BEAUTY AND THE BEST MAN by Maureen Child Read Free Book Online Page A

it’s not a surprise,” he
grumbled. “But more than that, the plan’s not going to be finished because I’m
done with the plan.”
    “Why don’t you tell me what the ‘plan’ was.”
    “Simple. I was going to take it slow with you. No fast moves.
Earn your trust. Make you believe in me—us—again.” He snorted. “But hell...”
    “So,” she said around a knot that settled in her throat. It
seemed this was just going to get worse and she wouldn’t have thought that
possible. Her heartbeat slowed and dread gathered in her chest. “You don’t want
me anymore.”
    His gaze snapped to hers. “Are you crazy? You’re all I want, Kayla. The rest of the world could drop
into the ocean and I wouldn’t care as long as I had you. ”
    Dread dissolved and hope rose up, fluttering wildly in the pit
of her stomach. She took a breath and held it, afraid to listen. Afraid to not
listen.
    “No, it’s the plan I’m done with,”
he said tightly. “Like I said, I was going to take my time. Prove to you that
you could trust me. No rush. No hurry. I thought that was the best way. See, I
know I love you—”
    She reached out and grabbed hold of the back of a chair, just
to keep herself steady. There it was. The three words she most wanted to hear.
But he hadn’t even noticed the effect they’d had on her because he was still
talking. She hadn’t expected this. Hadn’t thought to hope for it. A smile
hovered at the corners of her mouth, but she forced herself to listen.
    “I knew you’d need time to believe me. Hell,” he snorted, “I
pretty much guaranteed that by leaving without even talking to you nine months
ago. There’s no way you would just take my word for it if I told you what I felt
for you. Why should you?”
    “Matt...” She tried to interrupt, to tell him that she loved
him, too. That she didn’t want to waste another moment with doubt, mistrust. She
wanted to grab hold of life—and him—and never let go. She wanted to say so much,
but he was on a roll and kept right on talking.
    “I wanted you to be sure. To love
me back. To know that I’d never leave you again.” Shaking his head in disgust,
he stopped at the coffee pot, poured them both a cup, then didn’t bother to
drink his.
    “So what changed?” she asked. “Why are you done with the big
plan?”
    He snapped her another fierce look. “J.D. died. He wasn’t
expecting it. Hadn’t made a plan for it. He was just
standing there toasting his daughter and boom. Gone.”
    “I know, Matt, but—”
    “No.” He shook his head and laid both hands on her shoulders.
“No buts. That night I saw just how quickly things
could change. End. I realized that by taking my time with you, I might be
risking everything. So screw it. I’m not going to take my time. I’m going to
tell you how it’s gonna be between us.”
    “Is that right?” She was so happy, she felt like dancing,
singing, cheering. And a part of her knew that in the midst of the sadness
they’d felt days before, the urge to be happy was a victory in itself.
    “That’s right. I love you. Always have. I was too much of a
coward to admit that nine months ago, but I’m not now.”
    “Matt—”
    “Let me finish.”
    “Okay.” Her heart was beating so fast it was a wonder he
couldn’t hear it.
    “I bought a house in Malibu last month. It’s on a cliff,
overlooking the ocean.”
    “Sounds beautiful.”
    “There’s a room that’s perfect for an artist’s studio. Plenty
of natural light and the view is pretty stupendous.”
    “Artist’s studio?” Her heart was hammering in her chest.
    “For you, Kayla.” He came to her, dropped both hands onto her
shoulders and looked down into her eyes. “You can paint all day if you want to.
Or you can take over that gallery you used to work in after college. You
remember?”
    “Of course I do. I loved that little gallery.” It was where
she’d learned everything she really knew about art and artists. “What do you
mean I