Monte didn’t know if he could be this close to Tyger without wanting to be closer. He would have swept her away into a passionate kiss, but he could tell how uncomfortable she was. He didn’t want to embarrass her any further.
He must keep their conversation going. When there was silence between them like this, his thoughts were all over the place, making him want her that much more. He really didn’t know how to stay calm when his heart sped so quickly with eagerness.
He finished the mouthful of pancake in his mouth before speaking. “Do you want a taste of my buttermilk pancakes? They are so good.”
He cut a small piece and brought it to her mouth. She hadn’t been eating her muffin, just playing with the crumbs on the table. She hesitated as she looked at the piece of food, before opening her mouth. He moved the fork inside her mouth until she bit into it. Her beautiful eyes remained on him the whole time.
His heart leape
Monte helped carry Breanna’s many bags of clothes into her apartment. The time spent with her today had been Heaven on earth. He couldn’t think of another time in his life when he’d enjoyed himself so much. Unfortunately, the day was drawing to a close, and soon he’d have to say good bye.But before that happened, he had to change her mind about her so-called boyfriend.She piled the bags on the floor by the couch before plopping down on the cushion and releasing a gush of air from her mouth. He set the bags in his arms down beside her and then joined her on the couch.“Whew, what a day,” she exclaimed wearily.“You can say that again. But we got so much done, so it was worth it.”She nodded. “It was worth every minute.” She leaned her head against the back of the couch. “I can’t believe I let you talk me into getting all of those clothes.” Frowning, she rolled her head t
Breanna felt like she was a teenager entering a new school when she walked into the office building. As she readied herself for work this morning, her stomach was in knots. What would her co-workers think of her new look?Ashley was the first to see her. Her jaw dropped, and she jumped out of her chair so quickly it bumped against the cubicle wall.“Oh… my…” Ashley shook her head. “What happened to you?”Because of Ashley’s loud voice, the others in the room were alerted to Breanna’s presence. Within seconds, all of her co-workers swarmed around her, oohing and ahhing over her hair, new dress, and shoes. Breanna didn’t really want to tell them every little detail, so she explained that the party had convinced her to get a new look.Ashley laughed and elbowed Jackie standing next to her. “Yeah, I bet it was Monte who changed Breanna’s mind.”Heat rushed to Breanna’s chee
Breanna blinked her teary eyes and shut the door. Tom had just left her apartment, angrier than she’d ever seen him before.Just as she thought, he didn’t like her new look. His first reaction was accusing her of being with another guy. Guilt had nearly choked her, but she couldn’t confess who had really instigated her transformation.When Tom began throwing insults her way and calling her degrading names, she knew it was time to put her foot down. It scared her half to death, but she told him to leave her apartment if he couldn’t calm down. He’d shouted out a few more degrading names before storming out the door.This wasn’t how she wanted things between them to go. It was hard not to remember what Monte had said about Tom. Could Monte have been right all this time? Because of Tom’s reaction, she could see that he was trying to control her. All these years, he’d been suffocating her, and she hadn’t even real
“Of course I wasn’t thinking of you,” she lied and turned back toward the paintings. “If you must know, this house and the paintings, reminds me of the Victorian era, and I was just imagining what it might have been like to live back during that time.”Monte moved beside her as his attention shifted to the paintings. “Believe it or not, I would have loved to live back in those days.”She stared directly at him. “Really? Why?”“Because people didn’t look down their noses at the sons of rich men. Back then, people didn’t mind if the son of a rich guy didn’t do anything during the day. In fact, having a laborious job was frowned upon by high society gents and ladies.” He folded his arms across his wide chest. “Sons of rich men were the kind of guys the old bats wanted to marry their ugly daughters to.”Breanna understood the point he was trying to make, but she st
“I understand now,” she whispered. “And I appreciate your attention toward me. Too bad some wonderful man couldn’t have swept Linda away.”“You don’t know how many times I think that. If only someone cared about her, she would be alive today, and she would be a successful woman. If only she had waited, her life would have changed. I just know it.”She nodded. “I wonder what my life would have been like if my parents had lived.”He rubbed her fingers. “But it’s useless to look back. We must move forward.”“So true.”He closed the space between them and cupped her face with his hands. “Tyger, my love, thanks for being here with me tonight. You don’t know how much it means to me that you came.”“You’d mentioned that you’d go crazy by yourself, and I… I didn’t want that to happen to such a sweet man.”
Monte couldn’t wait to get out of the bedroom. Several times he’d wanted to kiss her passionately. But she’d broken his heart already, and he didn’t want to continue feeling that pain. Strange to think they’d only known each other a few days, and that he had allowed himself to be struck by Cupid’s arrow. That had never happened to him before.If they had remained on his bed, he would have succumbed to temptation and kissed her, and never stopped. Yet, he knew she was only here because she and Tom had argued. She confessed that she still didn’t know her feelings, and Monte couldn’t push the issue. He needed to allow her to think this matter through clearly. All he could do was pray that she’d consider him over Tom.When they reached outside, he stopped them. She looked at him with wide, questioning eyes. He grinned and pointed out toward the yard. The outdoor lights were lit brightly, making it easy for her to see th
Breanna hadn’t been able to catch her breath since last night with Monte. She’d almost told Monte she loved him. Why would she do that? She really needed more time to figure out her feelings for Monte. If she wanted him just because Tom was being a jerk, that wouldn’t be fair to Monte. She definitely didn’t want to hurt him.She sat at her desk at work, staring at the computer screen. Once again, she couldn’t concentrate. Monte had filled her thoughts so often since she met him, and she couldn’t decipher her own feelings.Or could she?She’d lain awake most of the night thinking about Monte and thinking about the wonderful things he’d done for her. He had made her feel like a woman. Tom had never accomplished that. Monte had made her laugh, and she wasn’t afraid to speak her mind with him. Not Tom. She was afraid of his temper. And Monte had made her feel beautiful. Never in her life had anyone made her feel
Just as Breanna finished her project and sent it to her supervisor’s email, she leaned back in her chair and sighed. For a while, she wondered if she’d be able to complete it at all. Monte had definitely put her under a spell, and she couldn’t stop smiling and laughing. Her co-workers noticed her change, and they even commented on it. Remarkably enough, it didn’t embarrass her.Whatever Monte had done to her, he’d given her more self-confidence than she’d had in a long time. He’d made her feel good about the person she was, inside and out.The phone on her desk rang, and she quickly answered it. “Thanks for calling Upbeat. This is Breanna. How can I help you?”“Hi.”The man’s voice on the other end of the phone was not Monte’s. Disappointment crashed over her, but when she recognized who it was, her nerves jumped with anxiety. She repeated in her mind, Tom will not
Fear kept Brooke’s feet frozen to the floor. Her mind screamed at her to move – to run – to hide. But her body wouldn’t listen.He’s going to catch me. And kill me!Closing her eyes, she held back the tears. She was a failure. As much as she had tried to not let her cousin’s degrading comments get to her these past several months, Brooke heard Robin’s voice ringing in her memory, telling her that she was nothing but trash – that she was a disgrace to the family.All Brooke had to do was sneak into the room, take a few pictures, and leave. Well, she’d done most of the things on her list.She listened to her uncle’s hurried footsteps coming her way. There was no place to hide in this room where he wouldn’t eventually find her. She might as well stay. Perhaps she could pretend to be asleep on his couch and tell him she’d taken too many migraine pills… since that’s what happened with Justin and the Jeep. And, her uncle did know she suffered from migraines.She glanced around the room until
Brooke’s whole body trembled as she walked alongside her sister toward Uncle Tony’s luxurious home. As a child she’d been in awe of him and his wealth. Now, she pitied the man who had to break the law just to provide for his spoiled daughter and stuffy, arrogant wife.During the drive here, Tiffany had chatted nonstop about Robin’s heartbreak, and the horrible man who’d broken Robin’s heart. Brooke tried to act sympathetic while listening to her sister, but she couldn’t stop the elation growing within her. Justin hadn’t been horrible when he dumped Robin. He’d been smart.Brooke and her sister stopped on the porch. Tiffany was a foot taller than Brooke, but just as slender. Flipping a lock of her chestnut colored hair over her shoulder, Tiffany gave Brooke a stern look.“Do not make Robin upset.” Brooke managed to hold back the laugh that threatened to escape from her mouth. She nodded. “I don’t plan on doing that, Tiff. I’m not the monster she has told people that I am.”
“Justin?”The sweet voice behind Justin pulled him from his conversation. He turned on the bed and faced Brooke, standing in the doorway, looking so beautiful. She clutched her hands to her stomach.“Hold on a moment, Brad,” Justin told his friend on the phone before smiling at Brooke. “What is it, angel?”Slowly she walked to him and stopped in front of him, touching his arm. “I think I can help you with Uncle Tony.”He arched an eyebrow. “You can?”“I know something that can put my uncle in prison.”“Really?”Nodding, she took a deep breath and slowly released it. “He smuggles illegal immigrants over the border, which is how Snakes came to work for him. He hires them, so he can get away with not paying them a full wage.”“Are you kidding me?” Justin’s heart hammered. He grasped her hands as excitement shot through him. There might be hope in getting Tony arrested after all.“And, there’s more.” Her smile widened. “He gives them fake ID’s and social security numbers.”“How do you kno
Brooke didn’t know what to believe anymore. Obviously, she couldn’t trust her own heart. Justin had made her trust him. He’d made her fall in love with him, too. True, he didn’t force her, but because of his actions and words, how could she not have become transfixed by his charm? How could she have gone unaffected?Now she didn’t know whether to trust him or not. But hearing Justin say he wouldn’t marry Robin made Brooke’s heart sway toward forgiving him. She wanted to believe Justin. He’d shown her a wonderful, kind and loving man these past twenty-four hours. He might have apologized to her, but it was difficult to know what to believe anymore.Sitting by the fire didn’t accomplish anything, especially when she could hear him on the phone. He’d made several calls. One of them was to his mother as he explained in a sharp voice why he would never marry Robin. He’d even told his mother not to interfere in his life ever again.Quietly, she snuck back down the hall and stopped in front
Justin sighed one long exasperated breath and ran his fingers through his hair. “Yes.”“You’re, Justin… Monroe? The same man engaged to my cousin?”“Correct again. I was engaged to Robin.”Tears swam in Brooke’s eyes, her lips quivering. “You – you – lied to me?”He squeezed his eyes closed and swore softly. Looking at her, he shook his head. “I didn’t lie to you. I just didn’t tell you my last name.”“Why?” her voice rose.“Because at first it didn’t matter, then once we got to talking, I didn’t want to tell you because then I knew you wouldn’t open up to me.”“That’s a stupid excuse, Justin.”Inwardly he growled and grasped her wrist, but she pulled it free again. “Brooke, will you just listen?”“Listen to a liar? No, I’m done listening to you. I’m done being fooled by all men!”“Brooke, please understand, I didn’t tell you the truth because I wanted you to get to know me. The real me – not the fiancé of a Robin Pierpont. Believe me, they are two different people.”“Believe you?” Sh
Justin hoped he’d proven his theory about good guys. Not once did Brooke seem uncomfortable around him, and he was willing to bet her feelings for him were also getting stronger. Although he hadn’t known her for a full day, he’d never forget Brooke or this weekend.She tempted him on many occasions, and he could tell she wanted to kiss him, but he held himself strong and tried to make their time together productive. They played every board game Brad had in the cabin, and when they ran out of games, they made up some of their own.They laughed so much, his sides hurt. But he enjoyed sharing this time with her. She made him feel alive, once again, and he’d missed that over the years.She didn’t ask him about his life, for which he was relieved. Brooke wouldn’t take the news about his engagement to Robin very well, so he avoided the subject. Thankfully, she didn’t ask what his last name was, either. He was certain Tiffany had mentioned it.For dinner, he scrounged through the cupboards a
Justin’s chest ached, and he actually felt her pain. As he continued to stroke her silky hair, he prayed that he’d be able to stay strong for her. She needed comfort and support since nobody had given that to her, and he wanted to be the man who understood. The one man she could trust.His heart broke into pieces as he imagined all she’d gone through. What could be worse than being physically abused and then having friends and family turn their backs and distrust you?“After a few weeks had passed,” she continued in a strained voice. “I discovered I was pregnant.”The statement took him totally unaware, and when she lifted her head to look into his face, he knew she saw shock.“Yes, you heard me correctly.” She blinked away the liquid filling her eyes again. “I had the hardest time deciding whether or not I should keep the child or put it up for adoption.” She pulled herself straight, but he still kept his arms tight around her. “Anyway, my pregnancy started showing and I was beginnin
Justin arose from his sleepless night, turned and slung his legs over the side of the bed. He rubbed his eyes then peered through half-closed lids at the alarm clock on the nightstand. Eight a.m. It’d been quite a while since he’d awakened this late. The change was nice.He stretched before sliding his feet into Brad’s slippers sitting on the floor. The morning chill caused goose bumps to ripple over his skin, so he hurried to the closet to find Brad’s robe. Justin pulled on the heavy terrycloth, tying the sash around his waist.Turning toward the window, he opened the shade and squinted against the sun’s brilliant glare as it touched the snow-covered ground. The impact of last night’s blizzard had left the mountains covered in white powder, but this morning only a few flakes drifted from the sky.He yawned, shaking the sleep out of his mind before heading into the living room to start a fire. As he set the wood in place, his mind drifted back to last night. Brooke had left him in a f
A moment of silence stretched through the air as Justin listened to Vince Gill’s song. The singer’s soothing voice echoed through the room, creating a cozy feeling. Justin closed the glass doors to the fireplace, and Brooke’s angelic hum rose above the crackle of the burning logs.Relaxing against the wall, he let himself enjoy the music as her voice blended with the singer’s. It had been so long since he enjoyed anything. Justin’s hectic life kept him going in one direction or another, not allowing a moment for himself. It was a miracle he’d even had time to date Robin, let alone get engaged. Thanks to his meddling mother, he’d somehow found the time to pop the question. Or maybe she’d popped the question. He couldn’t remember.In fact, his mother was the one who purchased the ring because his schedule was so time-consuming and he kept forgetting. His interfering parent reserved the perfect restaurant and she made sure the limousine picked him up from the office to deliver him there