Free An Escape to Love by Tali Martel Page A

not mean you have some weird claim over what I do with my life. What I do is none of your business, and you have absolutely no rights over anything.”
    Leona felt like she had been slapped and turned around before he saw the tears shimmering in her eyes. She went into her bedroom, locked the door behind her and sat on the bed, determined not to cry.
    She berated herself for her immature expectations, her stupidity for trusting him, and her insane demand. After spending two days and nights in his arms, her inexperienced body had mistaken everything to be some sort of committed relationship and she clenched her eyes tightly as his words slashed through her mind.
    No matter her naiveté or her stupidity, she knew she was falling in love with Jake. He was smart and funny and she enjoyed every moment she spent with him, whether it was naked in bed or clothed and doing nothing more meaningful than slicing mushrooms. She was falling for a man who had no future, and definitely none with her in it.
    Jake slid his hand through his hair and wanted to punch himself in the face for saying what he had said to Leona. He knew she had expected answers because she was falling in love with him, and he couldn’t deny his own feelings for her. He convinced himself that what he had done was right, and justified his words by telling himself that leading Leona on would do neither of them any favors. As long as she knew this was just for now, and temporary, he could leave her behind without any remorse.
    The door to her bedroom opened and he glanced at her in surprise as she walked straight-faced to the oven and checked the lasagna. Her stomach growled in protest at the sight of food and her appetite was ruined, but she had to pretend like what Jake had said didn’t matter. She removed the hot dish from the oven and placed it on a mat on the kitchen counter before handing Jake a plate.
    Jake felt like a jerk, and now that he could see her he wanted to beg for her forgiveness. It was insane, but that’s what he was tempted to do, just so he could make her believe in him again and have her look at him with those trusting, large eyes.
    He took her arm firmly in his hand and she glanced at him, her expression blank, unreadable, “I’m sorry Leona. I shouldn’t have barked at you the way I did. I’m sorry,” he said again and she pinned a fake smile to her face.
    “It’s alright. Let’s eat.”
    “No. Talk to me," he urged, desperate to revive the mood between them. “Look, I don’t want to talk about Jessica or the murder, or prison, or anything else with you. I prefer to forget the nightmare at the moment. I just want to be with you and savor each moment.”
    Leona’s expression relaxed at his words, and she felt guilty for what had happened. “It's okay Jake, really. I’m sorry I made such a fuss.”
    He clasped her face in both palms and placed his forehead against hers, looking into her eyes. “This, right now, is the only sane, relaxed time I will have in I don’t know how long. I don’t know where I’ll be when I leave here, on a boat, in a forest, in a mine. I don’t know where I’m headed. Please…let’s just make this work for the three or four days we have.”
    Leona’s heart lurched into her throat and a lump of unshed tears began to throb painfully. She pressed her lips against Jake’s, giving him a soft kiss, and they stood still for a few seconds, just listening to each other’s breathing.
     
     
    Chapter Eighteen
     
    Leona and Jake spent the rest of the day in peaceful bliss, focusing on cherishing the little things, making little memories.
    For Jake, the idea that he could care about someone so much after the way he had lost Jessica was a revelation. He strived to please Leona, to make her feel important in the only way he knew possible.
    He sat watching her as she popped M&Ms in her mouth, and the only thing he could think of was giving her everything she ever wished for. It was ironic though, that he