You Belong To Me by Patricia Sargeant Read Free Book Online

Nicole stood away from the counter. “My hostility?”
    Malcolm cocked an eyebrow at her. “Do you deny you’ve been hostile to me?”
    â€œWith good reason.”
    â€œIs the reason good enough to risk the project?”
    Nicole opened the refrigerator. She thought it debatable whether her hostility was putting the project at risk. However, she’d consider his concern objectively, when he wasn’t around. For now, she’d change the subject. “Do you want butter?”
    Malcolm’s sigh was impatient. “Sure.”
    â€œOrange juice?”
    â€œYes, please.”
    Nicole poured two glasses of orange juice. She turned to carry them to the table and almost spilled them onto the caramel sweater spanning Malcolm’s broad chest. She hadn’t heard him enter the kitchen.
    â€œHere.” She handed the glasses to him.
    Malcolm carried the juice into the dining room. Nicole followed with the plates of toasted bagels and butter. She passed him the butter and sat across the table from him.
    â€œSo, what are you doing today?” He buttered his bagel.
    â€œI’m working on the revisions for book four and the outline for book five,” she answered, ignoring her writer’s block.
    â€œAll day? Do you want some butter?”
    â€œPretty much. No, thanks.”
    â€œHow ’bout going to the movies with me later?”
    â€œI’m on a deadline,” she reminded him.
    â€œIt’s just a few hours,” he coaxed. “It might help you get over your hostility toward me.”
    â€œMalcolm, this is not a joking matter.”
    â€œIt’s been four years, Nicky.”
    â€œActually, Mal,” she countered, “it’s been two days.”
    â€œI’m going to get bored in that motel room all day.”
    â€œI’m not your entertainment.” Nicole put down her coffee. “Stop pressuring me. I’ll sign the contract Monday, and I’ll work with you on the movie. I have no intention of jeopardizing this project. After all, it will have my name on it as well.”
    Malcolm paused, searching for the right words to persuade her. “We need to develop a working relationship. Or are you afraid of finding out how well we’ll work together?”
    Nicole’s ebony eyes sparked, and Malcolm braced himself for the eruption. Instead, he heard a door squeak and a childlike voice called, “Momma?”
    Malcolm looked toward the voice. He froze as a little girl weaved sleepily into the room. Her hair was gathered in two mussed braids. A pale yellow flannel gown hung to her ankles and billowed around her thin body. Malcolm couldn’t breathe.
    â€œHi, baby. Did we wake you?”
    Nicole greeted the child in a sweet, soft tone that made his heart weep. She pulled the little girl onto her lap and nuzzled the top of the child’s head with her lips. Here was love, he thought, rubbing his chest. How much he had missed it.
    â€œI had a dream. I thought I heard my momma,” the child whispered. She rested her cheek on Nicole’s chest and closed her eyes.
    Nicole tucked the little girl closer into her, creating a warm cocoon around them that left him on the outside, yearning in.
    â€œWas it the sad dream again?” Nicole whispered back.
    â€œYes.”
    Nicole kissed the crown of the girl’s head. “Do you want to talk about it?”
    â€œNot yet.” She wiggled closer still.
    Nicole started to speak, then glanced at Malcolm and appeared to change her mind. “Okay. I’ll be here when you’re ready.”
    â€œOkay.” The little girl sighed. When she opened her eyes, her gaze locked with Malcolm’s. “Good morning.”
    Malcolm stared at her catlike ebony eyes like a deer caught in the headlights.
    â€œLynnie, this is Mr. Bryant. Mr. Bryant, my goddaughter, Lynnette. She’s my cousin Simone’s daughter.”
    Regret swept through Malcolm. What had he