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Authors: J. J. Ranger
Tags: Romance
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trips to Europe, or one to two days out of the quarter to New York?"
She met his stare. “What if it were both? Sometimes a trip is required to Europe and at other times the trips could be day trips."
"I think the person needs to consider carefully what is more important—the family or her career."
"Why can't she have both?"
He lifted one shoulder in a half-shrug. “She could, but I know some women who don't know how to juggle a career. I want my woman to want to be with me. I don't want to have to worry about if she is going to walk out on me the second her job comes calling."
Did he really think she'd bolt the second the job asked her to? Of course, he did. She'd done it before at the first opportunity of her career.
Looking back, she regretted the decision to leave Dustin, but at the time, she'd needed to go. What could she have offered him at nineteen? Carolyn had only shown her how mothers ran away, and his mother had been such a perfect wife and mother, she made Shannon feel inferior as a woman. Her career had helped her learn about herself, and she'd grown up emotionally.
After this weekend, Shannon knew she wanted to be with Dustin, but after years of guarding her heart, she didn't know if she could fully let go and give in to him.
She needed some space to think and process so she pushed off the bed. “I'm going to take a shower."
"Shannon, wait."
Repressed tears clogged her throat, making it impossible to answer. Once inside the bathroom, she closed the door with a soft click. After all this time, they finally had another chance together, and it was crumbling right before her eyes. He was right there within arms’ reach, and as panic welled in her chest, she worried she was going to pull a Carolyn and bolt. Why, all of a sudden, when they were talking about family and serious relationships, did she feel trapped? Maybe she really was like her mother.
Would his opinion change if he knew she wasn't going back to New York? With her taking the job in San Antonio, he'd probably still hate the idea of a career wife. But why couldn't she have both the job and the man she loved? Probably because neither of them trusted she was strong enough to stay.
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Chapter Six
In the master bathroom, Shannon fiddled with the dials until the water temperature was just right. She slipped out of her clothes and stepped under the spray, cool water sluicing over her body. Finally the tears came. Tears for Gran, tears for her broken heart.
The glass door opened with a pop and Dustin climbed in. “Shannon, we should talk."
She shook her head, keeping her gaze on the dials. She didn't want him to see her red, puffy eyes. “There's no need. You want a forever family, and I've got my career. I don't know that I'm the type to be a forever person."
He sighed and ran his wet hands down the curve of her spine. “Can we not think about the future right now?” He palmed her ass, gently caressing the flesh before letting one finger slip between her cheeks to tease the puckered hole.
Despite her mental torment, her breasts ached with desire and her clit twitched. She wanted Dustin, wanted to experience every tasty bit of him—again.
"Ignoring it won't do us any good, Dusty. You know it and so do I."
Heat emanated from his body as he stepped closer, fitting the length of his cock between her ass cheeks and along her now sopping slit. “I'm not going to lie and say I don't still have feelings for you, Shay, but I don't want to spend our last night together arguing. I know I said I don't want a weekend fling, but I will take whatever time I can get with you. Even if that means just tonight.” His lips pressed to the nape of her neck. “Let me love you just for tonight."
She nodded. With her head and heart in turmoil, maybe one night was all she could handle right now. She, too, would take what she could get of him. Later, she'd figure out how to deal with the hurt of seeing him around town, knowing she
She met his stare. “What if it were both? Sometimes a trip is required to Europe and at other times the trips could be day trips."
"I think the person needs to consider carefully what is more important—the family or her career."
"Why can't she have both?"
He lifted one shoulder in a half-shrug. “She could, but I know some women who don't know how to juggle a career. I want my woman to want to be with me. I don't want to have to worry about if she is going to walk out on me the second her job comes calling."
Did he really think she'd bolt the second the job asked her to? Of course, he did. She'd done it before at the first opportunity of her career.
Looking back, she regretted the decision to leave Dustin, but at the time, she'd needed to go. What could she have offered him at nineteen? Carolyn had only shown her how mothers ran away, and his mother had been such a perfect wife and mother, she made Shannon feel inferior as a woman. Her career had helped her learn about herself, and she'd grown up emotionally.
After this weekend, Shannon knew she wanted to be with Dustin, but after years of guarding her heart, she didn't know if she could fully let go and give in to him.
She needed some space to think and process so she pushed off the bed. “I'm going to take a shower."
"Shannon, wait."
Repressed tears clogged her throat, making it impossible to answer. Once inside the bathroom, she closed the door with a soft click. After all this time, they finally had another chance together, and it was crumbling right before her eyes. He was right there within arms’ reach, and as panic welled in her chest, she worried she was going to pull a Carolyn and bolt. Why, all of a sudden, when they were talking about family and serious relationships, did she feel trapped? Maybe she really was like her mother.
Would his opinion change if he knew she wasn't going back to New York? With her taking the job in San Antonio, he'd probably still hate the idea of a career wife. But why couldn't she have both the job and the man she loved? Probably because neither of them trusted she was strong enough to stay.
[Back to Table of Contents]
Chapter Six
In the master bathroom, Shannon fiddled with the dials until the water temperature was just right. She slipped out of her clothes and stepped under the spray, cool water sluicing over her body. Finally the tears came. Tears for Gran, tears for her broken heart.
The glass door opened with a pop and Dustin climbed in. “Shannon, we should talk."
She shook her head, keeping her gaze on the dials. She didn't want him to see her red, puffy eyes. “There's no need. You want a forever family, and I've got my career. I don't know that I'm the type to be a forever person."
He sighed and ran his wet hands down the curve of her spine. “Can we not think about the future right now?” He palmed her ass, gently caressing the flesh before letting one finger slip between her cheeks to tease the puckered hole.
Despite her mental torment, her breasts ached with desire and her clit twitched. She wanted Dustin, wanted to experience every tasty bit of him—again.
"Ignoring it won't do us any good, Dusty. You know it and so do I."
Heat emanated from his body as he stepped closer, fitting the length of his cock between her ass cheeks and along her now sopping slit. “I'm not going to lie and say I don't still have feelings for you, Shay, but I don't want to spend our last night together arguing. I know I said I don't want a weekend fling, but I will take whatever time I can get with you. Even if that means just tonight.” His lips pressed to the nape of her neck. “Let me love you just for tonight."
She nodded. With her head and heart in turmoil, maybe one night was all she could handle right now. She, too, would take what she could get of him. Later, she'd figure out how to deal with the hurt of seeing him around town, knowing she
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