Read Online End Zone: Texas Titans 2 by Cheryl Douglas - Free Book Online
Authors: Cheryl Douglas
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learn a lot about letting go of the past. “I don’t know what you
want from me.” She could let him take her to bed, wipe her worry away with
sweet words and a gentle touch, but that would only leave her feeling emptier
than before.
“I just want a chance.” He reached for her
hand. “Have you ever met somebody and felt instant chemistry?”
She shrugged, unwilling to admit the first
time had been the day he stepped into her office.
“I have, the first time I met you in high
school. I know that probably sounds crazy. We were living on different planets
back then, but I felt something every time we were in the same room, hell, even
when you smiled at me in the hall. I swore that if I ever got a chance to test
the waters with you, I’d dive in without asking how deep.”
She couldn’t remember the last time a man
had ever made her feel so important, so cherished. “You’re a good man. I know
that, but…” She was afraid to tell him the truth: men like him didn’t stick
around. Just like Robert, he was good looking, successful, and a smooth talker
who made her believe she was the only woman in the world capable of turning his
head. According to her mother, her father had been the same way.
“But what? What are you afraid of?”
“I’m afraid of being wrong again. I’m
afraid of making another mistake. This time, I don’t know if I could rebound as
easily.”
“It was easy for you to get over Robert?
From where I’m sitting, you’re still not over him.”
She withdrew her hands and folded them in
her lap so he couldn’t reach for her again. “What are you talking about? I’m
long over him.”
“I’m not saying you’re still in love with
him, but you’re still letting what he did define your future.”
She knew he wasn’t trying to hurt her, but
forcing her to face the truth when she’d much rather bury her head in the sand
was gut-wrenching. “Aren’t we all guilty of letting our pasts define us? Are
you telling me your past has nothing to do with who you are today? Would you
have been so driven to succeed if you didn’t feel you had something to prove to
all of the people who made your life miserable in high school?”
“I don’t have anything to prove to anyone.”
He leaned against the soft leather seat as though he didn’t have a care in the
world. “I like who I am. My days of trying to impress people are over.”
She didn’t buy his claim for a minute. If
he was so determined to call her out, she would do the same. “Then why did you
go to the reunion?”
“Excuse me?”
“You heard me.” She didn’t want their day
to deteriorate, but she wouldn’t run home with her tail between her legs
without letting him know that he was no better than she was. He was letting his
past define him, the same as she was.
“I went because…”
When his voice trailed off, she said, “You
wanted to rewrite history. You wanted them to be envious, to show them you were
everything they would never be.” She couldn’t blame him. In his place, she
probably would have felt the same way.
“I guess you’re right.”
Kristen didn’t want to make him feel bad.
She believed Matt was one of the good guys, but that didn’t mean they were
right for each other. The Matt she used to know might be a much better fit for
her. He appreciated the simpler things in life. She didn’t know if she would
ever have anything in common with a sexy, uber-rich, risk-taking jet-setter.
“So where does that leave us?” she asked,
almost afraid of his answer.
“Right back where we started, I guess.”
Chapter Five
Matt finally convinced Kristen to
spend the day with him as planned instead of going back to her office and
wasting a perfect fall day in Hill Country. He was glad she’d relented because
he couldn’t remember the last time he’d had more fun. Once the pressure was off
and she believed he was only asking for one day, she relaxed and let him see
the woman he’d known was hiding
want from me.” She could let him take her to bed, wipe her worry away with
sweet words and a gentle touch, but that would only leave her feeling emptier
than before.
“I just want a chance.” He reached for her
hand. “Have you ever met somebody and felt instant chemistry?”
She shrugged, unwilling to admit the first
time had been the day he stepped into her office.
“I have, the first time I met you in high
school. I know that probably sounds crazy. We were living on different planets
back then, but I felt something every time we were in the same room, hell, even
when you smiled at me in the hall. I swore that if I ever got a chance to test
the waters with you, I’d dive in without asking how deep.”
She couldn’t remember the last time a man
had ever made her feel so important, so cherished. “You’re a good man. I know
that, but…” She was afraid to tell him the truth: men like him didn’t stick
around. Just like Robert, he was good looking, successful, and a smooth talker
who made her believe she was the only woman in the world capable of turning his
head. According to her mother, her father had been the same way.
“But what? What are you afraid of?”
“I’m afraid of being wrong again. I’m
afraid of making another mistake. This time, I don’t know if I could rebound as
easily.”
“It was easy for you to get over Robert?
From where I’m sitting, you’re still not over him.”
She withdrew her hands and folded them in
her lap so he couldn’t reach for her again. “What are you talking about? I’m
long over him.”
“I’m not saying you’re still in love with
him, but you’re still letting what he did define your future.”
She knew he wasn’t trying to hurt her, but
forcing her to face the truth when she’d much rather bury her head in the sand
was gut-wrenching. “Aren’t we all guilty of letting our pasts define us? Are
you telling me your past has nothing to do with who you are today? Would you
have been so driven to succeed if you didn’t feel you had something to prove to
all of the people who made your life miserable in high school?”
“I don’t have anything to prove to anyone.”
He leaned against the soft leather seat as though he didn’t have a care in the
world. “I like who I am. My days of trying to impress people are over.”
She didn’t buy his claim for a minute. If
he was so determined to call her out, she would do the same. “Then why did you
go to the reunion?”
“Excuse me?”
“You heard me.” She didn’t want their day
to deteriorate, but she wouldn’t run home with her tail between her legs
without letting him know that he was no better than she was. He was letting his
past define him, the same as she was.
“I went because…”
When his voice trailed off, she said, “You
wanted to rewrite history. You wanted them to be envious, to show them you were
everything they would never be.” She couldn’t blame him. In his place, she
probably would have felt the same way.
“I guess you’re right.”
Kristen didn’t want to make him feel bad.
She believed Matt was one of the good guys, but that didn’t mean they were
right for each other. The Matt she used to know might be a much better fit for
her. He appreciated the simpler things in life. She didn’t know if she would
ever have anything in common with a sexy, uber-rich, risk-taking jet-setter.
“So where does that leave us?” she asked,
almost afraid of his answer.
“Right back where we started, I guess.”
Chapter Five
Matt finally convinced Kristen to
spend the day with him as planned instead of going back to her office and
wasting a perfect fall day in Hill Country. He was glad she’d relented because
he couldn’t remember the last time he’d had more fun. Once the pressure was off
and she believed he was only asking for one day, she relaxed and let him see
the woman he’d known was hiding
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