Read Dreams: Part One for Free Online Page A

later.“
    “Brandon?“
    “My son.“
    Diana smiled at the quiet pride in his voice. “What happened to Cynthia?“
    Colby tossed a handful of pebbles out over the falls. “Cynthia’s parents decided they could force her to come home if they threatened to cut off her inheritance. They never let up the pressure. And Cynthia did not take well to motherhood. She hadn’t wanted Brandon in the first place. The whole thing had been a stupid accident, and she decided she shouldn’t have to pay for it the rest of her life. Maybe she was right. Hell, I don’t know.“
    “Who does at that age?“
    “Yeah. Who knows? Cynthia and I fought a lot, and one day I came home to find her gone. She’d left a note for me telling me Brandon was at a neighbor’s and that she couldn’t take it any more. Her life had been ruined. She was going home to her parents. She wanted to start over. I never saw her again. She was killed in a freeway smashup on the interstate. Her parents never forgave me. At the funeral they told me they never wanted to see me or Brandon again. I was happy to grant them their wish.“
    “And you never married again?“
    Colby shook his head. “I figured I’d seen enough of marriage to last me a lifetime. Besides, I was busy with my son.
    I raised Brandon by myself. Made a lot of mistakes along the way, but the kid turned out okay.“ Colby’s eyes warmed with paternal satisfaction. “He just finished his first year in college in Eugene. Did great, too. Thinks he wants to be an engineer.“
    “Congratulations,“ Diana said softly. She folded her elbows on her drawn-up knees and rested her chin on her forearms. “It must have been rough at times.“
    Colby grimaced. “You don’t know the half of it. Like I said, I made a lot of mistakes. Sure as hell wouldn’t want to go through it again. But Brandon and I both survived.“
    “And that’s the great saga of Colby Savagar and the town of Fulbrook Corners?“
    He looked at her. “That’s it.“
    “I think I understand why you haven’t bothered to return before now.“
    Colby’s intent gaze never left her face. “I answered your questions.“
    Diana felt the warmth in her face. She glanced away. “Yes, you did.“
    “I’ve got a few for you, too,“ Colby said quietly.
    Pleased that he was finally showing some real interest in her background, she glanced at him. “You do?“
    “Most of them can wait.“
    “Oh.“ She was strangely disappointed.
    “All except one.“ Colby reached out and gently tumbled her down across his chest. “And that one is a very straightforward question. All it takes is a simple yes or no to answer it.“
    Instinctively Diana struggled to find her balance, but she didn’t pull away once she had braced herself. She sprawled on top of him, her face very close to his.
    “Yes or no, Diana?“
    The roar of the falls filled her ears and the warm fragrance of the sun-heated woods enveloped her. Gossamer plumes of mist, creatures of light and magic soared overhead. One of her jeaned legs slid between Colby’s thighs and got caught there. His body was strong and hard and infinitely inviting. His eyes were pools of gray fire waiting to blaze.
    Diana realized with blinding clarity that she was falling in love.
    “Yes,“ she whispered and lowered her head to kiss him.

3
    He had never felt so pulsatingly alive in his life. He was going to go up in flames at any moment. The blood beat heavily in his veins, and the ache in his loins was almost painful.
    Colby held on to the woman in his arms with all his strength, afraid she would try to slip away from him again the way she had slipped away every other time he’d tried to make her his.
    But this time she wasn’t fighting him. This time she wasn’t trying to edge out of reach. She was giving herself to him and his head spun with the wonder of it. All the hot, fierce questions his body had been asking would finally have answers.
    “Diana. Honey, I’ve wanted you like this