Page 63 of Secret Bet

No one inside had come out to stop them. His hand brushed against a winebottle.

Belle moved the bottle. "Peter, I don't think you should have a drink right now. Let'sjust go talkandeat."

He studied her hand. It was clean, white, and pure. He reached out and brushed her silkyfingers.

He closed his eyes and let out a small sigh. "I never expected any of this. I intended to spend my lifealone."

"Bitter isn't a good option." Her fingers laced with his and then reached up to brush his hair. "You have a strong family. You're having a hardtime withallthis."

Her massage was like magic. His body released all of its tension, and he needed to bestill. "Yes."

She continued touching him. "Do you know how luckyyouare?"

He shook his head and opened his eyes. Belle Jordan was more gorgeous than anyone he'd everdated.

"No one would wantmylife."

She scooted her chair closer to him, and their legsbrushed against each other. "Many would. Do you enjoy the blessings in your lifeatall?"

Somehow in all this mess, he had been blessed to find her. He kept that thought to himself and took her words to meanhispast.

"I don't know what to expect in my lifeanymore."

"See, that's great." She dropped her gaze. "I'm the last person in the world to talk about this, but changehappens to all of us. We shouldn't expect anything, but we have toaccept."

He reached out and squeezed her knee as he leaned closer to her. "You have friends. You have a life in DC that you fought with Colt to keep. You don't have people looking at you and expecting to see amonster."

She trembled but didn't pull away. "You are not yourfather."

He didn't move. He had noidea what to say to her. "It feels like I can't escape him,Belle."

She closed her eyes. "Yet, your brother and sister respect you. They love you as their brother. You go out into the world and try to do good. Peter, you'renothim."

He massaged her knee. Belle was so honest and heartfelt about everything in her life. She blew him away, and she was too hard onherself.

"Icould be. Believe me. The power, the money, the connections, it's all there for me. All I have to do is snap my fingers and I can become exactlylikehim."

"It's true. You have more than anyone." She gazed at him again and his lips tingled as she continued to say, "But you have your own heart inside you and your soul. It's what kept you from turning into your father who, from all accounts,I'dnotlike."

Apples were fast becoming his favorite fruit. "He'd notlikeyou."

She nodded. "I'll take that as acompliment."

"I would." He smiled. She truly wasdifferent.

She sat in her chair and stared at the sun that was about to disappear into the ocean. They had left the bay and also headed into the ocean. With Belle, he had peace now. She sighed as she watchedthe moment the sun disappeared. She truly was different fromeveryone.

Then she turned to him and asked, "Peter, did you ever imagine your mothercominghome?"

"I don't want to think about thatanymore."

Again his lips tingled. He'd like to kiss her again. The taste of apples would overpower him, but neither of themmoved.

He rubbed his chin. "The truth is, until thisyear, I was never in my house and lived like aghost."

She leaned closer to him. "Wherewereyou?"

He lifted his eyebrows. No one had asked him that question in a way that he felt he should be honest. He had avoided Mitch Morgan. He whiffed her sweetscent.

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