Starting Over Read Online Free PDF Page A

the
first orgasm she’d had in months, she closed her eyes as he slid
home. Home. That’s what it felt like when he was inside of
her. They were home, exactly where they belonged. If only they
could hold on to that feeling forever.
    “Oh God, Eve…”
His hard biceps bulged as he supported his weight over her. “It’s
been so long.”
    Eve silently
sighed with relief when she saw the truth in his eyes. She was
ashamed to admit that she’d questioned his fidelity when his
excuses became more frequent. When he looked at her that way, she
knew his heart still belonged to her, and as long as it did, his
conscience wouldn’t let him share his body with another woman.
    “Too long.” She
inhaled sharply when he thrust his hips, making her remember what
she’d almost allowed herself to forget—her man was an unbelievable
lover. She got lost in his ministrations as he managed to relegate
the worst day of her life to the back of her mind. His kisses were
in sync with his body, heightening her arousal to mind-blowing
proportions. Her entire body felt like a charged current, waiting
to explode. “Alex…”
    “I love that,”
he said, grinning against her neck as he increased the tempo. “I
love the way you say my name when you’re getting ready to come for
me.”
    She said his
name again and again and again as he took her to places she’d never
been. When he finally exploded inside of her, she wondered if every
guest on their floor heard their cries.
    “Wow,” he
panted, laughing softly.
    Not knowing
what to say or how to say it, she just buried her head in his neck,
hoping he wouldn’t ask for answers she couldn’t give… like whether
he’d changed her decision or what the future held for them.
     
    ***
     
    Alex wanted
that feeling to last forever, but he knew only words of reassurance
would give him peace of mind. Holding her close, he rolled onto his
back, taking her with him. Her silky hair blanketed his chest,
reminding him of a time before complicated business mergers fought
for his attention.
    “I needed
this,” he said, kissing her damp forehead. “I needed you to put my
mind at ease.” His heart beat wildly when she didn’t respond.
Instead of hiding behind silence, he decided to lay it all on the
line. “I almost believed you when you said you wanted out of this
marriage.”
    He felt her
eyelashes fluttering against his chest, but still she said nothing.
She could tell him she wanted a trial separation, or whatever the
hell she chose to call it, but a woman who could give herself to
him like that could never claim she didn’t want to be his wife
anymore. “Tell me what I need to do to fix this, Eve. I’ll do
anything, whatever it takes.” If she suggested marriage counseling,
a second honeymoon, or a fertility specialist, he would be the
first one on the phone to make the arrangements. No price was too
steep to keep her in his life.
    “I need time,”
she whispered. “So much has happened. I don’t know what to think or
how to feel anymore.”
    He could give
her as much time as she needed as long as they were living under
the same roof, working on their marriage. He knew they could work
through anything if they both committed to the process. “We don’t
have to rush anything, sweetheart. I’ll help you make the
arrangements for Sharon’s service, and when it’s over, we can talk
to a realtor about putting this place on the market. Unless you
know someone who might be interested in buying it?”
    Sharon’s only
other relative was Eve’s mother and they’d had a falling out years
ago, so Alex assumed Eve would inherit the inn along with Sharon’s
assets. As a successful mystery writer with a career that spanned
almost twenty-five years and three dozen best-selling books, he
knew Sharon was a wealthy woman.
    “I can’t sell
this place,” she said, sitting up and pulling the sheet tighter. “I
can’t even believe you would suggest that. You know how much this
inn means to