The Man You'll Marry by Debbie Macomber Page A

you’re right about that,” he said, revving the engine.
    “You…you could let someone know,” she ventured. Maybe the rental agency would send someone out with a truck to find her.
    “I’ll see what I can do,” he agreed, then grinning broadly, took off at top speed down the beach.
    Although she’d made the suggestion that he go on without her, Shelly had assumed he wouldn’t take it seriously. She’d said it more for the sake of dignity, of preserving her pride. She’d been enjoying his company, enjoying the banter between them.
    As he vanished into the distance, Shelly squared her shoulders, determined to manage on her own—particularly since she didn’t have any choice. She’d been dragging her moped along for perhaps ten minutes when she noticed another moped racing toward her. It didn’t take her long to identify the rider, with his lithe, muscular build, as Mark. She picked up her pace, unreasonably pleased that he’d decided to return. He slowed as he approached her.
    “Still eager to be rid of me?”
    “No,” she admitted, smiling half in relief, half in pleasure. “Can’t you tell when a woman means something and when she’s just being polite?”
    “I guess not.” He smiled back, apparently in a jovial mood. “Rest,” he said, parking his own moped and taking hers. “A truck will be along any minute.”
    Shelly sank gratefully down on the lush sand. Marklowered himself onto the beach beside her. She plucked several blades of grass and began weaving them industriously together. That way, she wouldn’t have to look at him.
    “Are you always this stubborn?” he asked.
    “Yes,” she said quietly, giving him a shy smile. Shelly couldn’t remember being shy in her life. But something about Mark made her feel shaky inside, and oddly weak. An unfamiliar sensation, but she dared not analyze it, dared not examine it too closely. She turned away from him and closed her eyes, trying to picture Janice, the woman he was going to marry. Despite her usually creative imagination, Shelly couldn’t seem to visualize her.
    “Shelly, what’s wrong?”
    “Wrong?”
    “It’s not like you to be so quiet.”
    She grinned. They were barely more than acquaintances, and he already knew her. “Nothing.”
    “I think there must be.” His finger against the side of her face guided her eyes toward him. Their lips were so close. Shelly’s breath seemed to be caught in her throat as she stared helplessly into the bluest eyes she’d ever seen….
    His forehead touched hers, then he angled his face, brushing her cheek. Shelly knew she should break away, but she couldn’t make herself do it. Gently, deliberately, he pressed his mouth to hers, his lips warm and moist.
    Shelly moaned at the shock of sensation. Her eyes drifted shut as his mouth moved hungrily over hers, and soon their arms were wrapped tightly around each other, their bodies straining close.
    The sound of the approaching truck intruded into their private world and broke them apart. Mark’s eyes met hers, then he scowled and glanced away. But Shelly didn’t know whether he was angry with her or with himself. Probably her.

Seven

    “H ey,” Shelly said reassuringly, “don’t look so concerned. It was just an ordinary, run-of-the-mill kiss.” She stood and brushed the wet sand from her jeans. “Besides, it didn’t mean anything.”
    Mark’s scowl darkened. “Didn’t mean anything?” he echoed.
    “Of course it didn’t! I mean, we were both wondering what it would be like, don’t you think? Good grief, we seem to be running into each other every other day and it’s only logical that we’d want to, you know, experiment.”
    “In other words, you think the kiss was just a means of satisfying our mutual curiosity?”
    “Sure. All this nonsense about the wedding dress overcame our common sense, and we succumbed to temptation.” Thank goodness Mark seemed to understand her rambling. Shelly’s knees were shaking. It was a wonder