Riding the Storm (57 page)

Read Riding the Storm Online

Authors: Brenda Jackson

Tags: #Fiction, #Romance, #Contemporary, #Arts&Photography

He
just
stared
at
her
as
every
muscle
in
his
body
vibrated.
Confusion
gave
way
to
anger.
“Then
how
about
you
telling
me
what
this
is
all
about.”

She
glared
at
him.
“It’s
private
and
personal
and
doesn’t
concern
you.”

“Doesn’t
concern
me?
Like
hell,
it
doesn’t.
If
it
concerns
you,
then
it
concerns
me.
Are
you
actually
considering

having
your
body
inseminated
with
some
man’s
sperm?”

Jayla
tipped
her
head
back;
her
anger
clashed
with
his.
He’d
made
it
sound
as
if
what
she
planned
to
do
was
something
filthy
and
degrading.
“It’s
not
what
I’m

considering
doing,
it’s
what
I
will
be
doing.
I
made
the
decision
months
ago.”

Taken
back
by
Jayla’s
statement,
he
wiped
a
hand
down
his
face
as
if
doing
so
would
erase
his
anger.
When
he

looked
over
at
her,
she
was
standing
with
her
hands
on
her
hips,
glaring
at
him.
A
thought
suddenly
popped
into
his

head.
“Wait
a
minute.
Is
this
the
project
you’ve
been
so

excited
about
lately?”

“Yes.”

He
shook
his
head,
not
believing
the
conversation
they
were
having.
“I
understand
the
need
for
that
procedure
in
certain
situations,
but
not
with
you.
Why
would
you
even
consider
doing
such
a
thing,
Jayla?”

Her
eyes
were
consumed
with
fire.
“Because
I
want
a
baby
that’s
why!
I
want
a
baby
more
than
anything.”

Storm
was
shocked
by
that
revelation.
She
had
once

mentioned
she
wanted
to
have
kids,
but
she
had
never
given
him
the
idea
that
she’d
been
obsessed
with
having
one.
“And
you
want
a
child
to
the
point
where
you
would
actually
consider
having
a
baby
from
someone
you
don’t
know?”

“Yes.
In
fact,
I
prefer
it
that
way.
I
want
a
baby
and
not
the
baby’s
father.
I
don’t
want
a
man
coming
in
my
life
trying
to
run
things.”

“Run
things
how?”

“Like
telling
me
how
to
live
my
life,
forcing
the
issue
of
whether
I
can
have
a
career
outside
of
my
home,
a
man
who’d
try
to
control
me
and
keep
a
tight
rein
on
me.”

Of
all
those
things
she’d
named,
Storm
recognized
only
one
that
he
might
eventually
become
guilty
of.

“And
what’s
wrong
with
a
man
wanting
the
sole

responsibility
of
taking
care
of
his
wife
so
she
won’t
have
to
work
outside
the
home?”

Her
glare
thickened.
“For
some
women,
nothing,
but
I
prefer
taking
care
of
myself.
I
don’t
want
to
depend
on
anyone.”

Storm
frowned
and
crossed
his
arms
over
his
chest.
“So,
for
your
own
selfish
reasons,
you’re
willing
to
deny
your
child
a
father?”

“If
it
means
not
wasting
my
time
looking
for
a
Mr.
Right
who
doesn’t
exist,
then
yes.”

Storm
tried
to
keep
his
anger
in
check.
Why
couldn’t
she
see
that
he
was
her
Mr.
Right?
He
slowly
shook
his
head
again.
“If
you
want
a
baby,
then
I’ll
give
you
my
baby.”

“What!”

“You
heard
me.
I’ll
be
damned
if
I’ll
let
another
man
get
the
woman
I
love
pregnant.”

Jayla
was
shocked
at
the
words
he’d
spoken.
“The
woman
you
love?”

Silence
shredded
the
air
and
Storm
knew
he
had
to
get
her
to
understand
the
depth
of
how
he
felt.
He
crossed
the

room
and
with
his
fingertip,
lifted
her
chin
to
meet
his
gaze.
“Yes.
I
love
you,
Jayla,
and
if
you
want
a
baby,
then
we’ll
get
married
and
I’ll
give
you
one.”

She
stared
at
him
as
if
she
didn’t
believe
he’d
suggested
such
a
thing.
And
then
she
took
a
step
back
from
him.

“Things
wouldn’t
work
between
us,
Storm.
You
would
want
more
from
a
wife
than
I’m
willing
to
give.”

“And
what
about
the
fact
that
I
love
you?”

She
shrugged.
“I
believe
you
like
sleeping
with
me,
but
I
find
it
hard
to
believe
that
you
really
love
me,
Storm.”

She
sighed
deeply
when
he
didn’t
say
anything
but

continued
to
stare
at
her.
“We
agreed
that
we
would
end

things
between
us
whenever
I
was
ready,”
she
finally
said
to
break
the
silence.
“Well,
I’m
ready.
For
us
to
continue

seeing
each
other
will
only
complicate
matters.”

“Complicate
matters
like
hell!”
he
said,
his
voice
rising.
“I
tell
you
that
I
love
you
and
that
I
want
to
marry
you
and
give
you
the
baby
you
want,
and
you’re
telling
me
that
you
don’t
believe
a
word
of
it
and
to
get
out
of
your
life?
And
to
top
things
off,
you
plan
to
continue
with
this
crazy
scheme
to

have
a
baby
from
a
man
who
not
only
doesn’t
love
you,
but
a
man
you
don’t
even
know?”

“I
don’t
owe
you
an
explanation
for
anything
I
do,
Storm.
And
considering
everything,
it
would
be
best
if
you
left.”

Storm
stared
at
her
for
a
moment,
then
moved
past
her
to
the
bedroom.
Moments
later,
fully
dressed,
he
came
back
into
the
living
room.
He
stood
in
front
of
her
and
said
softly,
“I
hope
that
one
day
you’ll
take
your
blinders
off.
Maybe
then
you’ll
recognize
your
Mr.
Right
when
he
comes
and
stands
right
in
front
of
you.”

Other books

Catherine the Great by Simon Dixon
Snowbound Summer by Veronica Tower
The Bet by J.D. Hawkins
Under Her Skin by Margo Bond Collins
Welcome to Paradise by Carol Grace
Metal Fatigue by Sean Williams
Troubleshooter by Gregg Hurwitz
High-Caliber Concealer by Bethany Maines