Worth the Risk by Anne Lange Read Free Book Online Page A

kissing her and making her come. She’d responded to him like never before. She had become a beautiful woman, one he wanted to get to know all over again. He was determined to spend more time with her, much more time before the weekend came to a close.
    When Molly returned, she maintained her distance. The smell of cooking sausages permeated the air as they sat sipping coffee, waiting for the others to join them. She turned on a radio, tuned to the local station, and hummed along with the songs—an obvious excuse to avoid conversation. He refused to be put off. He would simply bide his time.
    The tempting breakfast odors, or the craving for caffeine, soon rousted the rest of their party. They rolled out of their tents, some groggy, some chipper, all starving. After gobbling down eggs, sausage, and toast, they sat around the picnic table, drinking an assortment of beverages.
    Tanner noticed Sam and Olivia sharing a secret smile. Best friends since the cradle, they started dating in high school, but delayed getting married until they both completed university and secured full-time jobs. Guilt assailed him, one more time, over the fact that he didn’t come home for their wedding. He hadn’t even called.
    Sam cleared his throat, attracting everyone’s attention. Looking a little bashful, he turned to them. “Liv and I have news we wanted to share with you guys.” He glanced at his wife, an endearing smile on his face. “We’re having a baby.”
    A stunned silence followed for about a millisecond before the other girls squealed and stumbled over themselves to get around the table to hug Olivia, while the men damn near knocked Sam off the bench patting him on the back. Molly didn’t rush to congratulate the happy couple. In fact, her face lost what little color she had left. That mysterious expression returned, before she rose and left the table.
    Other than a concerned glance from Colleen, nobody but Tanner noticed her quick, but quiet, exit. He stood to follow her. With her head down, she sprinted past the other campers, taking the same route from the night before. He hung back, but kept her in his sights. About one hundred yards in, she veered off the path and ducked into the trees.
    Tanner found her in a small clearing hidden by a handful of large bushes. She sat on a large boulder, knees up, arms curled around them, hiding her face in an attempt to muffle her sobs. Her whole body trembled. The shear agony in her posture, in her cries, pierced his heart. He crept closer. When he was within a few feet, he called out, keeping his voice low, his tone soothing. “Sweetheart, what’s wrong?”
    She scrambled away from the rock and spun to face him. Her eyes were wide. Tears flowed down her face. Her panic turned to grief when she realized it was him. A heartfelt sob wracked her body, and she started to crumble to the ground. He rushed forward, catching her before her knees hit the dirt, and gathered her into his arms.
    At first, she resisted, her body coiled like a spring. She pushed at his chest, but he held firm, clutching her tighter through her brief struggle. Defeated, she went limp and fell into his embrace, wrapping her arms around his waist and tucking her head under his chin.
    “Hush, honey…it’s OK.” He pressed his face into her hair as he cuddled her close. Her body shook with the force of her sobs. “It’s OK.” Keeping his hold on her, he shifted and moved a few steps backward to lean against the boulder.
    With her secure in his arms, he rocked back and forth for what seemed like hours until she stopped crying and her body sagged against his. When she lifted her hand to wipe her face, he let her pull away, certain she’d try to hide from him again. “What was that about?”
    She peered into his eyes. Blinked.
    He waited. She dropped her gaze to the ground, and then raised her hands, covering her face for a few moments. She started to massage her temples. Two fingers on each hand moving in slow