retain control over her complete freedom. He might never understand, but at least she’d know she’d tried and she’d had her say. He’d know where she stood.
She shifted her gaze to the man lying in the bed behind her. He was so strong and determined. He had overcome a lot. As he moved seamlessly through life, few knew the battles he’d fought and conquered. She knew. As the baby brother of the Cress family, he’d fought for respect from his three older brothers. He’d had to prove himself and claim his place as an equal. He’d had to gain respect. He had even overcome dyslexia.
And she was worried about confronting her father?
Josh stirred, sitting up anxiously when he realized she wasn’t with him. She smiled at him in the mirror. His hair tangled wildly around his head and a mark from the 80
Gentle Control
pillow creased his cheek. He rubbed a hand over his face as he met her gaze in the mirror, relief filling his eyes.
“Hi,” she whispered around the knot in her throat.
“Come back to bed,” he urged in a rough morning voice.
Banging on the door stopped her. Her eyes went wide as the sound startled her.
Her father couldn’t possibly have found her. This was too much like last time.
“Mr. Cress,” a voice called. “I’m here about your truck.”
Josh jumped out of bed while relief filled her. “I’ll be right there,” he called. “Thank God,” he said to Tempest, giving her a quick kiss before yanking on his pants. “We’ll be able to get out of here today.”
She nodded mutely. She was going home today. He just didn’t know it.
Josh dashed out to meet the mechanic while she mulled over her situation. She rushed into the bathroom for some essential hygiene. Afterward, she pulled on another set of the lacy lingerie Josh had gotten her, promising herself she’d buy herself some when she got home. She liked the way they made her feel. Feminine and desirable. Josh sure liked her in them. She dressed in a cropped blouse that ended just above her waist and another pair of jeans, then pulled out the purse she’d shoved in her suitcase when they’d packed at Josh’s home.
After dragging a brush through her hair, she opened the curtains to let in sunlight then sat at the table. A holder near the window held a pad of paper and a pen.
Removing them, she stared out the window at Josh talking to the mechanic next to the open hood of the truck.
I’m sorry , she wrote. I have to go home. I’ll never regret my time with you. I don’t want it to end, but it must.
She frowned at the inadequate and wholly pathetic note. She couldn’t do better, not without succumbing to the ache inside her and breaking down. She stared at the words.
81
Brynn Paulin
All my love, Tempest , she added. Quickly, she folded it and shoved it in her purse.
When they went to town later, she’d hire a car and go home. She glanced again at Josh.
If only he would listen to her. If only… if only, if only, if only! She didn’t have time for it.
Getting up, she straightened the room so Josh wouldn’t have to after she was gone.
She stowed her dirty clothes in a laundry bag in her luggage and picked up their food boxes. She flushed as she picked up the sauce container. She’d never think of sweet and sour sauce the same way again. The jar thunked into the trashcan. Picking up the nearby spoon, she tucked it into her purse.
She shook her head. A spoon…her only reminder of this trip.
Her fingers splayed over her neck. Being able to take Josh’s collar would have been better. He hadn’t given it to her though. She sighed. It was a good thing he hadn’t. She would have needed to leave that behind, too.
She jumped as he came into the room. “Marv says he can have the truck done tonight.”
“You’re back,” she said. Lame, Tempest. Lame.
Josh cocked his head. “Yeah…” His arms slipped around her and he kissed her. “It was life and death. I almost didn’t make it. Just about got eaten by a
She shifted her gaze to the man lying in the bed behind her. He was so strong and determined. He had overcome a lot. As he moved seamlessly through life, few knew the battles he’d fought and conquered. She knew. As the baby brother of the Cress family, he’d fought for respect from his three older brothers. He’d had to prove himself and claim his place as an equal. He’d had to gain respect. He had even overcome dyslexia.
And she was worried about confronting her father?
Josh stirred, sitting up anxiously when he realized she wasn’t with him. She smiled at him in the mirror. His hair tangled wildly around his head and a mark from the 80
Gentle Control
pillow creased his cheek. He rubbed a hand over his face as he met her gaze in the mirror, relief filling his eyes.
“Hi,” she whispered around the knot in her throat.
“Come back to bed,” he urged in a rough morning voice.
Banging on the door stopped her. Her eyes went wide as the sound startled her.
Her father couldn’t possibly have found her. This was too much like last time.
“Mr. Cress,” a voice called. “I’m here about your truck.”
Josh jumped out of bed while relief filled her. “I’ll be right there,” he called. “Thank God,” he said to Tempest, giving her a quick kiss before yanking on his pants. “We’ll be able to get out of here today.”
She nodded mutely. She was going home today. He just didn’t know it.
Josh dashed out to meet the mechanic while she mulled over her situation. She rushed into the bathroom for some essential hygiene. Afterward, she pulled on another set of the lacy lingerie Josh had gotten her, promising herself she’d buy herself some when she got home. She liked the way they made her feel. Feminine and desirable. Josh sure liked her in them. She dressed in a cropped blouse that ended just above her waist and another pair of jeans, then pulled out the purse she’d shoved in her suitcase when they’d packed at Josh’s home.
After dragging a brush through her hair, she opened the curtains to let in sunlight then sat at the table. A holder near the window held a pad of paper and a pen.
Removing them, she stared out the window at Josh talking to the mechanic next to the open hood of the truck.
I’m sorry , she wrote. I have to go home. I’ll never regret my time with you. I don’t want it to end, but it must.
She frowned at the inadequate and wholly pathetic note. She couldn’t do better, not without succumbing to the ache inside her and breaking down. She stared at the words.
81
Brynn Paulin
All my love, Tempest , she added. Quickly, she folded it and shoved it in her purse.
When they went to town later, she’d hire a car and go home. She glanced again at Josh.
If only he would listen to her. If only… if only, if only, if only! She didn’t have time for it.
Getting up, she straightened the room so Josh wouldn’t have to after she was gone.
She stowed her dirty clothes in a laundry bag in her luggage and picked up their food boxes. She flushed as she picked up the sauce container. She’d never think of sweet and sour sauce the same way again. The jar thunked into the trashcan. Picking up the nearby spoon, she tucked it into her purse.
She shook her head. A spoon…her only reminder of this trip.
Her fingers splayed over her neck. Being able to take Josh’s collar would have been better. He hadn’t given it to her though. She sighed. It was a good thing he hadn’t. She would have needed to leave that behind, too.
She jumped as he came into the room. “Marv says he can have the truck done tonight.”
“You’re back,” she said. Lame, Tempest. Lame.
Josh cocked his head. “Yeah…” His arms slipped around her and he kissed her. “It was life and death. I almost didn’t make it. Just about got eaten by a
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