Read Online BBW ROMANCE: BWWM Romance: A Cowboy’s Southern Comfort (Military Cowboy Pregnancy Romance) (Interracial Army Contemporary Fantasy Romance Short Stories) by Samantha Forest - Free Book Online
Authors: Samantha Forest
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I...I can’t allow myself to hope…”
I trailed off as a series of sobs broke through my voice once more. A moment passed before I felt a pair of strong arms wrap around my shoulders. I felt Michael’s callused hands pressing me into a hesitant but warm embrace for a moment before I returned his hold.
We stayed like that for a long while. Michael holding me on the bed as I grieved quietly. I grieved for Sean, for Rose, for the hope I once knew but had somehow lost.
After what felt like several hours, he pulled back but kept a strong hold on my shoulders. He looked into my eyes with an earnest expression.
“Mary,” he said. “No matter what happens, even if this girl isn’t who you think she is, you’ll always have a home. You’ll have a home and family with me. As long as you want one. You believe that, don’t you?”
He looked at me with a very vulnerable gaze, as if everything he held dear was riding on my answer. Looking at this man who had given me a second chance. Who had given me what I’d always wanted and never believed I could have, there was only one answer I could give.
“Of course, I believe that,” I said. “I’ve believed it since your very first letter to me.”
He seemed to let out a breath he was holding and I saw a relieved smile cross his face.
“Good,” he said. “Now, should we get you to your own room?”
I chuckled slightly at my mistake and allowed him to lead me up from the bed. As he walked me to the room set up for me down the hall, I knew that no matter what happened next week, or next month, or next year, I would be safe with this man.
***
One week later, Sam hurried through breakfast and excitedly made his way to the train station in town. It was the day his Rose...quite possibly my Rose was meant to arrive.
“There’s no point getting nervous,” Michael said looking at me with an amused smile as I pace the length of the entrance. “It won’t get them here any faster.”
“I can’t help it,” I told him. “It’s killing me not knowing what to expect.”
He laughed at me from his seat at the kitchen table across the room.
“Sometimes not knowing is half the fun,” he said. Normally, I would have laughed right along with him. But today, when my stomach was a ball of nervous knots and not even pacing could calm my anxious thoughts, I looked over at him sternly.
“Not for me,” I told him.
“No,” he answered standing from his chair. “You like things to be predictable. Don’t you?”
I heard him coming closer to me. I didn’t turn around to look. Instead, I settled on a spot by the window and began peering out, waiting for the wagon to come back.
“I just don’t like to be surprised,” I told him. “It sets me on edge.”
“I can see that,” he said. His voice was still laced with laughter. I paid it no mind. Instead, I listened for the pounding of horse hooves on the trail.
When I heard them, the clamping of the single horse pulling the wagon, I turned hastily towards the door.
As I did, I felt my foot catch on a loose board in the floor. I began to fall forward when a strong pair of arms caught me by the waist and pulled me back.
When I stood up, I was looking into Michael’s deep green eyes. We were so close that I could see the freckles on his nose, feel his warm breath on my face.
For a moment, we stared at each other. Then, simply, naturally, he closed his eyes and pressed his lips gently to mine. My own eyes flew closed and I reveled in the sensation. A warm pair of lips. Michael’s lips, moving on my own.
When he pulled back, what felt like a long time later, he smiled at me again.
“Remember,” he said in a low voice. “No matter what is waiting for you outside that door. You have a home. With me. Always.”
“Always,” I repeated with a gentle smile.
I heard the wagon roll towards the front door. The horse neighed its stop.
Michael smiled at me and offered his arm.
“Shall we go together?” he asked.
Unable
I trailed off as a series of sobs broke through my voice once more. A moment passed before I felt a pair of strong arms wrap around my shoulders. I felt Michael’s callused hands pressing me into a hesitant but warm embrace for a moment before I returned his hold.
We stayed like that for a long while. Michael holding me on the bed as I grieved quietly. I grieved for Sean, for Rose, for the hope I once knew but had somehow lost.
After what felt like several hours, he pulled back but kept a strong hold on my shoulders. He looked into my eyes with an earnest expression.
“Mary,” he said. “No matter what happens, even if this girl isn’t who you think she is, you’ll always have a home. You’ll have a home and family with me. As long as you want one. You believe that, don’t you?”
He looked at me with a very vulnerable gaze, as if everything he held dear was riding on my answer. Looking at this man who had given me a second chance. Who had given me what I’d always wanted and never believed I could have, there was only one answer I could give.
“Of course, I believe that,” I said. “I’ve believed it since your very first letter to me.”
He seemed to let out a breath he was holding and I saw a relieved smile cross his face.
“Good,” he said. “Now, should we get you to your own room?”
I chuckled slightly at my mistake and allowed him to lead me up from the bed. As he walked me to the room set up for me down the hall, I knew that no matter what happened next week, or next month, or next year, I would be safe with this man.
***
One week later, Sam hurried through breakfast and excitedly made his way to the train station in town. It was the day his Rose...quite possibly my Rose was meant to arrive.
“There’s no point getting nervous,” Michael said looking at me with an amused smile as I pace the length of the entrance. “It won’t get them here any faster.”
“I can’t help it,” I told him. “It’s killing me not knowing what to expect.”
He laughed at me from his seat at the kitchen table across the room.
“Sometimes not knowing is half the fun,” he said. Normally, I would have laughed right along with him. But today, when my stomach was a ball of nervous knots and not even pacing could calm my anxious thoughts, I looked over at him sternly.
“Not for me,” I told him.
“No,” he answered standing from his chair. “You like things to be predictable. Don’t you?”
I heard him coming closer to me. I didn’t turn around to look. Instead, I settled on a spot by the window and began peering out, waiting for the wagon to come back.
“I just don’t like to be surprised,” I told him. “It sets me on edge.”
“I can see that,” he said. His voice was still laced with laughter. I paid it no mind. Instead, I listened for the pounding of horse hooves on the trail.
When I heard them, the clamping of the single horse pulling the wagon, I turned hastily towards the door.
As I did, I felt my foot catch on a loose board in the floor. I began to fall forward when a strong pair of arms caught me by the waist and pulled me back.
When I stood up, I was looking into Michael’s deep green eyes. We were so close that I could see the freckles on his nose, feel his warm breath on my face.
For a moment, we stared at each other. Then, simply, naturally, he closed his eyes and pressed his lips gently to mine. My own eyes flew closed and I reveled in the sensation. A warm pair of lips. Michael’s lips, moving on my own.
When he pulled back, what felt like a long time later, he smiled at me again.
“Remember,” he said in a low voice. “No matter what is waiting for you outside that door. You have a home. With me. Always.”
“Always,” I repeated with a gentle smile.
I heard the wagon roll towards the front door. The horse neighed its stop.
Michael smiled at me and offered his arm.
“Shall we go together?” he asked.
Unable
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