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Chapter 107

ผู้เขียน: Stephie Walls
last update ปรับปรุงล่าสุด: 2022-10-26 14:23:32
I'd thought having Dan in my class would be awkward, but it only took a few minutes for me to forget he was there and get lost in the group. These were all seniors who played beautifully. I used them as excuses to join in, which they graciously allowed me to do. By the end of the class, Brielle, the best in the bunch had challenged me to a dual of strings. I loved this form of banter, the way the mind worked to create quick snapshots of fantastic tricks to highlight a performer's skills. It was a conversation of sorts, a musical jousting, but with the right partner, it was fun and playful. Brielle reminded me of why I'd always loved the violin.

I conceded, granting her the win when the class was over. Each of the students talked gaily as they packed up their instruments. When I'd finished with my own and closed the case, Dan joined me at the podium.

"Bye, Dr. Jackson. Have a great weekend."

"You too. Stay out of trouble." I winked at Brielle knowing the girl likely couldn't spell
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  • The Bound Collection   Chapter 108: Past

    The police station had been godawful, but nothing compared to what I would face when I got home. I had talked to three different detectives who all had the same questions asked in a slightly different way, but my story never changed. I'd been exhausted. I had lived on three to four hours of sleep for months, and my body demanded rest. I had done the responsible thing. I pulled over when I realized I was too tired to drive. It was the afternoon on a busy interstate in Texas. The rest area was buzzing with people, taking a quick nap should not have resulted in anything catastrophic. Despite the number of times I recounted what I knew, another officer came in and repeated the same steps as though they were trying to get me to falter, but there was nothing to mistake. I didn't remember anything between locking the doors and waking up in the hospital. I'd sobbed with each officer, begged them to believe it had been an accident-but each one left the room with pained expressions. After six

    ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2022-10-26

  • The Bound Collection   Chapter 109

    I didn't have a clue what to wear to meet his best friend. This evening seemed more monumental than meeting his parents would have been. I'd heard more about Brett and Annie in the months I'd known Dan than I had about anyone in Dan's family. Brett's opinion of me held a lot of weight whether Dan wanted to admit that or not. "Penny, I promise you no one will care what you're wearing. Go comfortable. Please."I took him at his word and put on a fitted Vans T-shirt, snug fit boot-cut jeans, and my black Doc Martens. I glanced at him standing at my front door wearing dark wash jeans that fit perfectly and a shirt that appeared to have been made to highlight his gorgeous upper body and wondered what the hell he was doing with me. "What's wrong, beautiful?"I snickered. "We're quite a mix matched pair."He snaked an arm around my waist pulling me into him. "I think we're a perfect pair. And just wait, we aren't the anomaly you believe we are."We locked up my house and left Cosmo ex

    ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2022-10-26

  • The Bound Collection   Chapter 110

    We left Brett and Annie several hours later. "Come home with me." Dan didn't pose a question, he made a statement. We had yet to spend the night together. Today had been the first time we'd had sex, and he wanted to take it further. I knew by agreeing, our relationship was going from casual dating to commitment in twenty-four hours. Sex, meeting the best friends, spending the night-it was all a recipe for a serious relationship. My mind struggled to acquiesce, but my heart wanted to go. Nothing had ever felt so right, not even with Matt, but I wondered if my heart were leading me down a primrose path I wouldn't recover from. I hadn't been honest with Dan. He didn't know the skeletons in my closet, but he hadn't revealed any to me either. The desire to throw caution to the wind was strong."I didn't bring any clothes with me." "You don't need any." His heated gaze melted my remaining resistance. He didn't wait for my response. He turned his truck toward his house and took my ha

    ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2022-10-26

  • The Bound Collection   Chapter 111

    I'd barely walked in the door when my phone lit up with a text message. Expecting it to be Dan, I was surprised to see Annie's name. I'd forgotten we'd exchanged numbers last night before we left and certainly hadn't expected to hear from her this morning. She was going to the basketball tournament Dan had just dropped me off to attend and wanted to know if I wanted to go. He had just let me out at my house. He hadn't extended an invitation to watch him play. I worried I'd be overstepping my bounds.Annie: You're kidding me, right? He probably thought you wouldn't be interested. I never go to these things. Me: I just don't want to come off all clingy just because we had sex.That was probably more information than I should have shared.Annie: Wait, what? Like recently?Me: Yesterday was the first time.Annie: Dan Hadley has been dating you for how long and hadn't sealed the deal?Me: Stop. It's not a big deal. I just don't want him to think it created a huge shift in our relati

    ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2022-10-26

  • The Bound Collection   Chapter 112

    I'd cried since Dan left. I couldn't hold on to anything without killing it. Anything that depended on me would be sorely let down. He was a cat. I shouldn't be crushed, but it was almost as painful as losing Joshua. In some ways, I was like a recovering addict. They're not supposed to be in romantic relationships until they've completed a year of sobriety, and then programs suggest trying to keep a house plant alive for a year before embarking on a pet. I had done it all. I wasn't an addict, but I'd endured months of extensive counseling-I'd followed the rules. First Joshua, now my cat. It just didn't make sense except I was toxic to anything dependent upon me. The beating on my door scared the crap out of me. I was hesitant to go to the door at almost midnight. I approached quietly to see if I could see who was on the porch before I turned on the light."Lissa, baby, open the door." Dan's voice rang out in the night, booming against the door. It dawned on me he was kicking the doo

    ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2022-10-26

  • The Bound Collection   Chapter 113

    I had fallen asleep wrapped up in Dan's arms. Sometime during the night, he'd pulled a blanket over us but never let me go. When I woke to the brick wall that was his chest, a lazy smile crossed my cheeks. The warmth radiating off him surrounded me in a cocoon of security. Just for a moment, I wished I could suspend time. It was a pipe dream. I knew I had to wake him so he could decide about going to the basketball tournament. I roamed my hand across his chest and over his shoulder, memorizing the details as I went down his arm. The corners of his mouth tipped up, but he didn't open his eyes."Don't stop. That feels good." His voice was groggy and husky. If he hadn't had the night he had, I'd be all over him. Instead, I continued to trail my hand all over his exposed skin enjoying the feel of him under my fingertips. The swelling had gone down in his face, but he still had evidence of his feline encounter all over his arms. Hopefully, the scratches wouldn't leave scars. "What are

    ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2022-10-26

  • The Bound Collection   Chapter 114

    Annie and I had become fast friends. She had a small group of girlfriends, but they were currently on different paths. She was career driven, focused in a way most women never are because they're more interested in husbands and babies. I admired her and Brett for that matter. The more time we spent with them, the more I saw the intricate way their lives were woven with Dan's and just how easily they were bringing me into that fold. There was no longer a day that went by that I didn't receive messages from Annie; she wasn't big on talking on the phone, which suited me just fine. We met for lunch when she was out near the University and coffee after work. Having a girlfriend who wanted nothing more than to be my friend was priceless. She was pulling for Dan and me just as much as I was.The last time we'd met for coffee was the day I knew Annie valued our friendship as much as I did. Dan had told me for months she was a private person. Her past had been daunting, and she didn't share

    ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2022-10-26

  • The Bound Collection   Chapter 115

    I knew I'd beat him to his house and wasn't sure how comfortable I was going in alone. I wasn't going to snoop, but it was his personal space, and I didn't want to intrude. I warred with that silly notion for far longer than I should before I got out, found the key, and let myself in.Closing the door behind me, I took a single step before I noticed the vast number of flowers-all the color of my hair. Beautiful orange Marigolds, California Poppies, Lily of the Incas, and far more I didn't recognize. Petals littered the floor in a path between the vases. Everywhere I turned there were more I hadn't seen. Each vase took me a step closer to the living room where Dan sat on the couch with something in his hand. My heart threatened to beat out of my chest until I realized what he was holding was paper."Where's your truck?" My brow furrowed in confusion."That's the question you're choosing to lead with?" He roared with laughter. I stopped and gave him a look, the one that told him I

    ปรับปรุงล่าสุด : 2022-10-26

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  • The Bound Collection   Chapter 150: Epilogue

    Our story didn't stop at the courthouse. We had dinner with Brett and Annie that night and hovered around their kitchen table. My best friends allowed me to share Joshua with them and gave life to his memory. I showed them the only pictures I still had while holding Alissa in my arms. She smiled up at me as if she knew. That tiny human connected with me on a level she may never understand, but somehow, she knew-without Joshua, she wouldn't be here. Watching her run around with her friends as we celebrated her birth five years later, I couldn't help but think how foolish it would have been to walk away from all of this. Dan and I would never have children, but what we had was far better for us. Annie and Brett were more like siblings than friends, and their kids were amazing. We got to spoil them, take them anywhere we wanted, and send them home. We had family at holidays and special occasions, and we never missed out on anything either Grayson or Alissa were doing. But at the end of

  • The Bound Collection   Chapter 149

    I had called repeatedly, but each try had gone straight to voicemail. Either his phone was off, or it died without being charged overnight. I didn't want to speculate about which it was. I drove as quickly as I could and slammed the SUV in park in the first spot I could find before racing into the courthouse. I followed the signs to the Justice of the Peace, but when I reached the office, completely out of breath, Dan was nowhere to be found. The clock on the wall read 10:11 am. My eyes scanned the room, making sure to identify each person as a stranger before moving on to the next face. Surely, he hadn't left after ten minutes. He had to know I'd come. A guy slammed into my shoulder in his haste to rush out of the office, not even bothering to apologize for nearly knocking me over. But standing stock-still in the middle of the doorway probably wasn't the best idea. I just couldn't believe he'd left. I waited for hours for Matt to show up at the hospital, but Dan hadn't waited ten lo

  • The Bound Collection   Chapter 148

    My night had been restless, and just as quiet as the evening after Dan and I had gotten out of the bathtub. He left after dinner and went to Brett's house, but I didn't have the courage to ask him what he'd done while he was there. He returned in the same mood he'd left in, the one he was known for. To an outsider, he appeared unwavering-but I knew with time to think about it, he'd decide he couldn't stay."Did you want to get a new dress for tomorrow?" "For what?""To go to the courthouse? Or do you want to do the whole thing off the wall and wear jeans?" He kept unloading the dishwasher like he had asked what I needed from the grocery store. "I didn't think we were still doing that?" Maybe he'd taken up drinking.He turned toward me suddenly, dropping a dishtowel he'd used to dry his hands with. "What are you talking about? You said Monday. Tomorrow is Monday.""Dan...""No, don't Dan me. Has something changed that you don't want to marry me now?"Oh, for the love of God. I

  • The Bound Collection   Chapter 147

    I stood in the spot he left me in when he returned with towels from the dryer. He set them on the counter, turned off the water in the now full tub, and removed his clothes. I watched in a trance until he was before me with nothing on. With my hand in his, he stepped over the side of the bathtub and then helped me in. The garden tub was made for two, and I nestled myself between his legs while he leaned back. The bubbles created a cover, hiding our bodies except for the parts of us not under the water. My fingers fidgeted nervously with the white foam until he took my hand and wound his fingers between mine.He might have been waiting for me to start, but I didn't know what to say. The silence was painful, and I ran through the scenarios of how this might play out...none of which ended well."What was his name?" The words of inquiry fanned out against my skin like a warm blanket. They were gentle and softly spoken, inviting me to open up about a piece of me I hadn't shared with anyon

  • The Bound Collection   Chapter 146

    We walked into the sanctuary with two minutes to spare. Brett quickly found Dan, and Annie was in a tizzy. Alissa was nestled into a cradle her dad had created with his arm completely unaffected by her father's helpless panic. "Dude, slow down. What's wrong?"I held Dan's hand in front of Brett, but Alissa had my attention. Just as Brett started to answer Dan's question, Annie came around the corner. Her face was flush, and if I had to bet, I'd say she was roughly two minutes from pulling her hair out.I hadn't heard anything Brett said to my fiancé. The moment Annie got close enough, I saw why she was distressed. Grayson had spit up all over his christening gown...and it stunk, even from here.People started to fill the pews. "What do you need me to do, Annie?"Brett stepped in, suddenly relieved and in control. "Nothing. We're good. Dan went to get stuff out of the car."My brow scrunched in confusion. I had no idea what was going on or how Dan was helping."Seriously, Lissa.

  • The Bound Collection   Chapter 145

    The time on my phone couldn't be right. There was no way it was a quarter to eight. Somehow in my haste to get to sleep I either hadn't turned on my alarm or had turned it off an hour ago when it rang. I threw the covers back and practically fell out of bed. The thud of my body on the floor woke Dan whose concern, while well intended, only slowed my progress out the door."Let me go. I have fifteen minutes to get to Annie's house, and I had planned to shower before I went."He didn't relinquish his grasp on me once he got up. "Lissa, calm down. You aren't going to do anyone any good in a panic." I relaxed until I felt the tension in his arms subside and then made my break. "I'll be back. Can you get the gifts out of the closet and throw them in the bags on the kitchen counter? There's tissue paper there, too.""Sure, where are they?"I raced around tearing my pajamas off to put on a bra and some real clothes. As much as I loved Brett, I wasn't interested in him seeing any more of

  • The Bound Collection   Chapter 144

    "You look like shit, Lissa. Did you have a baby that keeps you up at night, and I missed it?"I swung my attention to Annie to find her giggling to herself. "You don't look so hot yourself, heifer." The wink I shot her direction ensured she saw my playfulness. "I haven't slept all that well the last couple nights." I didn't need to tell her why."Bad dreams?" She'd become a pro at this whole parenting gig. She never missed a beat with either kid and managed to hold completely coherent, adult conversations while breastfeeding one and changing the other. Anyone else would need more hands but not Annie Ryann. "I don't know what it is. Just not getting a lot of rest."She stopped what she was doing and gave me the eye. The one that told me she didn't believe a word I said. I scooped Alissa up and ignored her."Spill it.""There's nothing to spill. I'm just not sleeping well.""Are you nervous about getting married?"Her question was natural, based on the fact that event loomed jus

  • The Bound Collection   Chapter 143

    I'd spent most of the summer with Annie, Alissa, and Grayson while Dan and Brett worked. As my vacation neared its end, I got excited about returning to work. I couldn't wait to be around my students again and the music. I dreaded seeing Rob, but hopefully, he'd be somewhat human now that some time had passed. I hadn't heard from him in the time I'd been off except for the email he sent out to the department today about meetings over the next couple weeks. It would be strange being away from the kids. Annie and I were more like co-mothers, with her taking the lead and the long nights. But I'd spent several of those with her as well. I knew how exhausting one infant was...I couldn't leave her alone with two, and Brett still had to work. Maybe it was an excuse to feel like I was an important part of their lives and their team. Maybe it gave me a piece of what I'd lost years earlier. Either way, I found myself having to be pried away from them. When I told Annie to let me know if I got

  • The Bound Collection   Chapter 142

    The addition of Alissa Danielle to our tribe had been profound. I loved being able to walk across the driveway to relieve my friend in the morning so she could shower, take a nap, or whatever else she was in the mood to do. I didn't care what it was. I'd help her with laundry, cleaning, anything to keep her from experiencing the sleep deprivation that had caused the end of the world I knew. It was twice as bad for her because with each passing day, she became more pregnant and less able to move...or stay awake. I took advantage of the time she granted me with Alissa and tried to maintain the bond the two of us shared. I knew it would change over time, but I hoped as she grew older it would strengthen in different ways. I wanted to be her friend, her confidant, her second mom. In the few weeks she'd been alive, Dan and I both had fallen head over heels for her. But at the end of each day, we got to go next door, have sex as loudly as we wanted to, stay out until all hours of the night

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