The Man In The Mirror Read Online Free PDF Page B

had to be loved by her? It was almost too easy, and yet, she feared she wouldn’t be able to do it. She’d vowed to never give her whole heart again, not like she had to Tom. It hurt too much when he’d left.
    Her gaze strayed to his rigid back. And Connor would leave. Wouldn’t he?
    “I’ll try,” she heard herself say.
    He turned to face her, a bittersweet smile on his face. “I know you will.”
    She shook her head in disbelief. “You know too much about me, you know me too well.”
    “As I said, I have had the pleasure of watching you for months. Now, you can get to know me.”
    “Until the new moon.”
    He nodded and took her hand, pulling her from the bedroom. “Let’s go get something to eat and plan the rest of our day together.”
    She laughed. “I take it that it won’t be in bed.”
    “I’m sorry for that. I cannot make love to you before your decision is made.”

30
The Man In The Mirror

    “Ah,” she said, as he led her back to the kitchen. “I take it this has something to do with the seduction of the sea witch’s daughter and all that.”
    “I’m afraid so.”
    “Well, I’m hoping kisses don’t count.” She threw her arms around his neck, and laid one on him. He groaned long and hard, his arms wrapped around her, her hands clenched in his shirt.
    They came up for air quite a while later.
    “I’m glad you never brought a man home in my presence. The thought of you kissing anyone like that would’ve killed me for certain.”
    Laughing, they turned to the task of preparing something to eat.

    ****
The weeks flew by and Tori was terrified.
    Her feelings for Connor had strengthened, but she couldn’t be sure if her whole heart was involved.
    “I’m home,” she called out as she closed the front door.
    “It’s about time,” he said, coming around the partition wall. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her. Everyday after work they would come together for long lengthy kisses, and everyday they got hotter and more dangerous.
    She couldn’t stand much more of this, and knew he was at the end of his rope…and his time. It was the night of the new moon.
    “I’ve made all your favorites,” he whispered against her lips.
    With her working, and with nothing for him to do to pass the time, he decided to do all the cooking and shopping. It had been an experience, to say the least. She teased him, blaming his lack of food for two hundred years as 31

    Jo Barrett

    the cause, but he found he truly enjoyed the challenges preparing a superb meal presented.
    She giggled and stole another kiss or two. “I have a house-husband in the making.”
    “Husband,” he laughed. “I never thought the word would ever be applied to me.”
    She started to pull away, her face flaming.
    “Oh, I didn’t mean—”
    “Easy, love.” He pulled her back into his arms and nipped at her neck, finding that wonderful spot behind her ear. “When this night is through, if all goes as I hope, I will be your husband. Make no mistake.”
    Her heart seemed to grow too big for her chest. “You’d ask me to marry you?”
    He looked down at her, his brow furrowed.
    “Do you still not believe I love you?”
    She caressed his cheek, relishing the feel of his clean-shaven face. He always shaved before she got home, claiming he didn’t want to leave burns on her delicate skin. He was always doing things like that, along with the cooking and shopping, she even caught him using the vacuum cleaner. A man like him, a hunk-of-the-month as Lynne called him, doing things like that for her seemed surreal. Everything about him seemed like a dream. A dream come true.
    “I just feel like…like I don’t deserve you.”
    “No, never say it, sweetness. You deserve so much more. I am the one who does not deserve you. Even if I am allowed to stay, all I can offer you is my own sorry self and some recently learned skills in the kitchen,” he said with a self-deprecating chuckle.
    “I’m sure, with time, you’d find