Destiny's Chance Read Online Free Page B

doubting her, but even after living together, much remained a mystery. They’d dated for only a few months when she’d moved in with him—at her suggestion. He couldn’t think of a reason why not, so he had agreed.
    Though outgoing in personality, she’d revealed little of her personal life and background. At first he’d assumed her nondisclosure resulted from caution. A model so much in the public eye would be wise to keep her personal life private. But one day he’d awakened with the epiphany he was sleeping with and playing games with a virtual stranger. And she’d stymied his efforts to get to know her.
    At thirty-six years old, he had only a string of broken relationships to show for his time on earth. He yearned for a true intimacy that came from loving someone with his heart and body and being loved that way in return. He and Zoe didn’t have that.
    So they’d agreed to go separate ways. Except she’d never left. Because he only had one bedroom, they’d continued to share a bed. Platonically. Most of the time.
    “What attracted you to me when we first met?” he asked.
    Zoe froze midchew, her eyes round like saucers. She glanced at her wrapper and resumed eating. The bite of burrito seemed to take a long time to masticate. Finally she swallowed, then took a sip of her coffee. She peered at him over the rim of the cup. “What do you mean?”
    He lifted his shoulders. “Other than our shared kink, what did you like about me?”
    “Kink?” she squeaked.
    He narrowed his eyes. “Beyond that. There had to be something more.”
    “Do you believe in reincarnation?” she asked.
    “No.” He blinked. What did that have to do with his question?
    “Not at all?”
    “No. Why?”
    She rubbed her neck and swallowed. “Because…because maybe sometimes people aren’t who you think they are.”
    “And you think, what, they’re reincarnated?” He shrugged. “Even if they were, it wouldn’t make a difference to the people who know them now.”
    “What if the change happened midlife?”
    “You mean like somebody age forty or fifty dies and is reborn as a baby.”
    “Or like somebody dies and assumes the body of an adult.” She locked her gaze on his.
    “Only in the movies,” he said. “Do you believe in reincarnation?”
    “Yes.”
    “See, that’s something I didn’t know about you.” He’d never known Zoe to express an interest, let alone a belief, in the supernatural, but when had they ever truly talked? Their relationship had only skimmed the surface of their lives.
    “There’s a lot you don’t know about me,” she mumbled so low he almost didn’t catch it.
    Whose fault is that? The words darted to the tip of his tongue, but he yanked them back. Though the question expressed his feelings, it sounded argumentative, and wasn’t it moot anyway? They’d both moved on. He had no wish to resurrect the relationship. It had ended. However, continuing to share a home prevented them from seeking happiness with someone else. They needed to free themselves of all entanglements, make a clean break. If not sweetly, then neatly.
    It would be crass to raise the issue now, but as soon as she recovered, he would insist she hasten her efforts to find a place.
    So why did he feel a disconcerting flutter because she sat there looking like a lost little girl? Appetite gone, he tossed the remains of his extraspicy chorizo burrito onto the grease-stained wrapper.
    “If you don’t mind, I’d like to take a shower.” She peered at him as if asking permission.
    “Fine.” She’d never told him what had attracted her to him, but that was typical. She’d always been intensely private but a good conversationalist, so he hadn’t noticed at first how little information she offered.
    She shoved away from the table, shuffled to the kitchen, and then pivoted.
    “What are you doing?” He eyed her.
    “Where’s the trash?”
    He pointed. “Where it’s always been. Under the sink.” How could she not know