afterward? The same as the other night?
As his head bent to hers, she knew she couldn't let him kiss her until she found out his motive. Before his lips could touch hers, she whispered, "Is this another test?"
He raised his head and frowned, his voice husky. "I guess I deserved that." Moving away as if her interruption had brought him to his senses, he said, "I'll start the hamburgers on the grill."
Sara wished she hadn't said anything, had let the kiss happen. But she couldn't take that chance, not if she wanted Jake to respect her. She had to start with that.
A few hours later, Sara put Christopher to bed. While Jake read their son a story, she went out on the back porch to enjoy the quiet, to let a bit of peace surround her soul. When she heard Jake's footsteps in the kitchen, she didn't expect him to come out and join her. But tonight instead of heading to his office, he came out onto the porch.
Leaning against the wrought iron railing, he crossed one foot over the other. He looked relaxed, but Sara knew better. Jake never did anything without a reason.
"How did the interview go today?"
The late day warmth still lingered in the air although the temperature had dropped. With Jake standing on the porch with her, the warmth took precedence. "It went very well. I can have the job if I want it when the program director goes on maternity leave in a few months."
"I'd prefer if you don't take the job."
She sighed. "You want me to stay here with Christopher."
"Yes. Is there anything wrong with that?"
"No. But I'd feel better if I'm contributing to our income."
"You don't need to work, Sara. I can support us. It's more important that you raise our son." After a tense silence, he added, "Or do you want a job for other reasons?"
"Like...?"
"Maybe you need to stash some money away in case you want to bail out."
All she could do was reassure him, if he wanted reassurance. These days, she didn't know what he wanted. "I have no intention of bailing out. But maybe you'd like to think I will. Are you hoping I don't stay? Then your responsibility for us would be over. You could say you tried but it just didn't work."
He uncrossed his feet and straightened against the balustrade. "Don't be ridiculous. Now that I know I have a son, my responsibility toward him will never end."
"Yes, you've made that clear. My responsibility for him will never end, either."
"Your responsibilities are different. He needs you with him. And now you can be. You don't have to work."
If she relied on Jake to support them, he'd suspect her motives. But if she took the job, he might resent her even more. "I have to think about it, Jake. I'll let you know what I decide."
"No unilateral decision about Christopher. Wasn't that the deal?"
"And as you told me when you bought the jungle gym, I've listened to you, and now I have to make up my own mind."
Jake pushed away from the railing and was close enough that she could see the tiny scar on his left cheekbone. Instead of angry, his voice was amazingly gentle. "When you make up your mind, try to think about what Christopher needs, not about what's going on between you and me."
She wasn't sure what was going on between her and Jake. But it would be easy to put Christopher first, she'd done that since she found out she was pregnant.
Chapter Five
On Saturday afternoon, Jake's headband caught the sweat as he dribbled the basketball around Nathan, aimed, and shot. The ball danced around the rim, teetered, and fell over the side. Jake swore, grabbed for the ball to rebound, but Nathan was quicker.
He dribbled the ball in front of his opponent. "Playing hard today, aren't you?"
Jake swayed back and forth, ready to guard, ready to jump. "I'm playing like I always play--to win."
Nathan went for the basket, but Jake blocked him, almost knocking them both over as he grabbed for the ball. Nathan stooped with his hands
As his head bent to hers, she knew she couldn't let him kiss her until she found out his motive. Before his lips could touch hers, she whispered, "Is this another test?"
He raised his head and frowned, his voice husky. "I guess I deserved that." Moving away as if her interruption had brought him to his senses, he said, "I'll start the hamburgers on the grill."
Sara wished she hadn't said anything, had let the kiss happen. But she couldn't take that chance, not if she wanted Jake to respect her. She had to start with that.
A few hours later, Sara put Christopher to bed. While Jake read their son a story, she went out on the back porch to enjoy the quiet, to let a bit of peace surround her soul. When she heard Jake's footsteps in the kitchen, she didn't expect him to come out and join her. But tonight instead of heading to his office, he came out onto the porch.
Leaning against the wrought iron railing, he crossed one foot over the other. He looked relaxed, but Sara knew better. Jake never did anything without a reason.
"How did the interview go today?"
The late day warmth still lingered in the air although the temperature had dropped. With Jake standing on the porch with her, the warmth took precedence. "It went very well. I can have the job if I want it when the program director goes on maternity leave in a few months."
"I'd prefer if you don't take the job."
She sighed. "You want me to stay here with Christopher."
"Yes. Is there anything wrong with that?"
"No. But I'd feel better if I'm contributing to our income."
"You don't need to work, Sara. I can support us. It's more important that you raise our son." After a tense silence, he added, "Or do you want a job for other reasons?"
"Like...?"
"Maybe you need to stash some money away in case you want to bail out."
All she could do was reassure him, if he wanted reassurance. These days, she didn't know what he wanted. "I have no intention of bailing out. But maybe you'd like to think I will. Are you hoping I don't stay? Then your responsibility for us would be over. You could say you tried but it just didn't work."
He uncrossed his feet and straightened against the balustrade. "Don't be ridiculous. Now that I know I have a son, my responsibility toward him will never end."
"Yes, you've made that clear. My responsibility for him will never end, either."
"Your responsibilities are different. He needs you with him. And now you can be. You don't have to work."
If she relied on Jake to support them, he'd suspect her motives. But if she took the job, he might resent her even more. "I have to think about it, Jake. I'll let you know what I decide."
"No unilateral decision about Christopher. Wasn't that the deal?"
"And as you told me when you bought the jungle gym, I've listened to you, and now I have to make up my own mind."
Jake pushed away from the railing and was close enough that she could see the tiny scar on his left cheekbone. Instead of angry, his voice was amazingly gentle. "When you make up your mind, try to think about what Christopher needs, not about what's going on between you and me."
She wasn't sure what was going on between her and Jake. But it would be easy to put Christopher first, she'd done that since she found out she was pregnant.
Chapter Five
On Saturday afternoon, Jake's headband caught the sweat as he dribbled the basketball around Nathan, aimed, and shot. The ball danced around the rim, teetered, and fell over the side. Jake swore, grabbed for the ball to rebound, but Nathan was quicker.
He dribbled the ball in front of his opponent. "Playing hard today, aren't you?"
Jake swayed back and forth, ready to guard, ready to jump. "I'm playing like I always play--to win."
Nathan went for the basket, but Jake blocked him, almost knocking them both over as he grabbed for the ball. Nathan stooped with his hands
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