Free Forget Me Not by Marliss Melton

father?" he marveled.
    Helen frowned. The did Gabe had always touted himself as the better choice. "At least you didn't run the other way," she pointed out, defending him. He'd been startled upon meeting Mallory, there was no denying that. But he'd recovered quickly, determined, it seemed, to claim Helen for his bride, regardless of the luggage she carried with her.
    "Has he ever asked about her? Ever wanted to see her?"
    "Zach? No, never."
    Gabe shook his head, muttering something deprecatory under his breath.
    "What's gotten into you?" Helen demanded.
    "I can't understand a man running from his mistakes—not when there's a child involved."
    His words struck a funny chord in her. "Why not?" she countered. "That's exactly what you did. You hid at the office so that you wouldn't have to face the fact that you were married." She couldn't believe she had the gall to toss that out, especially when Gabe was being so considerate.
    His yellow-green eyes flashed in her direction. "Pull the car over," he said with resolve.
    "What?" There were mounds of sand on either side of the road. She was not going to pull over and get them stuck.
    "Pull over. Now." To her astonishment, he reached over and grabbed the steering wheel, driving two tires up the sandy embankment. Helen slammed on the brakes, and they came to a swerving stop.
    "What are you doing!" she yelled, turning toward him and whipping off her sunglasses.
    "Shhh," he said, catching her face with his hand.
    Helen froze. What in God's name was he doing? He wasn't going ballistic on her, was he? Just what kind of effect had his captivity had on him?
    His grip was gentle, thank God. His fingers strayed, caressing her cheekbone, the line of her jaw, her chin. Dazed, she stared into his eyes, snared by the web of sensual pleasure he was spinning on her face.
    "I want you to know something," he said, very intently, his eyes burning into hers. "Whatever happens to you and me, if it doesn't work out between us, I'll still take care of Mallory. I'll never do what Zach did and turn my back on her."
    Helen swallowed convulsively. Several times now in the short while that they'd been back together, he'd surprised her by saying the unexpected. Did he mean it? Why would he suddenly care about Mallory when he hadn't even given her the time of day before? There was only one reason she could think of. He was scared of losing his family; scared of being all alone with no career to occupy him.
    "I know what you're doing," she said quietly.
    He shook his head. "What?"
    "It won't work, you know. Paying attention to us now won't change the past."
    He released her abruptly and sat back.
    She felt like she'd just slapped him. Doubt tugged at her anew. Maybe she'd read him wrong.
    He looked out the window, averting his face.
    Helen struggled with herself. Part of her longed to take those words back, but it was better to be forthright, to make it absolutely clear that she didn't want to backtrack.
    Swallowing an apology, she fumbled to replace her sunglasses. She put the car into gear and drove them out of the sand, headed for home.
    They completed the trip in silence. Silence so thick it would take a jackhammer to break through it.
    She suspected she had actually hurt Gabe's feelings. That in itself was a novelty. For once, she was the one ignoring him and he was the one feeling rejected.
    She frowned at the realization. Had they switched roles since his return? Was she doing to him what he had done to her in some kind of subconscious reprisal?
    Darting him a glance, she caught a glimpse of his hopeless expression. Guilt pricked her anew. To think what the man had suffered this past year! Just because their marriage had been a disappointment, that didn't give her the right to be mean to him now.
    She nosed the car into their driveway and killed the engine. Just as Gabe started to push his door open, she reached for him, putting a light hand on his forearm. "I'm sorry," she said quickly, meaning it.
    He