Her Heart's Secret Wish by Juliana Haygert Read Free Book Online Page A

question.”
    He leaned into her. “Just close your eyes.” He kissed her cheek.
    With a smile of her own, she complied. “I don’t understand what you’re doing. I want you to answer me.” She stilled, a new hurt taking root in her chest. “You don’t want to be with me, that’s why you’re not answering.”
    Somewhere in front of her, he laughed.
    A chuckle and a frustrated scream lodged in her throat. “What? This isn’t funny. Damn it. Can I open my eyes?”
    “Nope.” He grabbed her right hand and tugged up first her coat sleeve and then her sweater sleeve.
    “What are you doing?”
    “You’ll see,” he said.
    Curiosity swelled inside her, while he took his time torturing her. He placed something cold over her skin, and she gasped.
    “You can open your eyes now.”
    She glanced at her wrist, tears blurring her vision. She wiped them away. She wanted to see the bracelet on her wrist—the bracelet that looked like the one her mother had left for her, the one that had been stolen.
    Natasha clamped her lips shut as realization stole over her. The girl she’d seen Jason with a few minutes earlier had been the jewelry girl from the party the night before. A sob assaulted her, and she peered up at him. “So, that’s why you were talking with Julie?”
    He took her hand in his. “Yes. And let me tell you, it wasn’t easy to find her.”
    She laughed, trying to do the math for what his actions meant. “You went after the bracelet. So…you were coming after me. Even without knowing all I just told you.”
    “I’ll confess I’m glad you told me about your past.” He drew her to him and wrapped his arms around her. “But I was coming to talk to you, at least see if you wanted to be with me as much as I want to be with you.” He brushed his lips against hers. “I hope you like your gift. Happy Birthday.”
    Once more, she froze in his arms. “You saw Fallon’s message on Facebook?”
    He nodded, leaning toward her mouth again, but she retreated.
    “I’m gonna kill her.”
    “And I’m gonna thank her. You know what triggered this, I mean, me coming for you?”
    On tiptoes, trying to get closer and closer to him, she shook her head.
    “The photo you have of me on Facebook. The one with some quote about the fear of never attempting.”
    “Oh.” She lowered her heels to the ground, her cheeks burning. “You saw that?”
    “Yes, I did, and I would love to know what you meant by that quote.”
    She shrugged. “Exactly what it says.”
    “Yes, but I need to hear it.”
    “I put it there a couple of months ago to give me strength, I guess. I wanted to approach you and be honest about my feelings, but I was scared of what would happen. I thought you weren’t interested in me the same way I was in you, and I didn’t want to risk losing the moments I had with you, even if it was only talking and joking a little.”
    He ran his finger over her lips, and her breath caught. “I wish I’d found out sooner. I ignored my own feelings because I thought it would ruin our friendship.”
    “But what about the university and their rules?”
    “I guess I’m gonna have to quit.”
    Gasping, she tried to move away from him, to look at him and make sure he was joking, but he held her in place.
    “No, don’t quit your job because of me.”
    He chuckled, but his eyes were serious. “Don’t worry. I’ve been thinking about quitting for a couple months. I would be able to work full-time for Storm like they want. Besides, it’s more fun, and it pays a hell of a lot more.”
    “Are you sure?” She didn’t want him to look back and blame her for quitting his job.
    “Yup, I am. More and more, I believe I was meant to be a professor for a short period of time, so I could meet you.”
    A smile took hold of her lips, but only for a second before he kissed her again.
    “I think it’s better if we go up to my apartment,” she whispered against his mouth.
    “I think so, too,” he replied, without