[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
teenagers. She had to let go of them and trust the man she saw today the one who d
never left his mother s side through a wrenching illness, held her as she died, then been a
rock solid support to those he loved. She d never even heard about him with someone
else, never heard that he d done what he did to her to another woman. Heck, he was
practically a saint. His reputation around town was pure gold because he said what he
meant and did the right thing. He d never so much as looked at another woman the entire
time they d been together. There had been no hang up phone calls, and he d given her
no reasons at all to think that he might dump her abruptly for anyone, even Sylvia.
As she was sitting on one of the benches in front of the vast, wild expanse of Ogunquit
Beach, she remembered something that solidified her faith in him his look of complete
and utter distaste when Sylvia appeared in front of them, as well as the way he d told her
off.
And he was telling her as a mature, stable, responsible man that he loved her and
would never leave her. Ninety nine percent of her wanted to hear him and believe him,
and that majority slowly beat her past insecurities into submission.
She loved him. More than enough to marry him and that had to be enough to trust him
completely with her heart, and know that he would cherish and keep it forever.
Well, you did, John answered flatly, rubbing his hand up and down her back and
snapping her rudely back to the present. I was inches away from calling the hospitals
just in case you d been in a wreck. I had all of my cop buddies on the lookout for you
where the hell were you, anyway?
She had the grace to look down. I drove to the ocean.
The ocean? You drove to Maine?
I like the ocean it helps me center myself when I m really troubled. I spent a lot of
time there on Ogunquit after my parents died. It soothes me.
I thought that was what I was for. He made her feel as if he thought she didn t value
him, or felt she couldn t turn to him when she was in trouble.
Laurel didn t really know how to explain it to him. I know, and you are. But this was
different.
He sighed. Because of our past.
Laurel fiddled with the collar of his golf shirt. Yeah. I just needed to get away by
myself and straighten my head out.
And that s fine. I m not your jailer. All I want is the courtesy of a note or a call or
something that lets me know that you re still alive and not lying in a ditch
somewhere . . .
She had never felt such remorse in her life. She never wanted to do anything in this life
to hurt this man. She loved him.
Her time by the sea had helped her enormously. Without the humdrum of normal life
away from phones and TV and radio and other people, she was able to sort through her
feelings and realize that she was no longer a naïve ingénue who let things happen to her.
She was stronger than that. Finally. Even if John decided to leave her for Sylvia again
which she highly doubted she d still be fine, and she could still have a good life. There
could be someone else out there for her, or maybe not. Either way, she would be fine.
Of course, she d be a helluva lot better with John in her life and in her arms every night,
loving her, fathering her children . . . keeping her in line . . .
It was the keeping in line part that came into play next.
A shudder ran through his big body as he closed his eyes and breathed against her cheek.
I thought you might be dead. Running that thought through his mind again tore him
apart as badly as if she wasn t in his arms, perfectly fine, right now.
Laurel s heart contracted at the emotion in his voice, and she tried to imagine how she d
feel if he had done the same thing to her. She leaned back, almost out of his arms,
although he obviously wasn t interested in letting her go for another few decades or so.
I guess you should spank me, then, huh?
John looked like he d swallowed a big juicy frog that got stuck in his throat, but she
could definitely forgive him. It certainly wasn t like her to admit she needed to be
spanked. It was much more likely that she would spend several long, futile moments
trying to talk him out of spanking her especially when it was going to be as bad as this
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]