When Love Calls by Unknown Read Free Book Online Page B

or anything. I’m just trying to get to know you if you’ll let me.” Damn! He does know me! I shifted my gaze, and he stepped in front of me to follow it. I turned again and there he was. I refused to crack a smile. I willed. Apparently my face didn’t get the memo because it cracked my tight mouth into an amused grin.
    Josh let out a relieved sigh. “Finally, there’s a smile! Let’s lighten the mood a bit. How ‘bout a bite to eat?”  He walked away and left me standing there—thinking.  Either this man is a stalker, or he’s one of the most observant people I’ve ever met.
    I followed Josh to a blocked off section of the museum called Newton’s Prism. It was giant beams of light that illuminated the room with every color of the rainbow. I stepped hesitantly into the room. “Are we supposed to be in here? It looks closed.”
    “Yes, we’re supposed to be here and yes, it’s closed. I wanted us to have some privacy.” He smiled at me warmly. As I continued to scan the room, I discovered a small table with a picnic basket and two place settings. The entire scene was breathtaking. I watched as hues of indigo and red danced against the walls. It was iridescent and for some odd reason the whole presentation moved me to tears. I tried damn hard to hold it together and not become a blubbering idiot, but the knot in my throat tightened and slowly moved upward, until it forced the tears that peaked in my eyes to roll down my cheeks. I was, in a word, overwhelmed. This was by far the sweetest, most beautiful thing anyone had ever done for me. Ever.  I shuddered to think of the way I’d treated him all day and the whole time he’d been waiting to share this with me. It’s official. I. Am. An asshole. I embraced the fact for a moment because I genuinely felt like one, even as I stood there with tears running down my face. I knew it was who I had allowed myself to become so, yeah, I owned it. You’re so damned busy being guarded that you can’t even recognize when someone is trying genuinely to be nice to you. I pursed my lips together tightly and shook my head. I’m sure he thought I was crazy as he stood by and waited for me to say something. “It’s beautiful,” was all I could manage.
    Even though I’d been trying desperately to keep Josh at arm’s length, I could feel him slowly creeping into my heart. The crack in my wall was spreading fast; faster than I could ever have planned. He walked over without a word and gently wiped the tears from my face before resting his hand against my cheek. For just a moment, I closed my eyes and nuzzled against the palm of his hand. I yielded to his touch and breathed in the moment. Right then and there I told myself I would try for him. I would try for what could one day be us. I would try because I no longer wanted my life to stay exactly as it was. I wanted more. I wanted love. I wanted this, and if any man was worth the risk, it was Joshua Griffin.
    When I opened my eyes, Josh was gazing at me, studying my face as his eyes danced from each feature before resting on my mouth before he leaned in and placed a gentle peck on my lips.  A series of tender kisses followed on each of my tear stained cheeks before he met my mouth again and engulfing it in passionate, deep exploration. Josh ran his hands slowly down my back and rested them against the curve of my backside. My body went limp as I closed my eyes and pressed in closer to him. My arms made their way around his neck as my fingers mingled in his short brown hair. His mouth was irresistible to me. I couldn’t help but taste it. Top lip. Bottom lip. Nibbling and sucking hungrily. My fear had melted away with my resolve, and I wanted him to throw me down right there and make me sing Somewhere Over the Rainbow !
    It wasn’t until Josh pulled back that I even considered the fact that we were still in the museum. “Whoa, we’d better take it easy,” his eyes scanned cautiously as he checked for spectators.