Borrowed Dreams (Debbie Macomber Classics) by Debbie Macomber

directing her mouth back to his. She felt his hunger as his mouth reclaimed hers. Together they strained to satisfy each other. When she felt she could endure no more, she broke away and buried her face in the curve of his neck.
    Brand’s hands explored her back beneath the sweater. “Don’t fight me so hard,” he murmured.
    Carly sighed thoughtfully. “The way I see it, I’m not fighting near hard enough.” She could feel his smile against her temple. “The things you make me feel frighten me,” she whispered, after a long moment.
    “I know.”
    “I don’t want to fall in love with you,” she whispered.
    “I know that, too.”
    Carly’s eyes rested on the clean top of the television. “What did you do with Sandra’s picture?” He’d put it away, she knew, but she needed to know where.
    “It’s in a drawer.”
    Somehow she’d expected him to wince when she mentioned the wife he’d lost, but he didn’t. “Top or bottom?”
    A hand on each shoulder turned her so that she could look him in the eye. “Bottom.”
    She lowered her gaze, embarrassed at revealing the depth of her insecurity.
    “Now,” he said, and a hint of firmness stole into his voice. “When are you going to stop running from me?”
    “I don’t—”
    Narrowed, disbelieving eyes forbade her from finishing. “Carly, look at me. I’m through with this ‘we’re not dating’ business. We are
seriously
dating, and I won’t take no for an answer. Understand?”
    She nodded numbly. All the old insecurities bobbed to the surface of her mind, but when Brand put his arms around her those doubts seemed inconsequential. Only when she was alone did they grow ominous and forbidding.
    Brand patted the lump of discarded glass in her jeans pocket. “Either you’ve got a serious problem with your bones or you’re sprouting something in your pocket.”
    Carly smiled and arched her back so she could withdraw the glass. “Here.” She gave it to Brand. “I found a treasure.”
    “Treasure?” He eyed her warily.
    “It’s as green as an emerald.”
    “Yes,” Brand agreed.
    She took it back, rubbed it between the palms of her hands, and held it to his face. “And warm as fire.”
    “Not quite that hot.”
    “We’re imagining here,” she chastised playfully. “Now hold it up to the light.”
    Brand did as she requested. “Yes?”
    “See the cracks and lines?”
    “So?”
    “It’s as intriguing as a map. A treasure map,” she added, repeating the youngster’s assessment. “And I bet you thought this was just a plain old piece of broken glass that time had smoothed.”
    Brand closed his fingers over the green glass and a sadness suddenly stole over him. “That’s the kind of wonder Shawn would discover in this.”
    “Shawn?” A chill settled over her even before Brand could explain.
    “My son.”
    “You have children?” The question came out breathlessly, her voice low and wobbly.
    “Yes. Shawn and Sara.”
    Suddenly Carly knew what it must feel like to die.

Chapter Five
    Several hours later the knot in her stomach still hadn’t relaxed. Even now her breath came in short, painful wisps. Brand had children. Beautiful children. He’d taken a family photo from his wallet and Carly had been forced to stare at two blond youngsters. Both Shawn and Sara had been gifted with Sandra’s beautiful eyes and Sandra’s hair color.
    For every second that Carly had studied the picture she’d died a little more. Brand had explained that his children were living with his mother in Oregon, but they’d be joining him in a couple months, once school was out for the summer.
    “How old are they?” Somehow Carly managed to ask the question.
    Brand’s eyes were proud. That he loved and missed his family was obvious. “Shawn’s seven and Sara’s five.”
    Carly nodded and returned the photo.
    “You’ll like them, Carly.”
    Brand sounded so confident, unaware of the turmoil that attacked her.
    A few minutes after that, Brand walked