Forever My Love by Heather Graham Read Free Book Online

Surely, she could go with him and hold her own.
    Surely, she could…
    â€œKathy!”
    It seemed that she jumped a mile at the sound of his voice. She spun. He was at the door, ready, his gaze sharp, his voice commanding.
    She could hold her own.
    She smiled sweetly at him. She just had to remember that he could be a temperamental, domineering son of a gun, that was all. Then she’d be just fine.
    She collected a purse, slipped into a pair of sneakers then hurried to the door. He was there waiting.
    â€œLet’s go!” he said impatiently.
    She sailed past him, her jaw clenched tight, her smile still in place.
    â€œFine! Let’s go!”
    She was holding her own, all right.
    She was trembling like a leaf as the warm night air embraced her and they slipped away into the darkness.

Chapter 3
    The moon was full, casting a surreal glow on the stately old houses along the way to the water. There wasn’t another soul around as Brent led the way down the dock and leaped aboard the Sweet Eden . “Get the ropes, Kath, will you?”
    She paused, arching a brow, then decided that she would help cast away without arguing.
    The Sweet Eden was hers, though. They might have owned it together once, but it was all hers now. Yet he seemed to think he still owned it!
    By the time she had tossed the ropes to the deck and jumped aboard, he’d switched on the lights and started the motor. As she moved to take a seat at the helm, she found he had beat her to it.
    Not that he wasn’t an excellent sailor. He always had been. He loved the water and everything to do with it.
    He smiled at her as she approached him. “Have a seat, Kathryn. My God, it’s peaceful out here, isn’t it?”
    Kathy sat on the curve of the seat beside him. The Sweet Eden was a nicely shaped and compact sailboat with all the pleasures of home—well, almost all the pleasures. There was no gigantic bath aboard. The heads were small and compact. The helm was situated at the rear with topside space for about ten people. Down a flight of six steps were the galley, dining area and two cabins, one portside and one starboard. Each had a tiny head with a toilet, shower and sink.
    Despite the fact that there was plenty of space between them, Kathy sat gingerly on the edge of the padded fiberglass seat. “It’s quiet because very few people go on pleasure cruises at this time of night.”
    â€œReally?” he drawled.
    â€œMmm. And would you like me to take over? It is a little tricky here out to the bay—”
    â€œI’m fine.”
    â€œIt’s been three years—”
    â€œKathy, I’ve done this hundreds of times. I know what I’m doing.”
    â€œIt’s my boat!”
    His teeth flashed white in the shadows of the night. “So it is, Ms. O’Hara. Indulge me.”
    She threw up her hands. “Indulge you? Brent, I’m indulging the hell out of you as it is! Think about it. We haven’t exchanged a single word in three years and the next thing I know you’re in my bathtub.”
    â€œMy bathtub, too.”
    â€œYour use of the facilities for bubble baths was not in the agreement!” Kathy reminded him indignantly. “Nor do I owe you this, any of this. I’m not even sure if I agree with what we’re doing! And at the very least, you might want to recall, Brent, you walked out on me!”
    â€œYou filed for the divorce.”
    â€œYou left—”
    He exploded suddenly with a long, passionate oath, his fingers winding white-knuckled and tense over the wheel. “We’d lost one child and I’d caused you to lose another. How the hell long was I supposed to stay?”
    Kathy gasped and leaped to her feet, stunned by the fury and passion—and the anguish—of his words. This was a mistake. There was nothing left between them except for old wounds. Agonizing wounds, barely sutured, that bled at the slightest