Dianne's Destiny by Winona Bennett Cross

Author:Winona Bennett Cross [Cross, Winona Bennett]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Contemporary, Western
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Published: 2015-11-08T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 11

She managed a brief nod. “Sure. I’m finished now.” There was no way she could eat another bite with the knot lodged in her throat.

“I’ll catch up with you later,” Jocelyn said, a wicked gleam in her eye.

Dianne followed Kip in silence. It wasn’t a long walk, only about a hundred yards, but it felt like it took forever. She caught her breath as they approached a two story ranch house. She stopped at the railing of the wrap-around porch. A leaded glass door glimmered as light bounced through the panes. Rocking chairs and a cushioned swing beckoned. Red geraniums in moss-lined baskets held court beneath each window and jasmine wrapped around a trellis at the far end of the porch. It smelled like romance.

“It’s stunning, Kip. You’ve done well.”

“Thanks.” He held the door open for her. “Come on in.”

As she walked through the door, questions screamed in her head. What did he want? Why had he brought her here?

Slate floors, stone walls, and a beamed ceiling made up the foyer which led to a living area dominated by a two-story fireplace adorned with a heavy mantel. A fire crackled behind a screen. Large pieces of over-stuffed brown leather furniture suited the home and looked comfortable. Western art pieces drew the eye up and around the room. Dianne turned in a slow circle to take it all in. “I don’t know what to say.”

“Don’t say anything.” He took her hand and tugged her to him. Leaning down, he took her mouth with a guttural groan. His lips and tongue sought hers with demand and hunger. His hands moved beneath her denim jacket searching and pulling her closer.

She pressed against him, trying to mold him to her. Passion and need drove her. She returned the kiss without reserve. She moved her hands to the sides of his face and traced her fingertips over every surface remembering the feel of him. Breathless, she broke the kiss and looked into his eyes with wonder. “Kip, I...” She squeezed her eyes shut briefly. . “What are we doing?”

“I don’t know.” He pulled away and shook his head. “I’ve been wanting to do that ever since I saw you again. Crazy, right? But I haven’t been able to think about anything else.”

Not so crazy, her heart sang, but her head told her to take it slow. “So, what are you saying?”

He let out a long sigh. “Nothing, really. I just…wanted to kiss you. Things can’t work out for us, though. It doesn’t change the problems between us.”

A shaft of pain pierced her chest. “But, there doesn’t have to be a problem between us. We can have a fresh start.”

He tightened his lips. “Yeah? And what happens when you’re finished here and you take off? I can’t go through that again.”

She couldn’t argue. Hadn’t she been having thoughts about leaving? He was right. Things weren’t going to work out between them…at least not any time soon.

“But, it doesn’t mean we can’t be friends. Come on.” He tugged her hand and led her toward the kitchen.

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