Three Secrets by Opal Carew

Nicole’s heart clenched when she saw Abel
sitting across the park on the wooden bench, the sunlight
shimmering on his wavy, dark brown hair. He looked just like she
remembered him when she’d first seen him in Paris.
    She’d fallen in love with him ten minutes
after she’d met him.
    But after spending two months together
traveling around Europe, she’d realized with an aching heart that
the sweet, gentle-spirited man he was would not really understand
her, or accept her… idiosyncrasies.
    So, even though it was the most painful
thing she'd ever done, she’d walked away. When they’d returned to
Canada, she’d gone home to Edmonton to let their relationship
die.
    At least, that’s what she’d intended. But it
had been too difficult to stay away.
    He glanced up and she knew the moment he
spotted her. His eyes lit up and his smile, so bright and cheerful,
set his face aglow. Warmth washed through her at the sight. He
stood up and stepped forward—one step, then another—until he was
racing toward her. She blinked back tears of joy as he flung his
arms around her and spun her in a circle. When she felt the ground
beneath her feet again, his lips found hers and his tongue swept
into her mouth, singeing her senses.
    Oh, God, how had she survived so long
without him?
    Her arms came around him and she melted into
the passion of his kiss.
    “Nicole, I can’t believe you’re here.” He
gazed at her, his lips turned up in a dazzling smile. “It seems
like forever since we’ve seen each other.”
    She laughed, joy bubbling through her. “It’s
only been three months.”
    His face turned serious. “I’d begun to worry
I’d never see you again.” He hesitated, as if he wanted to say
more—probably ask her why she hadn’t responded to his repeated
attempts to contact her—but instead he took her hand and squeezed
it. “I’m really looking forward to getting re-acquainted.”
    From the glimmer in his eyes, hot images of
the two of them entwined on a bed naked, their bodies joined
intimately, sent heat washing through her. She wanted that so
badly.
    It would be so easy to just go with him
right now. To lose herself in his loving arms. But she couldn’t do
that until she told him her secret.
    “Let’s sit down and talk first,” she
said.
    His eyebrows arched. “Talk. Really?” His
hand stroked over her shoulder possessively and he leaned in close,
his warmth seeping into her. “I can think of much more interesting
things to do than talk,” he murmured against her ear, the warmth of
his breath sending a quiver through her.
    But she steeled herself, staying strong.
“Yes, really. Talk.”
    She tugged on his hand as she led him to the
bench, then sat down, apprehension building inside her. He settled
beside her.
    “What is it you want to talk about?” he
asked.
    She pursed her lips and he frowned.
    “Why am I getting the feeling you didn’t
meet me to continue our relationship after all?” He took both her
hands and held them tight. “You know I’m crazy about you. I thought
we had a real chance at making things work between us. Don’t you
want that?”
    Her breath caught. “Of course I do,” she
said, her voice a mere whisper. It was what she wanted more than
anything in the world. She drew her hand free and stroked his
cheek, loving the raspy, masculine feel of his light stubble.
    His smile returned and her throat closed
up.
    “But the question is will you still want me
after I tell you what I came here to say?”
    * * *
    Abel stared at Nicole, the woman he hadn’t
stopped thinking about since he’d left Europe. It had been ironic,
since his trip had been partly to escape the help of his brothers
and their new wives who had been driving him crazy trying to play
matchmaker, wanting him to find the same happiness they had found.
Who knew he would stumble across the woman of his dreams in a park
in Paris?
    They had spent two wonderful months
together, and as it came close to time to return home,