Page 70 of Whisper of Temptation (Whisper Lake 4)

She snuggled into Austin’s shoulder as he gently stroked her hair and ran his fingers up and down her back, leaving a trail of gentle tingles in his wake.

He kissed her forehead. “Don’t go,” he said, an aching melancholy infusing his voice. “Stay here. Stay with me.”

She looked up at him, smiling a little. “I’ll stay,” she said. “We have until about five. That’s when Charlotte will start stirring, but I brought the monitor—”

“That’s not what I meant,” He looked into her eyes searchingly and shook his head a little. “I didn’t mean tonight. I meant forever.”

Oh.

Her eyes widened and her throat closed. All of the issues she’d been struggling with before she’d come to see him came flooding back.

Even though she’d just been contemplating how badly she didn’t want to leave him, the thought of staying…of rearranging her entire life…of rearranging her kids’ entire lives…well, that also scared the hell out of her.

She was a logical, responsible person. Was staying in a town she’d never been to before to make a life for herself and her kids with a man she’d just met be something a logical and responsible person would do? No.

She knew in her heart it felt right, of course. But she was a person who lived by her head, not her heart. She always had been. She’d thought she always would be. She’d always depended on that. It was how she’d survived. Was it advisable to change now? Was it even possible?

He kissed her on her forehead again. His lips were so tender and gentle it broke her heart just a little.

“Don’t answer now,” he said, putting her mind at ease. “I know it’s a big decision. Just think about it.”

She nestled her head into his neck and nodded. Her throat was so clouded with emotion she couldn’t have spoken even if she’d tried. And that was just as well, because she had no earthly idea what she wanted to say even if she could’ve formed the words.

What the hell was she going to do?

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