Page 66 of Need Me
Her shy attitude was endearing because it revealed her vulnerable side. “Are yousure?”
“Positive.”
“All right,” she said, grudgingly. “But if you make one wisecrack about my hair, I’m tossing you out on yourass.”
He leaned over and kissed her lush lips. The contact with her soft mouth almost made him reconsider staying, but he’d better not press his luck. “I’ll see you aroundsix?”
“Six isfine.”
“Do you like Chinese?” heasked.
Her eyes lit up. “Loveit.”
“Great. I’ll bring us asmorgasbord.”
Leaning further into him, she caressed his shoulders and ran a hand up his neck. “Bring a change of clothes for tomorrow while you’re atit.”
Her invitation was clear and he couldn’t refuse it. “I’ll dothat.”
Her kiss brought out a tempest of passion in him and once again Robert was hard-pressed to resist staying. Their embrace ended slowly and they rested their foreheads against eachother.
“Six?” Brookewhispered.
“Six,” Robertconfirmed.
With a parting smile, she got out and walked up the porch steps. The enticing sway of her hips made Robert blow out a breath before he put the car in reverse and backed out of herdriveway.
* * *
Working at home that afternoon,Robert decided to discuss a sensitive topic with Brooke before things became serious between them. Correction; before she became serious about him. He was in love with Brooke, but when she learned he did not want children, he was pretty sure it would be over. He didn’t want Brooke to fall for him and then get hurt by his life choices, so he needed to have a very tough conversation—tonight.
After Cletus’ escape act the previous night, Robert had decided to check the rest of the wooden pasture fencing for weak places. The manual labor kept his demons at bay for a while, but eventually, they seeped out through the crack in the lid of the mental box where Robert had imprisonedthem.
A combination of things had triggered the agonizing memories; loving Brooke so much that he’d begun envisioning a future with her and the fact that he didn’t want kids. However, he knew that Brooke did, so they needed to discuss whether their relationship could last despite their differentstances.
Robert had been looking forward to the evening with Brooke, but as he finished his chores, his anticipation turned to dread because he was on the brink of losing the only woman he’d ever trulyloved.
