you’d kick my ass if I brought someone up that high without your blessing.”
Victoria felt Curran stiffen beside her. In the weeks they’d been seeing each other, he’d never brought up his company, and she’d never prodded. She sat up slightly and met his gaze, unsure what to say, if anything. The conversation with Jamie clearly went somewhere he hadn’t anticipated, and would have left her with questions, had she not already known about his company.
But he didn’t know she knew. The rock-hard tension in his muscles told her he realized she’d want an explanation. Finally, he gave her a half-smile and whispered. “We’ll talk later.”
She nodded, and turned slightly against his side, realizing as she did that the warmth and weight against her right hip wasn’t moving. She looked down at the top of Rob’s blond head, resting against her waist. One small fist curled against her thigh, his other arm rested limply across his stomach.
He’d fallen asleep.
For one crystalline moment, Victoria pictured herself sitting this way in Curran’s home, his ring on her finger, their child snuggled against her, asleep. It was merely a glimpse of what it would be like to have a family. Her family. A husband. A child. A wave of longing washed over her, threatening to overwhelm her completely before she blinked and swallowed hard, forcing the emotion back.
She coughed, covering the hitch in her breath, the tiny cry clawing at her throat. The realization struck hard. This wasn’t what she’d given up when she signed away her parental rights. With Nate, it would never have been like this. Everything about him diametrically opposed the comforting warmth, the happiness surrounding her. And that baby—that child, now—was far more a part of Nate than of her.
But what she felt now…this is what it would be like with Curran. If she’d even briefly considered giving in to her physical craving for him, the incredible sense of belonging bolstered her resolve. Too great a risk, to feel this much or more and have it ripped away when whatever this was between them eventually broke apart.
Kelli left her seat and crouched in front of the couch, looking at Rob. “What I wouldn’t give to fall asleep as easily as he does. Come on, sweet thing.” She eased Rob into her arms, then smiled at Victoria.
She managed to smile back. Apparently her internal shattering had gone unnoticed by the others. Thank God. The flash flood had left her shaken to the core, but if no one saw it, she could pretend it never happened.
Rob stirred as Kelli hoisted him higher on her shoulder then took him down the hall to put him to bed. Her feelings settled somewhat with the boy gone, but the level of comfort Victoria knew before this emotional revelation was beyond her reach.
When Jamie excused himself to use the bathroom, Victoria smiled at Curran, then wandered into the kitchen, on pretense of needing a drink of water. All she really needed was a moment to breathe.
* * * *
Curran rose and stretched, then found Victoria’s coat on the rack by the front door, along with his. He pulled on his own then went into the kitchen. Victoria poured the last of the water in her cup into the sink, then set the cup on the counter. He liked watching her. Even in simple motion, her natural grace came through.
He crossed to her, pressed his lips to the top of her shoulder, his touch making her jump slightly. “Come outside with me.”
She turned to him. “Why outside? It’s freezing.”
He held out her coat. “It’s starting to snow, but there’s no wind. Come walk with me.”
She smiled, an expression that hit him in his gut, infusing him with warmth. She took his hand and he led her through the door that exited the kitchen onto the wide redwood deck. Together they descended the stairs to the yard below. The snow fell slowly, in thick clumps rather than individual flakes. It hadn’t snowed recently. The storm would certainly revitalize the ski
Victoria felt Curran stiffen beside her. In the weeks they’d been seeing each other, he’d never brought up his company, and she’d never prodded. She sat up slightly and met his gaze, unsure what to say, if anything. The conversation with Jamie clearly went somewhere he hadn’t anticipated, and would have left her with questions, had she not already known about his company.
But he didn’t know she knew. The rock-hard tension in his muscles told her he realized she’d want an explanation. Finally, he gave her a half-smile and whispered. “We’ll talk later.”
She nodded, and turned slightly against his side, realizing as she did that the warmth and weight against her right hip wasn’t moving. She looked down at the top of Rob’s blond head, resting against her waist. One small fist curled against her thigh, his other arm rested limply across his stomach.
He’d fallen asleep.
For one crystalline moment, Victoria pictured herself sitting this way in Curran’s home, his ring on her finger, their child snuggled against her, asleep. It was merely a glimpse of what it would be like to have a family. Her family. A husband. A child. A wave of longing washed over her, threatening to overwhelm her completely before she blinked and swallowed hard, forcing the emotion back.
She coughed, covering the hitch in her breath, the tiny cry clawing at her throat. The realization struck hard. This wasn’t what she’d given up when she signed away her parental rights. With Nate, it would never have been like this. Everything about him diametrically opposed the comforting warmth, the happiness surrounding her. And that baby—that child, now—was far more a part of Nate than of her.
But what she felt now…this is what it would be like with Curran. If she’d even briefly considered giving in to her physical craving for him, the incredible sense of belonging bolstered her resolve. Too great a risk, to feel this much or more and have it ripped away when whatever this was between them eventually broke apart.
Kelli left her seat and crouched in front of the couch, looking at Rob. “What I wouldn’t give to fall asleep as easily as he does. Come on, sweet thing.” She eased Rob into her arms, then smiled at Victoria.
She managed to smile back. Apparently her internal shattering had gone unnoticed by the others. Thank God. The flash flood had left her shaken to the core, but if no one saw it, she could pretend it never happened.
Rob stirred as Kelli hoisted him higher on her shoulder then took him down the hall to put him to bed. Her feelings settled somewhat with the boy gone, but the level of comfort Victoria knew before this emotional revelation was beyond her reach.
When Jamie excused himself to use the bathroom, Victoria smiled at Curran, then wandered into the kitchen, on pretense of needing a drink of water. All she really needed was a moment to breathe.
* * * *
Curran rose and stretched, then found Victoria’s coat on the rack by the front door, along with his. He pulled on his own then went into the kitchen. Victoria poured the last of the water in her cup into the sink, then set the cup on the counter. He liked watching her. Even in simple motion, her natural grace came through.
He crossed to her, pressed his lips to the top of her shoulder, his touch making her jump slightly. “Come outside with me.”
She turned to him. “Why outside? It’s freezing.”
He held out her coat. “It’s starting to snow, but there’s no wind. Come walk with me.”
She smiled, an expression that hit him in his gut, infusing him with warmth. She took his hand and he led her through the door that exited the kitchen onto the wide redwood deck. Together they descended the stairs to the yard below. The snow fell slowly, in thick clumps rather than individual flakes. It hadn’t snowed recently. The storm would certainly revitalize the ski
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