Page 29 of Can't Fight the Moonlight

"Do you take many minutes?" he asked doubtfully.

"Not many, but some. What about you?"

"Hardly any."

"How do you keep up the pace?" she asked, gazing back at him.

"I just never stop, so there's never a difference. I'm always on the run. It's my normal."

"You're not running now, Justin."

"I should be. I don't usually waste time like this."

"You're not wasting time. You're here by the water. Look around, breathe deep. The lake can be healing."

"I don't need healing."

She gave him a thoughtful look. "Are you sure about that?"

He frowned. "Why would you ask me that?" He couldn't help but repeat her earlier question to him.

"Because you're wound very tight, and when people are constantly on the run, I can't help wondering what they're running from."

"I'm not running from anything; I'm running toward my future."

"Okay, have it your way."

"It's the truth." He didn't know why he felt the need to convince her, especially since maybe it wasn't really the truth. He lifted his gaze to the sky. "I have to admit I haven't seen so many stars in a long time. I feel like I'm in one of those shows at the observatory where you sit back in your chair, they turn out the lights, and there are a multitude of stars and planets overhead."

"It does feel that way. But this is better, because it's real."

Was it real?

He felt like he was having an out-of-body experience, as if the bump on his head earlier had changed him into someone else—someone who wanted to walk with no real destination in mind, someone who wanted to share about his family and kiss the pretty woman next to him, when he knew better than to start something he couldn't finish.

On the other hand, he'd always been a man who went after what he wanted. And if he wanted her, and she wanted him…Why should anyone say no?

As he moved his gaze away from the sky to her face, she looked back at him, and something in her expression shifted. The gleam in her eyes grew wary.

"It would be a bad idea," she warned.

"Probably," he agreed.

"Unless we're not talking about the same thing?"

"I think we are."

"There's something…" she began.

"Between us," he finished.

"It's unexpected. And crazy. We don't know each other at all," she said.

"Sometimes it's better that way. It becomes very simple. Desire, want, need."

She swallowed hard. "It's never as simple as that. At least, not for me."

"Nothing has to happen."

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