Under The Covers. Crystal Jordan

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СКАЧАТЬ I die. I also believe he forsook his only son so I could be granted forgiveness for any wrong I have done or will ever do. To someone who doesn’t believe the same way I do, that would sound pretty weird, wouldn’t it? If I celebrate my beliefs with a Christmas tree, and my aunt celebrates hers by burning a Yule log on winter solstice, then I’m going to accept that she has as much right to her beliefs as I do to mine. You don’t have to agree with me, you don’t have to agree with her, but you do have to treat her and her beliefs with respect in her house. So try for a little bit of understanding, Nathan. Isn’t that what Christmas is all about?”

      He sighed. She hated it when he did that. It made her feel like an idiot even when she knew she was right. Gritting her teeth, she spun on her heel and paced the length of the porch. She knew this would be a mistake. He just wasn’t the type to get why she loved her family.

      “You have to admit she’s not normal, Dayna. Be reasonable.”

      She threw up her hands. “Normal. Is that all you care about? How people appear? How successful they are?”

      “That’s pretty rich coming from you, Dayna. You want everything in your life to be perfect. Normally.” Irritation twisted Nathan’s face, and the way he spoke made her feel like a scolded child.

      She hissed at him, “I’m not the one being nasty and calling old ladies names.”

      He stabbed a finger in her direction. “You know what? This entire discussion is cr—”

      “Crazy?” A saccharine smile curled her lips. “You really seem to like that word today.”

      Shaking his head, he took a step back. “Who are you?”

      “What?”

      “This”—his gesture encompassed her—“is not the woman I asked to marry me. I feel like you’re an entirely different person here. I feel like I don’t even know you. Have you been hiding this side of yourself all along?”

      Yes. Her brows snapped together, rage and…fear coursing through her veins like ice water. Her hands fisted, and she shook her head in a denial. Of him or herself? She didn’t know anymore. “How can you possibly say that? You’re the one who’s been rude to my family.”

      He folded his arms and made that sigh that set her teeth on edge. “Fine. I’ll apologize to your aunt.”

      “It’s not about my aunt.” She propped her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes at him. “You’re not really sorry—you just don’t want me to be upset.”

      A snort was his answer to that. “In any other situation, you wouldn’t be upset. You’d agree with me that she was crazy.”

      She resumed her pacing. “Rainbow is family, Nathan. It’s different. I don’t expect you to understand that.”

      “I see. Then maybe we should take some time to rethink where we stand with each other.”

      Stopping, she turned to face him, wariness and unease sliding through her. The knot in her belly expanded even further, twisting tighter. “I don’t understand.”

      “I don’t expect you to.” He arched a brow, and now it was he who offered a mocking smile. “What I’m saying is maybe we were too hasty with taking our relationship to the next level. I thought I had a partner who was on the same page as me, who understood me. This new side of you makes me reconsider.”

      Everything inside her shook, and she didn’t know what to say, what to do, how to react. It wasn’t like her. None of this was. “What are you saying?”

      “It’s really very simple. I’m going back to civilization to think.” Bitterness tinged his voice. “You should do the same while enjoying the holidays with your beloved family.”

      Her head spun again, and she felt dizzy and nauseous. “So you’re just going to leave me then? Just like that?”

      Just like her mother. He was one more person who would bail out on her. It didn’t matter that he’d always seemed reliable and dependable—perfect, even. Things had gotten rough, and now he was leaving. She couldn’t live like that. Not anymore. Not ever again.

      “I think it’s for the best,” he reiterated.

      Tears burned her eyes, but she shook her head. “Maybe you shouldn’t reconsider. Maybe we’ve said all we have to say.”

      “Fine. Good-bye, Dayna.” He plucked his keys out of his pocket, walked to the car, pulled her suitcase from the trunk, and set it on the driveway.

      She opened her mouth to call the words back. That wasn’t what she wanted. Yes, it was. No, it wasn’t. She didn’t know what she wanted. She didn’t know anything anymore. No sound emerged from her throat.

      Then it was too late. He was gone. Everything had changed in less than a day. Her perfect life was over.

      This was the worst Christmas ever. She buried her face in her hands, waiting for the tears to fall, for some relief to the pressure growing inside, but her eyes were dry and gritty.

      It only added to her misery when the door slammed shut behind her, letting her know someone was going to see her at an all-time low.

      “Ah, hell. I’m sorry, Dayna. Don’t cry.” Jake. Of course it was Jake.

      “I’m not.” She shoved her fingers through her hair and curled them into fists before letting her head fall back. “You heard that?”

      “Yeah.” At least he didn’t bother to lie. It was a small comfort. “Listen, I—”

      “Dayna?” Her aunt’s voice sounded from inside.

      Dayna shook her head, letting her hands drop to her sides. “I need to get away from this house.” She choked on a laugh. “No, what I really need is a stiff drink.”

      “That I can arrange.” Jake reached out, taking her hands in his. His touch was gentle, and the expression on his sharp features was kinder than she’d ever seen from him.

      It only made her feel worse, and she had to blink rapidly to push back the tears that wouldn’t fall only moments before. She swallowed, wanting nothing more than to erase this day from existence. “I don’t want to go to a bar. If I get trashed there, someone will tell Aunt Rainbow or Sam or my mom when she gets back, and I’ll never hear the end of how Nathan wasn’t worth it.”

      “Yeah, I get that.” He nodded, squeezing her fingers. “Your hands are cold. You should be wearing gloves out here.” He rubbed her hands between his bigger palms, warming her.

      That tingle of awareness she’d felt on the stairs rippled over her skin again, and the way his brilliant green gaze slid down her body only increased the sensation. She shook her head, denying it. Thinking like that really would be crazy.

      His breath made white puffs in the air. “I have a bottle of Jack Daniel’s back at my place with your name on it.”

      Her mouth opened and then closed. Damn, but she needed to not have to think, to worry, to overanalyze everything for once, and she couldn’t come up with one good reason not to accept Jake’s offer. “Okay.”

      He’d СКАЧАТЬ