Read Online Just Between Friends (O'Rourke Family 4) by Julianna Morris - Free Book Online Page A

before he messed up what feelings she had left for him. Maybe that explained why he’d ultimately said yes to her idea of them getting married for a year—it still made him feel special, knowing how much she trusted him.
    “Dylan? Please say something.”
    “I’m just so sorry,” he said. “I promise it won’t happen again.”
    If anything, his second attempt to apologize seemed to make things worse. She attempted a smile, but he recognized that false cheer and knew she was only trying to make him feel better. She only smiled like that when things were so awful she didn’t want anyone to know.
    “That’s all right.” Kate smiled again, unintentionally heaping hot coals on his heart. “I don’t mind. In fact, I really…” She stopped and shrugged, apparently changing her mind about what she’d planned to say.
    “Yeah, well, I’d better get to work on that building proposal.”
    Kate watched Dylan disappear and thought her heart was tearing right in half.
    It hurt more than she could have imagined knowing he regretted touching her. But what else had she expected? It was too soon for them to kiss like that, muchless make love. Of course, if she’d been the one to put an end to their kiss, he would have still torn himself apart over that blessed O’Rourke code of honor. She ought to be grateful for his code, but right now she was too frustrated.
    Fresh tears slipped down her cheeks, coming from a deep, painful place within. She couldn’t go back, only forward, but she was more uncertain now than ever before. Even if Dylan fell in love with her, would it just mean more of the same? Another person she loved who was remote and barely a real part of her life?
    The answers weren’t available, and Kate finally curled up, holding the memory of Dylan’s caresses like a talisman. She’d have to pretend everything was fine in the morning. The last thing she wanted was for him to be uncomfortable.
    The clock went off at the usual time, and Dylan slapped it with a muttered groan. He crawled out of bed, every part of his body protesting the effort, and gazed blearily around. But it wasn’t his apartment, piled high with blueprints and building plans, it was the spare bedroom in Kate’s carriage house.
    If only he’d gotten more than five minutes of sleep the night before. But sleep had been impossible.
    He was married.
    Not a real marriage, but a marriage on paper. And then he’d gone and kissed Kate and practically made love to her. No wonder he’d tossed and turned for hours, trying to decide if she’d actually kissed him back, or if she’d been so shocked and disappointed in his behavior she hadn’t known how to react. Maybe she’d evenbeen afraid of him. His stomach lurched at the thought. He wouldn’t hurt Kate; that would violate every law of decency he believed in.
    “Dammit,” he muttered after another glance at the clock. He was due on one of his company’s job sites in less than an hour. His men knew he’d planned to get married over the weekend, so they’d roast him if he turned up late after his so-called wedding night.
    Dressing quickly, he stepped out of the bedroom, expecting Kate to be asleep.
    “Good morning,” a cheerful voice sang out.
    Dylan stopped cold.
    Kate was in the kitchen, barefoot and clad in a skimpy silk nightshirt that reached no lower than her mid thighs and drifted distractingly around her body.
    “How’d you sleep?” she asked, not seeming to notice his silence. “I hope the mattress is okay in there. I’ll get another one if you’d be more comfortable.”
    “I slept…fine,” he lied. She looked sleepily at ease, and the contrast between her sad face of the evening before and her mood now was astonishing. “You?”
    “Great.” Kate wiped a smear of jam from her fingers. Apparently she’d been making a stack of peanut butter toast. “Want some?” she asked, holding out the plate.
    He silently took a slice and bit down. The hearty bread was crisply