Read Online Ultimate Fear (Book 2 Ultimate CORE) (CORE Series) by Kristine Mason - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Kristine Mason
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and be the wife Dante deserved. Not when every chance she had she was searching for their daughter.
“Of course.” He closed the door and locked it. “Talking to you is like trying to get water from a drained lake.”
She knew they couldn’t have one conversation without him going all Gandhi on her. “Meaning?”
“It’s impossible.”
She glanced to the locked door. “I thought we were going to look at the vegetable garden.”
“There’s nothing to see.”
“Are you telling me the rabbits ate everything?” If he’d used the cayenne pepper spray…
“No, I lied. The garden is fine. Everything is growing as it should.”
Her heart sped up when she caught the determination in his eyes. “Then why did you have me come over?” she asked, suspecting his reason. Dante knew his lasagna was her favorite, and then there was the discussion of dating. Chances were, like her, he could use a sexual release, but she needed a straight answer. As it stood, she’d end up dwelling on their conversation until sleep finally consumed her, but at least she’d have this portion of it settled.
He took several steps forward until he crowded her against the kitchen counter. “Honestly? I planned to romance you.”
His familiar, earthy scent surrounded her. He stood so close, his warm breath caressed her lips. She could easily see them having sex right here in the kitchen. Hard, fast and hot sex.
He cupped her cheek with his warm hand. She sighed and closed her eyes at the gentle touch and leaned into his palm. She’d missed the feel of him.
“I don’t want a divorce and I hate living here without you. I lied to get you here tonight, because I wanted to see if there was anything left between us.”
She stiffened and opened her eyes. Her stomach tightened, not with sensual need, but with fear and self-loathing. And she had no one to blame but herself. She’d walked away, left their home, left him. Not because she didn’t love him, but because he represented what she’d lost. “Is this the point where you pull out one of your spiritual quotes? Maybe you’ll give me the ‘if you love something, set it free’ line. That’s rather fitting.”
He gave her a tired smile, then surprised her by cupping the back of her head and drawing her closer. “That one might work. If you still love me.”
Her breath caught. Longing tugged at her heart and pulled at her soul. Desire, not the hot, needy kind, swept through her and made her ache to freely touch him. She knew she could. He’d never turned her away before, and the intensity in his eyes, the depths of his own longings were clear, along with hope.
With her throat tightening, she blinked back the tears. The day their daughter had been taken, they’d both been plunged into purgatory. To a place where nothing was cut and dried. Not their marriage, their home, or their love for each other.
She did love him, but she didn’t want to set him free. What if he didn’t come back? What if she signed the divorce papers, agreed to sell their house and he cut all ties with her? Remarried, started a family with a woman who could give him all of herself?
He rubbed his thumb along her cheek and caught a tear. “Nothing?”
If only he knew the turmoil raging through her head and heart. She could tell him, but then what? If they tried at their marriage again, and she moved back into their home, he’d realize the extent she’d gone to in order to find their daughter. And that had been what had driven her to leave in the first place. She refused to stop searching for her. Unlike him, she couldn’t let the past lie and move forward. She loved him, but she loved their little girl, too. After years of trying to become pregnant, all of the tests, all of the waiting and longing, they’d finally been blessed with a healthy baby. Now she was gone.
A dull throb began to build along her spine. As she tried to come up with an answer, the throb sharpened when it reached her lower back
“Of course.” He closed the door and locked it. “Talking to you is like trying to get water from a drained lake.”
She knew they couldn’t have one conversation without him going all Gandhi on her. “Meaning?”
“It’s impossible.”
She glanced to the locked door. “I thought we were going to look at the vegetable garden.”
“There’s nothing to see.”
“Are you telling me the rabbits ate everything?” If he’d used the cayenne pepper spray…
“No, I lied. The garden is fine. Everything is growing as it should.”
Her heart sped up when she caught the determination in his eyes. “Then why did you have me come over?” she asked, suspecting his reason. Dante knew his lasagna was her favorite, and then there was the discussion of dating. Chances were, like her, he could use a sexual release, but she needed a straight answer. As it stood, she’d end up dwelling on their conversation until sleep finally consumed her, but at least she’d have this portion of it settled.
He took several steps forward until he crowded her against the kitchen counter. “Honestly? I planned to romance you.”
His familiar, earthy scent surrounded her. He stood so close, his warm breath caressed her lips. She could easily see them having sex right here in the kitchen. Hard, fast and hot sex.
He cupped her cheek with his warm hand. She sighed and closed her eyes at the gentle touch and leaned into his palm. She’d missed the feel of him.
“I don’t want a divorce and I hate living here without you. I lied to get you here tonight, because I wanted to see if there was anything left between us.”
She stiffened and opened her eyes. Her stomach tightened, not with sensual need, but with fear and self-loathing. And she had no one to blame but herself. She’d walked away, left their home, left him. Not because she didn’t love him, but because he represented what she’d lost. “Is this the point where you pull out one of your spiritual quotes? Maybe you’ll give me the ‘if you love something, set it free’ line. That’s rather fitting.”
He gave her a tired smile, then surprised her by cupping the back of her head and drawing her closer. “That one might work. If you still love me.”
Her breath caught. Longing tugged at her heart and pulled at her soul. Desire, not the hot, needy kind, swept through her and made her ache to freely touch him. She knew she could. He’d never turned her away before, and the intensity in his eyes, the depths of his own longings were clear, along with hope.
With her throat tightening, she blinked back the tears. The day their daughter had been taken, they’d both been plunged into purgatory. To a place where nothing was cut and dried. Not their marriage, their home, or their love for each other.
She did love him, but she didn’t want to set him free. What if he didn’t come back? What if she signed the divorce papers, agreed to sell their house and he cut all ties with her? Remarried, started a family with a woman who could give him all of herself?
He rubbed his thumb along her cheek and caught a tear. “Nothing?”
If only he knew the turmoil raging through her head and heart. She could tell him, but then what? If they tried at their marriage again, and she moved back into their home, he’d realize the extent she’d gone to in order to find their daughter. And that had been what had driven her to leave in the first place. She refused to stop searching for her. Unlike him, she couldn’t let the past lie and move forward. She loved him, but she loved their little girl, too. After years of trying to become pregnant, all of the tests, all of the waiting and longing, they’d finally been blessed with a healthy baby. Now she was gone.
A dull throb began to build along her spine. As she tried to come up with an answer, the throb sharpened when it reached her lower back
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