He hesitated. She waited for him to say no, but instead, he said, “Fine. Lead the way.”
She didn’t say a word, not wanting to give him a chance to change his mind. Instead, she headed down the steps as quickly as her legs would carry her.
CHAPTER TEN
WHY EXACTLY HAD he agreed to this walk?
Deacon pulled the navy blue ball cap from his back pocket and settled it on his head. And even though evening was descending upon them, he put on the sunglasses that had been dangling from the neck of his shirt. These days, he always took precautions.
He shouldn’t be out here, in the open for anyone to approach him—especially the press. The thought of being hounded with question after question about one of the most horrific events in his life almost had him turning around. Instead he pulled the brim down a little farther on his forehead. But the lure of stepping outside of his self-imposed confines was almost too tempting for him.
How could he resist walking along the sandy shore with the most beautiful woman he’d ever known by his side? The truth was, she’d cast a spell over him and he’d follow her most anywhere. And so he kept moving—kept in step with Gabrielle—as they made their way down to the beach.
He scanned the beach, looking for any signs of trouble. There was a man jogging along the water’s edge. And coming from the other direction was an older woman walking her dog. Other than that, the beach was quiet.
Before his life had crashed in on him, he would jog on the beach each morning. And sometimes in the evening, if he had time. He’d come out here to clear his head. It was funny to think that he’d ever taken those simple liberties for granted—
“Don’t you think?” Gabrielle’s voice cut through his thoughts.
He had no idea what she’d been saying. “What was that?”
“I said the sunset is exceptional tonight. I wish I’d have grabbed my phone from the kitchen counter so I could take a picture of it.”
Deacon stopped. This was one small thing that he could do for her. “I’ve got mine.”
He pulled out his phone and snapped a picture. And then he handed it over so Gabrielle could forward it to her phone. When she was done, she returned the phone and that’s when their fingers touched. How could such a small gesture get to him? And yet, a zing of nervous energy rushed up his arm and settled in his chest, making his heart beat faster.
“Thank you.” When she smiled at him, it was like having the sun’s ray on his face.
“You...you’re welcome.” It’d been a long time since he’d used his manners, but it made him feel more human—she made him feel like a man again. He didn’t want this evening to end. “What are you waiting for? Surely you don’t want to turn around already.”
Her eyes lit up with surprise. “Certainly not.”
They set off again at a leisurely pace. Every now and then they passed someone else with the same intention of enjoying such a perfect evening. Deacon couldn’t recall the last time he was able to let go of the guilt, the remnants of the nightmares and the worry of what tomorrow would bring long enough to enjoy the here and now.
“I can see why you live here,” Gabrielle said. “If I had the opportunity, I’d get a little place along here and wild horses couldn’t drag me away.”
“Actually I’ve been considering moving. It’s time for a change. Maybe I could move someplace where they don’t recognize me.”
“I don’t think that place exists.”
He shrugged. “Perhaps.”
“You aren’t returning to the movies?”
Was she just being polite? Or had she not really looked at him? He stopped walking and held out his hand in front of them. “With scars like these, no one would want to hire me.”
“These are from the accident?”
“Yes.”
She reached out and ran her fingertip ever so gently over his skin. “It’s no
t so bad. Maybe some makeup could hide what’s there from the camera if you’re self-conscious about it.”
But makeup could not hide the scars in his mind. They were there—they kept him up at night, walking the halls in the dark. “It’s not going to happen.”
“Why not try?”