Teague (The Family Simon 4)

“I went to school to be a nurse but quit when I had the babies.”

“And your parents?”

Yes. Then there was that. “My mother died when I was nine.” Eyes on the water, she tried to ignore the man watching her so intently. “She was in a car accident. The roads were bad and she hit a patch of black ice.”

“I’m sorry.”

“That’s when we moved here. I have no idea why my dad chose Gravenhurst because we’d never been out of the city. But living in a house of memories wasn’t something he could do.” She paused, voice a little shaky. “He loved it up here and he did manage to find some kind of happiness.”

“That’s good,” Teague said quietly.

“It was good for a while. He died a month before my wedding. He was out in the garden trimming his rose bushes and had a heart attack. I found him, but it was too late. By the time we got him to the hospital, he was gone.”

“Jesus,” Teague said roughly, pushing off from the ledge and facing her.

Things she didn’t like to think about—things she’d tucked away into the small dark corners of her soul—were suddenly filling her head.

“I walked myself down the aisle.” Sabrina’s eyes

slammed shut as the pain of her loss hit her squarely in the chest. “I couldn’t bear the thought of anyone but my dad on my arm, so I...I did it on my own.”

“Oh Bree, you’ve been through a lot for someone so young.”

His voice was gentle and she nearly cried out when he touched her arm. He took her coffee mug and set it down before folding her into his arms.

She needed this. His touch. His smell. Or maybe it was just the idea of him. Of a man holding her and taking some of that burden.

“So have you,” she whispered without thinking.

He stiffened for just a moment, but it was enough for her to know that she’d hit a nerve. Sabrina slowly pulled back so that she could see him again. Really see him. Teague looked tired. She thought about what he’d said to her the night before.

“Did you sleep at all last night?” she asked.

“If I said yes…”

“I wouldn’t believe you.”

Teague shrugged. “Sometimes my brain doesn’t turn off.”

“I get that.” How many nights had she lain awake staring at the ceiling? How many nights had she tried in vain to forget about her pain?

“But that’s not what my problem was last night.”

“No?”

“Not even close.” There was that lopsided grin again. It must be addictive because suddenly Sabrina wanted to see more of it.

“What was your problem last night?” she asked lightly.

“You would be my problem last night.”

“Me.”

“Uh huh.” Teague nodded, taking a step closer. “I already told you. I like watching you sleep.”

Sabrina took a moment because she thought that just maybe she was about to cross a line that shouldn’t be crossed. Not if she was smart.

“You watched me sleep?”