Read Online Merry Christmas, Paige by MacKenzie McKade - Free Book Online Page A

understand.” A tremor shook her voice.
    “Think of what you’re asking of me. Kauai is Cami’s home—my home. She loves it here. Paige, I made a promise to my folks to help run the family business. This is my life now. Our life. Together.”
    “What I’m asking of you ?” Paige shook with disbelief. Her hands balled into fists to contain her anger. “What happened to you, Nathan? Your dreams of becoming an architect?” She released a huff of dismay. “Even our agreement to not use your family ties or money has fallen by the wayside.” Had that request been an unrealistic goal or had he slipped into whatever was easy once she was out of his life?
    He looked away. “Things change, Paige.”
    The air in her lungs rushed out. “That’s exactly my point. Everything has changed. You. Me. Our situations.” She wrung her hands. “We’re fooling ourselves to think we can pick up where we left off. There are too many differences between us.”
    He ran his fingers through his wavy dark hair. “Don’t do this to us.” He eased off the bed, stood and began to move toward her.
    “Me?” She choked on the word. None of this had been her doing. Paige wanted nothing more in this world than to be with him forever. The sting of tears followed a wave of heat that burned across her face. “I’m so upset with you,” she growled, the gravelly sound pushed from deep in her diaphragm. “I could just slap the shit out of you. This isn’t my fault.” She wasn’t a violent person, but at the moment she felt like hitting something or someone, preferably Nathan.
    He reached for her.
    She pulled back her hand and released.
    Crack .
    Relief and guilt slammed into her, stealing her breath. Her palm stung as her eyes widened in surprise. “Oh my God.” She covered her mouth with her hands. What had she done?
    He rubbed his reddened cheek. “Feel better?”
    Yes. No. Fuck.
    Paige didn’t know what she felt or for that matter how to feel. With the back of her hand she wiped at tears that sprung from out of nowhere. She had never hurt another human being, especially one she loved, and she did love Nathan with all her heart. Time and distance hadn’t changed their connection. It was asinine to admit anything different, but she wasn’t a fool. How could things work out between them?
    He seesawed his jaw. “That’s quite a right you have.” His crooked smile rose.
    Her hand fell to her side. “I’m so sorry. I don’t know what came over me.”
    “It’s okay.” His warm palms slid up her bare arms. “Baby, I deserved it.”
    Yes, he did, but it didn’t take away her self-reproach. She had hit him. A shudder shook her entire body.
    “I know we have unanswered questions, but give us this holiday to work things out.”
    Paige knew she should get her clothes on and walk out the door, but her heart kept her rooted before him. “Nathan, I won’t survive losing you again if we can’t come to an agreement.” There was no shame in her avowal, only the truth.
    He dipped a finger beneath her chin. Their gazes met. “I’ll never leave you. Maybe I can fly back and forth between Denver and Kauai.” Even as he offered the suggestion she could see doubt in his worried expression. “I don’t know what the answer is, but give me this holiday to work things out.” He pulled her close.
    Skin to skin, it felt so right in his embrace. She looked up at him, and he captured her lips in a tender kiss. Before she realized what she was doing, she slid her arms around his neck and tilted her head to deepen the caress. She had been wrong, she was a fool. But who could blame her? His sensual kiss was hard to resist.
    Nathan moved his mouth over hers, so feather-light her lips tingled. “Is that a yes?” His arms tightened around her as if he had no plans to release her regardless of her response.
    Talk about playing with fire. What he requested of her, she was helpless to oppose, even if she tried to fight it tooth and nail. Paige knew