Falling for Flynn by Nicola Marsh Read Free Book Online Page B

good.”
    His eyes narrowed, watching her, assessing, as she realized her words could’ve applied to their situation: she’d kept Adam from him for her son’s good, for Flynn’s good too in not making him choose between the career he loved and a kid he didn’t ask for.
    However, he didn’t call her on it and she exhaled, unaware she’d been holding her breath.
    “He’s a stubborn old coot but now I’m back for a while maybe he’ll ease up.”
    For a while …
    Her heart sank at the words. What did she expect, for the nomad soldier to resign his commission and stick around just because he had a son?
    “He has to live there, for his own good.”
    “I know.” He paused, fixing her with a pointed glare. “Family is everything to me.”
    She understood the implication behind his words and didn’t know whether to be heartened by how quickly he’d taken to Adam or scared at what the prospect of “family” might entail. Was he talking about the time he’d be in Richmond or did he envisage longer?
    Not willing to jeopardize the tenuous bond that seemed to be growing between them since she’d decided to meet his challenge of getting reacquainted head on, she slipped her hand into his.
    “Let’s take a walk.”
    His hand convulsed for a second, surprise quirking his brows, before his fingers curled around hers, solid, comforting, fitting exactly as they used to.
    She savored the feel of his hand holding hers securely as they strolled past the restaurants, patrons spilling onto the pavements, crowding roadside tables, liked how he guided her through the throng. She hadn’t been here in years, was busy people watching and checking out the interesting cafés, unaware they’d traversed the length of the street until they stopped in front of the high school.
    “Now this place hasn’t changed at all,” she murmured, staring at the sprawling red brick building.
    A host of memories assailed her: arriving here for the first inter-school debate, getting off the bus and holding her head high as she ignored the wolf-whistles of the local boys, laying eyes on Flynn for the first time …
    He’d sat on the opposing team’s table on the auditorium stage looking supremely confident, those gray eyes pinning her with their intensity, as if sizing her up. She’d been smitten ever since.
    “Rumor has it the education department wants to close it down and move all the kids to Richmond High.”
    His cynicism didn’t surprise her. He’d been fiercely proud of his school and its humble beginnings in comparison to its larger, more prestigious competitor in the neighboring suburb a stone’s throw away.
    Rather than answering, she tugged on his hand. “Want to see if it’s still here?”
    “What?”
    He looked down at her, a speculative gleam in his eyes and she had a feeling he knew exactly what she was talking about.
    “Come on. Let’s check it out.”
    They skirted the grounds until they reached the back corner of the schoolyard where a towering gum stood like a lone sentinel guarding its post. She released his hand and knelt, remembering to carefully hold her skirt up at the last minute. She’d squandered way too much on this dress and though it had been her first extravagant purchase in years, she had no intention of ruining it.
    “It’s still here.”
    She tried to quash her irrational excitement and failed, beckoning him to join her on the ground.
    “I don’t know how you can see in this light,” he muttered, squatting next to her.
    She traced the initials that had been carved into the tree almost eleven years earlier, LB 4 FL and the heart that surrounded them.
    “Do you remember the day you did this?”
    He nodded, his eyes glinting silver in the moonlight. “I also remember doing this afterward.”
    Lori registered his meaning and her pulse raced in response as he leaned toward her, captured her face in his hands and kissed her.
    This kiss was nothing like the first tentative joining of lips that had