Read Online April's Promise (Forever Love Series) by Karen Rose Smith - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Karen Rose Smith
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bed. He should have known sleep
would be a lost cause. He'd watched TV until ten and read the newspaper until
eleven. When April had told him she had her key, she was sending him a
message. Don't wait up . Well, it was his house and his life and he'd
damned well wait up if he wanted to!
The
clock at the side of his bed said midnight, and he convinced himself he wasn't
waiting up for April. He was just going to get a midnight snack. After he
pulled on a pair of sweatpants that were straggled across his bedroom chair, he
didn't bother with a shirt. Out of habit he peeked in on his daughter. She
was sleeping soundly, curled on her side, April's puppet clasped in her arms.
The
ceramic tile in the kitchen was cool under his bare feet, but he hardly
noticed. Going to the refrigerator, he pulled out a dish of roast beef that
had been left over from the night before. April was an even better cook than
Evelyn had been. Vanessa hadn't liked to cook, and on weekends, they'd usually
eaten out or ordered something in. Gabe thought again about the vast
differences between the two sisters. It had been easy to see that Vanessa had
grown up in wealth from the way she dressed to her expectations of the life
style they should have. Gabe had worked hard to make that life style a
reality. Vanessa's salary had gone mostly for her clothes and jewelry,
vacations and extras that she felt they'd like. Once he'd gotten the three
stores off the ground, providing everything she'd wanted wasn't a problem. No,
money hadn't caused the deterioration of his marriage, but he still didn't know
what had .
He'd
taken a few bites of his sandwich and washed them down with hot chocolate when
he heard Nicholas' car pull into the driveway. Instead of going to a window
like he wanted to do, he made himself stay put and took a few more sips from
the mug.
A few
minutes later, April's key turned in the lock, and Gabe wondered if Nicholas
had kissed her. She must have seen the light in the kitchen from the foyer,
and she came in, unbuttoning her coat. Her cheeks were pink and her hair
tousled, but that could be from the cool autumn air...or from a quick but
passionate kiss.
"I
didn't think you'd still be up," she said as she ran her fingers through
her hair to straighten it.
"Supper
was a long time ago." That was enough of an explanation for his midnight
foray into the kitchen. "How was your dinner?"
"Very
nice." Sliding out of her coat, she hung it over her arm.
"And
the symphony?"
"That
was nice, too. I'm going to hang up my coat—"
"But
Gabe couldn't wait until she did. "And how was Nicholas?" Gabe rose
to his feet and crossed the room to her. He wanted to see into her eyes. He
wanted to see if anything important had happened tonight.
"Nicholas
was...fine."
Her
hesitation worried him. "How fine?"
Her
eyes flashed as she said, "I told you before, I don't like to be—"
"Grilled,"
he finished for her. "Yeah, I know. But I'm doing it anyway. Did he
kiss you?"
Her
gaze widened, her mouth parted slightly, and he didn't care if Nicholas had
kissed her because he was going to kiss her now. She'd forget about Nicholas'
kiss, if it had happened.
With
only the thought of wiping another man out of her mind, his hand slid under her
hair, and he brought her head to his. He thought he heard a small gasp right
before his lips covered hers.
Not
intending to keep the kiss chaste by any means, his tongue parted her lips.
She was hot and soft and perfect, and he felt her tremble as his tongue stroked
against hers, coaxing and seducing until she moaned and tightened her arms
around him. Her dress against his chest pushed him into further awareness of
their bodies joined together. His sweatpants weren't much of a barrier as he
pressed into her, aroused and hungry.
Warning
himself he was heading into very deep water, he broke the kiss and looked down
into her eyes. "Did Nicholas kiss you?"
would be a lost cause. He'd watched TV until ten and read the newspaper until
eleven. When April had told him she had her key, she was sending him a
message. Don't wait up . Well, it was his house and his life and he'd
damned well wait up if he wanted to!
The
clock at the side of his bed said midnight, and he convinced himself he wasn't
waiting up for April. He was just going to get a midnight snack. After he
pulled on a pair of sweatpants that were straggled across his bedroom chair, he
didn't bother with a shirt. Out of habit he peeked in on his daughter. She
was sleeping soundly, curled on her side, April's puppet clasped in her arms.
The
ceramic tile in the kitchen was cool under his bare feet, but he hardly
noticed. Going to the refrigerator, he pulled out a dish of roast beef that
had been left over from the night before. April was an even better cook than
Evelyn had been. Vanessa hadn't liked to cook, and on weekends, they'd usually
eaten out or ordered something in. Gabe thought again about the vast
differences between the two sisters. It had been easy to see that Vanessa had
grown up in wealth from the way she dressed to her expectations of the life
style they should have. Gabe had worked hard to make that life style a
reality. Vanessa's salary had gone mostly for her clothes and jewelry,
vacations and extras that she felt they'd like. Once he'd gotten the three
stores off the ground, providing everything she'd wanted wasn't a problem. No,
money hadn't caused the deterioration of his marriage, but he still didn't know
what had .
He'd
taken a few bites of his sandwich and washed them down with hot chocolate when
he heard Nicholas' car pull into the driveway. Instead of going to a window
like he wanted to do, he made himself stay put and took a few more sips from
the mug.
A few
minutes later, April's key turned in the lock, and Gabe wondered if Nicholas
had kissed her. She must have seen the light in the kitchen from the foyer,
and she came in, unbuttoning her coat. Her cheeks were pink and her hair
tousled, but that could be from the cool autumn air...or from a quick but
passionate kiss.
"I
didn't think you'd still be up," she said as she ran her fingers through
her hair to straighten it.
"Supper
was a long time ago." That was enough of an explanation for his midnight
foray into the kitchen. "How was your dinner?"
"Very
nice." Sliding out of her coat, she hung it over her arm.
"And
the symphony?"
"That
was nice, too. I'm going to hang up my coat—"
"But
Gabe couldn't wait until she did. "And how was Nicholas?" Gabe rose
to his feet and crossed the room to her. He wanted to see into her eyes. He
wanted to see if anything important had happened tonight.
"Nicholas
was...fine."
Her
hesitation worried him. "How fine?"
Her
eyes flashed as she said, "I told you before, I don't like to be—"
"Grilled,"
he finished for her. "Yeah, I know. But I'm doing it anyway. Did he
kiss you?"
Her
gaze widened, her mouth parted slightly, and he didn't care if Nicholas had
kissed her because he was going to kiss her now. She'd forget about Nicholas'
kiss, if it had happened.
With
only the thought of wiping another man out of her mind, his hand slid under her
hair, and he brought her head to his. He thought he heard a small gasp right
before his lips covered hers.
Not
intending to keep the kiss chaste by any means, his tongue parted her lips.
She was hot and soft and perfect, and he felt her tremble as his tongue stroked
against hers, coaxing and seducing until she moaned and tightened her arms
around him. Her dress against his chest pushed him into further awareness of
their bodies joined together. His sweatpants weren't much of a barrier as he
pressed into her, aroused and hungry.
Warning
himself he was heading into very deep water, he broke the kiss and looked down
into her eyes. "Did Nicholas kiss you?"
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