Page 47 of Beyond Reach

She couldn’t do it. And why was he even insisting? It wasn’t like he could see her eyes with the room being so dark.

“Look at me,” he insisted and grasped her chin. The gentle touch sent chills pricking over her skin. Only a few hours had passed since she was in his arms, and yet, she missed it as if it were years ago.

“Don’t, Garner.”

“Don’t what? Don’t love you? Is that what you’re asking of me?”

Her throat closed.

“Because you can forget it. I don’t know how to feel because I was on top of the world thinking we were about to have a baby together. It’ll take some time for me to accept that you can’t get pregnant and that Marcella did.”

She ground her teeth.

“I want to take away all the hurt, baby. I can feel it in you, and it kills me.”

He ducked his head down so his eyes were level with hers. She didn’t exactly see his gaze in the darkness, but she felt his love. God, how she felt his love, and it bolstered her courage.

“I hope you won’t push me away, Chanda, because if you even try, I’ll stop it. I won’t let you go again. As long as I know you love me, I’ll chase you across the country. If you run, I will as well.”

“You can’t do that! The baby needs you.”

He grinned. “Then don’t run.”

“Boy, please. You’re not going to leave your child. There’s no way you’re going to convince me of that.”

“Neither am I going to leave you. Marcella and I had a conversation after you came up here.”

Her stomach knotted, although he’d just said they weren’t going to be apart.

“I told her I’m going to support my baby and be involved in his life. But she and I can never be together again. I told her…” He paused for emphasis. “You are my soul mate, and I love you.”

She cracked a smile. “You didn’t spout that mushy stuff, did you?”

“I did. I knew it would get under her skin.”

“You’re bad.”

“So.” He brushed a thumb over her finger, playing with the diamond he’d put there. “We’re okay, right? Because…”

When he didn’t speak, she looked up from their hands to his face. The moon chose that moment to illuminate his features and the fear and hurt in his expression.

“You can’t leave again.” He spoke the words with such raw pain she couldn’t help but throw herself against him and wrap her arms around his neck. They held onto each other for a long time. She had never felt such desperate love from a person. Or perhaps she did, back in college, from him. To know it, to recognize it, blew her mind.

“I won’t leave. If you’re wi

lling to fight with me, I’m here. If you won’t feel resentment later that I can’t give you a family, we’ll have each other and make it work. I love you, Garner, and I’ll never leave you again.”

Chapter 19

Several months later…

“Where is she?” Garner held his son to his chest and peeked out the window for the millionth time. He glanced at their luggage sitting near the door and frowned.

“I have no idea. She was supposed to be here two hours ago. Did you call her?” Chanda checked her phone, but she’d received no calls or texts from her cousin. “She’s only doing this mess because she knows we were all set to go on our trip. I’ve never seen a woman so jealous and hateful. Wasn’t she seeing someone?”

“I don’t know.” Garner had ceased to pay attention. Little Oran made a small noise, and his overprotective daddy was studying the baby to see that he was okay. Chanda shook her head. What would Garner do when his son could walk and was getting into things?

Honestly, she adored Oran as well. Who knew Marcella could help produce such a sweetheart. He was good baby, sleeping well almost from birth. His silver eyes and cute facial structure were so like Garner’s one would think Garner spit him out. Garner’s dad had emailed them Garner’s baby pictures and blew Chanda’s mind with the resemblance. The only difference was in the caramel skin color.

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