Harlequin Love Inspired February 2019--Box Set 1 of 2 by Marta Perry

Author:Marta Perry
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2019-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER NINE

Gage swung the ax into the ice covering the pond that the cattle needed access to for hydration. Earlier this morning it had sleeted, but then the temperature had plummeted and the moisture had switched to snow. White flakes had been spitting from the sky ever since. So much had dumped that he’d driven the snowmobile out here and sent the guys home before heading out to complete this last necessary task.

The crash of the ax meeting ice again and again broke into the quiet, swirling blanket of white as Gage chopped a parallel line about a foot or so from the shoreline.

It had been a long, frigid day of making sure the cattle had provisions, and Gage was chilled to the bone. Ready for his warm house.

And Emma.

And Hudson.

Having the two of them to come home to might not be permanent, but was it so wrong to enjoy their company while it lasted?

If only Gage had met Emma earlier. Before Nicole. Back then he’d wanted it all—a wife and kids. A house full of laughter and warmth. But that picture had turned cold and brittle, and he had as much chance of heating that old dream back to life as he had of melting the ice on the pond in front of him with a single glance.

And since Emma wanted a future that he didn’t—she deserved that and more—it was Gage’s job to tame his increasing attraction to her. To everything about her.

He rested the ax on solid ground, propped his palms against the handle and scanned the terrain. Miles of hills and crevices led up to defiant mountains that were currently hiding behind low, gray clouds. Out here would be a great place to dig a hole and bury his disruptive Emma fixation. To kick his growing need for her to the curb.

But that wasn’t going to happen, was it? Because wiping clean the impact she’d had on him in the past few weeks was impossible.

His grunt of frustration echoed into the quiet, and he lifted the ax for another blow.

Just because the attraction itself wouldn’t go away didn’t mean Gage couldn’t hide it. Toss some frozen ground over it and deny its existence. Because Emma was everything that was good in the world, and Gage refused to hurt her.

At least, not again. Wounding her over the weekend had been awful, and that had just been about him controlling her time with Hudson. Trying to protect her. How much more damage would he cause if he let himself think about Emma in that way? Because eventually, if something did develop between them, it would have a horrible ending. The kind that would burn both of them to the ground.

But laying to rest the hold she had on him was easier said than done. Because the glimpse of his world without Emma in it over the weekend had been empty. Rudderless. And then yesterday she’d breezed back into their lives. Forgiven Gage for his stupidity—for hurting her. She’d slipped back into their routine as if she’d never been gone.

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