Page 15 of Return to Lovett Cove
“I was going to fly back to Philadelphia when my ulcer burst,” she explained.
River still couldn’t find his voice. If he hadn’t made the trip out to the inn, he would’ve missed Jasmine. The idea left him feeling cold. Would she ever have returned to Lovett Cove? He didn’t want to imagine never seeing her again.How can I get her to stay?
“All this stuff at work,” she continued. She waved him off as she gingerly sat on the bed. “Now, I’ll never get that promotion.”
“You might not want to hear this right now, but maybe all of this is happening for a reason.”
She looked up sharply. “And what reason could that be?”
He swallowed, loosening his tight throat. If he mis-stepped here, he could lose her forever. He crossed the room and sat on the chair next to the bed. “Maybe you’resupposedto be in Lovett Cove. Your mother thought running an inn in a small town would bring you some…peace.”
Jasmine slowly stood, her gaze glaring. “You’re suggesting I quit my job.”
“I…” He wasn’t sure how her job worked. Maybe she could do it remotely; he didn’t know. But she must’ve had that ulcer before arriving in Lovett Cove. A couple of days of good food and relaxing on a beach couldn’t possibly cause an ulcer. River slowly stood. “That’s not?—”
“All my work… All I’ve accomplished should be thrown away for an inn I know next to nothing about running. No matter how much I achieved, it was never good enough for my mother. And it’s clearly not good enough for you, although it has nothing to do with you. We have nothing to do with each other.”
He’d screwed this up. And by the look of anger on Jasmine’s face, there wasn’t anything he could say to make up for it. “I never wanted to imply that what you’ve done wasn’t important. Of course it is.”
“But your choice is clearly better.”
He cupped her face in his hands. “No. This isyourchoice. I’m only asking that you consider the possibility that Lovett Cove could be home for you.”
Tears welled in her eyes. He could see her mind wrestling with her options as fear and regret swirled in her gaze.
His thumbs stroked away the tears that fell. “And I’m here,” he offered softly. “You won’t be alone.”
Hope flared in her dark eyes. The tightness that had developed in River’s chest loosened. He was getting through to her. His gaze dropped to her lips. When he cautiously leaned in, he felt the slightest rise of her face beneath his palms. Her eyes shuttered, and he accepted the invitation, slanting his lips over hers.
Her soft mouth trembled beneath his, but she didn’t pull back. She tasted minty with a hint of Candace’s honey-infused biscuits. River deepened the kiss, and her lips clung to his. He dropped one arm around her waist and drew her in close, molding her body to his as he pressed softly into her lips.
Not since his ex-wife had River felt so much need for a woman. He knew after moving to a town as small as Lovett Cove that the chances of finding a woman who could respect his career choiceanddesire him were slim.
Jasmine nipped at his bottom lip, and fire pooled into that spot, the heat soothing. She arched into his touch, and he heard his voice whisper her name. A plea for her to stay.
Then she stiffened.
Jasmine shoved him away. “No. I’ve made up my mind. Please leave, River.”
“Jasmine, there’s something between us. I’ve felt it since the second we met. And I know you feel it too. That kiss didn’t mean nothing.”
She closed her eyes in frustration. “You said it’s my choice.” She opened her eyes, resolute. “I’ve made it.”
He stilled himself against the chill that spread through him. For the first time since his divorce, he thought it was possible to have a life with someone who shared the same goals. He thought he’d found a home in Jasmine.
As he bounded down the porch steps toward his truck, his chest burned with heartbreak he’d never imagined feeling again. He’d failed Lily; he couldn’t convince Jasmine to stay.
And his heart would leave with her.
CHAPTERNINE
Jasmine hobbled into her office, coffee sloshing around the brim of her mug. She still had trouble walking upright; her healing progressed more slowly than her doctor had predicted. But he told her to take it easy, no heavy lifting, no stress.
Today alone, she lifted a box of paper to refill the copy machine, skipped lunch to prepare for an early afternoon meeting, and stressed the entire day.
But she had accomplished so much. The high of achievement was carrying her through when she likely should work from home. If her dedication to the job didn’t prove to her bosses that she deserved the VP position, Jasmine didn’t know what would.
Kennedy looked up, her face a sweaty mess after running in front of and behind her all day, completing her work and helping pick up some of Jasmine’s slack. She bolted from her seat, the phone in her lap crashing to the floor. “Let me get that. You should’ve told me you wanted another cup. How many is that, by the way? Are you even supposed to be drinking coffee? It’s five-thirty. You’re going to be up all night.”
