A Kiss of Color: A BWWM Interracial Pregnancy Romance (Book 2) Read Online Free Page B

If there were any at all, they would have to be far in the future. They were both working on building the structures they needed in their lives. In Helena’s mind, there simply wasn’t room to take the steps that would yield the family that Xavier wanted at this exact moment.
    Buying a house frightened her. Taking a deep breath, she glanced around the space again. How could she possibly explain herself to Xavier? She didn’t know how many times she’d tried, only to come up short. He knew how she felt about her own family, and the problems she sometimes had believing in herself.
    She just didn’t want him to think that any of her shortcomings were his fault.
    How could they be?
    For a moment, Helena forced herself to forget her misgivings – to push aside all her fears. She stared at the man that stood before her and her heart stuttered in her chest.
    Xavier’s innate good looks had only improved with age. While the man was still pale – despite their living in California, he always stayed in the shade when they went to the beach – he was broader, more sure of himself, and carried himself with much more confidence. Today, he wore a plain white t-shirt that showed off the mouthwatering definition of his arms and chest, along with black jeans and boots. He’d begun to wear his hair long when XTech had taken off, and since Helena had mentioned that she liked it just brushing her shoulders, he never cut it shorter. He’d taken to wearing his glasses more often than not, which, along with his usual five o’clock shadow, only enhanced the swarthy, intellectual appeal she’d fallen in love with. But, for all of Xavier’s nerdiness, the man could still lift her into the air like she weighed absolutely nothing – and toss her around in the bedroom in ways she dreamed about for days afterwards.
    He had always believed in her.
    From the day they’d met – from the moment he knew who her mother was – he had never doubted her. He, unlike his parents, had never believed her to be defined from where she’d come from. Even when chasing her dreams kept her away from home for long hours, when she came home and snapped at him, or even when she fell apart in his arms, Xavier never deserted her.
    She could let him have this, couldn’t she? It was just a house. It wasn’t like he was asking her to marry him, or that they were planning children.
    All of those things could be dealt with in the future.
    Helena exhaled a long breath, and this time, when she smiled, the gesture was genuine. “I really do like the house, Xavier. If this is what you want, we can definitely talk to the realtor.”
    His blue-eyes widening in ecstatic joy, the programmer grinned, showing off pearly whites. “Are you serious?”
    Helena nodded. When it made him so happy, how could she possibly refuse? Within seconds, she was in his arms, breathing in the intoxicating, masculine scent of him. “Helena, honey, you won’t regret this. We’re going to have so much more space...this is going to be the beginning of…limitless possibilities.”
    Closing her eyes, the young woman pressed herself against Xavier’s firm chest, reveling in the strength there. When she was in his embrace, feeling his heartbeat pump against hers, she could almost believe him.
    Almost.
     
    Two weeks later, Helena had almost forgotten the house they were closing on. Of course, the thought remained in the back of her mind, but her main focus was the absorption of everything her instructor taught her. In entering the last and more difficult leg of her medical school journey, she would have to apply everything she had learned about physiology and anatomy and enter the world of pediatric surgery.
    It was strange, even though she thought she had once gotten over her squeamishness, she found that watching film of surgical procedures and seeing some of the more severe injuries of smaller children were beginning to make her sick to her stomach again. To combat her nausea, she’d