The Relationship Coach Read Online Free PDF Page A

through her, as she watched Dean stroll toward her at the luggage carousel. A grin the size of Texas graced her face and consumed her heart. No, he wasn’t dashingly handsome, sophisticated or grizzly-bear manly. Most people considered him a nerd, yet he was a gentle man with a nice smile and a beautiful heart. At six two, he stood above the other passengers with his short dark hair and deep chocolate eyes that gleamed when he saw her. A small smile flitted across his chiseled face.
    Rockets didn’t go off when she saw him, but he made her happy. They both knew what they wanted in life and were on the journey together to achieve their dreams.
    “Hi,” he said. His voice deep and strong. “I missed you.”
    Dean drew her into his arms and hugged her close. He gave her a brief kiss on the lips. Tremors didn’t overcome her and the earth didn’t move, but the touch of his lips felt nice. A sweet kiss that she hoped promised more for later tonight.
    “How was your flight?” she asked.
    A girl beside him jumped into the arms of a man standing at the baggage carousel. She squealed with excitement, and then they engaged in a kiss that must have included tonsil swabbing.
    Dean frowned at the public display of affection and shook his head. Lacey knew from experience he wasn’t into PDA.
    “Long,” he responded. They stood watching the carousel go round, the thump, thump, thump of luggage as one after another hit the belt. “It took forever to go through customs in Atlanta.”
    “Your trip was successful? Did you find the plants you were searching for?”
    His face looked tired, his eyes bloodshot. A month had passed, and she needed some reassurance from him that nothing had changed between them.
    Yes, her thoughts were irrational, but her mother’s voice echoed in her head, and her sister’s engagement had rocked her self-confidence. She wasn’t wrong. Her whole life revolved around relationships that were sane, rational, and worked. Hers worked.
    “Yes, we found what we needed. I think I’ve got a deal where we can harvest these plants for the company. The landowner is all grins at the offer we made him. I think management will be pleased with our results.”
    “Great, so you won’t be returning to the rainforest anytime soon?” she asked, hoping they would have some time together. She’d missed him. She wanted some normalcy in their relationship. She wanted him home by her side. She wanted to wake up beside him in the morning.
    “I wish, but until all the details are worked out, I’ll be traveling back and forth between here and Sao Paulo.”
    A rock of disappointment sank onto her chest. She took a deep breath trying to shove the emotion away. “Oh honey, I just hate it when we’re apart.”
    He smiled. “Yeah, I missed you too, but if I get this deal completed, then my bonus this year should be enough that I can buy that new Mercedes I’ve been looking at.”
    A Mercedes. Dean didn’t mention marriage or a nice vacation or even a house, but rather a car. “That’ll be nice.”
    What could she say? It was his bonus, and they weren’t married.
    His bag came around the carousel, and he grabbed it. “Let’s go. I’d like to eat some American food and hit the bed early tonight.”
    “I thought we’d go to that restaurant out on the lake, and then we could go back to my apartment and relax in the hot tub.”
    He placed his arm around her. “Love the idea of the restaurant at the lake, but I think I’m going to pass on the hot tub. I’d really like to sleep in my own bed tonight. I’m exhausted.”
    Another rock of disappointment landed on Lacey’s chest almost knocking the breath from her lungs. Her mother’s voice reverberated through her head. After being separated for a month, the lure of his own bed and a good night’s rest was more tempting than sex?
    “How’s the relationship business?” he finally asked.
    She snuggled into his side, needing to feel his body against hers. It seemed