Page 39 of Storm's Embrace

“That’s what we’re going to be talking about.”

“Hon.” Jean laid an arm around her husband’s shoulder and reached up to kiss his cheek. “Let them work it out.”

“I won’t have her hurt again,” George said, his look turning tender when he addressed his wife, but quickly went hard when his look skewered Eli again. “I won’t.”

“Sir,” Eli said, stepping close to Miriam, shocking himself and perhaps her as well—if her slight gasp was anything to go by—when he took her hand. “I care deeply for your daughter and—“

“You do?”

He glanced down at a wide-eyed Miriam with a smile he couldn’t contain and squeezed her hand. He bent close to her, murmuring, “I do.”

“Awwww.”

Eli reluctantly straightened and pulled his gaze from Miriam’s to find Leah had come up behind her parents. “I knew it,” she said, fanning her beaming face with both hands. “Dad, can we keep him? Please?”

George grimaced at Leah, and then shook his head with a slight laugh. “We’ll see. And no,” he said when Leah opened her mouth again, “we’re still not getting a dog.”

“I wasn’t about to ask that,” Leah said, pouting.

“Uh-huh.”

Eli breathed a little easier when George chuckled again and his expression had relaxed—although only slightly—when he turned back to him. “If you care about my daughter as you say you do, then you definitely have some explaining to do.”

He couldn’t agree more.

Ten minutes, some awkward goodbyes, and anotherheartyhandshake from Miriam’s father later, Eli was following Miriam’s car to her home. At least he had Leah and Jean who seemed accepting of him, and he was fairly certain he could count on Zoë to be on his side. Hopefully George Kirksey would come around.

But first he had to set a few things straight with one Ms. Miriam Perry—namely the fact she needed to understand she was theonlywoman he had a desire to stand by for the rest of his life.

His body stirred.

He also needed her pressed against him again—preferably naked—in the worst way. But it was a need he could resist. She was his, regardless, so there was no rush to push for anything intimate until she was ready.

It would be enough if he could just hold and kiss her. He wanted to do things right with Miriam and show herandher father he was exactly the right man for her.

Soon enough, he pulled into Miriam’s driveway behind her SUV and got out. She didn’t wait for him as she went toward her front door, so he jogged up beside her and they walked together toward her home in a mutual silence as he admired the brick rancher. It wasn’t huge by any means, but it was just the right size for Miriam and Zoë.

Who knew, maybe soon his big empty house would finally be a home once those two special ladies moved in with him. And there was plenty of room to fill it up with the little sister Zoë wanted—and maybe even a brother or two.

“Do you want something to drink?” Miriam asked, after they’d entered her house and she’d shut the door. “Tea? Coke?”

“No. Thanks.”

“So, um…” She wiped her hands over her hips before motioning to the sitting area in her great room. “Have a seat.”

“Miriam.” He couldn’t hold back and took her by the shoulders, his intention to kiss her silly again. But her hands pressing against his chest stopped him.

“I need to know about Ms. Bennett,” she said, pushing away from him and going farther into the main room of her home. She turned toward him, her eyes wide with concern. “I can’t… I’m not…” Her features tensed. “I won’t be the other woman.”

“You’re theonlywoman.” Eli moved closer to her, but not too close. If she needed her distance, he would give it to her.

Miriam raised a brow, her next words tinged with irritation. “You’re sure? Ms. Bennett has made it more than clear to me on a couple of occasions thatsheis.”

Eli frowned. “She has?” That was news to him. “She knows she’s not, and hasn’t been for a long time.”

Miriam sat on her dark blue floral couch and frowned up at him. “Then I don’t understand.”

Eli sat beside her. “You might not believe me when I tell you the whole story because it’s that far-fetched. But here goes.”

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