 | DESTINY'S SECRETS Texas Brides of Pike's Run Book 11 Historical Western Romance Andrew and Ben Lonnigan, brothers and private investigators, have accepted an important case—to reunite the long-lost DuBois daughters with their rightful inheritance. Abducted from their childhood home in New Orleans when they were three and two-years-old, Jo and Charlotte were adopted by separate families. Andrew heads north to find Josephine Tatum—a pants-wearing, spitfire veterinarian who challenges his mind and captures his heart. Ben travels south to find Charlotte Ryan—the financial mind behind her father’s ranch, with a sweet disposition and, unfortunately, a fiancé. As the sisters journey toward destiny, Charlotte must guard her heart against Ben, a man too daring to ever return her love. And Andrew must hide his feelings from Jo, a woman determined to carve her own path. While the foursome battle feelings, they must also war with a villain from the sisters’ past, one with the will and the means to destroy everything the DuBois daughters hold dear. PURCHASE DESTINY'S SECRETS |
DESTINY'S SECRETS
“Hello, Charlotte,” Ben answered, taking a step toward her. “Can we talk?”
She fidgeted with her fingers and bit her lip.
His discomfort with her sister and his brother watching them didn’t stop him from continuing. “Please,” he pleaded. “Just a couple minutes. I…” Whatever else he needed to say got stuck in his throat. Charlotte had him all wound up, strung tight and needing just a moment in her sweet aura.
“All right,” she acquiesced softly.
Relief slammed through him. He walked toward her, and she turned on a heel, heading down the hall to the
kitchen.
The moonlight shining through the window above the sink bathed the dark room in a silver glow. He wished he’d brought a lantern in order to better see her face. Quiet settled around them, and he cleared his throat. “Did…Did you have a good time?”
“Yes.” She leaned against the counter, putting several feet of space between them.
“You weren’t scared?”
“I was.”
His mouth tipped up at the corners. “But you went anyway?”
“Yes.”
He tried to imagine her sitting in a saloon and couldn’t wrap his mind around it. “What’d you do?”
She pushed her hands behind her back. “Played cards.”
“Poker?”
“Yes. The owner found us spots, and we used some of Jo’s money. I only played two hands because I wasn’t comfortable betting.” She waited a beat. “That’s not a game someone should learn while using someone else’s coins.”
He had no reply and ached to move closer to her. He wished he could gather her in his arms. The last several hours had been pure torture, and his pulse raced at finally being in the same room with her.
“I also drank some whiskey.”
Her statement had him gaping. “Really?”
She didn’t expand and asked a question of her own. “Is this what you wanted to speak to me about?”
“No, I…” How in the hell did he begin? Why bring this up when she so obviously wanted to avoid it? But he couldn’t handle a chasm in their friendship. Even though he might not see her after Tuesday, he had to fix the tension between them.
“I’m sorry for what I did,” she blurted. “I shouldn’t have done it, especially without asking for permission.”
Permission? Her sweetness punched him in the gut. Before he could respond, she went on.
“I have feelings for you, Ben. Strong ones. I didn’t want you to know because I’m very aware I’m not a lady you’d ever be interested in, but I don’t want to hide my regard anymore.” She pushed away from the counter. “I love you.”
His breath caught at her honesty. Her courage.
“You’re probably confused because I was engaged only a short time ago, but…” She shook her head. “I didn’t love him. Not like I should have. I agreed to marry him to give my family some happiness after the death of my mother.”
Her words came with authority, shocking him into further silence.
“You came into my life, and you dazzled me. You’re so kind,” she said with reverence. “So caring. So…handsome. I’m glad I met you. I don’t regret losing my heart to you, but it’s going to take some work to get it back, and I need your help with that.”
What did she want of him?
“I need space. Distance.” She took a moment. “I’d appreciate it if we just said goodbye now.”
Already? Rebellion reared its head like a fire-breathing dragon.
When she said no more, he realized she waited for his agreement. How could he give her what she wanted?
But why would he hesitate? Her request should be easy to grant. He understood it. Respected it.
“Ben?” she prodded.
“Yes,” he rasped.
“Yes? You’ll honor what I’m asking?”
The hopeful, grateful note in her tone was like a knife to his heart. “Of course.”
Even in the darkness, he easily detected the slump of her shoulders. “Thank you.”
He couldn’t respond. It was impossible.
She shuffled forward a few steps, and he sensed her looking at him expectantly.
“So,” he uttered. “This is goodbye, then.”
“Yes.”
He heard her heartache, the tears she tried hard to hold back. He didn’t want this. He couldn’t lose her already.
“Goodbye,” she said softly, her voice breaking.
He swallowed. “Goodbye.”
One second more, then she swept past him, and he quaked with the force it took to keep from yanking her into his arms. He didn’t turn as she walked out of his life.
“Hello, Charlotte,” Ben answered, taking a step toward her. “Can we talk?”
She fidgeted with her fingers and bit her lip.
His discomfort with her sister and his brother watching them didn’t stop him from continuing. “Please,” he pleaded. “Just a couple minutes. I…” Whatever else he needed to say got stuck in his throat. Charlotte had him all wound up, strung tight and needing just a moment in her sweet aura.
“All right,” she acquiesced softly.
Relief slammed through him. He walked toward her, and she turned on a heel, heading down the hall to the
kitchen.
The moonlight shining through the window above the sink bathed the dark room in a silver glow. He wished he’d brought a lantern in order to better see her face. Quiet settled around them, and he cleared his throat. “Did…Did you have a good time?”
“Yes.” She leaned against the counter, putting several feet of space between them.
“You weren’t scared?”
“I was.”
His mouth tipped up at the corners. “But you went anyway?”
“Yes.”
He tried to imagine her sitting in a saloon and couldn’t wrap his mind around it. “What’d you do?”
She pushed her hands behind her back. “Played cards.”
“Poker?”
“Yes. The owner found us spots, and we used some of Jo’s money. I only played two hands because I wasn’t comfortable betting.” She waited a beat. “That’s not a game someone should learn while using someone else’s coins.”
He had no reply and ached to move closer to her. He wished he could gather her in his arms. The last several hours had been pure torture, and his pulse raced at finally being in the same room with her.
“I also drank some whiskey.”
Her statement had him gaping. “Really?”
She didn’t expand and asked a question of her own. “Is this what you wanted to speak to me about?”
“No, I…” How in the hell did he begin? Why bring this up when she so obviously wanted to avoid it? But he couldn’t handle a chasm in their friendship. Even though he might not see her after Tuesday, he had to fix the tension between them.
“I’m sorry for what I did,” she blurted. “I shouldn’t have done it, especially without asking for permission.”
Permission? Her sweetness punched him in the gut. Before he could respond, she went on.
“I have feelings for you, Ben. Strong ones. I didn’t want you to know because I’m very aware I’m not a lady you’d ever be interested in, but I don’t want to hide my regard anymore.” She pushed away from the counter. “I love you.”
His breath caught at her honesty. Her courage.
“You’re probably confused because I was engaged only a short time ago, but…” She shook her head. “I didn’t love him. Not like I should have. I agreed to marry him to give my family some happiness after the death of my mother.”
Her words came with authority, shocking him into further silence.
“You came into my life, and you dazzled me. You’re so kind,” she said with reverence. “So caring. So…handsome. I’m glad I met you. I don’t regret losing my heart to you, but it’s going to take some work to get it back, and I need your help with that.”
What did she want of him?
“I need space. Distance.” She took a moment. “I’d appreciate it if we just said goodbye now.”
Already? Rebellion reared its head like a fire-breathing dragon.
When she said no more, he realized she waited for his agreement. How could he give her what she wanted?
But why would he hesitate? Her request should be easy to grant. He understood it. Respected it.
“Ben?” she prodded.
“Yes,” he rasped.
“Yes? You’ll honor what I’m asking?”
The hopeful, grateful note in her tone was like a knife to his heart. “Of course.”
Even in the darkness, he easily detected the slump of her shoulders. “Thank you.”
He couldn’t respond. It was impossible.
She shuffled forward a few steps, and he sensed her looking at him expectantly.
“So,” he uttered. “This is goodbye, then.”
“Yes.”
He heard her heartache, the tears she tried hard to hold back. He didn’t want this. He couldn’t lose her already.
“Goodbye,” she said softly, her voice breaking.
He swallowed. “Goodbye.”
One second more, then she swept past him, and he quaked with the force it took to keep from yanking her into his arms. He didn’t turn as she walked out of his life.
REVIEWS FOR DESTINY'S SECRETS
"Until this story Andrew and Ben were almost one entity. I thought of them as completely identical, physically and in character. I loved the way they were developed into individuals in this installment of the Pike's Run series."
-- Amazon Reviewer
"I've enjoyed all the Pike's Run series. This one had twists and turns and at times made me laugh. Even though I knew good would win over evil, it was still surprising how we got there."
-- Amazon Reviewer
-- Amazon Reviewer
"I've enjoyed all the Pike's Run series. This one had twists and turns and at times made me laugh. Even though I knew good would win over evil, it was still surprising how we got there."
-- Amazon Reviewer
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