Promised Read Online Free PDF

deceptively light. “One of the Chardos?”
    She could tell he wasn’t buying it, but she kept trying anyway. “Or someone else. You could pick the guy. It wouldn’t matter to me.”
    â€œThis isn’t amusing anymore,” he said. “You’ve had a year to think about marrying me, and any time along the way you could have told me it wouldn’t work. You promised you would decide about us, remember? You weren’t supposed to decide no .”
    â€œI’ve had doubts. You know I have.”
    â€œYou’ve also been happy, and loyal, and loving. Don’t forget that,” he said.
    â€œNot so loyal. I talked to Peter just today,” she said.
    â€œNice try.”
    â€œNo, I really did. Up past the ridge, when we were getting Jack,” she said.
    â€œThat’s hardly sneaking off to be alone with him,” Leon said, watching her closely. “It probably couldn’t be helped. What did you say?”
    â€œWe agreed never to be friends,” she said.
    Leon relaxed. “See? That’s not breaking a promise to me. It’s making it stronger. I know you, Gaia. I’d trust you forever. Why are you resisting me on this? I feel like I’m fighting you, and this is supposed to be a proposal.”
    She slowly shook her head. “There’s Will, too.”
    Leon laughed. “Now you’re really stretching it.”
    â€œHe loves me, Leon. He hasn’t said it lately in so many words, but I can tell.”
    â€œObviously,” he said. “But that doesn’t mean you care for him the same way. Don’t you think I’d know? Think I haven’t watched you with him? I have to hand it to the guy. He never crosses a line. His devotion would be funny if it wasn’t so awful to see.”
    â€œI keep hoping he’ll fall for someone else,” she said hopelessly.
    â€œSo do I. Both of those Chardos.” With strong hands, he pulled her closer and shifted her onto his lap so he could wrap his arms around her. “What’s with all these excuses? Tell me what you’re really thinking,” he said tenderly. “What’s really the matter?”
    She felt a crumpling sensation around her heart. Why did Leon always see into her so perfectly?
    â€œIt hurts to love someone this much,” she said finally. “I feel each place where our minds meet, and each little place where they don’t, until we talk things over and line up again. Like now when you won’t let this go. I feel the other, muddled places we leave alone, like with your parents. But even those places are ours. I’ve never had anything like this with anyone else. Now I’m never fully happy anymore unless you’re with me. I’m teetering in this stupid place where I want to keep you selfishly with me every minute, but I can’t. And what if I ever lost you? This isn’t strength. It’s weakness. It’s not supposed to feel this way.”
    â€œYou’re amazing,” he said, and nudged her chin up with his thumb.
    â€œBut do you know what I mean? Does it actually hurt for you, too?”
    â€œOf course it does. And it doesn’t matter what it’s supposed to feel like. It’s ours.”
    By the soft, flickering light of the fire, his eyes gleamed. A tiny corkscrew of expectancy twisted in her gut. His face tipped until she felt his beard skim near, then his mouth, and then everything else vanished. She held on to him tightly, afraid and hungry and sweetly happy all at once. They had never let their kisses go too far in public, but when finally she had to pause to breathe, she glanced around anxiously. People were still moving around the fires, but no one was watching.
    â€œSo shy,” he muttered. He was smiling easily, and then he surreptitiously ran a finger along the neckline of her blouse.
    â€œNot here,” she said. She ducked away so his chin tickled her ear, but she was