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One to Love Page 18


  She pulled away to catch her breath, just enough not to pass out. His handsome mouth, full and divinely crafted, should not be free for long.

  “Should I go tell them the news?” Jesse kissed her forehead.

  Olivier and Arthur had walked farther away toward the event that was winding down. They had walked away from the fight.

  “Nah. I think they know the answer by now.” This was her man, her soul mate, whom she claimed with all the love within her. She’d kept everything in, afraid to share, afraid to open her heart. Together they had muddled through dealing with their own demons to find peace and reach for love.

  Her heart was strong. Her spirit was strong. But it had never been put through the test of love. True love, beyond lust and pleasurable sex. Best friends, beyond sharing secrets and innocent hugs. Soul mates, beyond pinky swears of loyalty. No, her heart had never had to stay the course, or sprint along the mad rush of the romantic road as if her life and sanity depended on it.

  But she was a granddaughter of the Meadows matriarch. If Belinda had learned anything, she’d taken her lessons directly from her grandmother. No rule existed that a woman shouldn’t take the lead to harness her future, even if it meant hitting her man with cold, hard reality—she was worth every thought, action and emotion he had in his life.

  “Belinda, I love you, heart and soul, and everything in between.”

  “And I love you, my handsome man. Every inch, down to a smidgen.” She grinned.

  “Are you done here? Then let’s go seal the deal.” His sexy wink delivered its erotic message.

  Tawny again stepped into their path. “Not that either of you are aware of the outside world, but I’ll volunteer to wrap things up for you while you do...whatever you’re going to do.” And just as abruptly, she headed off, leaving them to each other’s attention.

  Belinda’s feet were swept from under her as she was cradled against Jesse’s chest. Her arms were wrapped around his neck, while she admired the inner glow of his joy that illuminated his entire face. The dark, brooding veil that weighed him down with guilt had slipped off and retreated. They would be all right. That she knew for sure. Her forehead rested against his chin. Comforted with her thoughts, she looked forward to the next few minutes when they’d be together in her bed.

  More than ever, she looked forward to the next chapter of their lives intertwined in love and romance.

  * * * * *

  We hope you enjoyed this Harlequin Kimani Romance.

  You dream in vibrant hues! Harlequin Kimani Romance stories feature sophisticated, soulful and sensual African-American and multicultural heroes and heroines who develop fulfilling relationships as they lead lives full of drama, glamour and passion.

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  ISBN-13: 9781460379639

  One to Love

  Copyright © 2015 by Michelle Monkou

  All rights reserved. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher, Harlequin Enterprises Limited, 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada M3B 3K9.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

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