AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Mama?”
Tally lifted her daughter in her arms. Sam was warm from sleep, sweet from the mingled scents of soap and baby powder. She sighed and laid her head against Tally’s shoulder.
“Teddies are sleepin’, Mama.”
Teddies, indeed. The bedraggled, much-loved bear from home sat in the corner of the crib, side by side with the smallest new teddy from the bear family Dante had bought.
Unaccountably, Tally’s heart swelled.
“Yes, baby,” she said softly, “I see.”
She went to the rocking chair, sat in it and gently rocked Sam back and forth, back and forth.
“‘Hush little baby,’” she sang softly, “‘don’t you cry…’”
Gradually, Samantha’s breathing slowed. Tally waited until she was certain she was sound asleep. Then she carried her child to the crib, laid her in it, covered her with a blanket and pressed a kiss to her hair.
When she turned she saw Dante, still in the doorway, watching her, his face unreadable in the soft shadows cast by the nightlight.
Oh, Dante, she thought, Dante…
Slowly, she went to him and looked into his eyes. A muscle jumped in his cheek. He lifted his hand and reached toward her and she shook her head and pulled back, knowing that if he touched her—if he touched her…
“What we did—what we almost did—was a mistake.”
“Making love is never a mistake, cara.”
He was wrong. It was a mistake, and Tally knew it. Knew it because she’d finally faced the truth.
She loved Dante Russo with all her heart.
Bad enough she could never tell him she’d borne him a child, but to lie in his arms and pretend it was only sex would be the ultimate travesty.
A heart could only be broken so many times before it shattered into a million pieces.
Tally put her hands lightly on Dante’s chest. “Maybe not,” she said softly. “But it can’t happen anymore.”
A smile tilted at the corners of his mouth. “Does this mean I won’t have to sue you for breach of contract?”
She smiled, too. “If you mean, will I take the job, the answer is yes. It’s a wonderful opportunity, and I thank you for it. And I’ll stay here.” Her voice grew soft. “This suite is beautiful, and the nursery you created for Sam is a little girl’s dream come true.” She drew a breath. “But you have to give me your word you won’t try to make love to me.”
“Is that really what you want?”
No. Oh no, it wasn’t. She longed to tell him that, to go into his arms, lift her mouth to his, plead for him to carry her to bed and love her until dawn lit the sky.…
“Cara? Is it really what you want?”
She had lied to him already. Now she had no choice but to lie to him again.
“Yes.”
Long seconds dragged by. Then Dante took her hand, pressed a kiss to the palm and folded her fingers over it.
It was only hours later, as she lay in bed watching dawn slip over the city, that Tally realized Dante hadn’t actually said he’d agree.
CHAPTER EIGHT
TALLY WAS UP at six the next morning.
