Free Shattered Dreams (Moonchild) by Janet Lane Walters

encounter had diverted him from the reason he had come bearing dinner. He had hoped in the afterglow, she might listen.
    “Manon, come back.”
    “I’m hungry.” She turned and flashed a leg. “Burger Bounty’s waiting.”
    He rose and pulled on his jeans before following her from the room. He noticed two bedrooms and a bathroom along the side wall and one at the other end of the hall. Why such a big house? He would ask and perhaps that would lead to the topics he wanted to discuss.
    Lovemaking had told him several things. They fit together perfectly. He still loved her. Was there a chance to rekindle her love for him? He wouldn’t ask yet.
    Excising the past was essential. Those events festered beneath the surface of his life. Hers, too. The infection had to be drained and the scars freed so he could know what had happened and who had tried to kill him.
    His memories of the accident showed a dark car tailing him and his actions to evade. Of the crash, all he saw was headlights aimed at the bike, the hit and flying through the air to smash against the ground.
    A groan escaped. He needed the missing pieces. Manon needed to know about her father’s threats. Would she believe him? Had her father been behind the wheel of the car to insure his plans for Manon proceeded as he wished?
    A shake of Rafe’s head dismissed that idea. Mr. Lockley hadn’t been the type to risk an injury to himself.
    Manon paused at the refrigerator. Rafe leaned against the counter. “What now?”
    “You could go home.”
    “Without my supper.”
    She laughed. “Get the bag.”
    “They’re probably cold.” He returned to the foyer. When he returned he handed her the package.
    “I’ll zap them.” She opened the insulated container. “May not taste as good as when they’re fresh but I bet they’re still the best burgers around.” She made a face. “Probably loaded with cholesterol.”
    He choked back a laugh. “You become a health nut?”
    “I try to eat healthy, but I do indulge on occasion.” She bent and inhaled the aroma. “They smell wonderful. They’re warm. So are the fries. Won’t take more than seconds to heat.”
    She rounded the counter. Rafe sat on one of the stools on the far side of the bar separating the kitchen from the family room. He studied the open area and noticed the fireplace and the long sliding door leading into the backyard. “Why did you buy a house?”
    “I needed a place to live.”
    “What about the house where you grew up?”
    Manon slid the burgers and fries, minus the lettuce, tomatoes and pickles into the microwave. “Jay lives there. Who would want to live with a cranky composer when the music isn’t going well?” She reached for a plate.
    “Why not an apartment?”
    “I like my privacy. I like this house. I’m happy to be settled and not have to move again.”
    “That’s a change.” He recalled how they had talked about taking his bike and exploring the country.
    “Three years of galloping over Europe cured any bit of wanderlust.’
    He leaned his elbows on the counter. “Isn’t this house a bit big?”
    She shrugged. “The day I walked in, I knew this was right for me and I bought it. Maybe some day I’ll find a way to have a family.”
    The yearning in her eyes made him want to offer her those dreams for they walked hand and hand with his.
    A buzzer sounded. She turned to the microwave and removed their food. When the robe parted, Rafe caught a glimpse of her breast. In an instant his cock responded to the sighting.
    She passed the plates across the counter, providing another view. He wanted to pull her into his arms and satisfy this persistent hunger.
    Cool it.
    With a too eager reaction, they would never have the overdue conversation. What if he’d been able to find her when she’d returned from Europe? What if they had talked then? He groaned. What ifs never solved anything. He took a bite of the burger to contain the response to his thoughts.
    “You all right?”
    He