“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
Monte’s mind scurried in several different directions. There must be a way to break free. Tyger had the right idea. They needed to get these bindings off their wrists first, and then they could plan their escape.He breathed heavily for several seconds, trying to calm himself in order to think properly. Suddenly, and idea sprang to his mind and he sat up straight. “Tyger, you might be able to untie my hands.” He turned his back to her.“Okay, I’ll try.”When her fingers touched his, he held them for a few moments, enjoying the feeling of her skin against his. Slowly, she pulled her touch from his. Her fingers awkwardly fumbled with the ropes.Holding his breath, he hoped she’d be able to do this, but her quiet sobs of failure were growing louder.“I don’t think I can,” she said with irritation in her voice.“Don’t give up. I know you can do this.”“I&r
Breanna was grateful that Todd had given her the day off. After last night’s ordeal, there was no way she could return to work so soon. She’d never been so scared in her life. The police had arrived quickly last night, and arrested the three men. Thankfully, they weren’t completely finished loading their truck and so they were caught in the act. The police had asked Monte and Breanna questions afterwards. The TV stations had wanted in on the action, but Monte denied them any interviews, thank goodness.Being in that predicament made Breanna think clearly for the first time since she started going out with Tom. Now she knew beyond a doubt that breaking away from Tom was the best thing for her. Never again was she going to feel helpless.She realized with all that had happened, she’d forgotten about Ashley’s wedding gift. Breanna shrugged. Her friend would have to get it herself now.Breanna sat at the breakfast table and stared at he
Monte didn’t trust Tom as far as he could spit on him. Which was why Monte decided to hang around Breanna’s apartment and wait for the jerk to come to her place.Dressed in dirty-white coveralls and brown hiker-boots, and a white ball cap pulled low on his forehead, Monte stood by Tyger’s neighbor’s apartment as he pretended to be working on their window. He’d previously gotten permission from the landlord to do this, mainly because the neighbors were on vacation. Pat had never liked Tom, which made it easy for Monte to ask her if he could spy on them. Of course, he had to tolerate the way the older woman ran the palm of her hand up and down Monte’s chest as she stood too close to him, batting her fake eyelashes and puckering her neon-red pouty lips. But thankfully, he wasn’t in her presence for very long. That woman scared him!His cell vibrated in his pocket, and he quickly withdrew it and glanced at caller ID. It was his fat
Breanna didn’t know why she was playing with Monte’s emotions this way. She knew what he wanted, and one day, she would want the same thing. Just not tonight. Tom had hurt her not only physically but mentally, and she needed to get over her feelings. Monte was the right man for her, not Tom, but she still should heal before she gave her heart and body to the man she loved.“I would love for you to take care of me, even though it’ll be a first since nobody has ever taken care of me before.” She stroked his sexy trimmed goatee. “However, as much as I would love to see your bedroom again, maybe it’s too soon to become that close with you.”A frown marred his face, but there was a twinkle in his eyes that let her know he was playing along with her teasing. “Why did I know you were going to say that?”She chuckled. “After what I’ve been through with Tom, don’t you agree with me?”“Yes, you’re right. But we can still cuddle, can’t we?”“Of course. I’d be very upset if we didn’t.”His wide sm
“How do you want it done? Clean or really messy?”“Clean. My daughter doesn’t need to see blood.”Justin Monroe paused in the hallway of the semi-empty church as he heard his soon-to-be father-in-law talking to someone with a gruff voice. The voices were low, and they came from around the corner. The tone of the men’s voices left a bitter taste in Justin’s mouth.He glanced up the hallway. People were starting to arrive for the wedding rehearsal, and Justin had wandered the halls, looking for his soon-to-be father-in-law. Being a busy man, time was important to Justin. In less than three years, he’d turned his father’s oil company into a billion-dollar business, and keeping it successful took up most of Justin’s day.He pulled out his cell phone to check the time. The rehearsal was already running five minutes late.“I’ll wait until after their honeymoon in Fiji,” the man with the brusque voice said.Justin’s attention snapped back to the co