Read Online Another Snowbound Christmas by Veronica Tower - Free Book Online Page A

couple of times since then.
    Ron pulled up into her driveway and turned off his car. His hands were literally trembling with agitation and he had to grab the steering wheel to cover the problem. She knew him well enough to know that he was really struggling to get control of his temper. “Look,” he said. “It's Christmas Eve and we just had our usual very bad time at my parents’ house. Let's not let that spoil our night. This should be the best time of the year for us.”
    Kara wanted to stop fighting, too, but she didn't want to just push the argument away and pretend it hadn't happened. “We started fighting before we ever got to your parents’ house,” she said.
    “I know,” Ron agreed. “But that was really a fight about my parents, too.”
    Kara tentatively reached out and touched him on the shoulder. At least they had stopped shouting at each other. “No, it wasn't,” she said trying very hard to keep her voice calm and gentle. “We were fighting over the shape...” She hesitated, looking for a better word. “...the texture...” No, that wasn't it either. She tried a third time. “We were fighting over the substance of our relationship.”
    Ron wasn't looking at her. He was staring at the windshield where the snow slowly accumulated on top of the glass. “So what you're telling me is that you don't want to have sex anymore.”
    A sense of exasperation surged through Kara's body. “Of course not, you idiot. I'm saying I want us to work on strengthening the other parts of our relationship.”
    Ron took a deep breath. He still wasn't looking at her. “I can do that,” he agreed, but to Kara's ears, his voice sounded strained and unnatural, perhaps even grudging.
    It depressed her. Maybe one year really was as far as this relationship was going to go.
    Not nearly ready to give up on him yet, she unfastened her seat belt and then leaned forward to kiss Ron on the cheek. “Thanks,” she murmured.
    Ron accepted the kiss like a statue, hands still tightly gripping the steering wheel as he stared through the windshield. “I do love you, Kara,” he whispered.
    She patted him on the shoulder again. “I know you do, Ron,” she said. “I just need you to find some new ways to express that love. I need you to find some new ways for us to grow together.”
    Ron sighed and his broad shoulders relaxed. He dropped his hands off the steering wheel, his right hand finding hers, covering it, and squeezing lightly. “I'll do my best,” he promised.
    Normally she would have expected him to kiss her when he said something like that, but this time Ron didn't do that. He didn't even look at her, which took away the reassurance Kara should have felt at his words. Did he think she was telling him she didn't want him to kiss her anymore? A feeling of dread, which she hadn't realized was taking shape in her heart, suddenly became noticeable.
    Ron opened the car door. “It's two hours until midnight Mass,” he said. “I was kind of hoping we were going to be making love around then, but since that obviously isn't going to happen, do you want to go ahead and get a drink and then drive out and meet my family?”
    Kara cringed. As a Baptist, she found the idea of attending a Catholic Mass particularly distasteful. It just wasn't something Baptists did. Add into that the presence of Ron's family—particularly Hanna—and she just couldn't stomach the notion. “We're home,” she said. “Wouldn't it be better to just be in for the night? We can watch a Christmas movie or something.”
    Ron nodded in agreement, but she knew him well enough to be certain he was unhappy with her plan. “I guess I'll go to Mass tomorrow morning while you're at Church with your family,” he said.
    Kara bristled. Ron had agreed to go to church with the Brennan clan tomorrow. If he didn't go that would provide even more ammunition for Mama in her never-ending campaign against him. But just as she was about to protest his decision, she