Unlikely Love: A Hot, Romantic Suspense Series: Book 1 (The Carlisle Sisters) Read Online Free PDF Page A

was hers.  She practically had to pinch herself to ensure that she wasn’t dreaming.
    She walked into the village and strolled onto the pier.  She meandered to the end of it and sat on a bench to look out at the vast ocean.  She smiled as she took the sea air deep into her lungs.  Despite her awful childhood, she’d always liked what living in Lake Jackson had to offer.  She loved swimming in the ocean, relaxing on the beach and fishing from the shore. 
    “Would you like an ice cream?”
    Beth turned around to see Grey standing behind her bench holding two ice cream cones.
    “The chocolate, please,” she smiled.
    He handed her the cone then hopped over the bench and sat beside her.  He took a lick of his vanilla ice cream as he stared out at the water.
    “It’s peaceful here, isn’t it?”  he murmured.
    “Like a dream.  When I was a child I would come down to what was then just shoreline and swim as often as I could.  It was an escape from my home life,” she said.  “But everything has changed now.”
    “Do you feel it was a good change?”  he asked.
    “Absolutely.  Back then there was nothing here but mosquitos and dirt.  There were no opportunities and no future,” she answered.  “Now a person could make a nice life here if they chose to.”
    “It’s what you have chosen.  Are you sure it’s the right choice?”  he asked.
    “Yes.  This is home.  And although there were some horrific times here, this place still holds some good memories.  I want to build on those,” she answered.
    Beth wore dark sunglasses so he couldn’t see her expressive green eyes.  But he knew they were full of emotion; emotions from the past and emotions for what the future could bring.
    “You handled the staff meeting well on Monday.  I’ve heard only positive remarks about you,” he said.  “I have to admit that I had concerns about you speaking to the staff.  But you did very well.”
    “Thank you.  I meant every word that I said.  My sisters and I will work hard to maintain the superb reputation of the resort and to take it to even higher heights.  I have no intentions of just sitting on my laurels,” she said fervently.
    He chuckled.
    “I believe you.  I can’t believe that I’m saying that but it’s true.  I believe in you, Bethany Carlisle—and your sisters.  Although I’m still undecided about Jennifer,” he smiled.
    Beth grimaced.
    “So am I,” she sighed.  “I guess time will tell.”
    He stood up.
    “Come with me.  I want to show you something,” he said.
    He extended his hand to her.  She hesitated.  His hand was large and she felt a little intimidated.  Then she brushed the feeling away.  Of course he had a big hand; he was a big man.  It was actually one of the things that attracted her to him.
    She placed her palm in his hand and he clasped it warmly.  She felt secure and safe; a feeling that no man had been able to foster in her until now.  It was a nice feeling.
    “Where are we going?” she asked as she swallowed the last of her ice cream cone.
    “You’ll see,” he smiled at her.
    The top of Beth’s head reach his shoulder.  She was the perfect height for him.  He was finding that there were a lot of things that he liked about her.
    He admired her tenacity and her resolve.  She didn’t allow things to discourage or overwhelm her.  If she didn’t understand something, she would ask.  And she was a fast learner.
    He noticed the same thing about Tracy.  She seldom was disheartened and she was determined to do something until she got it right.
    But he wasn’t sure about Jennifer.  He suspected that, should she apply herself, she would be good at anything she chose to do.  It was just a matter of her wanting it enough.
    He led Beth down the dirt path that she had traveled along on her own earlier then turned into the woods.  Beth didn’t ask again where they were going.  She knew that he wouldn’t tell her until he was ready.  So she