A Perfect Caress by Nana Prah

Author:Nana Prah
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2016-08-14T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 16

Every word Lanelle spoke clawed into Dante’s soul. Why should one person have to suffer so much?

Holding her made the world fall away. He waited for her tears to abate as his heart broke for the young woman she’d been.

“Even the steadiest person can fail you.” She tilted her head up. “With every child I lost, my world crumbled.”

The pain in her eyes too much for him to endure, he lowered his lashes as he took a fortifying breath. By the time he opened them, her head rested on his chest.

“Conrad supported me the whole time. I knew I’d married a good man, and his actions proved it. I wanted to love him so much that I made myself believe I did. But it was a lie.”

He held her a little tighter.

“Within three months of the twins’—” she swallowed “—deaths, he divorced me. And less than two months later he was remarried.”

“Bastard.”

She looked into his face, the shadow of a smile tilting the corners of her lips upward. “Exactly. But it’s not even the worst of it. The woman ended up having twins. Perfectly healthy.”

The sobs shook her body. Her gut-wrenching tears caused Dante’s own throat to throb with pain as he cried over the woman who’d lost her children.

* * *

Lanelle’s legs no longer supported her. As she sagged against Dante, without warning her feet left the ground. Her gaze rose up to witness his tear-filled eyes. Too wrung out to command him to put her down, she snuggled against his chest.

She opened her eyes as he settled her onto his lap once he’d sat on a park bench. How long had he walked holding her?

Placing a finger under her chin, he lifted her head to look at him. “I don’t have the power to take away your pain or to bring back your children. If I could I would. I promise you.”

She believed him. Needed him. Curling her arms around his neck, she clung, wishing he’d never let her go. For the next few minutes, he didn’t. She pulled away first.

Shouldn’t she feel self-conscious after having cried her heart out? Especially over something that had happened over five years ago. She should be over it by now, or at least better able to control her emotions.

Lanelle waited for the shame to hit, but it never came. Climbing off his lap, she stood and tested her weight on her feet. Steady.

He got up, ensuring she didn’t fall by holding her shoulders.

“Thank you for listening.”

His gaze held hers. “Anytime.”

With a hand to her stomach, she summoned a grin. “I’m exhausted. Are you ready to go back?” She hoped the question didn’t sound as curt as it came out, after he’d spent the night listening to the drama that used to be her life.

“Of course. Let’s go to the main street and get a taxi.”

She frowned. How many times in her life would she be in this glorious city? “It’s a lovely night. I’m not too tired to walk.

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