her heartbeat pounded in her ears.
David gave the paper to Maya, and his arm fell from her waist. He looked at Sloane, and a puzzled expression flashed across his face.
“Maya stopped by to make sure you were okay,” he offered.
“I said I was,” Sloane said tersely.
David’s eyebrows raised and then a smile spread across his face. He must have
He looked up, over his shoulder at her and said, “Thank you.”
His simple gratitude almost undid her. She wanted to massage every inch of his body, take away all his pain. Sloane wanted to make love to him, to show him how much she already cared. She dropped her hands and returned to her chair.
“So you live in this big, giant mansion all alone? Why?”
“What do you mean, why? I just explained my parents are dead, and I don’t have siblings.”
“Yes, but you’re a handsome, successful man. I would expect you to be married, to have children.” Sloane wanted to bite her own tongue, but David shook his head side to side.
“Never,” he said, and Sloane’s mouth dropped open in disbelief.
“Never happened or never going to happen?” she pressed.
“Both,” he said, and his jaw set.
“Why?” she said, and she could hear the surprise in her voice.
“I’ve never been in love. I tried living with a woman once, but she ran out on me, and I hardly noticed.”
“She wanted your heart and you denied her?” Sloane guessed, and by the way he lifted one shoulder, she understood he didn’t really know.
“I was too busy, too preoccupied with Grant Oil. I spent all my energy turning a million dollar company into an industry giant. Lexi loved the money, the house, the travel—like most women. Loved me? Maybe. But I never loved her.” David’s eyes burned intensely, and Sloane felt like he was telling her he’d never love her.
Sloane couldn’t handle any more. She felt like she might vomit. She rose from her chair and said, “Excuse me. I need to use the powder room.”
“I’ll clear these dishes,” he said, and they both bustled away.
Sloane wet her cheeks and combed her fingers through her hair. She looked in the mirror and told herself to be strong. She’d put everything out there and so had he.
He didn’t want happily ever after.
Sloane could hear her mother saying, “People only know what they know.” Sloane’s stomach calmed.
Sloane’s mom was always smart about people, about feelings. Sloane wished she had half her mother’s wisdom. David had never seen true love, a happy family, a commitment that lasted. Sloane had. How could he know how wonderful, how utterly possible happily ever after could be? He may have all the money in the world, but without love. . .
Sloane stopped her romantic musings. The man didn’t believe, and belief was Sloane’s foundation. It seemed she’d wasted her time staying in Alaska, trying to find her “mystery man.” Well, she tried.
Sloane exited the bathroom and was surprised to hear voices coming from the terrace. She approached slowly, tentatively, suddenly feeling suspicious.
When she identified the voice, she almost fell over. Dr. Traynor tittered, clearly divinely amused. What was she doing here? Did she have a late date with David? Sloane couldn’t believe the viper had the nerve to show up while Sloane was still visiting.
Everything in Sloane’s body yelled run, but she resisted the urge and compelled herself toward their animated voices.
When she charged onto the deck, she must have surprised them because they stopped talking mid sentence. David said, “Sloane, are you well?”
“Quite,” she said and choked down the scene.
David had his arm around Maya’s tiny waist, and their heads were tilted together, perusing a paper David held in his hands. Maya’s purple silk dress accentuated her dark eyes and showed off her small, perfectly formed breasts. David certainly looked like he was comfortable with his hands on the doctor’s body. Sloane saw crimson, and her heartbeat pounded in her ears.
David gave the paper to Maya, and his arm fell from her waist. He looked at Sloane, and a puzzled expression flashed across his face.
“Maya stopped by to make sure you were okay,” he offered.
“I said I was,” Sloane said tersely.
David’s eyebrows raised and then a smile spread across his face. He must have
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