Page 30 of Beyond Reach

“Stop!” he growled. “Don’t you say that, Chanda. Don’t say it like that, ever!”

She jumped because real anger sparked in his eyes. He cupped her face between both his hands and forced her to look up at him. His nearness stole her breath. She was still attracted to him to a degree that made no sense. For an instant, she forgot about her parents and the baby, being so consumed with him up close and personal.

“It was an accident, and it’s not your fault. Say it with me.”

Her eyebrows rose. “You’re not serious.”

“I’m very serious.”

She laid a hand over his to push him away, but he held on. If anything, he moved in closer. Lord, he was killing her.

“Say it, Chanda. You need to.”

“I—”

The stubborn idiot wouldn’t let go of the idea. She had no choice if she wanted to breathe normally again.

“It was an accident,” she acknowledged in a muted tone while lowering her gaze from his handsome face.

“Aw.” The waitress sighed as she refilled their cups of coffee. “Young love.”

Chanda turned away, feeling embarrassed. “Are you going to let me go, Garner?”

He took his time sliding his hands from her face. His thigh brushed her leg. She waited for him to return to the other booth, but he didn’t move.

“The rest?” he said.

She rolled her eyes. “I thought you would forget.”

“Not on your life.”

She huffed. “It’s not my fault.”

“Good.”

When she tucked her hands into her lap, he reached for one and held onto it. They sat side-by-side holding hands. Garner was her best friend, the person with whom she shared every deep dark secret.

“Did you do it?” he asked.

“Do what?”

“Finish med school.”

She winced. “I dropped out of college, and I never went back. I got a job as a receptionist and moved up in my company until I worked for one of the junior executives. It’s a tiny firm that’s having a rocky time right now, so it’s not like my position is such an achievement. They’re cutting salaries to try to keep us all employed. Anyway, I got that far with luck and a lot of working my butt off.”

“Nothing wrong with hard work.”

She looked at him. “Will you answer one of my questions?”

“Sure.”

“Why Marcella? Of all the women you could have gotten involved with, why my cousin?”

“Well—”

“Chanda!” came a high-pitched scream. “I knew it. I knew you were trying to steal my man!”

Chapter 12

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