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168b44f
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The soles of her feet were summer-tough, numb to the jagged shells and bits of pinecone.
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summer
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Denise Hunter |
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07cfdaf
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Sometimes you just have to extend a little grace to people. Not because they deserve it - but because we don't deserve it either.
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Denise Hunter |
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dce07c8
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He was so tired of trying to convince other people he was worthy of their love. Tired of being forced on people who didn't even want him.
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Denise Hunter |
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fa447a8
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What happened, honey?" She melted at the endearment, at the look in his eyes. "I fell in love with you." Her words left her mouth on a rush of air. Something flared in his eyes. He pulled off his gloves, his eyes never leaving her, and cradled her face. His hands were warm and rough against her cold cheeks. "Eden . . .," he whispered. "I love you too."
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Denise Hunter |
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589b95d
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He remembered the way she looked wearing his hat, remembered the warmth of her in his arms as they danced, their first kiss in the barn when he'd been rocked by the riot she'd caused inside him. There was nothing he didn't remember. Including the way she looked at him, like he hung the moon and the stars. It was the look Dylan referred to, the one that convinced his friend her feelings were real. Wade would give anything to have her here no..
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Denise Hunter |
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18ba198
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Mistletoe." Zac nodded toward the ceiling above the stove, then turned to the fridge. Kate and Riley looked up, then Riley's lips kicked up a crooked grin as their eyes mingled. "What's a guy to do?" Beau braced himself as Riley leaned down and planted his lips on Kate's cheek. The kiss seemed to linger forever. Every hair on the back of Beau's neck rose. His breath grew shallow. Kate smiled up at Riley as he drew away. Riley winked at her ..
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Denise Hunter |
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b9dcd9d
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He tasted like chocolate, smelled like heaven, and felt like home. How
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Denise Hunter |
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7b94959
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What the heck. He'd gone this far, might as well go for broke. He slid his fingers along the curve of her cheek, relishing the softness of her skin. "I haven't felt so happy in... I can't even remember"
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romance
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Denise Hunter |
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50bd343
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He's loved you a long time, you know." Her heart gave a hard squeeze, and suddenly breathing became a chore. "Don't, Mom." Jade didn't want to know anything. Didn't want to know how long or when he'd first realized he loved her or how long her mom had known. She didn't want to think about how much she'd hurt him over the years or how much he was hurting now. She couldn't bear the thought. Mom perched on the bed beside Jade. "Honey, I don't ..
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Denise Hunter |
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98f563c
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Noelle said you wanted to get the Galaxie running." Meridith jumped at Jake's voice. She hadn't heard the screen door. "You walk like an Indian." "You were lost in thought. The Galaxie's not running?" She tucked her feet under the Adirondack chair and looked out over the harbor where evening had turned the sky pink and purple. She'd tried to start the car when they'd returned from their ride. "Something's wrong with it. You wouldn't know a ..
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Denise Hunter |
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eb821a3
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Two more days?" "Eager to see me go?" That knowing grin. He did things to her insides, and he knew it."
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Denise Hunter |
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693fdb5
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She wondered why, when she lay in bed at night, her thoughts turned to Jake. The realization that she didn't daydream about Stephen pricked her with guilt. It was only because Jake was a thorn in her side. But
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Denise Hunter |
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08cf494
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As afraid as she was of loving and losing, she was even more afraid of losing the chance to love him. Maybe
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Denise Hunter |
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22628be
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What's going on behind those green eyes?" "So much." "Tell me." It"
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Denise Hunter |
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448e2be
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She met his eyes, and he thought for the millionth time that God had invented that shade of green just for her.
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Denise Hunter |
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0a6991e
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Okay, what'd she do now?" "How do you know it's Meridith?" "Same way you knew 'she' was Meridith." He had a point. "HORSE?"
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Denise Hunter |
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03291b0
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Daniel, if you . . . if over the next several days you change your mind . . . I just want you to know it's okay. I do love you, and that's never going to change." He lifted the hand still held in his and kissed the tender flesh of her inner wrist. Gooseflesh skated down her arms. "I won't change my mind." His words were a pact, the look in his eyes a signature on the dotted line. She couldn't tear hers away from his. They were so blue, so m..
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Denise Hunter |
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b2bc9bb
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Jade's heart had already been shattered into a thousand pieces, and there was no putting it back together. Even if there were, Jade wasn't interested. Loving Aaron had been like magic, but losing him had been a kind of hell she never wanted to experience again.
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Denise Hunter |
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3805892
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He wished he could step inside Jade's mind. It had been all he could do to pull away when he'd only wanted to deepen the kiss. When his fingers had ached to thread into her hair, skim the smooth planes of her face. He deserved a flipping trophy. He had to go slow. There was too much at stake. He couldn't scare her away. Already he was afraid his feelings were apparent in the reverence of the kiss, in the way he couldn't tear his eyes from h..
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Denise Hunter |
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febac12
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She did love him. Maybe it wasn't quite the same, but it was close enough. The closest he'd ever dreamed of having, and he was going to take it. He'd be a fool not to.
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Denise Hunter |
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ac46a5f
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Meridith stepped down from the chair and scooted it a few feet. "Let me." Jake took the string and looped it over the hooks one at a time. It took him two minutes to finish the porch. "Show-off," she said. "Being tall has its benefits." And being strong. Words of gratitude formed in her mind, but it took a moment to order them. "I never thanked you last night." He scratched behind Piper's ears. "No need." He plugged the lights in the wall o..
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Denise Hunter |
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069e331
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He wondered what part of Meridith's childhood had left her afraid of something as natural and necessary as love. Was it her mother's mental illness? T. J.'s leaving her? If she'd only open up to him, maybe he could help her sort it out. He was a patient man. He'd wait her out, love her until she realized he was safe. But she was unwilling to try. Wanted to run as far and fast as she could from what he offered. What was he supposed to do? He..
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Denise Hunter |
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d0c928c
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Why did Meridith have to be so stubborn? Why couldn't she just give him a chance? He knew they'd be amazing together. She'd opened her heart to the kids, admirably so. It couldn't have been easy accepting her father's other children, but she'd done it. Why couldn't she open her heart to him?
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Denise Hunter |
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b7a9e48
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Oh, wow. Really? All that blathering made sense?" "It did to me. Thank you." "My pleasure, honey." "Now if I can just get a handle on this Jake thing." "Well, I don't how to tell you this, but sometimes the thing you're most afraid of is the thing you need most." Meridith"
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Denise Hunter |
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fa914e8
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Jake's helping her." "Good luck with that." Max scooped another helping of corn. "Just needs a little coaxing is all," Jake said. Max shrugged. "I think you're wasting your time. Dad tried that already, and she wouldn't budge." "She's too afraid," Ben said. Meridith's eyes darted to Jake's face, just a quick look. But Jake was looking back, and the quick look stretched into long seconds. "I'm a patient man." His brown eyes warmed under her ..
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Denise Hunter |
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d2177fc
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A moment later Noelle flung herself into Meridith's arms. Meridith embraced her, ran her hand down the silky length of her hair. Something bubbled up inside she'd never felt before, a mixture of relief and pride and love. She had a sense, finally, that things would be okay, even with Noelle. That when the storms hit, they'd work through them. When Noelle pulled away, she ducked her head, but not before Meridith saw her wet cheeks. Meridith ..
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Denise Hunter |
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7035c82
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Meri, this is Jake, please don't hang up. I know you don't want to talk to me. That's fine, just listen, 'kay?" His voice, all deep and . . . Jake-like, stopped her. She pressed the phone closer to her ear. "I know I only have a minute before this thing cuts me off. Remember when I came to Summer Place that first time? I'd heard about Eva and heard they'd granted custody of the kids to you. I came home to fight you for them, I admit that." ..
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Denise Hunter |
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c2b59da
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Maybe I should let them go. But I love them. Isn't that a trip? I came here wanting their uncle to take them, then I went and fell in love with them." "And him." Meridith shot a glare at Rita. "Well, you did, honey. Denial won't change it." But it wasn't real. Maybe her feelings were, but his weren't. He only wanted the children. All this time that she'd thought their uncle was irresponsible and incompetent, he was working a plan to get the..
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Denise Hunter |
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78f6760
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Me again, please don't hang up, Meri. Meridith." He sighed into the phone. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you who I was. I was afraid of losing the kids . . . now I'm afraid I've lost you." There was a pause, and Meridith pressed the phone to her ear, afraid she'd hear the click of him hanging up. "I miss you, Meri. I love y--" Meridith jabbed the Delete button, and Jake's voice was gone. She knew her limits. It"
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Denise Hunter |
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1f39d5e
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I'm losing her, man." The words hurt his body as they left. "It's killing me." Wyatt walked down the steps, sank onto the bottom one. He rubbed his jaw. "You talked to her?" "She won't take my calls." He'd even tried calling when the kids were home, hoping they'd answer. "I really blew it, man. How could I have been so stupid?" "Go over and talk to her face-to-face." "I tried. Three times. Never home." It wasn't like he couldn't see her if ..
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Denise Hunter |
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2eabe16
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From the edge of consciousness, whispers intruded. "Are they fianced now?" "Engaged." "Well, are they?" "What d'you think, runt?" Meridith pulled away, her lips curving into a smile that mirrored Jake's. "Yeah, little man," Jake said, not taking his eyes from Meridith. "We're engaged." Before he finished speaking, they were swallowed by the children's arms. "I'm sorry," Noelle whispered in Meridith's ear. "I'm sorry I was so mean and that I..
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Denise Hunter |
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a077eae
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I'll bet you were a handful," she said. "Got myself into a few scrapes." "I knew it. You were a rule breaker." "What do you mean, 'were'?" He shrugged. "I was good at not getting caught, made the most of it." "I'll just bet you did." Jake felt a smile pull his lips. She was almost flirting, but he wasn't going to point it out. The moment he did, it would be over. He scanned the crowd for people he might know and need to avoid. "What turned ..
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Denise Hunter |
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32c6baf
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He wondered if she'd told Lover Boy about the kids yet. It was nearly May. School would be out in a month. Might as well ask, since she was so chatty. He couldn't seem to pull his eyes from the sparkling rock. "You tell him about the kids yet?" She followed his gaze to her hand. "Oh." She straightened the diamond, then cradled her hand in her lap. "I did, actually." He tried to read her expression, gave up. "How'd it go?" "Not so well." May..
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Denise Hunter |
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cc63794
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The wind blew across the open convertible, tossing his hair, and the kids huddled in the back complaining of freezing to death. Meridith pulled her blue sweater closed and hugged herself. He wished she'd move closer so he could keep her warm. He imagined his arm wrapped around her shoulders, her face tucked into his chest against the wind. It was a picture he liked. Too much. Being near her all day, out of their element, had been revealing...
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Denise Hunter |
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770b612
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Stephen!" Meridith hobbled forward and embraced her fiance. "What are you doing here?" "I missed you." He pecked her on the lips, but his embrace felt stilted. Then she remembered Jake. She pulled away and cleared her throat. "Stephen, this is Jake, the contractor I hired. Jake, this is my fiance, Stephen." Jake extended his hand. The grasp seemed more like a challenge than a handshake. Or maybe it was her imagination. "Nice to meet you," S..
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Denise Hunter |
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8166a30
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She eased the ring from her finger and extended it to him. The frown returned, settling between his brows like claw marks in the sand. "Meridith. Put it back." She opened his hand and placed the ring on his palm, the certainty growing roots. She looked at his clean-shaven jaw, the short-clipped hair that wasn't long enough for the wind to disturb, his high forehead and straight nose. She was trading stability for chaos. Security for ambigui..
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Denise Hunter |
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ad326e2
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Since Stephen had arrived, Jake had gone over and over the way Meridith had greeted him. The way he'd greeted her, with an apathetic kiss and a tame hello. If it had been him, missing his woman for weeks, he'd have swept her into his arms and kissed her until they were both breathless. He didn't get it. Movement
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Denise Hunter |
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b8f05d3
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It's over between them." "Seriously?" Jake shrugged. "She didn't give me the details, but the ring's gone, and she said it was over." "Is she upset?" "Doesn't seem to be." That was good, right? "Hmm." Wyatt handed him a plate. "You gonna make your move now?" Jake elbowed Wyatt in the ribs. "She just broke her engagement." "Or he did." Jake frowned. "I prefer to think of it the other way." Wyatt shrugged. "Just saying. She doesn't sound too ..
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Denise Hunter |
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084ab95
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Later that night Meridith was in her room working on Ben's scrapbook when she heard a burst of laughter. Ben's belly laughs drew her from her room, toward the steps. What she saw brought a bittersweet smile. Meridith lowered herself on an upper stair and peered through the oak spindles. Ben had Jake pinned to the rug and was tickling him. Jake moaned like he was in torture, which only made Ben laugh harder. She'd never seen the child so hap..
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Denise Hunter |
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0c42c79
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What's wrong?" Jake's voice, deep as thunder, unsettled her. Why did he have to be so handsome? She wanted to fall right inside those brown eyes. "I saw you in the living room with Ben . . . earlier." His lips pulled upward, no doubt remembering Ben's belly laughs. "He's a fun kid." She hated to wipe the smile from his face. "I know you mean well, Jake, but I think it's best if you avoid spending time with the children." The smile slid sout..
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Denise Hunter |
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50fd5f8
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All this time he'd thought it was her feelings for Stephen that kept Meridith at arm's length. But Stephen was gone, and still she held back. He'd seen the look in her eyes. She'd been putty in his hands when he'd touched her. And then a wall had come up, shutting him out. What gave? And equally as baffling, how had Meridith, in two and a half months, gone from adversary to keeper of his heart?
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Denise Hunter |