Read Online Passion Awakened by Jessica Lee - Free Book Online Page B

voice. They sat side by side, legs outstretched, boots and sneakers facing
the river.
    “It’s nice, isn’t it?” She reached over and smoothed her
palm along his denim-clad thigh. “I thought you’d enjoy it here.” With the
other, she flicked away a pesky ant from her own faded-jean-covered knee.
    Suddenly his hand was in her hair, playing with the ends.
“You know, I’ve been so caught up in my drama that we’ve never talked about
you. All I know is that you’re a writer.”
    “Not much to tell.” She shrugged.
    “I doubt that.”
    “Well…let’s see.” Shayla squinted, pretending to think
really hard for his benefit. “How about we trade info.” She glanced over her
shoulder.
    “Fair enough.”
    “Okay.” Shayla swung her attention back to the fast-moving
water. “How old are you, and where were you born?”
    “I’m twenty-nine and was created in a facility in Chapel
Hill, NC.”
    “And then later grew up in South Carolina?”
    “That’s right.” He crossed his legs at his ankles. “Now your
turn.”
    “I’m twenty-seven. Born and raised in North Carolina near
Charlotte.” Shayla pulled her legs in, Indian style, and faced Creed. “I’m an
only child. Any brothers or sisters?”
    Creed shook his head. “Records show that there are no other
genetic links. No other siblings procreated from the same DNA sample.”
    “I see.” Her stomach knotted at the cold, technical sound of
his birth. Shayla dropped her gaze to the frayed red-and-green blanket beneath
them and tugged at the coiled loose thread.
    “It’s all I’ve ever known, Shay.” Her pulse skipped a beat
at his sudden use of a nickname for her. “There’s no reason for you to feel sad
for me. I’ve been content.”
    She looked up and fell into his soft turquoise gaze. “Five
days and you’re already reading me too well.” She smiled, but the effort felt
forced. “I was an only child too, but I did have two parents, at least for a
little while. My heart aches for any child who doesn’t have a mother and father
to love them. My daughter is living that now. When my father walked out on us,
I was only eight, but I’ve never gotten over that loss or the hole it left in
our home.”
    He nodded. “In my time, it’s all about conformation.
Structure and perfection. The greater good of the many.” Creed’s gaze shifted
to some faraway place. “By not leaving procreation up to random chance, the FOA
is able to assure a population of children—the next generation—who are
genetically sound, disease- and disability-free.”
    “It all sounds very…orderly.”
    Creed laughed. “Yes. It does, doesn’t it? And that’s exactly
their intention.”
    Shayla placed a palm to her abdomen and lowered her gaze. “I
loved the whole process of carrying my daughter and her birth.”
    Silence fell between them like a lead weight crashing into a
still pool on mute. No sound, but the ripple effect hard to ignore. Shayla
jerked her head up. Creed stared back at her, his expression hard.
    “You have a child? Are you committed?” He shook his head,
his face morphing between a look of disbelief and anger. “Why haven’t you said
anything?”
    “Whoa, whoa.” Shayla reached out and clutched his hand.
“It’s not what you think. One question at a time. Yes, I have a three-year-old
daughter, Madelyn Rachel. Maddie for short.” Shayla couldn’t help the smile she
knew grew on her mouth at the mere thought of her little girl. “But I’m not in
any relationship.” The heat in Creed’s eyes cooled.
    “Okay.” He nodded. “It’s bad enough with what I’ve put you
through…” He indicated the healing wound to his right biceps with the flick of
his wrist. “I would hate to know that what happened between us may have
violated a bond you share with a partner.”
    Maybe she’d imagined it. It had appeared and disappeared so
fast, but Shayla could have sworn a slight grimace flashed across his face when
he mentioned her having a