Love's Tangled Web by Donna Taylor

Chapter 172

Chapter 172

“I’d rather die than stay here!” Ellie yelled back at Alex, stepping cautiously back.

Standing by the ocean, Alex watched in disbelief as Ellie retreated into the deeper waters. His brows furrowed, his blood boiled. “Ellie, don’t think you can scare me like this!”

Ellie continued to stare at him defiantly, retreating further until the water reached her knees.

Alex, fuming with anger, spun in place, pointed at her and shouted, “You’re standing in a spot where even a frog wouldn’t drown–if you want to die, just walk in!”

With tears brimming, Ellie gritted her teeth and kept backing away.

Watching from the beach as the water crept up to her thighs, then her waist, Alex cursed under his breath, “So damn stubborn!”

Ellie focused on Alex, analyzing his every expression. Biting her lip, she closed her eyes and pressed on farther into the

water.

That summer, she nearly drowned after falling into a chemical waste pool while trying to save someone. From that day on, she developed a deep–rooted fear of water–especially deep water.

shouting her name, but before she could react, the wave pulled her

Alex’s arms. Panicking, she clutched desperately at the edges of his suit coat, gasping for air.

a stormy expression, Alex cursed as he carried her to shallower water. He set her down, looking at her pale face that was scarier than death itself, and

Seeing that Ellie was silent, he released her, pretending to toss

wasn’t really going to throw her in; he just wanted to startle her, quickly pulling her back to safety. Looking down at her, Ellie hung on for dear life, and Alex softened his voice, “Aren’t you afraid of dying? So why

die, you’re coming with me,” Ellie gasped, trying to calm

him easing as he

silence, Ellie allowing Alex to hold her all the way back to the house. She glanced

Men were as hard to read as the deep blue sea–one moment all calm, the next a storm. In the bedroom upstairs, Alex stepped out of the bathroom, wearing nothing but a white

Ellie on the bed, wrapped in her blanket like a quail, her eyes glued to him. He sat on the edge of

“can

1/2

+5

khu, 6 Feb

Chapter 172

£ 33%

sky was beginning to lighten with the dawn. Only two days left until the family reunion.

his voice. “Why do