wonder what had caused the light to leave her eyes. Small patches of color touched her face, and he wished he knew what had Kate so flustered.
****
As much as she loved being with Matt, Kate was relieved when she could finally close the door to her room, crawl into the king-size bed alone, and cry herself to sleep.
She’d been holding back tears for most of the day. Everything about this trip only seemed to emphasize what was missing from their marriage. Every moment they spent together, every touch, every awkward kiss, and every innocent glance. Everything about being with Matt only made her that much more aware of him.
The man she was in love with. The one person in the world she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. The man who could offer her only friendship.
Kate turned on her side and tried to muffle her sobs, praying he wouldn’t hear.
She loved him. God had brought them together and she would never leave him. Surely, God would give her the strength to control the love she felt for him.
She would do her best to help him accept God’s love in his life again. Nothing else mattered. Not even the emptiness she felt inside from loving someone who couldn’t give his heart in return.
Chapter Eleven
Kate woke suddenly. She sat up in bed, her heart pounding in her ears. It was that same familiar nightmare.
Josh.
No matter how much she tried to forget the night that had almost cost her life, she couldn’t. She was out of bed and opening the door before she realized exactly what she was doing. Kate had only been in Matt’s room once, but now she didn’t care. She needed his comfort. She knocked softly then slowly opened it.
“Matt?” Kate whispered into the darkness as she waited for her eyes to adjust to the dim room. She managed another tentative step and saw him sit up in bed to push the covers away. “What is it? Are you okay?”
“No, no, I’m not.” She stopped. All of her needs seemed to disappear at the sight of him.
“Is it the baby?” he asked when he reached her side.
Even in the darkness, Kate could sense the tension building in her. He wore only pajama bottoms. She turned away, embarrassed at the sight of his bare chest.
“No, it’s not the baby . I…I had a bad dream.” She was shivering and couldn’t control the trembling. “I don’t want to be alone.”
He put his arm around her. “You’re cold. Come get into bed where it’s warm.”
She allowed him to lead her to bed and watched as he pulled the blankets over her.
Kate lay back against the warmth where his body had imprinted the sheets. She watched him lean close, his hand touching her shoulder. He pulled the covers back and got in next to her drawing her into his arms.
“Relax, everything is okay. Do you want to talk about it?” he whispered against her ear.
For the life of her, she couldn’t think of relaxing or talking. The nightmare was gone. She was only conscious of Matt. She realized how foolish she’d been in coming to him. She'd broken every boundary they'd so carefully placed between their friendship and...
Her heart was pounding, reminding her of things that were impossible. “I should go back to my room. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have come here.”
He released her when she pulled away.
“Kate , wait. Don’t go,” Matt said, as she sat up and pushed the bedding back. “Come back under the covers where it’s warm. I won’t touch you again. Try and go back to sleep, okay?” He waited as she got back into the bed. “I would never do anything to hurt you. You know that, don’t you?”
She didn’t answer.
Matt blew out a breath. “Kate, I’d be lying if I told you that I wasn’t attracted to you. You’re so beautiful in ways you don’t even realize, but I would never hurt you, ever. I just wanted to comfort you. Let me be there for you, Kate in this one small way.” He was startled when she laughed bitterly.
“No,
****
As much as she loved being with Matt, Kate was relieved when she could finally close the door to her room, crawl into the king-size bed alone, and cry herself to sleep.
She’d been holding back tears for most of the day. Everything about this trip only seemed to emphasize what was missing from their marriage. Every moment they spent together, every touch, every awkward kiss, and every innocent glance. Everything about being with Matt only made her that much more aware of him.
The man she was in love with. The one person in the world she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. The man who could offer her only friendship.
Kate turned on her side and tried to muffle her sobs, praying he wouldn’t hear.
She loved him. God had brought them together and she would never leave him. Surely, God would give her the strength to control the love she felt for him.
She would do her best to help him accept God’s love in his life again. Nothing else mattered. Not even the emptiness she felt inside from loving someone who couldn’t give his heart in return.
Chapter Eleven
Kate woke suddenly. She sat up in bed, her heart pounding in her ears. It was that same familiar nightmare.
Josh.
No matter how much she tried to forget the night that had almost cost her life, she couldn’t. She was out of bed and opening the door before she realized exactly what she was doing. Kate had only been in Matt’s room once, but now she didn’t care. She needed his comfort. She knocked softly then slowly opened it.
“Matt?” Kate whispered into the darkness as she waited for her eyes to adjust to the dim room. She managed another tentative step and saw him sit up in bed to push the covers away. “What is it? Are you okay?”
“No, no, I’m not.” She stopped. All of her needs seemed to disappear at the sight of him.
“Is it the baby?” he asked when he reached her side.
Even in the darkness, Kate could sense the tension building in her. He wore only pajama bottoms. She turned away, embarrassed at the sight of his bare chest.
“No, it’s not the baby . I…I had a bad dream.” She was shivering and couldn’t control the trembling. “I don’t want to be alone.”
He put his arm around her. “You’re cold. Come get into bed where it’s warm.”
She allowed him to lead her to bed and watched as he pulled the blankets over her.
Kate lay back against the warmth where his body had imprinted the sheets. She watched him lean close, his hand touching her shoulder. He pulled the covers back and got in next to her drawing her into his arms.
“Relax, everything is okay. Do you want to talk about it?” he whispered against her ear.
For the life of her, she couldn’t think of relaxing or talking. The nightmare was gone. She was only conscious of Matt. She realized how foolish she’d been in coming to him. She'd broken every boundary they'd so carefully placed between their friendship and...
Her heart was pounding, reminding her of things that were impossible. “I should go back to my room. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have come here.”
He released her when she pulled away.
“Kate , wait. Don’t go,” Matt said, as she sat up and pushed the bedding back. “Come back under the covers where it’s warm. I won’t touch you again. Try and go back to sleep, okay?” He waited as she got back into the bed. “I would never do anything to hurt you. You know that, don’t you?”
She didn’t answer.
Matt blew out a breath. “Kate, I’d be lying if I told you that I wasn’t attracted to you. You’re so beautiful in ways you don’t even realize, but I would never hurt you, ever. I just wanted to comfort you. Let me be there for you, Kate in this one small way.” He was startled when she laughed bitterly.
“No,
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