Read Online Heart Tamer by Sophia Knightly - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Sophia Knightly
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The moment she saw him, Kate’s heart stood still and blood drained from her face. The last person in the world she expected to see at the entrance of her bridal boutique was Alec. Yet there he was in flesh and blood, staring at her with a remorseful expression. A wave of dizziness made Kate clutch the display case beside her.
“Katie. Sweetheart,” Alec said, walking toward her with outstretched arms.
“Stay away,” Kate blurted out, grabbing the closest thing to her. A crystal and pearl tiara. She brandished it in the air. “I’m not afraid to use this and I will, MacLeod. To bash your thoughtless, despicable, inconsiderate, selfish…” She furiously searched for more words as he stealthily approached her. But she came up empty. She was so shocked—and profoundly relieved to see him—she couldn’t get past the last word.
Evie jumped up from her chair and managed to topple the stack of bridal albums on the antique desk. They landed in a heap at Alec’s feet. “Wait a minute. You’re Alec MacLeod? The Alec MacLeod?” Evie ran her fingers through her short hair until it stood out in spikes, creating a Statue of Liberty type crown.
“Aye.” Not taking his eyes off Kate, Alec continued to head toward her.
Evie grabbed her tote bag and headed out the door. “I’ll give you two some privacy. Call me later, Kate.”
By the time Alec reached Kate’s side, she was beside herself. She took several steadying breaths and forced air into her constricting lungs.
“What are you doing here?” she finally said, filled with despair over her heart’s treacherous reaction. She was so thankful he was alive, she could barely hold onto her anger over his disappearance.
“I came to apologize.”
“Two weeks later?” she asked incredulously. Feelings of betrayal and distrust reared up inside her as she trembled. “Are you freaking kidding me? You expect me to welcome you with open arms? I don’t want to hear anything you have to say.”
He made a helpless gesture with his hand. “I’m sorry, Katie.”
“Ha!” she said, infusing it with as much scorn as she could muster.
“Really, I am sorry. I was on a covert mission.”
The cords in Kate’s neck felt swollen as she tried to get a grip. “And you couldn’t call me or even send a message to let me know you were alive?”
“Not bloody likely. On a mission, there’s no contact with anyone until it’s over.” His face strained, he pinched the bridge of his nose. “When you hear what I have to say, you’ll change your mind.”
“I doubt it. I thought you were either dead or ditched me after the night we spent.”
A muscle in his jaw clenched. “I never ditched you.”
“Yes, you did! I couldn’t even call Eileen to find out if you were okay. She was on her honeymoon with her considerate husband while I was agonizing over your safety. Damn you, ” she said, fighting tears.
“I love you.”
“No, you don’t. Go away,” she said when he took a step toward her.
“I love you,” he repeated. His hands closed over her waist and he lifted her up until they were eye level. His eyes flicked over her before boring into hers. She recognized that look in his eyes and shivered inside. The wicked gleam said he was this close to throwing her over his shoulder and carting her to the back room for some hot, make up sex.
“Don’t you dare go caveman on me, MacLeod. It’s not good for the baby,” Katie snapped. “Put me down.”
Alec’s dark brows shot up as his eyes popped open. He set her down gently. “What did you just say?”
“I said it’s not good for the baby. I’m pregnant,” she said, relishing the look of astonishment on his face.
Alec’s face instantly split into a wide grin. She had never seen him look so elated and it made her heart ache. He carefully folded her in his arms as if she were carrying precious cargo…and she was. “I’m so happy, sweetheart,” he whispered hoarsely.
Kate put a hand on his chest
The moment she saw him, Kate’s heart stood still and blood drained from her face. The last person in the world she expected to see at the entrance of her bridal boutique was Alec. Yet there he was in flesh and blood, staring at her with a remorseful expression. A wave of dizziness made Kate clutch the display case beside her.
“Katie. Sweetheart,” Alec said, walking toward her with outstretched arms.
“Stay away,” Kate blurted out, grabbing the closest thing to her. A crystal and pearl tiara. She brandished it in the air. “I’m not afraid to use this and I will, MacLeod. To bash your thoughtless, despicable, inconsiderate, selfish…” She furiously searched for more words as he stealthily approached her. But she came up empty. She was so shocked—and profoundly relieved to see him—she couldn’t get past the last word.
Evie jumped up from her chair and managed to topple the stack of bridal albums on the antique desk. They landed in a heap at Alec’s feet. “Wait a minute. You’re Alec MacLeod? The Alec MacLeod?” Evie ran her fingers through her short hair until it stood out in spikes, creating a Statue of Liberty type crown.
“Aye.” Not taking his eyes off Kate, Alec continued to head toward her.
Evie grabbed her tote bag and headed out the door. “I’ll give you two some privacy. Call me later, Kate.”
By the time Alec reached Kate’s side, she was beside herself. She took several steadying breaths and forced air into her constricting lungs.
“What are you doing here?” she finally said, filled with despair over her heart’s treacherous reaction. She was so thankful he was alive, she could barely hold onto her anger over his disappearance.
“I came to apologize.”
“Two weeks later?” she asked incredulously. Feelings of betrayal and distrust reared up inside her as she trembled. “Are you freaking kidding me? You expect me to welcome you with open arms? I don’t want to hear anything you have to say.”
He made a helpless gesture with his hand. “I’m sorry, Katie.”
“Ha!” she said, infusing it with as much scorn as she could muster.
“Really, I am sorry. I was on a covert mission.”
The cords in Kate’s neck felt swollen as she tried to get a grip. “And you couldn’t call me or even send a message to let me know you were alive?”
“Not bloody likely. On a mission, there’s no contact with anyone until it’s over.” His face strained, he pinched the bridge of his nose. “When you hear what I have to say, you’ll change your mind.”
“I doubt it. I thought you were either dead or ditched me after the night we spent.”
A muscle in his jaw clenched. “I never ditched you.”
“Yes, you did! I couldn’t even call Eileen to find out if you were okay. She was on her honeymoon with her considerate husband while I was agonizing over your safety. Damn you, ” she said, fighting tears.
“I love you.”
“No, you don’t. Go away,” she said when he took a step toward her.
“I love you,” he repeated. His hands closed over her waist and he lifted her up until they were eye level. His eyes flicked over her before boring into hers. She recognized that look in his eyes and shivered inside. The wicked gleam said he was this close to throwing her over his shoulder and carting her to the back room for some hot, make up sex.
“Don’t you dare go caveman on me, MacLeod. It’s not good for the baby,” Katie snapped. “Put me down.”
Alec’s dark brows shot up as his eyes popped open. He set her down gently. “What did you just say?”
“I said it’s not good for the baby. I’m pregnant,” she said, relishing the look of astonishment on his face.
Alec’s face instantly split into a wide grin. She had never seen him look so elated and it made her heart ache. He carefully folded her in his arms as if she were carrying precious cargo…and she was. “I’m so happy, sweetheart,” he whispered hoarsely.
Kate put a hand on his chest
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