never happen now. Paige didn’t
resist the regret that washed over her with that thought. Getting
right with the loss was necessary. Relaxing, she allowed her body
to flow with the horse’s graceful movements. At one time, Nathan
had been the most loving, considerate man Paige had ever known.
Kind and compassionate. He had helped her to believe that anything
was possible. So many dreams. None of which would ever be now. The
only thing she could hope for was an amiable relationship with
Nathan for the sake of their son.
The wide open space around her called to
something deep inside Paige. Her childhood days here had been so
different from her life in Memphis. On the ranch, life had been
slow and easy, horses and Nathan. In the city, it had been fast and
stressful, social functions and her father’s expectations. She
didn’t have one memory of a family outing that hadn’t carried some
hidden agenda or professional motivation of some sort. Her Uncle
Robert had allowed Paige to be a child—free and happy. Robert and
Elliott had clashed many times over what was best for Paige.
Elliott always won.
As she had grown into an adult, she had felt
the tremendous pressure not to let her father down. He wanted so
much for her to become just like him—a rich and powerful attorney. Marry the right man, Paige. Live in the right house in the right
neighborhood and have the right children.
Paige rubbed Ariel’s neck as the mare trudged
onward. Her life so far had been a huge letdown in her father’s
eyes. She had borne an illegitimate half-breed child, become a
public defender, and had no husband at all. Paige shook her head
sadly. Elliott Weston still loved her, she knew that. He just
didn’t want anything to do with the things that mattered to her.
And Paige could no longer tolerate his indifference to her career
choice and those he considered lesser forms of life, most
especially her own son. Though he had tried to strong-arm his way
back into her life since her cancer diagnosis and treatment, Paige
hadn’t allowed him to take over. She took their fledgling
relationship one moment at a time.
She shook off the depressing thoughts and
focused on the paradise around her. Everything was green or getting
that way as far as the eye could see. Gentle, rolling hills.
Budding, leafing trees in the distance. And beyond that, she knew,
was the little river that cut across her uncle’s ranch. The one she
and Nathan had swam in hundreds of times. The place he had first
kissed her when she was sixteen years old. A sweet, tender kiss
that demanded nothing more than the meeting of lips.
Paige closed her eyes and summoned the image
to mind. Nathan’s arms around her, his lean, young body close hers,
the warmth that flowed between them. His silky black hair
shimmering down his back like dark, falling water. Bronze skin that
glistened in the sun. It had been at that precise moment that Paige
had known without a doubt that she would love Nathan Blackrope for
the rest of her life.
How had it come to this?
~*~
Nathan dismounted outside Robert’s barn. He
smoothed his palm over Midnight’s neck. Paige was avoiding him.
She’d ignored his calls all evening and now she’d taken off bright
and early to make sure he didn’t catch her today. Her car was in
the drive, and she’d apparently taken a horse.
James looked up when Nathan entered the barn.
“Hey, buddy, how’s it going?”
Nathan smiled. “Okay. You’re looking better
than the last time I saw you.”
“Feeling better, too,” James said with a hand
pressed to his stomach. “That bug about got the best of me.”
“I’m glad you’re back on your feet.” Nathan
took his hat off and plowed his fingers through his hair. “Did
Paige take a ride?” He tried his level best to sound nonchalant,
but even he heard the twinge of emotion in his voice.
“Yep, early this morning.” James peered at
his watch. “Should’ve been back by now.”
“Did she say where she
resist the regret that washed over her with that thought. Getting
right with the loss was necessary. Relaxing, she allowed her body
to flow with the horse’s graceful movements. At one time, Nathan
had been the most loving, considerate man Paige had ever known.
Kind and compassionate. He had helped her to believe that anything
was possible. So many dreams. None of which would ever be now. The
only thing she could hope for was an amiable relationship with
Nathan for the sake of their son.
The wide open space around her called to
something deep inside Paige. Her childhood days here had been so
different from her life in Memphis. On the ranch, life had been
slow and easy, horses and Nathan. In the city, it had been fast and
stressful, social functions and her father’s expectations. She
didn’t have one memory of a family outing that hadn’t carried some
hidden agenda or professional motivation of some sort. Her Uncle
Robert had allowed Paige to be a child—free and happy. Robert and
Elliott had clashed many times over what was best for Paige.
Elliott always won.
As she had grown into an adult, she had felt
the tremendous pressure not to let her father down. He wanted so
much for her to become just like him—a rich and powerful attorney. Marry the right man, Paige. Live in the right house in the right
neighborhood and have the right children.
Paige rubbed Ariel’s neck as the mare trudged
onward. Her life so far had been a huge letdown in her father’s
eyes. She had borne an illegitimate half-breed child, become a
public defender, and had no husband at all. Paige shook her head
sadly. Elliott Weston still loved her, she knew that. He just
didn’t want anything to do with the things that mattered to her.
And Paige could no longer tolerate his indifference to her career
choice and those he considered lesser forms of life, most
especially her own son. Though he had tried to strong-arm his way
back into her life since her cancer diagnosis and treatment, Paige
hadn’t allowed him to take over. She took their fledgling
relationship one moment at a time.
She shook off the depressing thoughts and
focused on the paradise around her. Everything was green or getting
that way as far as the eye could see. Gentle, rolling hills.
Budding, leafing trees in the distance. And beyond that, she knew,
was the little river that cut across her uncle’s ranch. The one she
and Nathan had swam in hundreds of times. The place he had first
kissed her when she was sixteen years old. A sweet, tender kiss
that demanded nothing more than the meeting of lips.
Paige closed her eyes and summoned the image
to mind. Nathan’s arms around her, his lean, young body close hers,
the warmth that flowed between them. His silky black hair
shimmering down his back like dark, falling water. Bronze skin that
glistened in the sun. It had been at that precise moment that Paige
had known without a doubt that she would love Nathan Blackrope for
the rest of her life.
How had it come to this?
~*~
Nathan dismounted outside Robert’s barn. He
smoothed his palm over Midnight’s neck. Paige was avoiding him.
She’d ignored his calls all evening and now she’d taken off bright
and early to make sure he didn’t catch her today. Her car was in
the drive, and she’d apparently taken a horse.
James looked up when Nathan entered the barn.
“Hey, buddy, how’s it going?”
Nathan smiled. “Okay. You’re looking better
than the last time I saw you.”
“Feeling better, too,” James said with a hand
pressed to his stomach. “That bug about got the best of me.”
“I’m glad you’re back on your feet.” Nathan
took his hat off and plowed his fingers through his hair. “Did
Paige take a ride?” He tried his level best to sound nonchalant,
but even he heard the twinge of emotion in his voice.
“Yep, early this morning.” James peered at
his watch. “Should’ve been back by now.”
“Did she say where she
Similar Books
