Ties That Bind by Brenda Jackson Read Free Book Online

From what Noah had told him, Leigh’s brother had been his best friend in high school, so he had hung out over at Leigh’s house quite a bit. He had known for a long time that he loved Leigh, but since he had been three years older than she, he had never let those feelings be known. Leigh’s brother Zachary, with no plans to go to college after graduating from high school, had entered the police academy and become an officer on the streets of Miami. Zachary hadn’t been on the force two years when he was killed in the line of duty. On the night of Zachary’s funeral, Leigh, who had been very close to her brother, had sought comfort in Noah’s arms and things had officially started from there. Leigh had made a decision after she graduated from high school to join Noah at Howard.
    â€œHey, I don’t mind, Noah. You know I like Leigh. She’s a nice person. Besides, this place always looks a thousand times better after she’s spent a few days over here,” Ross said, teasing. But it was the truth. Not only did Leigh straighten up after them most of the time, but she knew how to cook and usually made a number of good-tasting dishes whenever she stayed over.
    Noah laughed. “Yeah, it does, doesn’t it? But still, Leigh and I appreciate your letting her stay occasionally.”
    â€œThink nothing of it. But I guess the reason you’re mentioning it is to let me know she’ll be here when I wake up in the morning, right?”
    Noah gave him an ingratiating grin. “Yeah, right.”
    Ross shook his head, laughing. “Thanks for the warning. I would hate to show up for breakfast wearing my underwear not knowing a lady was in the house.”
    Noah joined him laughing. “I would hate for you to show up that way, too.”
    Although Ross knew Noah was a responsible person and it probably wasn’t any of his business and was nothing one guy could ask another unless he felt sure of the close relationship between them,
Ross stopped laughing, leaned back and looked up at Noah. “You’re using protection, aren’t you?”
    The two men’s gazes met and Noah knew the significance of the question Ross was asking him. If Leigh wound up pregnant that meant he would have to drop out of school. Dropping out of school and getting married would eventually lead to getting drafted. Being married with a baby on the way might work as an excuse before the draft board for a white man, but it would be a waste of time if you were black.
    Noah didn’t answer right away. Then he said, “Yeah, I’m using protection, although sometimes I wish I didn’t have to. If things were different and Leigh and I were married, with me having finished school and no threat of going off to war, I wouldn’t hesitate to get her pregnant, Ross. I want her to have my baby bad. Real bad.” His eyes met Ross’s and he saw his best friend’s surprise. “Don’t you ever feel that way about Angela?”
    â€œNo,” Ross said without thinking about it. He couldn’t see the prim and proper Angela pregnant with anyone’s baby, least of all his. “Angela and I don’t have that kind of relationship, Noah.” In truth, at times he didn’t think they had a relationship at all. They were merely two people whose families had decided they were a perfect couple.
    â€œIn that case you don’t know what you’re missing. There’s nothing more meaningful in a man’s life than to love a woman. I mean truly love a woman, Ross. You’ll know what I mean when it happens to you.”
    Â 
    Noah’s words were still on Ross’s mind an hour or so later when the doorbell rang. He knew it wasn’t Leigh since she had arrived already with her overnight bag. He hoped it wasn’t his grandmother, arriving in town to check up on them. All he needed was for her to find out Leigh was spending the night with Noah.
    He breathed