Her Forbidden Love (Indigo Island Book 2) by Kaira Rouda

to see his face in the pitch-black room. She reached up, touching his cheek. “It’s not about role models, it’s about your heart. You have a good heart, Jack.”
    “Whatever, but thanks,” he said. Dorsey noticed his hands were clenched into fists. She sensed that his anger just below the surface, waiting to explode.
    She wondered if his self-doubt and this simmering anger at his dad were what was holding him back. Was this the reason he’d had a string of relationships? Conquests without meaning, without commitment.
    “You deserve to have everything you want, Jack,” Dorsey said. “A great career, a family, kids.”
    “Nobody deserves anything. It’s luck and fate and hard work, it’s how you were raised and what you can overcome,” he said, pulling her against him, nuzzling his chin into her shoulder. “I’ve watched you with the kids. You’ll be a great mom someday.”
    “I hope so. Jack, let’s get out of here, I need some dry clothes,” she said eventually, chilled from being damp, from the draft in the room. Jack took her hand and led her slowly through the darkened inn until they reached the candlelit main lobby. Once outside, they made the run home through rain so heavy it concealed everything except what was just in front of them.
    Jack’s cottage was closest, so they stopped there. He handed Dorsey a dry sweatshirt and sweat pants, and gave her privacy to change. Dorsey glanced at her reflection in the mirror and even in the dark could tell how swollen her eyes were from crying. After she’d changed, he joined her in his bedroom, dropping onto one of the two queen-sized beds. The walls, a bright sky-blue with midnight-blue band at the ceiling, were the most colorful thing she had seen all day. With the wind and the rain of the storm, the entire island seemed gray from the ground to the sky.
    “Thanks for telling me about your dog,” Jack said. He watched Dorsey use the towel in an attempt to dry her long hair. “I still can’t believe this happened to you. Did they catch whoever poisoned your dog?”
    “No,” Dorsey answered. She felt guilty for not telling him the whole truth, not telling him that it was worse, much worse than poor Rufus. But she couldn’t share that, she doubted she ever would.
    Jack didn’t say anything in response, just nodded.
    “So, what do you want to eat?” he finally asked when she bent over and flipped her hair over to dry the underside. “And did I mention you’ve got great hair.”
    “I’m glad you like it, because it drives me crazy. It’s big, that’s for sure, and it takes forever to dry,” she answered from her upside-down position.
    “I’m making dinner,” Jack announced, standing. “Hey, what’s this?” he said, picking up the oogle from the bedside table.
    “Oh, it’s a little bit of protection from Tade and his friend, Barbara. They gave it to me to ward off evil spirits and things. It’s kind of like you, in miniature,” Dorsey said.
    “Cute,” Jack said as he put the oogle back and walked back into the living room. He turned on the gas fireplace and the glow lit the room. The armchairs around the fireplace were brown wicker with bright yellow-and-white-checkered cushions. The kitchen table was sturdy maple. The layout was the same as her cottage.
    As they sat in front of the fireplace, nibbling crackers and cheese and bologna slices, safe from the wind and the rain outside, Dorsey decided this might be the happiest moment of her life.
    “What time are you working tomorrow?” Jack asked, the light of the fire dancing off his face, chiseled angles of perfection. He was gorgeous, Dorsey decided afresh. She was so happy, and felt so safe, she didn’t want to think about tomorrow.
    She yawned and stretched. The warmth of the fire had relaxed her. She reached over and grabbed Jack’s hand. “I have to work at nine, but I’d better head back to my cottage. What if Steve has someone check on me?” She stood up, holding onto the