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"I didn’t mean it Not a word"

"You don’t believe that I love you, do you?"

He waited a long time before he answered "I don’t know I think it’s too soon after Paul for you to knohat you’re feeling"

Lindy closed her eyes in an effort to control the urge to argue with him She did love hi out of her life for half a year, and her only thought was how she would e without him

She watched as a small pulse started in his teaze shot to his, and her eyes widened with astonishment Rush loved the sea The navy was ot out of bed everyShe’d listened for hours while he described for her the warh him when he was on the open seas She’d felt his pride and exhilaration when he spoke of standing alone against the force of a fierce stor about navy life It was his dream, just as the oceans of the world were his destiny

And he didn’t want to leave her What he felt for her was stronger than the lure of the sea

Tears shimmered in her eyes and she bit hard on her lower lip to hold them at bay Rush wouldn’t tell her he loved her – not ords It would have beenthat he didn’t want to leave her, he said everything

When Lindy had coain, she felt the tension in every line of his lovingly familiar face

"I want you to stay at the apart her fingers in a grip that was alht "Steve will be back soon, but he’ll only be here a feeeks, if that long"

Lindy nodded

"Then the place will be eed his words with an abrupt movement of her head

"It would be better if there was so here As it is now, an elars You’d actually be doing Steve and ree to say"

"I’ll… I’ll want to start contributing toward the rent"

"Fine Whatever you want When Steve arrives the two of you can work it out"

"What about when Steve is here?" Lindy asked "Where will I sleep?"

"He can have my room"

"But what about when you’re both here?"

Rush frowned, and then a strange, alht entered his eyes and a soft set to it Okay?"

"Okay"

"Anything else?" he asked

She dropped her gaze to his hand, which was holding hers "I love you, Rush, and P to miss you like hell"

He raised her hand to his lips, closed his eyes and kissed it gently

The coffee was ready by the ti Although she’d been physically andthree, maybe four hours of rest at the e of tears

Rush joined her at the table He wordlessly reached for theto her – apparently pretending she wasn’t there Lindy stood it as long as she could

"Would you like some breakfast?" she asked

He shook his head The stupid newspaper still presented a thin barrier between them

Whereas Lindy had felt loved and reassured after their talk the night before, thisshe felt lonely and bereft Rush hadn’t sailed away yet, but he ht as well have for all the coet dressed now," she whispered, hoping that would gain his attention

"Fine"

"Stop it, Rush"

That worked, and he lowered the paper, peering at her over the top of the page, his face clean of expression "Stop what?"

"That!" She pointed an accusing finger at the newspaper "I hate it when you do this"

"What hideous criuilty of now?"