I Love How You Love Me (The Sullivans #13)(15)

“It was beautiful. Did you really not know anything about it?”

“Nope, nothing. Ian and Mia have always been especially close, so it’s not surprising that they’d have cooked this up. They would have known how much my parents would love it, too, more than having to contend with hundreds of strangers and paparazzi everywhere.”

Grace had never really understood the pressure that someone like Ford might have to deal with until tonight. Obviously, none of the Sullivans was complaining about their good fortune, but it definitely added another layer to why Dylan might choose to keep his distance from the press. She sincerely hoped her story about him didn’t end up opening a can of worms for him.

“Your parents really did love it,” Grace said with a smile as she handed Dylan a cup. “Everyone was so happy that even Mason couldn’t resist cheering at the end.” And she hadn’t been able to resist moving into Dylan’s arms to hug him and share in the joy all around her.

Remembering how warm, how good, it had felt to be in his arms, jolted her into realizing that all this wedding talk had veered her even further toward the personal. Knowing she needed to build up her professional boundaries once more, she made herself circle back to the real reason she and Dylan were spending time together.

“I hope I didn’t worry you when I told your family that an article like this often takes more than one in-depth interview for me to put it together. I won’t take up too much of your time, though.”

“Whatever you need, just let me know,” he said with one of his easy grins, the epitome of the carefree sailor. “Are you free tomorrow?”

Surprised that he was that excited about moving forward with their story, she said, “I need to transcribe the recording of our interview before I can ask you any intelligent questions during round two. Monday would probably be better.”

“Monday’s fine for the interview, but tomorrow night I’d like to take you and Mason to an aquarium for kids that one of my friends owns. From what I know of your little guy, and how curious he is about everything, I’m pretty sure he’d get a huge kick out of sticking his hands into the tanks to touch the sea creatures.”

“We can’t.” The two words were some of the hardest she’d ever said, when she knew that not only would Mason love to play at that aquarium, but also that going with Dylan would make it even better for him.

“How about Sunday, then?”

“No, that isn’t what I mean.” Her apartment was way too small for the sparks that were jumping between the two of them, despite her most determined efforts to douse them. “We both had a great time with you tonight, but from now on I think we should only see each other when we’re working on the story.”

“You told me you don’t have a husband, and that there’s no boyfriend, either.”

“There isn’t.”

“You, me, Mason—we all get along pretty well, don’t you think?”

“Yes, but that isn’t the point.”

“Then tell me what is, Grace. Tell me why you won’t let me take you and Mason out to have some fun tomorrow night after both of us have finished our work for the day.”

In less than sixty seconds, Dylan had transformed from carefree to utterly determined. She should have seen it coming, should have realized that anyone who could pilot a forty-foot sailboat through dangerous and unpredictable seas would have more determination in his little finger than most people could even comprehend.

And in that moment, she realized that was precisely what Dylan was. Dangerous. Because for as sweet as he was with Mason, with her, with his family…he was also incredibly, shockingly dangerous to her peace of mind. To her future.

She thought she’d wanted him on Tuesday when she’d first met him at his boathouse, and then again tonight when he’d picked them up. But that was nothing compared to how much she wanted—needed—him now. Despite a past that had taught her to know better.

She was so flustered, the first thing that came out of her mouth was, “If we spend too much time together, I might not be able to remain objective about my story.”

“I’m not sure I see how objective you have to be about some guy who likes sailing and boats.” His gaze went too deep, saw too much. But she still couldn’t look away. “That’s not why you think you need to keep your distance, is it?”

All afternoon, she’d asked him to tell her the truth about his life, about his love for sailing. And after witnessing his honest love for his family firsthand, how could she possibly lie to him now? “No, that’s not the real reason.”

“One day,” he said in a gentle voice, after the silence had drawn out between them for several long moments, “I hope you’ll trust me enough to tell me what it is.”

She hadn’t talked to anyone about what had happened, hadn’t wanted her old friends to know what an idiot she’d been by falling for promises her ex hadn’t actually ever made. Nor had she wanted anyone to know who the father of her child was, just in case the Bentleys decided they wanted Mason after all. It had been easier just to disappear the day after they’d given her the checks. To take a trip across the country, seeing all the sights she and her parents had always talked about visiting one day, before finally settling in Seattle when the water had called to her.