Read Online Owned for Christmas by Willa Edwards - Free Book Online Page A

She always did.
    “What do you think?” She nibbled on her pink bottom lip. Her big blue eyes always had a way of rocking him back on his heels, especially when she stared up at him with such an honest need to please.
    He slipped his arms around her and tugged her into his chest. He loved the feel of her in his arms. Her sweet smell tickled his nose, along with the aromas of home. It all felt right, seamlessly mixed together. Her soft body snuggled up against his.
    “It’s beautiful,” Daniel whispered, resting his chin comfortably on her shoulder.
    Kate nodded, glancing back to the tree, although her expression wasn’t entirely happy. He wondered what could be upsetting her. From where he stood, everything was flawless right down to the woman in his arms.
    “You know, next year we could do this all on our own. In our own place.”
    Kate dropped her gaze to the floor. She froze in his arms. Daniel fought back a sigh. He sensed her retreating from him, putting space between them. Even after a goddamn year, she still has to put a freaking wall between us. Will I ever prove to her I can be trusted? It wasn’t looking good.
    “I can’t.”
    She spoke into his chest, the words so soft he almost didn’t hear her.
    “Not yet.”
    “Why not? I love you and you love me. What else matters?” He tightened his arms around her, needing the feel of her. To know for sure that she was still there, that she wasn’t already on the run.
    She fumbled her hands in his sweater, twisting her delicate fingers in the knit. “It’s not that simple.”
    But it should be. Nothing else mattered to him but her. Clearly, she didn’t agree.
    Kate turned, staring up at him, swamped with sadness and fear. That certainly wasn’t the emotion he was going for. A deep pain stabbed in his chest. The distance between them echoed, big and wide, keeping them miles apart. “Daniel, we talked about this before.”
    “Yes we have, but you’ve never given me a good answer.” Daniel kept his voice low, attempting to prevent the conversation from traveling too far. He didn’t want to draw attention from his mother or brother to the fact that Kate was turning him down—again. Or that he was such a dope that he’d keep asking this woman to love him, when she gave him no sign that anything had ever changed.
    “I’m not ready.” Her eyes became misty and Daniel wanted to kick himself in the ass. He hated being so damn pushy, but he couldn’t help it. He wanted Kate, forever. He didn’t have any choice but to keep pushing her.
    He’d never known another woman like Kate. Her heart was so big, so vulnerable. He wanted to kill the man who had hurt her, who’d taken her trust and destroyed it. Even a year later, Daniel still fought to reclaim it, though he didn’t seem any closer most days than he had the first day they’d met.
    He was sick of fighting invisible demons. He was sick of attacking some guy he couldn’t see, some guy who didn’t deserve her love in the first place. Why couldn’t she see he was here for her? That he wasn’t leaving?
    “Damn it, Kate, can’t we ever be happy? Just the two of us. Without him.”
    Kate pulled back. Daniel knew he’d gone too far. They never mentioned the man who had hurt her. It was an unspoken rule between them and he’d broken it. Immediately, he wanted to suck the words back in, to rewind time and never say them. Unfortunately, this wasn’t a movie and turning back time was not an option.
    Her lower lip trembled. She focused her eyes on the carpet once more. Daniel wanted to smash his head against the nearest wall. I really am an asshole.
    “Daniel, you have to stop pushing me. You can’t force me to be ready, no matter how much you want it.”
    “I know. I’m sorry.” He reached out to her, hoping to draw her back into his arms.
    She stiffened, stepping back from his embrace. His heart sank to his shoes. The space between them grew wider. It was big enough now that they could play