Moonlight by Lisa Kessler

horses unless they were racehorses. As far as I knew cowboys were long gone.
    “Sure do.” He nodded. “I’m not independently wealthy, Lana. I’ve gotta work just like everyone else.” He laced up his boots.
    “I guess I really don’t know very much about you.”
    “I wish I could take you to the ranch.”
    “I love horses. I used to wish for a pony when I was little.” My lips curved in a bittersweet smile. “Santa never did bring me one, though.”
    He stood up, sniffed the air, and peered over at me with a cocked brow. “Did you make coffee?”
    “Oh, yeah.” I glanced at the tiny coffeemaker. “It’s almost done if you want some before you go.”
    “Nah, I don’t like coffee much.”
    “Me neither,” I replied. He laughed. What a great sound . I couldn’t help but smile.
    He walked over and pulled me into his arms like it was the most natural thing in the world, like we’d been together for years instead of days. I returned the embrace, enjoying the warmth of his body.
    “I’m sorry about being so stubborn last night,” I said against his chest.
    “I don’t want anything to happen to you.” He stepped back and met my eyes. “I found his trail last night, but I lost him downtown. Did you find anything?”
    “I may have. I’m not sure yet.” I took his hand, trying to ignore the sparks that slid up my arm from the contact as I pulled him over to my laptop. “I found a news story about a man in Temecula who survived what he claims was a jaguar attack. ’Course there aren’t any jaguars in California, so no one believes him. I emailed him. We’ll see what happens. Beyond that, I couldn’t find any links between jaguars and business organizations, Nero or otherwise, but…” I hesitated, ratcheting up my courage to share a little more of myself with him, and hating how insecure it made me feel. “There’s something else.”
    Adam sat down, resting his elbows on his knees. “What is it?”
    “That tattoo I told you about? The one of the lion head… I’ve seen it before.”
    He frowned leaning back in the chair. “What?”
    “Yeah, it’s the same emblem that’s on the sweatshirt I was wrapped in when Texas social services took me in as a baby.”
    “Holy shit.” He rocked back in the chair, crossing his arms over his chest while he mulled over the new information. I could almost see the cogs turning. Finally, he met my gaze again. “This is big. How come you didn’t say anything before?”
    I shrugged. “I don’t know. Between learning I’m not who or what I thought I was, and constantly having to watch over my shoulder for trouble, I didn’t want to add this to the mix.”
    I dropped my gaze to my laptop, feeling a wave of tears lurking. I willed them back, but Adam reached forward, catching my chin. When I met his eyes, I didn’t see the pity I expected. Only kindness reflected back at me.
    “What is it? Your secret is safe with me.”
    A huge lump of emotion filled my chest, pressing against my heart. I swiped a stray tear, rolling my eyes. “You’d think I’d be over all this by now, but the mental image of me being given up to the state in only a diaper and a big sweatshirt is like the ultimate reminder that no one wanted me.”
    Adam pulled me into his arms, and I didn’t fight the comfort. Sitting on his knee, I breathed him in while he kissed my hair.
    “We’re going to figure out what happened to them.” He pulled back enough to see my face. “I don’t know why you ended up where you did, but it is not because you didn’t deserve a family.” He bent closer to me, and I tipped my chin up, feeling his breath on my skin. His lips brushed mine so slow and tender that my breath caught in my throat. He rested his forehead against mine. “You deserve to be loved.”
    My heart lurched at his words, and I settled my head against his chest. They were kind words, I reminded myself. That was all. I’d heard kind words before, and they usually came before