Take Me As I Am by Erin O'Reilly, JM Dragon Read Free Book Online Page B

that was repugnant to her. She simply did not see herself as the mother of George Andrews’ children, nor did she see herself as his wife. For that matter, she did not see herself as the wife to any man. None had ever touched her heart. She knew that they would have to reach her heart for her to consider marriage and children. They would have to reach her soul.

    †

    Jo stared out of the window onto the small yard with its cascade of color and brimming pots and troughs of flowers in every imaginable shape and size. Her mother had had green fingers and was always growing something in their apartment. The thought made Jo smile as the memories of far off events that rarely if ever invaded her thoughts before tumbling around in her head. She couldn’t stop the trace of a smile they brought along with it.
    While she gazed at the yard, she noticed Thea quickly make her way through the grass. After looking at her personal domain for a few minutes, she sank heavily into the chair in the center of the lawn. Her new friend, who less than an hour ago had been bubbly and happy, sharing jokes and stories without a care in the world, was now a different woman. Once the bastard banker turned up, the beautiful smile immediately disappeared from Thea’s expressive face.
    From her vantage point, Jo saw Thea begin to cry. Her face had the haunted look of someone who had the whole world on her shoulders and no one to share the burden. Damn, why did she feel so protective of this woman? What was it about Thea that called to her without words? As she stood there watching Thea cry, helplessness filled her and she was unable to make the move to invade Thea’s privacy and ask why. Jo thought back to the previous night and her attempt to do just that. This is different. Thea had opened up to her and accepted her offer to protect her.
    If that fucking bastard excuse for a man has laid a finger on Thea, I will see him in hell .
    Jo was Thea’s protector, but certainly not her keeper. That wasn’t part of the deal—or was it? She knew that sometimes events that appeared simple to the eye could have the most far-reaching results on a person even if nothing happened until after the event took effect. This, she knew, was such an event. She felt her heartbeat react with a fierce thumping in her chest. Thea was a piece of the puzzle that was missing from her life. She was the person that Jo had been looking for all her life. Of that she had no doubt.
    Thea asked nothing of her, other than to be around so they could share things together. No pressure. No recriminations. She only offered companionship, along with a bond that would take them into the future together.
    Jo saw the tracks of tears on Thea’s pale features along with noting her trembling lips. Thea was barely suppressing sobs. A short time ago those lips had tugged into a broad smile at her jokes. Despite the distance, Jo could feel the profound sadness that surrounded Thea and it made her heart sick on her behalf.
    Not really knowing what to do, she picked up her guitar, which she had been idly strumming earlier and again took up that posture, her fingers feeling the frets with the expertise of years of practice. A tune sounded in the room as she quietly hummed along with it until unconsciously she started to sing along with the notes that emitted from the instrument… “You will not be defeated, my love…”
    The phrases ended on Jo’s lips as her eyes strayed repeatedly to Thea crying. With the final words, the picture that had been faint suddenly gained clarity and with a heavy sigh, she sank down into the depths of the bed, contemplating exactly what it meant to the rest of her life.

 

     

     

     
    Chapter Seven
     

     

     
    Jo hadn’t seen Thea since she’d fled the yard minutes after she had made a decision to go see if she could help. By then it had been too late, and she only encountered the old woman that had been with Thea that first day she’d arrived at the