Page 71 of Harmony Island Gazette
I was attracted to him, of course. But my feelings went above attraction. I felt safe. I felt protected. I felt like I was the only woman on this earth that mattered. When I was around him, I felt like could do anything. Boone never made me feel like I was there to serve him. Instead, we were a team. He loved me and I loved him.
That was all that mattered.
We kissed until Boone pulled back. He didn’t let me go, he just studied me, his brows drawn together.
I frowned as I brushed my fingers across the worry lines on his face. “What?” I asked.
“Am I hurting the baby?”
I studied him. “No.”
He looked sheepish. “Oh. I thought maybe I was holding you too hard.”
I shook my head. “I don’t think there’s much you can do to hurt the baby.” I climbed off his lap and stood in front of him. I turned to the side and patted my stomach. “See? I’m fine.”
Boone was watching me, his gaze trained on my stomach. Then, slowly, he rose up until he was kneeling in front of me. His hands found my hips as he turned me until I was facing him.
His hands settled on my waist as he leaned in and kissed my baby bump. Once. Twice. Three times. Then he tipped his forehead until it was resting on my stomach. “I’m going to love you, little squirt,” he whispered. Then he pulled back and glanced up at me. “Just like I love your momma.”
My hands found the sides of his face. I pulled upward, signaling to him what I wanted him to do. He stood up, his lips finding mine before he’d fully straightened.
I kissed him, this time more passionately and more frenzied than before. He wrapped one arm around me and backed me up until I was pressed against the wall. He used his other hand to steady himself as his lips crashed against mine.
Never had I felt so loved in my entire life. Boone was my person. The man I was meant to find. Sure, the road to get to him had been broken and rocky. There were times I’d wanted to give up. But I’m glad I kept moving forward.
And I was glad that his broken road led to me as well.
I was going to love Boone for the rest of my life. He was the man I wanted to tell everything to. He was the man I wanted as the father to my child, as my lover in my bed, and as my companion as we grew old together. I trusted him with everything, and now, I was trusting him with my heart.
I was finally home.
And with Boone, I would never be lost again.
26
ELLA
Sunday morning, I woke up in a foul mood. I wanted to say it was because it was down pouring. The sky was dark and rain was pelting my windows, but I knew better. Today, the newspaper was being released.
The article about the Proctors was going to be read by the entire town. But more importantly, it would be read by Asher.
I moaned as I covered my face with my arm. I didn’twantto write the article. I didn’t get satisfaction from being instrumental in the destruction of my best friend’s business. I just had to hope the fallout for Asher wouldn’t be that bad.
Three solid knocks on my door had me pulling my arm down and staring at the ceiling.
Or maybe it was going to be just as bad as I thought it would be.
The knocks came again. I sighed, pulling my blankets from my body and climbing off the bed. I grabbed my robe and stuffed my arms into the sleeves as I made my way to the door. It was Asher. It had to be Asher. I had very few friends who would come to my apartment at six in the morning on a Sunday.
I rested my hands on the door handle and dead bolt as I sucked in my breath. I’d written the article, it was time I faced the consequences.
Asher was mid-knock when I flipped the dead bolt and turned the handle. His hand was swinging toward the door when I pulled it open. He widened his eyes when he saw me. I could see a mixture of emotions as he stared down at me. If I could sum up his expression in one word, it would be betrayal.
“Why did you write this?” he asked as he held up the paper crumpled in his hand.
I folded my arms across my chest, hating that I’d ever been put in this situation. By him. By Gloria. By the strange man outside of the newspaper. Why hadn’t anyone else been brave enough to expose what was going on?
“Asher, I had to,” I said, wishing I sounded more confident than I felt.
