Her Secret, His Child: A Little Secret by Tara Quinn (rosie project .txt) 📕

his as he pulled her close. Feeling his strong arms around her, Jamie gave in to the unfamiliar security. The feeling of home.

She'd known when Kyle had taken her in his arms the first time that she'd belonged there. She felt as sure now, giving him kiss for kiss. As eager as he for the loving to continue.

"You taste so good," he murmured against her lips. "So right."

He ran his lips along her cheek, down to her neck, and Jamie accommodated him, lifting her chin, allowing him to rediscover places he'd visited before. And when one of his hands moved up to splay across her breast, she allowed that, too. Reveling in the rediscovery, in the confirmation that she hadn't dreamed the magic they'd shared so long ago, Jamie couldn't think at all. Could only feel.

"You are so beautiful, so perfect." Kyle's hushed words were a balm to her injured spirit, a solace she soaked up greedily.

As she drew her hands along his spine, down to gently grasp his hips, the words were torn from her. "I remembered this," she cried. All those nights when she'd lain alone, hating herself. "I remembered."

"It makes no sense, this connection we share…" His thumb teased her nipple through the thickness of her sweater.

"I thought I'd imagined it, made it all up."

Kyle's lips captured hers again. Lingering. "Never," he assured her and kissed her once more.

HER SECRET, HIS CHILD

"Nothing else matters, Jamie," he said, gazing into her eyes as his arms slid around her again, pulling her close enough to feel the hardness in his groin. "Nothing."

Reality, worse than the most vicious physical blow, hit Jamie, rendering her incapable of feeling anything but pain.

"You have to go," she whispered, stricken, backing out of his arms.

"Jamie?"

"Shh," she said, tears brimming in her eyes as she silenced him with one finger against his lips. "You have to go. Please."

And that was when Jamie knew how special this man was, how incredibly attuned to her. Because he let her go.

"Call if you need me," he said.

And with one last kiss on her brow, a tender, non-sexual kiss, he left.

Taking her heart with him.

CHAPTER TEN

"Sounds like your party was a rousing success." Karen glanced over at her friend, then returned her eyes to the road. Jamie looked great, her auburn hair such a perfect color, her makeup just right. She was wearing the cashmere overcoat Karen just loved. And a pair of overalls. On Jamie they were chic. On Karen they'd look frumpy.

"It wasn't my party," Jamie pointed out, "but yeah, Kyle said everyone had a great time."

Glancing in her rearview mirror, Karen merged onto the freeway. They were on their way to the shared flute lessons Dennis had bought them for Christmas. During a barbecue last summer, they'd been talking about things they'd always wanted to do as kids but never had the chance. As it turned out, Karen and Jamie had both wanted to take flute. Dennis had remembered and arranged for the lessons—another sign, as Jamie told her frequently, of what a wonderful guy Dennis was, what a good husband and good friend.

"The food at the party was okay?" Karen asked.

"Great! Everyone ate a ton." Jamie laughed. "Kyle said he got so many compliments he lost count of them."

HER SECRET, HIS CHILD

"Kyle said." "Kyle said." Karen wondered if Jamie realized how many times she uttered those words. Or how hard she was falling for the new English professor. Karen hoped not. She wanted Jamie to be too much in love to fight the inevitable, as she knew her friend would fight once her mind caught up with her heart.

"He said the fashion show was a real success," Jamie continued. ' 'I guess Dean Patterson was more than impressed."

"That must have scored you a few points with Kyle."

Jamie shook her head. "Kyle's not like that." She paused. "And besides, I'm not looking to score points." She was staring out the front window of the minivan, her face expressionless. Karen had never known anyone who could hide emotion as well as Jamie could.

Much as she envied Jamie her nearly ideal life, Karen felt a deep sadness for her friend. If Jamie could only allow herself to love a good man, she'd have it all.

"Have you told Dennis about the baby yet?"

Karen shook her head. No matter how hard she tried not to, she felt a sadness for herself, too. She'd already started to feel heavy and unattractive because of this pregnancy. She was still uncertain about her husband's reaction—not to the baby but to her. Worst of all, she felt trapped. And guilty for resenting this baby. Yet at the same time, she looked forward to the child's birth. She sighed, frustrated by her contradictory emotions.

TARA TAYLOR QUINN

Glancing from Karen's stomach to her face, Jamie asked, "Don't you think it's about time?"

Of course it was. Past time. "I've tried to tell him on a couple of occasions, but…the words just won't come."

"You're three months now!" Jamie said. Though she didn't take her eyes from the road, Karen could feel her friend's gaze. "Surely you aren't worried about a miscarriage anymore."

Karen shrugged. She was so confused, worried about so many difficult things. "It could still happen."

And there were lots of gorgeous, young, businesswomen on the road, too—possibly setting a snare for Dennis that very moment.

"Kar, are you unhappy about this baby?"

"No!" Karen surprised herself with the vehemence of her reply. Except that she knew it wasn't really the baby that upset her. She loved babies. She'd just wanted to be more than a wife and mother—and she was desperately afraid that, compared to the career women with whom Dennis spent his days, he'd find her boring.

' 'Do you think Dennis will be unhappy about the baby?" Jamie asked hesitantly.

"Of course not. He'll love him just because he's ours." Which was true. It was just Karen he might not love anymore.

"And you're feeling okay?"

"Fine." Karen grinned at her friend. "With you mothering me so much this past couple of