Loving You Read online

  And when the bruises around your heart finally heal, I hope you find someone who deserves you. And when you find him, grab him, Tasha, and hold on tight. If you have to choose between being safe and being loved … always choose love.

  As I chose to love you.

  Mimi

  Nick blew out a breath. “She wrote one of these to Jonas, too?”

  “Uh-huh. It says he’s not to open it until he’s eighteen, so God knows what she said to him,” Tasha said with a choked-off laugh.

  “She was really something, wasn’t she?” Nick lifted his gaze to Tasha’s.

  “You would have liked her.” Tasha took the letter and tucked it carefully into its envelope. “She would have loved you.”

  “As long as you love me, baby,” he said, pulling her up close, “that’s all I’ll ever need.”

  Tasha wrapped her arms around his neck and held on. Her heart felt lighter than it had in years. Her future was stretched out in front of her and she saw love in Nick’s eyes. A few short months ago, she’d been terrified of losing her only family.

  Now she had more family than she knew what to do with. And yet, there was always room for one more.

  “So,” she asked, keeping her gaze locked on his, “what are you hoping for—girl? Or boy?”

  He laughed and kissed the tip of her nose. “Girl or boy what?”

  Tasha just smiled at him and counted off the seconds until realization dawned on Nick’s face.

  “Are you—”

  “Yep.”

  “You’re sure?”

  “Way sure.”

  His eyes were wide enough to pop out of his head. She hoped they didn’t. Her stomach was a little queasy just thinking about it.

  “When?”

  “In about seven months.”

  “Shouldn’t you be sitting down?” he asked, looking around the room but coming up empty.

  “I’d rather be kissed.”

  “We can do both.” Nick bent down, scooped her up into his arms, and cradled her against him. Then he kissed her.

  And Tasha held on for the ride of her life.

  About the Author

  USA Today bestselling author Maureen Child has assumed different identities to write a total of 115 books in several different genres. One of her paranormal westerns was made into a CBS-TV movie called The Soul Collector.

  Her books have won the National Reader’s Choice award, the Colorado Award of Excellence, the Prism, and the Golden Quill among others. Maureen’s a seven-time finalist for RWA’s RITA award and her books regularly hit the bestseller lists. Along the way, she’s dodged a few asteroids and also lived through some direct hits. The real secret to a writing career is persistence and adaptability.

  Being able to survive an asteroid blast doesn’t hurt.

  Maureen and her family, native Californians, now live in the mountains of Utah where they’re learning to deal with snow.

  Visit her at: www.maureenchild.com or sign up for email updates here.

  Don’t miss more books by Maureen Child

  FINDING YOU

  KNOWING YOU

  Available from St. Martin’s Press

  The Candellano Family Trilogy

  By USA Today bestselling author

  Maureen Child

  www.MaureenChild.com

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  Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Notice

  Begin Reading

  Dedication

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  Series card

  Copyright

  This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

  LOVING YOU. Copyright © 2003 by Maureen Child.

  All rights reserved. For information, address St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010.

  www.stmartins.com

  Author photo © Melissa Hackett

  Cover design by Crystal Ben

  Cover photographs by Shutterstock

  eBooks may be purchased for business or promotional use. For information on bulk purchases, please contact Macmillan Corporate and Premium Sales Department by writing to [email protected].

  eISBN 9781466893429

  First eBook Edition: August 2015