her, and every child deserves a father.” She felt his hand on her shoulder. “Mom once told me she thought I should go back to Paul. This was right after I found out I was pregnant.”
“Wow, didn’t you say he was with another woman the week after you left?”
“Uh, yeah. Another reason not to bother with my ex. Mom liked him because he’s a lawyer, and could have supported Cherish and me.” The whole idea made Mila’s skin crawl.
His brow knit together. “But before that? Your schooling, your career?”
“Mom thought I should focus less on school and my goals, and direct my attention to getting married. I’m not opposed to marriage, but you’re right, a relationship takes compromise. Paul didn’t agree with that premise, and it took me a few years to figure that out.”
She put the omelets on plates and grabbed a bowl of fresh fruit before taking them to the table. “Juice or milk?”
“You have fruit, so milk.”
Smiling, she poured them both a glass and joined him. “My Aunt Dee is great, she understands. I’m more like her than Mom anyway. So when she told me about the job at the high school, it seemed like the best move, for everyone. I’m hoping with her in another state, we’ll get along better.”
He reached over to squeeze her shoulder. “Sounds like it. Sometimes you have to leave the nest to find your place. I didn’t come into my own until Dad moved to Hawaii. He says it helps his arthritis.” Kyle grinned. “I think it has more to do with enjoying the life of a beach bum.”
She laughed. “That’s all he does? Chill on the beach?”
He shook his head, humor dancing in his eyes. “Nope. Now he runs a barbeque pit with his new wife. Margaret is great, perfect for him.”
She couldn’t help asking. “Do you see him much?”
“Once or twice a year. He comes here most of the time, but I do go there every couple of years. Have you ever been to the islands?”
“No. I haven’t done much traveling.” She stopped there, not wanting to delve too far and give him the wrong impression.
Chapter 10
Pieces of Mila’s puzzle were coming together. He was starting to understand why she had walled herself off. Now, she was letting him in, bit by bit.
She watched him as she pushed her plate away, chewing her lip as one finger brushed back and forth on the table. She met his gaze, desire banked in her beautiful eyes.
“About our boundaries. I’m hesitant, but I trust you. I don’t want to hold you away from me.”
He captured her hand with a shake of his head. “I’m not pushing you, Mila. Never.”
A smile pulled at her lips. “Let me finish.”
Nodding, he took a breath, waiting.
“You were right. I can’t find out if we work if I don’t give us a fair chance.” She blushed and her eyes danced away. “If we wind up there, we do. I’m on birth control, but I still expect you to wear a condom.”
One dark brow arched. “Are you suggesting we do that after coffee?”
“Um…” Her breath caught as she nibbled her bottom lip. “I meant when we get there. Watching you walk out the door when I knew what you wanted was harder than I imagined. I spent the whole night thinking about you, and the way you touched me.”
“You weren’t the only one,” he admitted. Kyle stood, grabbing their dishes to drop them in the sink.
Now was the time to change the subject, before he led with his dick. “Let’s walk down to the café, and when we get back, if we’re both still on the same page, we’ll see what happens.” He took her hand, and pulled her to a stand.
“And if I’d rather get chai later?” She stepped into him. Any sense of protest was lost when she took his mouth in an explosive kiss.
She pulled away, her hungry eyes devouring him. “Come upstairs.”
Need flowed through his veins, but he would give her every opportunity to change her mind because he wasn’t sure he could stop once they started. “Are you sure?” he whispered, not
“Wow, didn’t you say he was with another woman the week after you left?”
“Uh, yeah. Another reason not to bother with my ex. Mom liked him because he’s a lawyer, and could have supported Cherish and me.” The whole idea made Mila’s skin crawl.
His brow knit together. “But before that? Your schooling, your career?”
“Mom thought I should focus less on school and my goals, and direct my attention to getting married. I’m not opposed to marriage, but you’re right, a relationship takes compromise. Paul didn’t agree with that premise, and it took me a few years to figure that out.”
She put the omelets on plates and grabbed a bowl of fresh fruit before taking them to the table. “Juice or milk?”
“You have fruit, so milk.”
Smiling, she poured them both a glass and joined him. “My Aunt Dee is great, she understands. I’m more like her than Mom anyway. So when she told me about the job at the high school, it seemed like the best move, for everyone. I’m hoping with her in another state, we’ll get along better.”
He reached over to squeeze her shoulder. “Sounds like it. Sometimes you have to leave the nest to find your place. I didn’t come into my own until Dad moved to Hawaii. He says it helps his arthritis.” Kyle grinned. “I think it has more to do with enjoying the life of a beach bum.”
She laughed. “That’s all he does? Chill on the beach?”
He shook his head, humor dancing in his eyes. “Nope. Now he runs a barbeque pit with his new wife. Margaret is great, perfect for him.”
She couldn’t help asking. “Do you see him much?”
“Once or twice a year. He comes here most of the time, but I do go there every couple of years. Have you ever been to the islands?”
“No. I haven’t done much traveling.” She stopped there, not wanting to delve too far and give him the wrong impression.
Chapter 10
Pieces of Mila’s puzzle were coming together. He was starting to understand why she had walled herself off. Now, she was letting him in, bit by bit.
She watched him as she pushed her plate away, chewing her lip as one finger brushed back and forth on the table. She met his gaze, desire banked in her beautiful eyes.
“About our boundaries. I’m hesitant, but I trust you. I don’t want to hold you away from me.”
He captured her hand with a shake of his head. “I’m not pushing you, Mila. Never.”
A smile pulled at her lips. “Let me finish.”
Nodding, he took a breath, waiting.
“You were right. I can’t find out if we work if I don’t give us a fair chance.” She blushed and her eyes danced away. “If we wind up there, we do. I’m on birth control, but I still expect you to wear a condom.”
One dark brow arched. “Are you suggesting we do that after coffee?”
“Um…” Her breath caught as she nibbled her bottom lip. “I meant when we get there. Watching you walk out the door when I knew what you wanted was harder than I imagined. I spent the whole night thinking about you, and the way you touched me.”
“You weren’t the only one,” he admitted. Kyle stood, grabbing their dishes to drop them in the sink.
Now was the time to change the subject, before he led with his dick. “Let’s walk down to the café, and when we get back, if we’re both still on the same page, we’ll see what happens.” He took her hand, and pulled her to a stand.
“And if I’d rather get chai later?” She stepped into him. Any sense of protest was lost when she took his mouth in an explosive kiss.
She pulled away, her hungry eyes devouring him. “Come upstairs.”
Need flowed through his veins, but he would give her every opportunity to change her mind because he wasn’t sure he could stop once they started. “Are you sure?” he whispered, not
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