Chapter 39
‘More of your matchmaking at play, I see?’ a familiar voice called out in the darkness, as Erin took the beach boardwalk back to the hotel, having left the honeymooners to their meal.
She was startled, her heart racing in her chest for more reasons than one as she turned to see Mack appear at the tree line nearby. Did the guy have some kind of tracker or homing device on her that told him where she was? And why was he skulking around in the darkness.
‘What are you doing out here at this time of the evening? You almost scared me to death,’ she panted, her heart slowing a little.
‘Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you. I was taking a walk when I saw all the candles and swung by for a closer look. You looked busy, so I thought it best to wait for you here.’
‘I was busy,’ she replied, curious as to why he would wait.
He stepped into the light of a nearby tiki torch and the warm glow lit up his face and dark hair.
Like molten gold, the firelight danced upon his skin and he almost seemed to glow.
She spied the slight shadows along his unshaven jaw, and yellow flames flickered in his eyes as he looked at her.
Crikey, this guy truly wasn’t at all what she’d expected.
‘So like I said, more of your romantic handiwork?’ he asked again, his gaze following her movements as she fidgeted. ‘You seem to have a knack for it.’
‘No matchmaking needed this time,’ Erin replied, looking back in the couple’s direction. ‘They’re already married. They just needed a little help getting in the mood.’
‘Ah, the Wi-Fi couple,’ he drawled, evidently putting things together.
She raised an eyebrow. ‘I can’t believe you remembered that.’
‘I remember a lot,’ he countered, his tone a little more serious.
‘For example—’ he stepped closer to her ‘—I remember you said that matchmaking doesn’t work for you personally,’ he whispered, and her heart began to beat hard in her chest. He was so close she could smell his cologne.
It was musky but not overpowering, the kind of scent that she wouldn’t mind getting used to.
‘I did say that.’ Her voice came out barely above a whisper, so she cleared her throat. She wasn’t about to let him know how much he affected her.
‘I think I can help you with that actually,’ Mack continued, and Erin could barely hear herself think from the pounding that had now developed in her ears.
‘What do you mean?’
‘I mean, it’s pretty obvious what your problem is.’
‘W-what?’ she asked, almost in a daze. His cologne was getting to her head, confusing her thoughts and muddling her tongue.
‘Like you told me before, your work is your life,’ Mack continued, stepping closer. ‘You spend so much time trying to prove yourself to everyone, that you forget to take the time to figure out what you want.’
‘What – so you’re a psychologist too?’
‘No, more a keen observer of people.’ He gently tucked a strand of flyaway hair behind her ear. The tip of his middle finger grazed her neck and her breath hitched at the contact.
‘And you’ve been observing me, apparently,’ she countered. The lump had returned to her throat again.
‘Yes. Ever since that day on the mountain.’
That took her by surprise. What did he mean? This was all very confusing. His presence here was supposed to be a business thing, but she couldn’t be sure what was going on. He blew so hot and cold.
Plus Erin knew deep down that, despite her initial determination to secure Mack as a resort business partner, she had gradually begun to wish more from him than that.
She fooled herself from the get-go, but now with him standing across from her in this light, the smell of his cologne swimming in her head, there was no denying it. She was seriously attracted to this guy. And that was not good.
‘Mack …’
He interrupted her. ‘Don’t get me wrong, you’re a force of nature, Erin.
’ He stepped closer. ‘I’ve seen you try to coerce me into a partnership with this place and then try even harder to fix your mistake.
I’ve watched you take on a mountain like you were taking on the world and even potentially put yourself in harm’s way by tackling creatures you know nothing about.
I’ve seen you go above and beyond to do nice things to help others – like those two awkward New Yorkers the other day – when most people wouldn’t have cared, and those cranky honeymooners too.
I’ve seen you do and do and do for this place, yet you never seem to ask for anything in return.
The question is, what do you want? For yourself? ’
‘That’s irrelevant, this is my job …’ The conversation was getting dangerous.
‘Let me finish,’ he silenced her gently. ‘People try to manipulate me all the time, be it in the corporate world or day-to-day life. A never-ending parade of people hoping to utilise me for their own gain.’
Erin felt a stab of remorse as she realised she’d been one of those people too.
‘But you …’ Again she felt the tickle of his fingers behind her ear, smoothing her hair behind it. ‘You actually care, don’t you? About people.’
‘It’s my job to care,’ she countered, honestly feeling like a bit of a fraud under this bout of unexpected praise.
‘No, there’s doing your job and then there is truly caring. What you did for Molly and Trevor was cute. Plus what you did for that couple on the beach. And making things that little bit easier for your staff too …’ When she looked up at this, surprised, he added, ‘Like I said, I’ve been watching …’
The beating in her ears was threatening to drive her mad as once again he stepped closer. She looked up at him in anticipation. She didn’t know what she hoped he’d say next.
‘And having seen you in action over the last week or so, I’ve been thinking a lot … about what you and I would be like together.’
There had to be some conflict of interest surely.
The problem was, Erin didn’t think she cared at that point.
She looked up at him, a rush of expectation flooding through her as she waited for Mack to say that he too had been feeling what she’d been feeling.
That he was as attracted to her, as she was to him.
‘The two of us working side by side would make a good team.’
Her heart dropped into her stomach.
‘You mean … you’ve changed your mind about partnering with the resort?’ she croaked, trying to swallow down her disappointment, though of course this was great news too.
‘Let’s just say I’m … in a better frame of mind to be persuaded.
’ He grinned noncommittally and Erin felt more confused than ever.
But it was a good thing, wasn’t it? Grant would be over the moon.
‘I was supposed to leave tomorrow and check out Breezy Shores next, but I’m going to stick around a little while longer,’ Mack told her, grinning mischievously.
‘There’s this big sunset party I keep hearing about and I’m looking forward to seeing what you’ve got planned. Sounds like it could be interesting.’