Forbidden Paths by P. J. Belden

to be just fine, sweets.”
    “What makes you so sure?” I look at her, pleadingly.
    “Hey, it’s me. When have I ever been wrong?”
    I laugh despite the overwhelming urge I have to run. Not run because of something bad, but because of starting a family with someone other than Logan. That is what kills me the most. The love I have for Logan will never dissipate. It will always be there. This guy that I’m about to let know he’s going to be a father, though he brings my body alive like no one else has aside from Logan, he’ll never have the full me because my heart will forever remain with Logan.
    “Let’s do this,” Hazel says, trying to energize us like she always does.
    I swallow the lump in my throat and put one shaky foot in front of the other. Lia is the one that knocks this time. I stand behind her and try to get my bearings. I hear rumbles of voices inside before I hear the door open. I stop breathing.
    “Well hello again, Miss BB and Miss AA and… oh,” I almost hear a sad tone to his voice.
    Lia steps out of the way and I’m instantly drawn to his eyes again. A smile erupts on his face.
    “Miss CC, you’ve made it,” he grins at me.
    My whole body warms at the pure sexiness of his smile. Damn! He was sex personified.
    “I did. Did you not want me here? I can leave,” I say suddenly nervous.
    Lia and Hazel have already gone inside leaving me in the awkwardness of this meeting.
    He quickly grabs my hand. “No, please stay. I want you here.”
    Mr. C steps forward and pulls me the rest of the distance between us. He leans slowly down and kisses me. It’s soft and tender, taking me by complete surprise.
    “Do you want to go upstairs or go for a walk?” He asks quietly, his head resting on mine.
    Too scared to be out of earshot when I tell him he’s going to be a dad, I opt for the bedroom.
    “Upstairs please,” I squeak out.
    He takes my hand and we slowly walk through the house. I notice that all pictures have been taken down off the walls. I guess that makes sense. What would be the point in the mask if you left pictures of yourself hanging around the house?
    The closer we get to the stairs the more my heart begins to pound. I’m pretty sure he can feel my unease because he keeps turning and looking at me. Each step took me closer and closer to revealing the truth… or maybe Lia’s right maybe I don’t have to. Maybe I could just leave the same way I did the last time?
    We walk into his room and the click of the door being shut echoes in my head. I wring my hands in front of me.
    “So I have a question for you?” He asks.
    Turning around, I face him trying to keep my nerves in check. “A question?”
    “Yes, you know that thing where you hopefully give me an answer so I can stop thinking about it,” he smirks.
    Wow!
    “Well that’s a novel idea, but what if it’s an unanswerable question?”
    “Hmm,” he pretends to think as he sits on the edge of his bed.  “Well the only way to find out is ask right?” He pats the bed next to him.
    “I suppose you’re right,” I say quietly as I move to sit next to him.
    His face turns serious, all trace of humor gone. “Why did you leave last time?”
    “Um,” I start, but unsure how to answer.

Chapter Nine
    Logan
     
     
     
     
    Here she was again. Almost three months since I saw her last. She looks nervous. Definitely not the confident, sexy, irresistible woman from before.
    “Hey,” I take her hands in mine. “What’s wrong?”
    She looks down at our hands. “Have you ever wanted something so bad and then life steps in?” She asks in a whisper.
    I snort. “Yeah.”
    Definitely knew what she means there without her having to explain any of it. Faith is my something and her family took her away from me without even giving a thought to how Faith may or may not have felt.
    “I fell in love with the most amazing man that I’ve ever met before in my life. He made living worth it. My home life was far from glamorous. But then