The Very Thought of You Read Online Free Page B

to her in the elevator, and to Miranda’s surprise, heat trickled up and down her body. Miranda wanted to scream in frustration. It had taken her years not months to get Caleb Blackfox out of her system. Why in the world would she have a reaction to him now?
    Because I am an idiot, she told herself. It had to be. Coming back to Rome was taking a leap back in time, and she’d forgotten to bring an anti-idiocy jacket with her.
    â€œI’m sure that this was an unexpected inconvenience,” he mentioned. “I would have expected your parents to be here.”
    Miranda kept her eyes on direction markers in the hallway. There were signs for the emergency room, women’s wing, restrooms, surgery and finally the cafeteria. It came as second nature for her to observe and memorize her surroundings. And that training came in handy as a distraction from the man at her side. She’d never really been in a hospital. Lucky for her no one in her family had needed a visit.
    â€œAre your parents well?”
    Caleb’s question pulled Miranda from her thoughts. She turned her head to look at him. “They’re teaching high school in Ghana.”
    â€œFor how long?”
    â€œIt was supposed to be a year. The last time I spoke with them things were going so well that they may decide to sign on for another year.”
    â€œHow do you feel about that? I know you were very close to your parents.”
    His question, although innocent, sparked tears in her eyes. Quickly looking away, Miranda blinked rapidly. It was utterly selfish, but she wanted them home; she wanted her father to be there to tell her everything was going to be okay while her mother hugged her tight. Although she could depend on her aunt Francine to help out, her father’s sister had her own household to deal with. Just as she almost gave in to a self-pity session, she found herself pulled into a man’s chest.
    â€œIt’s going to be okay,” he soothed.
    For a moment she fought against his embrace, but it was all but impossible. No matter how much mental distance Miranda had been able to put between her and Caleb, her body still reacted to the scent of his cologne, the hard contours of his body and the strength of his arms.
    She drew in a deep breath and opened her eyes. A blush roared into her cheeks. Every eye on the floor seemed to be watching their little show. Pulling back, Miranda pasted a smile on her face. “Thank you.”
    â€œI’m here for you anytime you need me,” Caleb replied. “Now how about that cup of coffee?”
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    A few minutes later, as they sat across from one another at the back of the hospital cafeteria, Caleb leaned forward and placed his elbows on the round table. “I see this place more than I like.”
    With a casual interest, Miranda eyed the shiny new PDA he placed on the table halfway between them and pried off the lid of her cup of coffee, added three containers of cream and a few scoops of sugar. She took a minute to stir and then took a sip. The rich French vanilla flavor felt warm and smooth going down her throat. She knew that it would take at least ten to fifteen minutes for the caffeine to be absorbed into her bloodstream, but just the taste made her feel more alert.
    â€œThank you, God,” she said with a smile on her lips.
    His mouth curved upward into a warm grin. “Still not a morning person, are you?”
    â€œActually, I love mornings. I adore them. I usually get into the office at seven. But this past week has completely disrupted my schedule.”
    Over the large cup of coffee, Miranda stared at her ex-boyfriend. Years had passed since they’d seen each other, and here they were, after all this time, sitting across from one another like old friends. But they’d never been real best friends. He’d been her soul mate, her first lover, her first love and the last man to break her heart and her trust.
    He still looked