Read Online Snowbound Hearts by Benjamin Kelly - Free Book Online

events that had to occur exactly when they did in order to bring them together.
    Every second she spent away from him was another lost opportunity to discover answers. Only one question really mattered at the moment, and she wasn’t sure she’d have the guts to ask, but they couldn’t move forward until she did. If he was involved with someone, that news might devastate her, but if he wasn’t, a world of possibilities awaited her. Either option was equally frightening for totally different reasons. It was like flipping a coin to decide the next phase of her life. Tails and she’d bow her head, forgive Daniel, and live with the hurt. But if it came up heads... Her stomach turned over at the thought of seriously pursuing a relationship with someone new. Despite her fear, she needed to talk to him.
    He was behind a closed door a few feet away, and the only way to get to him was to walk over and knock. Even if she couldn’t find the nerve to discuss anything else, at least she could apologize for making him think he was nothing more than a test dummy.
    Audrey stood and took a step toward the bedroom, but her trembling legs couldn’t support her. She staggered and found herself sitting on the arm of the sofa. Light spilled out from under the bedroom door. At least he’s still awake. Go on and talk to him. What’s the worst that could happen? He could send me away. Shit. He could invite me in. Oh, God, what should I do?
    She took a deep breath, pushed herself up using the sofa for support, and gave it another try.

Chapter Four
    Each page in the novel was more explicit than the last. Just when Stephen decided to ditch it rather than chance the embarrassment of Audrey catching him reading it, the bedroom door opened. He could feel the heat rising in his cheeks as she poked her head inside and grinned, but her beautiful smile lifted the gloom from his heart.
    “What’cha reading?” she asked.
    He held the book up so she could see the cover. “Someone left it under the bed. Lucky for me.”
    She strolled over and climbed onto the bed beside him. “I’m sorry I can’t give you what you want, Stephen.”
    Guilt coupled with embarrassment was more than he could stand. He returned his gaze to the book, unable to look at her face any longer. “Whatever.”
    “Hey, I’m apologizing. I know this is frustrating for you, but please believe me, I’m just as frustrated.”
    Stephen set the book on his lap and stared at the sexy trio on the cover sandwiched together in a loving embrace. “I’m the one who should apologize. Sometimes I don’t think before I speak. I shouldn’t have gotten angry with you. I know you have your reasons, and I’m sorry I hurt your feelings.”
    Audrey threw her arms around his neck and squeezed. “Thank you, Stephen, for everything. There’s something I’ve been wondering about you, but I’ve been afraid to ask. Do you have a girlfriend at home waiting for you?”
    Stephen grabbed his wallet off the nightstand. “Yeah, as a matter of fact I do. I have a naked picture of her. Do you want to see?”
    Audrey closed her eyes and flopped backward onto the bed. “Not really.”
    Stephen pulled a faded picture of a Holstein from his wallet and held it in front of Audrey’s face. “She’s a real hottie, don’t you think? Check out those utters, mmmoo. ”
    “ Huh ?” She opened one eye and grinned. “Wow, you two make a cute couple.”
    He put the picture away and leaned back against the pillows. Audrey sat up, still grinning, and joined him. Stephen slipped his arm around her waist and hugged her. She giggled and sank into him.
    “Okay, that was kind of funny.”
    “It’s not original. An old buddy of mine used to pull that. He’d walk into a party and say something like, ‘I had a blind date last night, and I got a picture of her naked. You want to see?’ Of course everyone would say yes, and then he’d take out a picture of a cow or a dog or just about any other animal. It got so