Natural Impulse (Au Naturel Trilogy Book 2) by Anna Durand

Author:Anna Durand [Durand, Anna]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: contemporary romance, romantic comedy, second chances, interracial, multicultural
ISBN: 9781949406351
Publisher: Jacobsville Books
Published: 2020-06-21T18:30:00+00:00

Chapter Eighteen

Ollie

Mara took off at a dead run. I scrambled to get my clothes on and gave up on tucking my shirt in, determined to keep up with her. I had longer legs, so I caught up to Mara in a few seconds, despite the time it had taken to get dressed. Only when we reached the trailhead, behind the little house, did I realize I'd forgotten my shoes.

She slid to a stop, almost falling over in the process.

I grabbed her arms to keep her from tumbling to the ground.

Gasping for air, she laid a hand on her chest. Her eyes were big, her mouth hung open, and she stared at the house like it might turn into a giant monster and squash her with its foot.

"You okay?" I asked.

"Uh-huh, sure," she said, sounding sarcastic even while she fought to calm her breathing. "My mom invited my ex-husband to an intervention at a nudist resort, so they can set me straight. But sure, everything's peachy."

I grasped her shoulders and turned her to face me, though her gaze stayed trained on the house. "Look at me, Mara. Come on, look at me."

She rotated her wide eyes toward me.

"Take slow, deep breaths," I told her. "That's right. Keep breathing. Take it easy and keep looking at me. You don't need to panic because I'm here with you, and I won't leave you alone with anybody unless you tell me it's okay. Got it?"

Mara nodded, clamping her teeth over her lips. She kept taking deep breaths and exhaling them gradually, and the panic on her face relaxed into something more like mild anxiety mixed with a hint of annoyance. I was pretty sure she wasn't annoyed with me. Her ex-husband and her mom seemed like the most likely targets.

"Thank you, Ollie," Mara said once she'd calmed down. "You're better than Xanax."

I chuckled. "That's the strangest compliment I've ever gotten, but coming from you, it's also the nicest one." I thought about what she'd said and asked, "Do you take Xanax? Or Prozac? Anything like that?"

"Never took Prozac, or any antidepressant. But my mom insisted I get a prescription for Xanax." She squared her shoulders and stood up straighter. "I haven't taken one since I came here. Not even after the dining hall incident that first day."

"Good." I pecked a quick kiss on her lips. "I'm proud of you, Mara. Your parents showed up, and you didn't freak out. You stood up to your mom. Now your ex is here, and I know you can handle that too."

The start of tears glistened in her eyes. "You're the first person who ever really believed in me."

"Oh, I think your parents believe in you. Your dad for sure. But I think even your mom does, deep down, and maybe she'll tell you that sometime and explain why she told you all that shit about being proper."

"Maybe." She lifted her chin and cleared her throat. "Right now, I have to face my ex."

"I'll be right here with you, all the way.

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