Three Secrets
Three Secrets
Opal Carew
Nicole’s heart clenched when she saw Abel sitting across the park on the wooden bench, the sunlight shimmering on his wavy, dark brown hair. He looked just like she remembered him when she’d first seen him in Paris.
She’d fallen in love with him ten minutes after she’d met him.
But after spending two months together traveling around Europe, she’d realized with an aching heart that the sweet, gentle-spirited man he was would not really understand her, or accept her… idiosyncrasies.
So, even though it was the most painful thing she'd ever done, she’d walked away. When they’d returned to Canada, she’d gone home to Edmonton to let their relationship die.
At least, that’s what she’d intended. But it had been too difficult to stay away.
He glanced up and she knew the moment he spotted her. His eyes lit up and his smile, so bright and cheerful, set his face aglow. Warmth washed through her at the sight. He stood up and stepped forward—one step, then another—until he was racing toward her. She blinked back tears of joy as he flung his arms around her and spun her in a circle. When she felt the ground beneath her feet again, his lips found hers and his tongue swept into her mouth, singeing her senses.
Oh, God, how had she survived so long without him?
Her arms came around him and she melted into the passion of his kiss.
“Nicole, I can’t believe you’re here.” He gazed at her, his lips turned up in a dazzling smile. “It seems like forever since we’ve seen each other.”
She laughed, joy bubbling through her. “It’s only been three months.”
His face turned serious. “I’d begun to worry I’d never see you again.” He hesitated, as if he wanted to say more—probably ask her why she hadn’t responded to his repeated attempts to contact her—but instead he took her hand and squeezed it. “I’m really looking forward to getting re-acquainted.”
From the glimmer in his eyes, hot images of the two of them entwined on a bed naked, their bodies joined intimately, sent heat washing through her. She wanted that so badly.
It would be so easy to just go with him right now. To lose herself in his loving arms. But she couldn’t do that until she told him her secret.
“Let’s sit down and talk first,” she said.
His eyebrows arched. “Talk. Really?” His hand stroked over her shoulder possessively and he leaned in close, his warmth seeping into her. “I can think of much more interesting things to do than talk,” he murmured against her ear, the warmth of his breath sending a quiver through her.
But she steeled herself, staying strong. “Yes, really. Talk.”
She tugged on his hand as she led him to the bench, then sat down, apprehension building inside her. He settled beside her.
“What is it you want to talk about?” he asked.
She pursed her lips and he frowned.
“Why am I getting the feeling you didn’t meet me to continue our relationship after all?” He took both her hands and held them tight. “You know I’m crazy about you. I thought we had a real chance at making things work between us. Don’t you want that?”
Her breath caught. “Of course I do,” she said, her voice a mere whisper. It was what she wanted more than anything in the world. She drew her hand free and stroked his cheek, loving the raspy, masculine feel of his light stubble.
His smile returned and her throat closed up.
“But the question is will you still want me after I tell you what I came here to say?”
Abel stared at Nicole, the woman he hadn’t stopped thinking about since he’d left Europe. It had been ironic, since his trip had been partly to escape the help of his brothers and their new wives who had been driving him crazy trying to play matchmaker, wanting him to find the same happiness they had found. Who knew he would stumble across the woman of his dreams in a park in Paris?
They had spent two wonderful months together, and as it came close to time to return home, he’d known he should tell Nicole his secret, but he was afraid it would scare her away for good. After all, how did he tell a sweet, girl-next-door type like Nicole that hey, my brothers and I are into sharing women.
He had already indulged in sexual adventures with both his brothers’ wives and he’d had many a dream about sharing Nicole with them, with or without their wives, though images of Nicole going down on Marie sent almost painful need slicing through him.
He was sure it would never happen, though. It might be some women’s fantasy, but he was sure Nicole would disapprove. She seemed so… straight-laced.
But even though he hadn’t told her his secret, she had seemed reluctant to continue their relationship once they returned home. When he hadn’t heard from her after so many months, he thought he’d lost her for good.
Opal Carew
Nicole’s heart clenched when she saw Abel sitting across the park on the wooden bench, the sunlight shimmering on his wavy, dark brown hair. He looked just like she remembered him when she’d first seen him in Paris.
She’d fallen in love with him ten minutes after she’d met him.
But after spending two months together traveling around Europe, she’d realized with an aching heart that the sweet, gentle-spirited man he was would not really understand her, or accept her… idiosyncrasies.
So, even though it was the most painful thing she'd ever done, she’d walked away. When they’d returned to Canada, she’d gone home to Edmonton to let their relationship die.
At least, that’s what she’d intended. But it had been too difficult to stay away.
He glanced up and she knew the moment he spotted her. His eyes lit up and his smile, so bright and cheerful, set his face aglow. Warmth washed through her at the sight. He stood up and stepped forward—one step, then another—until he was racing toward her. She blinked back tears of joy as he flung his arms around her and spun her in a circle. When she felt the ground beneath her feet again, his lips found hers and his tongue swept into her mouth, singeing her senses.
Oh, God, how had she survived so long without him?
Her arms came around him and she melted into the passion of his kiss.
“Nicole, I can’t believe you’re here.” He gazed at her, his lips turned up in a dazzling smile. “It seems like forever since we’ve seen each other.”
She laughed, joy bubbling through her. “It’s only been three months.”
His face turned serious. “I’d begun to worry I’d never see you again.” He hesitated, as if he wanted to say more—probably ask her why she hadn’t responded to his repeated attempts to contact her—but instead he took her hand and squeezed it. “I’m really looking forward to getting re-acquainted.”
From the glimmer in his eyes, hot images of the two of them entwined on a bed naked, their bodies joined intimately, sent heat washing through her. She wanted that so badly.
It would be so easy to just go with him right now. To lose herself in his loving arms. But she couldn’t do that until she told him her secret.
“Let’s sit down and talk first,” she said.
His eyebrows arched. “Talk. Really?” His hand stroked over her shoulder possessively and he leaned in close, his warmth seeping into her. “I can think of much more interesting things to do than talk,” he murmured against her ear, the warmth of his breath sending a quiver through her.
But she steeled herself, staying strong. “Yes, really. Talk.”
She tugged on his hand as she led him to the bench, then sat down, apprehension building inside her. He settled beside her.
“What is it you want to talk about?” he asked.
She pursed her lips and he frowned.
“Why am I getting the feeling you didn’t meet me to continue our relationship after all?” He took both her hands and held them tight. “You know I’m crazy about you. I thought we had a real chance at making things work between us. Don’t you want that?”
Her breath caught. “Of course I do,” she said, her voice a mere whisper. It was what she wanted more than anything in the world. She drew her hand free and stroked his cheek, loving the raspy, masculine feel of his light stubble.
His smile returned and her throat closed up.
“But the question is will you still want me after I tell you what I came here to say?”
Abel stared at Nicole, the woman he hadn’t stopped thinking about since he’d left Europe. It had been ironic, since his trip had been partly to escape the help of his brothers and their new wives who had been driving him crazy trying to play matchmaker, wanting him to find the same happiness they had found. Who knew he would stumble across the woman of his dreams in a park in Paris?
They had spent two wonderful months together, and as it came close to time to return home, he’d known he should tell Nicole his secret, but he was afraid it would scare her away for good. After all, how did he tell a sweet, girl-next-door type like Nicole that hey, my brothers and I are into sharing women.
He had already indulged in sexual adventures with both his brothers’ wives and he’d had many a dream about sharing Nicole with them, with or without their wives, though images of Nicole going down on Marie sent almost painful need slicing through him.
He was sure it would never happen, though. It might be some women’s fantasy, but he was sure Nicole would disapprove. She seemed so… straight-laced.
But even though he hadn’t told her his secret, she had seemed reluctant to continue their relationship once they returned home. When he hadn’t heard from her after so many months, he thought he’d lost her for good.