Free Deliciously Erotic Romance Collection (The Blue Room, Frosted Midnight, Haunted Halloween, Frosted Midnight) by Breena Wilde
Authors: Breena Wilde
on my jet from a little airstrip near Bandon to Dallas.”
While he talked my mind reeled. I didn’t remember any of it. And what about Emma? Who fed her? Changed her? Took care of her?
Austin continued, “When we arrived here, I carried you to this room.”
“And Emma?” I asked. “When’s the last time she ate? What about changing her? What about naptime and playtime and— ”
Austin squeezed my knee. “I handled it. Emma is easy to take care of. She cries when she wants something. There are only so many things she could need.” He shrugged. “I figured it out.” Then he smiled. It was a sad smile. “Her mother, on the other hand, is a bit more difficult to understand.”
I sighed and leaned back. “I’m not difficult. I told you what I wanted. Coming here wasn’t the answer.” My hair was a curly mess and hung in my eyes. I tucked it behind my ears. “Here’s how our appointment with your doctor will go. Ready?”
Austin turned so he more fully faced me. “Please. I’m all ears.”
“Your doctor will run a bunch of tests. After a day or two, she’ll call me into his office. Her face will be serious. Then she’ll clear her throat and tell me… the exact same news I got from my doctor. That I have a fifty-fifty chance of survival.”
“You don’t know that,” Austin said, him face grim.
I wasn’t done. If he thought he could have me and my daughter delivered to his house like some kind of package, he’d better fucking think again. So, yeah, I was just getting started. “And what about this nightgown? Was this something your wife wore? Am I like the new doll—your replacement wife? Is there a whole closet full of clothes to go along with this?” I pulled at it disgustedly.
Austin stood. “What kind of man do you think I am? What kind of person?” He moved to the door. “When my wife died I had her things packed up and sent to her parents, except two items that were too personal to part with.” He shook his head and my heart sank to my toes. “I get why you might worry, but that’s why I took off. I was worried about those same things.” He came back over to the bed and touched my face. “My feelings for you have nothing to do with her. They aren’t residual, leftovers from a past I wished I still had.” He tucked his hands in his pockets. “You’re completely unlike from her. You’re fiery, independent, and full of life. She… was different. Quiet. Reserved.” He gave me a pointed look. “Well mannered.”
I huffed. “What are you saying?” If he thought he was making the situation better he was fucking wrong.
He tapped me on the nose and sat. “I’m saying you’re difficult, a total pain in the ass, and for some reason I adore all of it. All of you.”
I wanted to stay mad. He was obviously a man used to getting what he wanted, probably because he was spoiled rotten as a child, but I saw the sincerity in his eyes, the kindness in his face. What he’d done—basically kidnapping Emma and me—he didn’t do because he wanted to control but because he really, truly cared.
I sighed. “For some reason I adore you too, but that doesn’t change the fact that I have to go back. I can’t stay here. I have a job, a home, my mom and sisters. I have a life. And as much as I appreciate what you’re trying to do, it isn’t right.”
Austin ran his hands through his hair. “God, woman. You’re infuriating.” He grabbed me by the chin. “Do you still love me?”
That was putting a girl on the spot. “I-I told you I did. I do. I never stopped loving you, which pisses me off because you left me—twice, you son-of-a-bitch. You don’t trust me.”
“It isn’t that I don’t trust you.” He closed his eyes a moment and opened them again. “I usually think my decisions through. I’m usually clear headed and…” He shook his head. “With you, everything is different. Please know I made stupid mistakes, and I’m sorry. Can you forgive me? Love me despite
While he talked my mind reeled. I didn’t remember any of it. And what about Emma? Who fed her? Changed her? Took care of her?
Austin continued, “When we arrived here, I carried you to this room.”
“And Emma?” I asked. “When’s the last time she ate? What about changing her? What about naptime and playtime and— ”
Austin squeezed my knee. “I handled it. Emma is easy to take care of. She cries when she wants something. There are only so many things she could need.” He shrugged. “I figured it out.” Then he smiled. It was a sad smile. “Her mother, on the other hand, is a bit more difficult to understand.”
I sighed and leaned back. “I’m not difficult. I told you what I wanted. Coming here wasn’t the answer.” My hair was a curly mess and hung in my eyes. I tucked it behind my ears. “Here’s how our appointment with your doctor will go. Ready?”
Austin turned so he more fully faced me. “Please. I’m all ears.”
“Your doctor will run a bunch of tests. After a day or two, she’ll call me into his office. Her face will be serious. Then she’ll clear her throat and tell me… the exact same news I got from my doctor. That I have a fifty-fifty chance of survival.”
“You don’t know that,” Austin said, him face grim.
I wasn’t done. If he thought he could have me and my daughter delivered to his house like some kind of package, he’d better fucking think again. So, yeah, I was just getting started. “And what about this nightgown? Was this something your wife wore? Am I like the new doll—your replacement wife? Is there a whole closet full of clothes to go along with this?” I pulled at it disgustedly.
Austin stood. “What kind of man do you think I am? What kind of person?” He moved to the door. “When my wife died I had her things packed up and sent to her parents, except two items that were too personal to part with.” He shook his head and my heart sank to my toes. “I get why you might worry, but that’s why I took off. I was worried about those same things.” He came back over to the bed and touched my face. “My feelings for you have nothing to do with her. They aren’t residual, leftovers from a past I wished I still had.” He tucked his hands in his pockets. “You’re completely unlike from her. You’re fiery, independent, and full of life. She… was different. Quiet. Reserved.” He gave me a pointed look. “Well mannered.”
I huffed. “What are you saying?” If he thought he was making the situation better he was fucking wrong.
He tapped me on the nose and sat. “I’m saying you’re difficult, a total pain in the ass, and for some reason I adore all of it. All of you.”
I wanted to stay mad. He was obviously a man used to getting what he wanted, probably because he was spoiled rotten as a child, but I saw the sincerity in his eyes, the kindness in his face. What he’d done—basically kidnapping Emma and me—he didn’t do because he wanted to control but because he really, truly cared.
I sighed. “For some reason I adore you too, but that doesn’t change the fact that I have to go back. I can’t stay here. I have a job, a home, my mom and sisters. I have a life. And as much as I appreciate what you’re trying to do, it isn’t right.”
Austin ran his hands through his hair. “God, woman. You’re infuriating.” He grabbed me by the chin. “Do you still love me?”
That was putting a girl on the spot. “I-I told you I did. I do. I never stopped loving you, which pisses me off because you left me—twice, you son-of-a-bitch. You don’t trust me.”
“It isn’t that I don’t trust you.” He closed his eyes a moment and opened them again. “I usually think my decisions through. I’m usually clear headed and…” He shook his head. “With you, everything is different. Please know I made stupid mistakes, and I’m sorry. Can you forgive me? Love me despite