Read Online Warm Winter Love by Constance Walker - Free Book Online Page B

assume the feeling is mutual.” How she wished he would laugh or smile. But he was so serious—so very serious.
    “Jason and I are good friends.”
    “I’m your friend too, Katie.”
    She closed her eyes, wishing that she didn’t have to continue, wishing that it was a year from now and that this episode was in the past. But when she opened them she saw Sam staring at her, waiting for her to speak.
    “I know you are, Sam, but Jason and I go back a long way. We have the same ideals and values.”
    “Don’t I have the same values too? Don’t I want the same things as you? Don’t I want to love you for the rest of your life, Katie-Katie? And to make you happy, to make us both happy?”
    She took a deep breath, hoping to still the panic rising within her. This isn’t fair! she wanted to cry out. A woman shouldn’t have to choose between two good men. It should all be clear-cut. There shouldn’t be these problems, these trials.
    “Come away with me,” Sam said.
    “Just like that, Sam?” The absurdity of the suggestion made her laugh. “I have so much to clear up. I could never walk away from my life.”
    “Clear it up and then come away with me.” She shook her head. Her heart seemed to be breaking as she saw his dark eyes focus on her, taking in everything she said and did, so that he seemed to absorb her mind and thoughts.
    “I can’t. That’s what’s different about us, Sam. I’m practical. Very practical.”
    “And I’m . . . ?” From the way he said it, she knew he saw himself as someone who was spontaneous, someone who would try all possible ways to succeed in love, life, and his profession. “And I’m . . . ?” he asked again so that she wanted to answer him that she had never met anyone quite like him before. That he was someone who would never give up fighting for what he wanted.
    She tried to form and speak the words that could put her thoughts in order but her emotions overcame her practicality and she was finally content to think the words that assembled much too quickly in her consciousness. You’re wonderful , she wanted to cry out. You’re what I’ve always wanted. You’re the person I have dreamed about all my life. The Prince Charming in all the fairy tales I ever read. The hero who comes riding on a horse to rescue me. You’re all those things I’ve dreamed about and you’re all those things that I want and all those things I don’t want. Oh, Sam! If I could, I would tell you that I love you with all my heart. And that I want to run away with you and live any kind of existence with you. But I can’t. I can’t afford to get hurt. I have to be practical. I think of all those things we could do, but all the things we couldn’t do outweigh them.
    These were the things she wanted to tell him but was unable to say. Instead, she shook her head.
    “You’re different from me, Sam. Let’s leave it at that,” she said and then felt another wave of indecision so that her hands began to tremble and a violent shudder hit the bottom of her stomach. She took a deep breath to calm herself and waited until the shaking had passed through her body.
    “Sam, please…” she said quietly, almost pleadingly. “Let’s not do this to each other. Let’s talk about it some other time, when we’ve thought about it some more.”
    He picked up her hand once again and caressed it. “We don’t have that much time, Katie. We just don’t have that much time. And I’m afraid I’m going to lose you if we don’t talk.”
    She looked outside at the snowflakes swirling near the windows. “Please, Sam,” she said, “please . . . let’s talk tomorrow.” She stood up and glanced at her watch and then at the deserted room. “The waiters…” she said, indicating two men in the doorway. “They want to close the room.”
    He stood up, too, and took her arm. “I didn’t mean to press you so hard, Katie.” His arm surrounded her waist and he drew her close to him as they walked slowly toward