His Reason, Her Choice by Teona Bell Read Free Book Online

“They’re my world.”
    He stared at her for a few quiet moments and then nodded. “Understood.”
    She had the feeling he didn’t understand, and from what she knew of him, he was as stubborn as Denita. Joy finished her breakfast and stood to do dishes. Russ tried to take the task from her.
    “Just let me do at least this,” she said. “I appreciate what you’ve done for us.”
    He leaned against the counter and folded his arms. “You say that, but you resent me for—”
    “Russ.”
    He fell silent.
    Joy turned toward the table. “Girls, take your coloring books and crayons to your room. Don’t just throw them anywhere. I’ll be in there in a minute to get laundry together.”
    “Boring,” Danita announced.
    “Be quiet before I make you start helping me.”
    “I’m too little.”
    “Not with that attitude you’re not.”
    Denita gathered her things as fast as she could and scurried from the kitchen. Nicolette offered a sweet smile. “I’ll help, Mommy.”
    “That’s okay, baby. Maybe next time.”
    Nicolette left, and Joy turned back to the sink.
    “You think she’s too young?” Russ said. “She offered to help me cook, and I was thinking about what we could make.”
    She glared at him. “They’re not allowed on the stove. That’s not up for negotiation.”
    “I wasn’t going to let her get on the stove, but will you agree to let her stir something in a bowl?”
    “The last time I let Nicolette help, she put red capris in with her white uniform shirts. I thought I would die. I have to replace her shirts constantly for regular stains. She’s such a sweetie for wanting to help, but exhausting too.”
    “If I promise not to die?”
    She laughed. He touched her cheek, but she turned away.
    “Do I disgust you?”
    “No.” She wasn’t lying, but he came so close to naming what she had felt in the past. What she feared was her feelings turning to disgust any day now. “I accepted your offer.”
    “Accepting and wanting it are two different things.”
    She gaped at him. “Are you expecting me to want it?”
    “I make sure you come every time.”
    “So? You think that makes what we’re doing any different? I’m your...”
    “Don’t,” he warned.
    “I’m whatever I am. We both agreed. I won’t romanticize it, and you’ve never said you want anything different than what I give you.”
    He started to speak, but she held up her hand.
    “What I do, I do for Denita and Nicolette. Like I told you, they’re my everything. I’d die for them, and I would—”
    “I get it,” he said with bitterness. “You’d fuck me.”
    “Every day and night!”
    Russ’s hand snaked out, and he dragged her to him. She bumped against his chest, and his arm like a steel band encircled her waist. The other hand roved up her back to her hair and knotted there. He slanted his mouth over hers to kiss her hard, a punishment more than anything else. She almost tasted his anger.
    Joy curled her fingers into his shirtsleeves, but she didn’t try to get away. She let him have what was essentially his, and she opened her mouth beneath the onslaught and shut her eyes. What boggled her mind was when the pleasure came into it. For some insane reason, she enjoyed his touch, and maybe she shouldn’t question it for now. Maybe she should just let it happen. The days wouldn’t be so long or so full of worry.
    Reality hit. He had no right to think she should want his touch no matter how hard he worked to make her feel good. He knew what he had been offering and what it sounded like on the phone.
    When he raised his head, he released her, and Joy turned back to the dishes. “I’d rather not do that where the girls could catch us.”
    “I want you to move into my bedroom permanently.”
    She gasped and looked at him. “You said you would give me time.”
    “I’ll help you get your things moved if you need me to.”
    “You don’t give a damn about me at all, do you?” She put her hand on her hip.
    His color