by Nina Milne
April stared at him. ‘Glad? Well, gee, thanks a bunch, Dad.’
‘I am glad. Because you’re feeling something.’
‘I don’t want to feel anything.’ Talk about throwing her toys out of the pram... ‘Last time I felt miserable it was—’
‘Was over a tragedy you could have done nothing about. That was flat-out misery of the type I hope you never have to feel again. This is a different misery, and I suspect it’s one you can choose to do something about.’
‘How?’
‘I think you’ve woken up, and I think all the emotions you’ve kept caged are surfacing and you’re starting to live life again. I’d further guess that your befuddled confusion has something to do with love. If it does, don’t reject it, April. Love is too precious.’
Love? The word rebounded around the room like a cannonball and she could feel the reverberations through her whole body She loved Marcus! What an idiot she was. A fool thrice over.
‘I have to reject it!’ she yelled suddenly, aghast with herself at the volume of her voice. ‘Look where love landed me last time.’
‘“Last time” was a long time ago, and a lot of people were taken in by Dean. But Dean was one person. You made one mistake in love.’
‘And it cost my son his life.’
‘No, sweetheart. Your belief in love did not cost Edward his life. Dean’s actions and some very bad luck cost Edward his life, and that does not mean you should never love or trust again. I don’t believe you ever loved Dean. You were young and you got carried away. If life had worked out I think you would have realised that mistake without the tragedy that unfolded. Love did not cost Edward his life—love made the short time he had on this earth a happy time. Love is a precious commodity, and if you’re lucky enough to love and be loved I hope you embrace it rather than shut it out.’
April stared at her dad’s much-loved face and then rose to her feet and hugged him. ‘Thank you. I still feel befuddled and confused, but I also feel better.’
‘You’re very welcome, sweetheart. I wish you luck with your decision.’
April sank down by the window again and wondered what to do...
Two days later
April sat by the graveside, ran her fingers over the headstone. She touched the items she’d placed so lovingly around the site. The windmill that turned in the breeze—Edward had been fascinated by the whirr and swirl of the colours as a baby. A tall vase filled with bright flowers—a standing order with the local florist still honoured. Edward’s headstone.
She wasn’t sure how long she’d been sitting there, gazing at the stone.
‘Edward, I love you, oh-so-much, and I am so very sorry I couldn’t protect you.’
Hugging her knees, she looked out over the cemetery and thought about her chosen course of action. And although there was panic in the mix of her feelings, there was also a sense of rightness. She did love Marcus, and—
She tensed at the sound of approaching footsteps, praying it wasn’t a member of Dean’s family...
She rose, turned, and froze in disbelief, sure she must be in the grip of hallucination. But there was something too real about the solid bulk, the aura, the pent-up energy of Marcus Alrikson that brooked no denial.
‘I’m sorry to come here...to intrude...but I didn’t want to risk the chance of missing you. Would you prefer it if I wait somewhere else? Or we could arrange to meet later? Or—?’
‘No.’ She shook her head. ‘I’m glad you’re here. It sounds a little nuts, but I came here to tell Edward something important—to clear my head and make my peace... I’m not sure—’ She broke off, aware that she wasn’t making sense. ‘How did you find me?’ The question was more curious than angry.
‘Your parents told me where you were.’
‘They did?’
‘I persuaded them that it was a desperate case.’
A horrible thought entered her head. ‘If it’s about the article, I’ll send you a copy to approve first—’
‘The article? Of course it’s not about the article. You can write what you like. Hell, I’ll pose for a centrefold in a pair of tightie-whities, if you like.’
April stared at him. He sounded...agitated. Marcus Alrikson? Agitated?
Suddenly, to her own surprise, she laughed, knowing that if Edward’s spirit could hear he wouldn’t mind.
‘That won’t be necessary. So what’s so desperate?’ A sudden lurch of hope jumped around in her tummy.
‘I should never have kept that promise,’ he said. ‘To let you say goodbye. Because I don’t want you to walk away. Not then, not now, not ever.’
‘Why not?’ The words were a whisper.
‘Because I love you.’
There was a silence and then he smiled, as if by saying the words he had released magic into the air. And perhaps he had, because tendrils of potential happiness seemed to be unfurling inside her.
Yet how could this be possible?
She shook her head. ‘It doesn’t make sense. You said yourself that you didn’t want love, or a relationship—that you couldn’t love.’
‘That is what I thought. What I have believed for too many years. It took you to show me that I was wrong. On all counts. You see, I grew up with no understanding of what real love meant. Until Elvira was born. When my parents brought her home I knew that I would do anything for her. But then the fire happened and something inside me froze. I still loved Elvira—but I couldn’t love anyone else. Couldn’t acknowledge love because I was so mixed up. But somehow you melted that freeze. Over the past weeks you’ve changed me, unlocked something inside me. You made me want to reach out—made me question my perspective on the past and my upbringing. But most of all you made me love you. I accept that this may all be too much, that you don’t love me, but I want a chance to persuade you to do just that.’
April smiled suddenly as she reached down for her bag. ‘Look.’ She delved inside and pulled out an envelope, handed it to him. ‘Open it.’
He did so. ‘A ticket to Lycander? You were coming back?’
‘Yes. To find you. To tell you that I love you. That I have fallen for you hook, line and sinker. That I can’t go back into my insulated bubble, my cage, and I don’t want to. I’d prefer to be free to love you, because love is too precious to waste. I love you, Marcus. I love your honour and your integrity. I love the way you make me feel—the way you have pulled me back into the sunshine. I love that you make me feel safe and exasperated and downright annoyed. I love how much you care about people and making the world a better place. I love you. And I want to spend all my days and nights with you.’
His smile lit his face, lit her world, made her glow inside and out.
‘There’s something else as well. I still haven’t got my period. I don’t know what, if anything, that means. I still might not be pregnant, given the test we did was negative, but it’s made me think. Either way, I would love to have a baby with you. I know it will be an emotional journey, but...’
With Marcus by her side it was a journey she knew she could take—one she wanted to take.
‘Edward will always have a place in my heart, but my love for him is different from the love I will have for another baby.’
‘And because of my love for you Edward will always have a place in my heart too.’
She heard the sincerity in his voice, knew that he meant every word, and stepped forward into the warmth of his embrace, resting her head on his chest and knowing with all her heart that this man was her soul mate.
‘You opened my eyes, April. To the possibility of a future I thought I could never have. A future filled with love and happiness.’
She smiled up at him, secure in the knowledge that it was a future they would walk into together, with no regrets at all.
EPILOGUE
Ten months later
APRIL LOOKED UP as h
er husband—her husband...the word still filled her with love, awe and a near-disbelief at her own luck that this wonderful man loved her—entered the room on tiptoe.
‘She’s asleep,’ April whispered as Marcus approached the cot where their beautiful daughter Eleanor lay, her tiny hands curled into fists by her head, which was covered with wisps of dark curls.
‘Nearly as beautiful as her mother,’ Marcus said, and April grinned up at him.
‘Very diplomatic—but I know perfectly well that this little one already has you twisted round her little finger.’ She gazed tenderly down at her daughter. ‘And I don’t blame you one little bit. I still can’t believe how blessed we are.’
It was true—from the moment they had discovered that she was, in fact, pregnant Marcus had been her rock. His joy and his pride and his understanding had been further proof, if she had needed it, that this man was truly amazing.
The past months had been a wonderful journey they had made together. Each day had cemented their love further, laid down a foundation she knew would endure for the rest of their lives. Together they had chosen and bought a beautiful house in Lycander; together they had prepared a nursery for their baby—painted the walls, stencilled drawings in their spare time.
April continued to work at the community centre, and had written a series of articles on the plight of the poor and disadvantaged in Lycander, and Marcus continued to help forge change in the country he loved. And through it all their love for each other and their unborn baby had grown.
Of course there had been difficult moments—moments when poignant memories of Edward had caused her sadness—but always Marcus had been there, with his love, and together they had created new and happy memories in the present.
‘I know. We are truly blessed. I have no idea what I did to deserve this much happiness.’
Marcus put his arm around her, held her close, and she felt his love as warm as a blanket surrounding her.
‘I love you, April. Now and for ever.’
‘Now and for ever,’ she echoed, meaning it with every fibre of her body and soul.
* * * * *
If you enjoyed this story, check out these other great reads from Nina Milne
CLAIMING HIS SECRET ROYAL HEIR
CLAIMED BY THE WEALTHY MAGNATE
THE EARL’S SNOW-KISSED PROPOSAL
RAFAEL’S CONTRACT BRIDE
All available now!
Keep reading for an excerpt from TEMPTED BY THE BILLIONAIRE NEXT DOOR by Therese Beharrie.
Join Harlequin My Rewards today and earn a FREE ebook!
Click here to Join Harlequin My Rewards
http://www.harlequin.com/myrewards.html?mt=loyalty&cmpid=EBOOBPBPA201602010003
We hope you enjoyed this Harlequin Romance.
You adore a feel-good story! Harlequin Romance offers uplifting escapes featuring real, relatable women and strong, deeply desirable men. Experience the intensity, anticipation and sheer rush of falling in love.
Enjoy four new stories from Harlequin Romance every month!
Connect with us on Harlequin.com for info on our new releases, access to exclusive offers, free online reads and much more!
Other ways to keep in touch:
Harlequin.com/newsletters
Facebook.com/HarlequinBooks
Twitter.com/HarlequinBooks
HarlequinBlog.com
Join Harlequin My Rewards and reward the book lover in you!
Earn points for every Harlequin print and ebook you buy, wherever and whenever you shop.
Turn your points into FREE BOOKS of your choice
OR
EXCLUSIVE GIFTS from your favorite authors or series.
Click here to join for FREE
Or visit us online to register at
www.HarlequinMyRewards.com
Harlequin My Rewards is a free program (no fees) without any commitments or obligations.
Tempted by the Billionaire Next Door
by Therese Beharrie
CHAPTER ONE
JESSICA STEYN HADN’T deliberately sought out the half-naked man who’d entertained her over the last week. But she couldn’t deny that watching him had fast become her new favourite hobby.
She watched as he bent over to pick up another stack of logs—watched as the muscles of his naked back rippled, the lightest sheen of sweat defining them even more—and conceded that it was definitely top-notch entertainment.
Guilt poked at her, but she ignored it. It wasn’t her fault that he wasn’t wearing a shirt. Nor was it her fault that he’d made a routine of cutting up the trees in his yard. Every day at noon he emerged from the house—wearing an old T-shirt that inevitably got tossed aside about five minutes into his task—and hacked the trunks he’d cut down the day before into logs. He then placed them in a pile, before carrying them over to an enclosed area where he’d set them down and start all over again.
So, ever since she’d noticed there was a routine, every day at noon she would settle in front of the window that overlooked his property to enjoy the show.
Thank goodness she’d discovered him, she thought as he gulped down a bottle of water. Water that dribbled over his chin, creating an enticing path down the column of his throat, between his pecs and the impressive ridges of his abs. Her heart rate immediately skyrocketed, and she thought that maybe she needed a glass of water, too.
He was a pretty decent distraction in an otherwise boring day. Now that her friend and boss, Anja, was away with her husband, Chet, on business, Jess’s days were mostly free. Apart from watching Mr Sexy-Next-Door.
And, of course, thinking about the child she carried.
Before her mind could take that detour—about how this child made Jess feel as if her life was actually worth something for the first time—she thought about how annoyed she was with Anja for not telling her that there was a Mr Sexy-Next-Door.
She’d been helping Anja manage her yoga studio for almost two years now, and this was the first time Jess had seen him. Though, to be fair, it was also the first time Jess had stayed at Anja’s house for longer than a few days. But she still expected Anja to tell her about the man. Perhaps not as her boss, but as her friend.
And definitely as her best friend.
But all thoughts of that vanished when the top log of the stack Mr Sexy had set down started to roll. He’d already turned away, so didn’t see the snowball effect of that one log. Jess pushed out of her chair, a wordless cry of warning on her lips, but it was too late. The logs had rolled under his feet and she watched in horror as he fell to the ground, twisting his body so that he landed on his hip.
Before she knew it, she was out of the front door. She had to turn back when she realised she hadn’t locked the house and, after she did, she ran as fast as her swollen body would allow to her temporary neighbour’s house. She said a silent prayer of thanks when she found his gate open and then she was kneeling beside him, her hands running over the chest she’d admired only minutes before.
She ignored how the grooves of his muscles, his abs, felt beneath her hands and focused on identifying whether anything was broken. She realised that he’d turned over onto his back then, but it only made her pause for a second. Then her hands were on his ankles, his calves, but, before she could feel his thighs or hips, two large hands gripped her wrists.
‘I’m not opposed to having a beautiful woman run her hands over me, but maybe we should leave that particular area for when we know each other better.’
Jess felt her face burn and quickly pulled back. But her balance was off and she landed on her butt. Her hand immediately went to her stomach, but she dropped it just as quickly. Not because his eyes had followed the gesture, and the way the interest there had cooled reminded her of the dismissive looks her parents had used to give her, but because she was fairly certain the baby was
fine. She hadn’t fallen very hard. Though she really had to remember that pregnancy had made her clumsy.
‘I’m assuming that response means you didn’t knock your head on the way down.’ She debated not saying anything else, but she knew she would worry if she didn’t ask. ‘Are you okay?’
‘Yeah, I guess so. Well, as okay as you can be when someone witnesses a couple of logs trip you.’ He moved to push up to his forearms, but she crawled forward and set a hand on his chest, pushing him back down.
‘You should stay still until we’re sure you’re really fine.’
‘I am sure. I’m fine.’
Realising he was the stubborn sort, Jess pressed a hand against his hip and nodded when he winced. ‘You’re not fine. I’m calling an ambulance.’
Before she could move to her feet, he grabbed her wrist again. This time, she felt the heat of his hand on her arm. Felt the callused bumps at the base of his fingers rub against her skin. She wasn’t sure why it sent a flush through her body, but she stilled and then gently pulled her arm out of his grip.
His expression didn’t change, though something in his eyes flickered. ‘I really am fine. I’ll probably have a bruise on my hip tomorrow—and my ego will probably need to be resuscitated since it was murdered so cruelly—but I promise you, I’m fine.’
He sat up then, and she let him. ‘Besides,’ he continued with a smile that made the flush in her body go hotter, ‘if I’m not fine, maybe you’ll come to my rescue again.’
‘Unlikely,’ she replied, ignoring the way her lips wanted to curve at his words. ‘I just happened to be looking out of my window when you fell.’
It sounded legitimate, she thought, and almost patted herself on the back when she saw he’d bought her excuse. Good thing, too. She wasn’t sure how she could explain the real reason she’d seen him.
‘I appreciate you wanting to help me. Are you a doctor?’
‘No.’
‘Nurse?’
She shook her head.
‘So, you just ran over when you saw me fall without any medical skills whatsoever?’
