Tempted Trapped and Too Late to Run

Everyone at the table was watching them. The way Dylan looked at Clara-so warm, so gentle-made it impossible for some people to keep eating.

Simon slammed his chopsticks down. "This is a dining room, not your bedroom.”

Dylan paused, reaching for a napkin to wipe the corner of Clara's lips. He was about to say something when Clara looked right at him.

"Well, obviously it's not a bedroom. There's no bed," she said, completely matter- of-fact.

She was just telling the truth, but this really wasn't the moment for that kind of honesty.

The other people at the table all had expressions that were hard to describe.

Walter's face didn't give much away, but his hand tightened around his chopsticks. No one had ever been this bold in front of him before.

Mrs. Ferguson smacked the table. "Outrageous! Shameless! What kind of nonsense is that? How can a woman say things like that in front of her elders? And in public, no less? You-"

Clara blinked, genuinely confused. She didn't see what she'd done wrong—there really wasn't a bed here.

She leaned closer to Dylan, almost seeking shelter. "Honey."

Dylan's lips lifted in a calm, easy smile. "Mother, Clara's still young. She doesn't understand the rules yet."

Mrs. Ferguson's chest heaved with frustration. If this kept up, Clara was going to be the end of her.

How had this girl ended up in the Ferguson family?

A gentle hand started patting Mrs. Ferguson's back. Tara's soft voice floated over. "Mrs. Ferguson, don't let it get to you. Dylan's right-Clara's still young."

out a cold laugh. "Young? She's twenty-four, almost twenty-five. Don't tell

how to smooth things

It's fine if she jokes around at home, but there'll be a lot of

answer right away. Instead, he looked at Clara,

grabbed his arm. "Should we go?

head. "No. You

"Really?"

find any hint

in her chest. She still didn't know how a guy

in a past life, right? Otherwise, how could she have landed someone so

heart felt light as they left the old house. Pushing his wheelchair, she couldn't help but ask, "How did we

foot, kicking at the grass as they

about to get in, she spotted a plant in the corner. It would look so good back at Palm

can we

"home" was just

glanced over at the plant, trying to remember when it had

car, she was all smiles, massaging his legs

just knew how to make someone feel better. It was her

wonder people liked her

Mrs. Ferguson

through the garden. Tara was still trying to calm her down. "Mrs. Ferguson, don't stress about Dylan. His career is taking off. When he gets busier,

about it, then nodded, reaching

heard that during

looked after the tree I planted. You never brag about what you do, you just quietly

of woman she wanted