Read Online Once More (Mercy Heart #1) by Madeline Rooks - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Madeline Rooks
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came rushing to the forefront that if things didn’t work out with Clem, nothing would be there for her in California either.
Why isn’t she saying anything? Clem watched her every move, shocked that she wasn’t as excited about this opportunity as he was. Wasn’t she happy for him, for what he could offer her? He got up and walked towards her, but she put a hand up, gesturing for him to stop. “I just need to think about this before I give you an answer.” Then she looked at him, and said, “Why didn’t you tell me about the possibility of this job? You never even mentioned that you applied for anything, or that you’ve had interviews.”
“It seemed like a long shot. It’s not really an entry level position. I didn’t want to jinx it by talking about it. I initially interviewed over Christmas break and have had a few phone interviews since. I figured if it didn’t work out, I’d find something around here. This offer is just too good to pass up,” he said. Feeling slightly irritated that she wasn’t reacting the way he had anticipated, he turned away from her and ran his fingers through his hair, then looked back at her, panic churning in his gut when he saw her reaching for the doorknob.
She spoke with her back to him. “I need some distance to think about this. I know you think it is cut and dry, but for me, it’s anything but.” She turned to look at him, and asked quietly, “If it was reversed, and I was asking you to leave everything you know after just the short time we’ve been seeing each other, would you do it? If I move with you and things don’t work out, I’ll be in a strange place with nothing. It’s such a huge risk, and that’s a lot of trust to place in somebody else, especially when I haven’t depended on anyone but myself in a very long time. You make it sound so simple to just jump in and let someone else take care of me, but to me, it sounds terrifying.”
He stared at her, dumbfounded that she could be so willing to let everything they have go. “These past few weeks have been the best time of my life. I – I love you. Don’t you trust me?” he said softly as he reached for her, wrapping her up in his arms. He tipped her head back and kissed her, tears rolling down her cheeks, colliding with a few of his own.
Breaking their kiss, she looked into his eyes, her heart melting under his gaze. The past few weeks had been amazing. And he hadn’t given her a reason not to trust him. He’d been a perfect gentleman since they moment they met. She smiled at him through her tears, cupping his cheek with her hand. He closed his eyes and leaned his face into her touch. “I haven’t said no. I just can’t jump into something without thinking it through. Give me some space to do that, okay?”
“Okay. I am flying home on Friday and I start my job the following Monday. Take all of the time you need. I will fly you out there at any time.” He hated to let her go, hated the unknown. But he knew he needed to give her the time to figure it out. He hugged her close one more time and she opened the door and started down the stairs. Clem followed to walk her to her car.
Jack and the couple from earlier, Sam and the woman, were standing by the front door as she reached it. The woman looked at Katelyn, and then at Clem and said, “Well, that was a quick visit. Not much time for anything but a smooch.” Stepping in front of him, she put her hand on his chest and said, “Maybe you should ditch the virgin and let me show you a good time.”
Katelyn stopped in her tracks, embarrassment rushing through her entire body. She couldn’t bear to turn and look at him. How could he have told everyone about her inexperience? Had he bragged to his buddies about deflowering a virgin? He had questioned why she didn’t trust him, but maybe she was right to not trust him all along.
Clem, with unmasked fury in his eyes, looked at Jack, who put his hands up in a wordless defense and
Why isn’t she saying anything? Clem watched her every move, shocked that she wasn’t as excited about this opportunity as he was. Wasn’t she happy for him, for what he could offer her? He got up and walked towards her, but she put a hand up, gesturing for him to stop. “I just need to think about this before I give you an answer.” Then she looked at him, and said, “Why didn’t you tell me about the possibility of this job? You never even mentioned that you applied for anything, or that you’ve had interviews.”
“It seemed like a long shot. It’s not really an entry level position. I didn’t want to jinx it by talking about it. I initially interviewed over Christmas break and have had a few phone interviews since. I figured if it didn’t work out, I’d find something around here. This offer is just too good to pass up,” he said. Feeling slightly irritated that she wasn’t reacting the way he had anticipated, he turned away from her and ran his fingers through his hair, then looked back at her, panic churning in his gut when he saw her reaching for the doorknob.
She spoke with her back to him. “I need some distance to think about this. I know you think it is cut and dry, but for me, it’s anything but.” She turned to look at him, and asked quietly, “If it was reversed, and I was asking you to leave everything you know after just the short time we’ve been seeing each other, would you do it? If I move with you and things don’t work out, I’ll be in a strange place with nothing. It’s such a huge risk, and that’s a lot of trust to place in somebody else, especially when I haven’t depended on anyone but myself in a very long time. You make it sound so simple to just jump in and let someone else take care of me, but to me, it sounds terrifying.”
He stared at her, dumbfounded that she could be so willing to let everything they have go. “These past few weeks have been the best time of my life. I – I love you. Don’t you trust me?” he said softly as he reached for her, wrapping her up in his arms. He tipped her head back and kissed her, tears rolling down her cheeks, colliding with a few of his own.
Breaking their kiss, she looked into his eyes, her heart melting under his gaze. The past few weeks had been amazing. And he hadn’t given her a reason not to trust him. He’d been a perfect gentleman since they moment they met. She smiled at him through her tears, cupping his cheek with her hand. He closed his eyes and leaned his face into her touch. “I haven’t said no. I just can’t jump into something without thinking it through. Give me some space to do that, okay?”
“Okay. I am flying home on Friday and I start my job the following Monday. Take all of the time you need. I will fly you out there at any time.” He hated to let her go, hated the unknown. But he knew he needed to give her the time to figure it out. He hugged her close one more time and she opened the door and started down the stairs. Clem followed to walk her to her car.
Jack and the couple from earlier, Sam and the woman, were standing by the front door as she reached it. The woman looked at Katelyn, and then at Clem and said, “Well, that was a quick visit. Not much time for anything but a smooch.” Stepping in front of him, she put her hand on his chest and said, “Maybe you should ditch the virgin and let me show you a good time.”
Katelyn stopped in her tracks, embarrassment rushing through her entire body. She couldn’t bear to turn and look at him. How could he have told everyone about her inexperience? Had he bragged to his buddies about deflowering a virgin? He had questioned why she didn’t trust him, but maybe she was right to not trust him all along.
Clem, with unmasked fury in his eyes, looked at Jack, who put his hands up in a wordless defense and
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