The Road to Rose Bend, Naima Simone [jenna bush book club .TXT] 📗

tongue, hot and immediate. But before it could burst past her lips, she trapped it. Could she? She’d told Cole about the book of her heart, something she hadn’t discussed with anyone. But could she take this last step and risk another rejection from another husband?

Cole isn’t Daniel.

No, he has even more power to devastate me.

Go shop for those big girl drawers and pull them on. And stop being so damn dramatic while you’re at it.

Screw you.

Oh wonderful. Now she was arguing with herself. And losing.

“Okay,” she murmured. Before she could change her mind, she snatched up the computer, powered it back up and set it on Cole’s thighs. Then she rose from the couch and strode toward the front door.

“Where are you going?”

“For a walk.” She threw him a narrowed glance. “And don’t try to tell me I should be taking it easy. A walk will be good for me, and I can’t sit in this house while you read my book.”

The corner of his mouth twitched, but he wisely didn’t attempt to convince her to stay. “Be careful,” he said.

She nodded and, opening the door, headed outside. For the next hour, she strolled around the beautiful, quiet area that included several rental cottages, along with the buildings belonging to the Dennisons. The late summer afternoon ambled into early evening, but the sun still spilled its rays over the rich green yards, filtering through the trees. Peace wrapped around her like a comforting blanket, and as she stood at the end of Cole’s driveway, peering at the majestic mountains beyond, she gently rubbed her belly.

“I’ve made some mistakes in my life, jellybean,” she said, and smiled at the little poke that could’ve been a foot or hand. “But despite all my initial doubts, moving back here isn’t one of them. I’ve done right by you in this.” As if agreeing, her stomach lifted in another nudge, and Sydney laughed. Anyone passing by might wonder why she was laughing to herself, but she didn’t care.

As she turned to the house and started up the walkway, that peace started to ebb, and anxiety waltzed in.

“You can’t hang out here all night,” she grumbled, marching up the sidewalk to the small porch. “Whatever he’s going to say, he’s going to say. And you can take it.”

With those determined words ringing in the air, she twisted the knob and entered the house.

“I wondered how long you were going to stand out there,” Cole murmured, glancing up from the laptop.

She scrutinized his shuttered gaze and unsmiling face, her heart thudding against her rib cage. Suddenly, her tongue felt thick in her mouth and she could barely swallow. Say anything! Tell me!

“There are two things I now know for certain,” he stated, his voice even. A little too even. “One, your ex is a complete asshole. And two...” He shook his head, and for the first time since she reentered the house, his eyes softened and a note of reverence colored his voice. “Baby girl, you’re brilliant. You’re fucking brilliant, and I suspect Daniel recognized it and tried to dim that dazzling light so you wouldn’t leave him. He was afraid you wouldn’t need him.”

Placing the laptop on the cushion beside him, he stood and crossed the room. Which was good. Because she couldn’t move, stunned by his passionate, husky words.

You’re fucking brilliant.

...tried to dim that dazzling light...

Tears stung her eyes, and she squeezed her eyes shut against them. Against that gleam in his eyes that had her longing to do foolish, reckless things like throw her arms around him and beg him to let her into his heart...to love her.

Because, God help her, she loved him.

As hard as she’d tried to guard her heart, she’d failed.

She’d loved him as a friend. And now she loved this broken, tortured and walled-off man with the heart of the woman who’d experienced loss, disappointments, heartaches. A woman who should know better.

But when he’d put aside his own pain to make sure she wasn’t alone at her doctor’s appointment... When he’d never been embarrassed about being seen with the town black sheep... When he’d offered his name, his home and his future to protect her and her baby... Each instance of sacrifice, of kindness, of vulnerability had chipped away at her resolve until he’d slipped inside her heart before she’d even been aware.

Now it was too late.

And call it woman’s intuition, a sixth sense or just plain superstition, she knew she would pay for that mistake.

“You going to give me those eyes, baby girl?” he whispered. “I need them.”

No. Because then you’ll see I betrayed our bargain. And you’ll run faster.

After a moment, she did as he asked. But not before granting herself a much-needed pause to put her shields back in place. Better than leaving herself so vulnerable to him that she might as well be standing there naked with her arms open, her chest unprotected. No, as much as she loved him, she still didn’t trust him with the heart that now belonged to him.

“Good,” Cole softly praised. “I need you to look at me, so you see I’m telling you the truth. You’re a grant writer, and I don’t doubt a fine one. But that’s not all you are. Because what I just read? You deserve to be on a shelf in a bookstore, your name right next to your favorite bestsellers. And if you want to pursue it by yourself, I’ll support you one hundred percent. Or if you want my help, I’ll give it to you and still support you one hundred percent. Because you’re that damn good.”

Relief spiraled through her, and she clutched his forearms, leaning forward until her forehead pressed against his pectoral muscle. Quick on the heels of the relief, though, surged an indescribable joy laced with equally sharp pain. Joy because of obvious reasons. She hadn’t been expecting his reaction. Even though she’d trusted him with her book, there’d remained a tiny bit of her that had anticipated the