April's Promise (Forever Love Series) Read Online Free PDF Page A

like chocolate chip."
    He
laughed, a deep rumble that vibrated through April.  "And maybe you want
to split one?"
    Stephie
grinned.  Then she asked, "Are you comin' home soon?"
    "Pumpkin,
I have to work until supper.  But after supper you and I can play ball till
dark.  Okay?"
    Stephie
hopped off his lap and opened the bag of cookies.  "Okay."
    Rising
to his feet, he took April's elbow and guided her across the room to the
picture window.  "Is everything all right?"
    "I
think so.  She's used to you...and Evelyn.  But I'll keep her busy.  I wasn't
sure if I should bring her here."
    Gabe
leaned closer to her.  "Don't hesitate to call me or bring her by."
    His
hand was still on her arm, his head so close to hers that she could smell his
cologne.
    There
was a quick rap on the door and then it opened.  A man with close-cropped gray
hair and tortoise-shell glasses barged in.  "Gabe, the latest set of
numbers is good.  Damn good.  We should—"  Seeing April and Gabe's hand on
her arm, he blushed.  "Oh, I'm sorry.  I didn't mean to interrupt."
    Gabe
took a step away.  "It's okay, Jim.  You're not interrupting.  April is
Vanessa's sister.  She's taking care of my daughter until I find a new
sitter."
    Finally
catching a glimpse of Stephie quietly eating a cookie on the sofa, Gabe's associate
looked relieved.  "This can wait.  Give me a buzz when you're free."
    April
watched the man leave the office, Gabe's words still ringing in her ears.  
April is Vanessa's sister .
    Was
that all she was to him?  Could she be more?  Could she compete with
Vanessa's memory?
    "April?"
    Gabe
must have asked her a question.  "I'm sorry.  What did you say?"
    "Is
something wrong?"
    How
could she tell him she still had feelings for him?  Vanessa had only been gone
for eight months...  "No.  Nothing's wrong.  I was just thinking I should
get back so I can start supper."
    His
gaze was probing until Stephie came running to him with his half of a very
large cookie.  He took it from her with a wry smile that almost broke April's
heart.  As he wiped a few crumbs from Stephie's mouth so gently, she prayed
she'd make the right decision for all of them.
    ****
    Gabe
threw the big red ball to Stephie and she scrambled after it.  He wondered what
April was doing.  She'd been very quiet during dinner, talking to Stephie more
than him.
    When
the kitchen door opened, he did a double take.  April was wearing a jogging
suit.  Bright blue.  It fit her like...a second skin.  Every curve was
defined.  And they were all very tempting.
    Forget
it, Chronister.
    Why
wouldn't his body listen to his good sense?
    As she
approached him, he noted the sweatband holding her hair.
    She
smiled at Stephie, then said to him, "I'm going for a jog.  It usually
takes me about an hour."
    He
couldn't keep his gaze away from the fit of her top over her breasts, her leggings
hugging her hips.  "It will be dark soon.  Be careful you don't slip on
the leaves."  The whole yard was covered with them, and he'd have to rake
soon.
    "I'll
be fine.  I'm used to leaves.  We have them in Boston," she teased, then
took off under the trellis, along the flagstone path that led to the front
yard.
    He
watched until she was out of sight.
    After
he put Stephie to bed, Gabe took a shower.  Back in his bedroom, he reached for
his sweat suit, looked out his bedroom window and forgot about getting
dressed.  Having finished her run, April was stretching on the front lawn. 
Fascinated, he marveled at the flexibility of her body, the beautiful long
contours of her arms and legs.  When a sleek black sports car purred down the
street and pulled into his driveway, he saw her slowly come to her feet and
pull the headband from her hair.
    Nicholas
Chandler was one of Gabe's best friends.  He and Nicholas had hung around
together in high school, and they still did.  April had met and spoken with Nicholas
over the years.  Now as Nicholas strode up the walk, the post light threw