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The coziness of the situation swept over her. She longed for it to continue forever. Don’t get too comfortable. She forced her eyes open. Tonight might be the last time they saw Jason. If he couldn’t handle the truth behind Samantha’s birth, he’d bolt—like last time.
When Jason flipped to the last page, Samantha let out a great big yawn. Kara peered around him and witnessed her daughter’s struggle to keep her eyes open.
“The end.” He closed the book. “Time to go to sleep.”
Kara saw this as the perfect opportunity to put a little distance between them. She slid off the bed and took the book from him.
“Aw, one more, please,” Samantha whined, but without her usual enthusiasm.
Another yawn escaped her lips and Jason chuckled. “Maybe another time.”
Kara replaced the book in her daughter’s abundant collection and turned to find Jason standing in the doorway, waiting
for her.
She straightened the covers once more and hoped he didn’t notice the slight tremble in her hands. It was time for the “talk.” Time to clear the air. Suddenly it no longer seemed like such a good idea. Like her daughter, she enjoyed Jason’s company—but she’d already delayed telling him for way too long.
After a kiss and an “I love you,” she flicked off the light. She turned and caught the warmth glowing in Jason’s eyes. Reading a story to Samantha had gotten to him, too. Kara’s fate was sealed, but she had to make sure he understood about this family he was insinuating himself into. This time around she didn’t want secrets or omissions to come between them.
She followed him to the living room. When he stopped to turn on the tree lights, she nearly ran into him.
He turned to her and stroked his thumb down her cheek. “Thank you for sharing the evening with me. You have no idea how much it meant to me.”
Her mouth went dry and she swallowed hard. “Samantha...she likes you, too. A lot.”
His finger traced Kara’s jaw. Her heart pounded in a most irregular rhythm. “I like her, too.” He stepped closer. “And I really, really like her mother.”
Drawn into this enchanting spell, she heard herself utter, “And her mother really, really likes you.”
In the soft glow of the Christmas tree, her gaze locked with his. Common sense warred with her body’s desires. With her exhausted daughter tucked in bed, her plans for talking began to give way to the crazy sensations Jason evoked in her. Why ruin such an enchanting evening?
His hand slid to the back of her neck as his head lowered. His lips gently brushed hers, but the restrained eagerness was undeniable. She wanted him more than she’d thought possible. And his hungry kisses were so much better than her dreams.
Snuggling closer to him, she trailed her hands behind his neck. Her soft curves pressed to his rock-hard body and a moan escaped her lips.
Suddenly, Jason grabbed hold of her shoulders and held her at arm’s length. In a passionate haze, she sent him a baffled look. He wanted her as much as she wanted him, so what was the problem?
His breathing was heavy. “Remember how I owe you an explanation about my leaving?” When she nodded, he continued, “I think you better hear it now...before we go any further.”
The seriousness in his voice and the worry in his eyes sent an arrow of alarm piercing her chest. She wanted to talk to him, too, but something told her that if he didn’t get this off his chest now, he might never do it.
* * *
Jason drew an unsteady breath. He’d been thinking about this talk all week. And he didn’t see where he had much choice. Kara deserved to know what kind of man she was getting involved with before they took this relationship to the next level—something he’d come to desire with all of his being.
But first, he had to give Kara the facts—every last horrid one. He knew he was kidding himself. She would despise him once she knew everything, and toss him to the curb. Still, since he’d been spending time with her, he was starting to believe in miracles. He had to at least take the chance, even if it was a long shot.
Kara perched on the edge of the couch and looked at him expectantly. “It’s okay. Whatever you have to say, we’ll work through it.”
He really wished he could believe her. With his shoulders pulled back, he said, “Remember the fight between me and my father?” She nodded and he went on. “There was more to that argument than I told you.... My father was drunk, and livid that I was leaving him to deal with the resort on his own.”
She didn’t interrupt, even though part of Jason wished that she would. Facing combat and his own mortality had been easier than what he was about to do.
He paced the floor, searching for the exact words. When he found them, he stopped in front of her. “He told me no son of his would abandon him like I was about to do. He yelled that I was not his son...that I never had been and never would be.” Jason’s voice caught and he swallowed hard. “He said I was the spawn of a monster.”
Kara pressed a hand to her chest as her eyes shimmered. “How horrible.”
Jason’s head hung low. “There’s more. He told me no woman would ever accept me as a husband, much less want me for the father of her children.”
