Meant-To-Be Marriage. Rebecca Winters

agreed to talk to him, he wouldn’t give her any peace.

      Instead of attempting to avoid him, she’d be wise to find out what he wanted and get this over with. Otherwise her turmoil would destroy her.

      Having made that decision, she drew in air to help steady her equilibrium while she faced this man who’d dominated her mind and heart far too long for her emotional well-being.

      “What is it you want?” she asked in a resigned voice though her heart was frantically beating in her throat.

      Jarod remained in place, his narrowed eyes trained on her features in the morning light.

      “I’m glad you realize we have to talk, Sydney.”

      She rubbed her damp palms nervously against her jeans-clad hips. His gaze took in the telling gesture.

      “I’m due at school right now and won’t be free until four.”

      “I’ll pick you up here at four-fifteen.”

      He had her cornered.

      She was fascinated by the tiny nerve that pulsed at the side of his jaw. Because he’d once worn a beard, she’d never seen the lower half of his facial features bared to her gaze until now. If anything he was more appealing, more…human somehow.

      More tempting.

      This was all wrong, but he’d left her no choice.

      “All right.”

      Maybe she was mistaken, but she thought she saw a gleam of satisfaction darken his eyes before he accompanied her to her car and watched her drive off. Like a master puppeteer, he had all the power to pull her strings.

      The rest of her day passed in a tension-filled blur before she found herself back at her apartment and in his company once more.

      She averted her eyes and headed toward an unfamiliar blue car she could see parked out in front of the complex. While they walked, she felt his piercing gaze on her profile.

      How strange was fate that he’d actually stepped from her dreams into her reality. During the school year she’d spent in Cannon, they’d never planned a prearranged rendezvous to be alone together. Had never been on a date. This would be the one and only exception.

      She kept telling herself maybe this final meeting was what they both needed to settle their unfinished business. Once he left Gardiner for good, they could get on with their separate lives and not look back. This would be the closure she desperately needed.

      Out of the periphery she noticed his black hair was longer than she’d remembered. When he returned to his duties without his beard, the parish would notice the changes in him and be stunned.

      She swallowed hard. There couldn’t be a more attractive man alive anywhere. His overwhelming physical appeal forced her to hold on to the open car door for a moment while she waited to get control of her emotions.

      “You look incredibly beautiful, Sydney.”

      The first words to come out of his mouth left her tongue-tied so that her response was unintelligible. He’d destroyed the myth that she could ever forget him. In fact his intimate observation acted like a verbal assault on her senses. During those nine months in Cannon he’d rarely spoken his private thoughts…except through his lambent green eyes.

      Avoiding his gaze, she climbed inside. Afraid he would touch her and realize the true state of her feelings, she tried her best to elude him, but her arm accidentally brushed against his chest anyway. At the first contact, unaccustomed desire stole through her body.

      She still had a hard time believing he’d come to Montana, that she was about to drive off somewhere alone with him.

      A couple of the tenants waved and smiled at her. They could see she was in the company of a tall, dark stranger.

      She nodded to them before Father Kendall closed the door. He walked around the car and levered himself inside behind the wheel. She could feel his eyes on her.

      “Living in an apartment is like living in a goldfish bowl much the same way I once lived back in Cannon.”

      Once?

      Surprised by the revelation, her head swiveled around so she could look at him. He started the car and headed out of town.

      “Does that mean you’ve been transferred to another parish?”

      She heard his abrupt intake of breath. “I’d prefer to wait until we arrive at our destination before answering your questions. If you’ll reach around on the back seat, I brought us hamburgers and fries. I thought we could eat en route.”

      En route to where?

      Sydney had thought he was taking her out to dinner. His cryptic statements were unsettling enough, but it was his mysterious behavior that was beginning to alarm her.

      Thankful for something to eat that might take the edge off her frayed nerves, she undid the seat belt long enough to retrieve the large sack. Inside she found two colas and several portions of cheesecake packed with the food. She put the drinks in the holders between their seats, then handed him his meal.

      After thanking her, he began eating with what seemed a healthy appetite, as if this were an everyday occurrence for him. Normally she was hungry after work of any kind, but right now her emotions made her stomach clench. She could only eat a few bites.

      “This tastes good,” she finally murmured if only to fill the unsettling silence.

      “You’ve hardly touched your food.”

      Ignoring his observation, she cleaned everything up and put the sack on the floor of the back seat.

      Shadows formed by the pines were growing longer. Soon night would fall.

      A tangible quiet filled the car during the drive. She could hardly breathe for the tension between them. Though he was a stranger here, he seemed to know his way around.

      He drove them into the little town of Ennis. In a few minutes they came to a tiny, white, nondenominational church partially hidden by giant jack pines. There were no cars or people. He pulled into the parking area around the side where they were away from the street, then he shut off the motor.

      Once again he’d surprised Sydney by coming to this particular spot. Maybe she’d been wrong about his reasons for seeking her out. If that was the case, and he’d wanted to talk to her in a holy place, why a church located on the other side of town? What was going on? She simply didn’t understand him.

      Unable to handle the silence any longer, she cried, “Father Kendall—I…I—”

      “Don’t call me that,” he interrupted. “I have no more parish to minister to. I’ve left the priesthood.”

      Sydney’s body froze.

      “What did you just say?”

      “Two months ago I laid my case before the Church. I’m no longer Father Kendall, and never will be again.”

      She couldn’t comprehend it. The shock was so great, she wasn’t able to think or talk.

      “I don’t question your incredulity, Sydney. If I hadn’t lived through this experience myself, I wouldn’t believe it, either. But it’s true.”

      A rush of adrenaline drove her out of the car where she could breathe in fresh air and try to process what he’d just told her. She stood beside the car hugging her arms to her waist.

      When he approached, she lifted tormented eyes to him. “Why did you leave?”

      A stillness came over him. He studied her features for what seemed like an eternity. “You already know the answer to that question. I fell in love with you.”

      Like the thrust of a lance, overwhelming guilt pierced her soul. Her body shook. “No—please tell me that wasn’t the reason.”

      Lines darkened his face,