Chapter 229
"Emma!"
Stella let out a startled cry. Even though she was wearing her seatbelt, the sudden swerve of the bus sent her tumbling right into Cedric Clarke's side-
Cedric's reflexes kicked in, and his hand shot out to steady Stella. In that instant, he felt something soft brush against his cheek.
Stella had accidentally kissed Cedric on the face...
"Sorry!"
She jerked back immediately, about to stammer out an explanation when the bus lurched again.
Thrown backward by the motion, Stella's eyes widened in alarm!
"Watch out!"
Cedric reached for her just in time, but the bus swayed again—
Stella landed right back in Cedric's arms!
And then, before either of them could react, their lips met-firmly, unmistakably.
Their eyes locked, both of them staring in disbelief, each more stunned than the other.
Stella: "..."
Cedric: ""
Honk, honk-
The bus's horn echoed through the winding mountain roads.
about,
and turned, forcing the driver to slow
to the seatback in front of her, not daring to glance at Cedric
the bus kept rocking, and more than once she found herself leaning helplessly toward him. This time, though, she was smarter-she turned her head to the window, so even if she toppled over, at
were moments when Stella ended up very close to Cedric. Strands of her hair, carrying a faint scent, brushed
Cedric couldn't ignore the wild thumping
over just then, she would have seen the famously composed
landed in Silveridge at eight that
Northborough, Silveridge was dry and
the terminal, she spotted Carney
"Professor, Mrs. Winslow!"
Gwendolyn hurried
be starving," Gwendolyn said, taking Briony's suitcase
the
with a smile, then asked, "You've both had
I had the housekeeper make some chicken broth for you.
her arm through Gwendolyn's as they walked
by Stewart standing nearby. James had called a few days ago, saying Briony's divorce from Stewart still
Stewart was dragging
the papers signed so she could move to Silveridge and prepare for the baby in peace. But if
was formidable-Briony would have a tough time fighting back on
make Stewart budge, but as Briony's
he saw Carney
"Professor Winslow."
"Mr. Wentworth."
They shook hands.
turning back to Carney, lips curving into a faint, unreadable smile. "If you have
always several steps ahead. Since he'd waited here for Stewart, he decided to get
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
The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!