Read Online Hooked!: A Contemporary, Multicultural Romance by Yuwanda Black - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Yuwanda Black
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“I’m going
to say something, but please don’t react until I finish. Promise?”
Kammille
shook her head in the affirmative.
“I
hadn’t decided if I wanted to see you again after the night we spent together.”
True
to her word, she didn’t move, but she did react. Landon felt her body stiffen,
and the hurt in her eyes gouged his heart.
“I
see,” was all she said.
“I
was afraid Kammille. You brought out feelings in me that I wasn’t prepared to
have. But I never would have left you hanging. I left your room and went back
to mine to think. I didn’t call because you were sleeping so peacefully. If
you’ll remember, we didn’t exactly get a lot of sleep that night. I didn’t want
to wake you, and besides, we had a pending breakfast date, remember?”
“I
remember,” she said. She hadn’t forgotten one second of what had transpired
between them. She lowered her eyes, letting the hurt of what he said register.
She felt the sting of tears, but refused to let them fall. She couldn’t believe
how painful his words were. But then, she also couldn’t believe the things
they’d done; the wanton woman she became in his arms. Everything about her
reactions to him were a surprise. Why should this be any different? Kammille
kept her head lowered. She swallowed past the lump in her throat, hoping she
could keep it together until this conversation was over.
Landon
kissed the top of her head, and continued. “Anyway, I got hung up on a
conference call that lasted way too long. That’s why I missed you. By the time
I finished the call, in spite of my reservations about what I was feeling about
you, I couldn’t wait to spend the day with you. I ran down to your room and
knocked. No answer. I went back to my room to call you. No answer. That’s when
I jetted down to the lobby and saw you getting in the cab. I went to the
reservation desk to confirm that you’d checked out. Once it was confirmed, like
I said, I was pissed. I realized later that it was mostly at myself for missing
the opportunity of a lifetime with you.”
“Thanks
for the explanation. At least I know what happened,” Kammille said, not lifting
her head. Two more seconds; she needed two more seconds to swallow the tears
that were stuck in her throat. It still didn’t explain why he hadn’t contacted
her in a month. But it didn’t matter; what was done was done and he didn’t owe
her any explanations.
“That
brings me to why I haven’t contacted you this last month,” he said.
Kammille
wondered if she’d utter her last thought aloud, as he picked up on exactly what
she was thinking.
“I’ve
missed you like you wouldn’t believe, and one of the hardest things I’ve ever
done is not call you all this time. I wanted be sure of what I wanted.
I’ve lived my life a certain way – mainly, no serious romantic entanglements.
That’s the way I wanted it … until you.”
“You
mean at 34 you’ve never been in a serious relationship?” Kammille said, finding
that hard to believe.
“My
last serious relationship was two years ago. We even got so far as an
engagement, but I had to choose between getting married and having a family, or
growing my business. My success meant everything to me, so I chose my
business.”
“Many
people do both. It’s not an either-or situation Landon,” Kammille pointed out
slowly.
“It
is when your proposed spouse wants to get married and start popping out babies
right away. I wasn’t ready for that. I’m still not ready for that – at least
not the children part. So I broke off the engagement. But what I am ready for
is to have a special lady in my life. And I want that lady to be you Kammille.
I fell in love with you in Miami … it was easy for me to recognize, but hard
for me to accept. So what do you say, will you give me a chance?”
“A
chance for what? We don’t really know each other. We don’t know each
other!”
to say something, but please don’t react until I finish. Promise?”
Kammille
shook her head in the affirmative.
“I
hadn’t decided if I wanted to see you again after the night we spent together.”
True
to her word, she didn’t move, but she did react. Landon felt her body stiffen,
and the hurt in her eyes gouged his heart.
“I
see,” was all she said.
“I
was afraid Kammille. You brought out feelings in me that I wasn’t prepared to
have. But I never would have left you hanging. I left your room and went back
to mine to think. I didn’t call because you were sleeping so peacefully. If
you’ll remember, we didn’t exactly get a lot of sleep that night. I didn’t want
to wake you, and besides, we had a pending breakfast date, remember?”
“I
remember,” she said. She hadn’t forgotten one second of what had transpired
between them. She lowered her eyes, letting the hurt of what he said register.
She felt the sting of tears, but refused to let them fall. She couldn’t believe
how painful his words were. But then, she also couldn’t believe the things
they’d done; the wanton woman she became in his arms. Everything about her
reactions to him were a surprise. Why should this be any different? Kammille
kept her head lowered. She swallowed past the lump in her throat, hoping she
could keep it together until this conversation was over.
Landon
kissed the top of her head, and continued. “Anyway, I got hung up on a
conference call that lasted way too long. That’s why I missed you. By the time
I finished the call, in spite of my reservations about what I was feeling about
you, I couldn’t wait to spend the day with you. I ran down to your room and
knocked. No answer. I went back to my room to call you. No answer. That’s when
I jetted down to the lobby and saw you getting in the cab. I went to the
reservation desk to confirm that you’d checked out. Once it was confirmed, like
I said, I was pissed. I realized later that it was mostly at myself for missing
the opportunity of a lifetime with you.”
“Thanks
for the explanation. At least I know what happened,” Kammille said, not lifting
her head. Two more seconds; she needed two more seconds to swallow the tears
that were stuck in her throat. It still didn’t explain why he hadn’t contacted
her in a month. But it didn’t matter; what was done was done and he didn’t owe
her any explanations.
“That
brings me to why I haven’t contacted you this last month,” he said.
Kammille
wondered if she’d utter her last thought aloud, as he picked up on exactly what
she was thinking.
“I’ve
missed you like you wouldn’t believe, and one of the hardest things I’ve ever
done is not call you all this time. I wanted be sure of what I wanted.
I’ve lived my life a certain way – mainly, no serious romantic entanglements.
That’s the way I wanted it … until you.”
“You
mean at 34 you’ve never been in a serious relationship?” Kammille said, finding
that hard to believe.
“My
last serious relationship was two years ago. We even got so far as an
engagement, but I had to choose between getting married and having a family, or
growing my business. My success meant everything to me, so I chose my
business.”
“Many
people do both. It’s not an either-or situation Landon,” Kammille pointed out
slowly.
“It
is when your proposed spouse wants to get married and start popping out babies
right away. I wasn’t ready for that. I’m still not ready for that – at least
not the children part. So I broke off the engagement. But what I am ready for
is to have a special lady in my life. And I want that lady to be you Kammille.
I fell in love with you in Miami … it was easy for me to recognize, but hard
for me to accept. So what do you say, will you give me a chance?”
“A
chance for what? We don’t really know each other. We don’t know each
other!”
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