Page 90 of The Puck Stops Here

He clenched his jaw, the fire in his eyes turning frosty. ‘I guess you have your answer.’

‘My answer?’

‘Marriage. Kids. A family of my own.’

In the depths of his gaze were the echoes of his past and a fear for the future. A man who didn’t dare hope for any of it.

‘You can have it all if?—’

‘How can you say that when you know the truth about me? You know what I did? You know why I left Ashbury Falls? I am my father’s son, Astrid. I canneverhave what he had because I will never destroy it like he did.’

And then he strode away, rounding the car to reach for the driver’s door.

Oh my God, no!She couldn’t let him leave, not like this.

‘Blake please?—’

‘Get in.’

She did a double take. ‘What?’

‘I said get in.’

‘But…?’

‘I assume you’re heading back into the city, I’ll drive you.’

It had to be an hour’s drive with the traffic at this time of night; it would be quicker via the sub, but…

‘You coming?’ He rose out of his seat to eye her over the roof.

Pulling open the door before he could change his mind, she slid inside and buckled up.

Neither said a word as he pulled out of the parking lot. Astrid’s head was racing, so many questions and assurances wanting to erupt but she wasn’t sure where to start, and she certainly didn’t want to put the guy any further on edge. Not when he was driving, but…

‘Your turn.’

She shot him a look. ‘My turn?’

Her heart went pitter patter with the windscreen wipers, the snow falling as thick and fast as her sudden dread.

‘Sure. I just told you outright that I don’t do serious when it comes to relationships. What about you? You hardly had the greatest upbringing with your father…’

‘No but my mother did a great job, thank you very much.’ Her hackles were up, a reaction born of a childhood where people judged her, judged her mother, judged her absentee father without ever taking the time to truly understand it. Not to mention her pulse that couldn’t settle with him mere inches away, his body heat and scent a constant attack on her weakened defences.

‘I didn’t say she didn’t. My mother did a great job too, my father just made it impossible for her to make it great as a whole. You can’t tell me you didn’t look at your friends and wish you had it different back then.’

Oh, she’d wished alright. She’d wished for a father to come to her school productions, a parents’ evening or two, anything to show a real interest…

‘You can’t control how other people behave.’

‘No, so you just stop depending on them. I have been listening you know…’

They shared a look so loaded with meaning that she didn’t breathe for a beat. And then she realised that this man who she’d known for little more than a week likely knew her better than those she’d known her entire life.

‘So tell me, Astrid, after all you’ve been through, do you crave a white wedding and babies and love ever after?’

‘Jesus, Blake…’ she laughed out, distinctly uncomfortable.

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