gave her a doubtful look.
"Well, if you need me I'll be within yelling distance," he said, as much to reassure himself as her, she thought He went to the closet and pulled out a gray flannel shirt and a pair of jeans.
"These are going to be a lousy fit, but if you knot a belt around the jeans they should stay up." He spoke over his shoulder as he was digging through a drawer. "We'll have to do some shopping when you're feeling better. Get you some clothes."
"I don't need anything." Pride made her speak before she had a chance to think.
Dan turned from the dresser, a pair of thick white socks and a terry-cloth robe in his hand. He glanced at the chair where her clothes lay and then looked at her, raising one brow in silent comment.
Kelly followed his look. Her dress and coat lay tossed over a chair, somehow looking even more tattered and worn in the bright sunshine that spilled across them. Devlin's old boots lay on their sides beneath the chair, the only warm shoes she'd been able to find. Her flush was slow and painful.
"Don't make an issue out of it," Dan said quietly. "The deal was that I'd take care of you, support you, right? Well, clothes are part of that." He didn't seem to expect an answer, which was just as well. Kelly didn't think she could have said anything to save her soul.
Dan tossed the clothes on the foot of the bed. "You can use the belt out of the robe to tie up the jeans. Take your time and call if you need me. I'm going to heat up some soup."
❧
Kelly watched him leave, waiting a moment to make sure he was really gone before she pushed back the covers and stood. She inhaled sharply as her bruised body protested the movement. Moving cautiously, she discovered that everything worked, if under protest.
With the robe wrapped around her and dragging on the floor behind her, she crept out of the bedroom and down the hall to the bathroom. Half an hour later, a warm shower and some ruthless work with the comb Dan had left out for her, she felt almost human.
After a few horrified moments staring at her reflection, she avoided the mirror. The bruises would fade, she told herself firmly. Besides, what difference did it make what she looked like? There was no one to care. Dan might be concerned but that was only because he wanted the child she carried.
The deal was... A deal. That's what they had. Her baby in exchange for escape for them both. She closed her eyes, setting her hand over her stomach. She'd tried so hard to divorce herself from the life she carried. But yesterday, when her father had come at her with such mad rage in his eyes, her first thought had been to protect the baby.
Kelly drew in a deep breath, squaring her shoulders as she opened her eyes. She'd struck a deal with Dan. A deal that was going to provide a future for her child and for herself. This was the best thing for both of them. It might not be easy, but most things in life that were truly worthwhile weren't easy.
This was the right thing to do. She had to believe that with all her heart. She didn't dare believe anything else.
Her nose led her to the kitchen, though it wouldn't have been difficult to find even without the warm scent of soup drifting out. Dan's apartment was not large. One bedroom, one bath, a fairly large living room and a kitchen with an alcove that functioned as a dining room.
Dan was standing at the stove, stirring the soup. It seemed odd to her to see a man doing such a domestic task. She couldn't ever remember seeing her father doing anything in the kitchen except possibly washing his hands. Cooking was a woman's rightful job, he always said, making it sound like a divine law.
Sensing her presence, Dan glanced over his shoulder. Kelly fought the urge to duck back around the corner.
"You're just in time for some of my world-famous soup," he said casually. "Have a seat. It'll be done in a minute."
He turned, leaning one hip against the counter as she shuffled farther into the room, her gait limited by
"Well, if you need me I'll be within yelling distance," he said, as much to reassure himself as her, she thought He went to the closet and pulled out a gray flannel shirt and a pair of jeans.
"These are going to be a lousy fit, but if you knot a belt around the jeans they should stay up." He spoke over his shoulder as he was digging through a drawer. "We'll have to do some shopping when you're feeling better. Get you some clothes."
"I don't need anything." Pride made her speak before she had a chance to think.
Dan turned from the dresser, a pair of thick white socks and a terry-cloth robe in his hand. He glanced at the chair where her clothes lay and then looked at her, raising one brow in silent comment.
Kelly followed his look. Her dress and coat lay tossed over a chair, somehow looking even more tattered and worn in the bright sunshine that spilled across them. Devlin's old boots lay on their sides beneath the chair, the only warm shoes she'd been able to find. Her flush was slow and painful.
"Don't make an issue out of it," Dan said quietly. "The deal was that I'd take care of you, support you, right? Well, clothes are part of that." He didn't seem to expect an answer, which was just as well. Kelly didn't think she could have said anything to save her soul.
Dan tossed the clothes on the foot of the bed. "You can use the belt out of the robe to tie up the jeans. Take your time and call if you need me. I'm going to heat up some soup."
❧
Kelly watched him leave, waiting a moment to make sure he was really gone before she pushed back the covers and stood. She inhaled sharply as her bruised body protested the movement. Moving cautiously, she discovered that everything worked, if under protest.
With the robe wrapped around her and dragging on the floor behind her, she crept out of the bedroom and down the hall to the bathroom. Half an hour later, a warm shower and some ruthless work with the comb Dan had left out for her, she felt almost human.
After a few horrified moments staring at her reflection, she avoided the mirror. The bruises would fade, she told herself firmly. Besides, what difference did it make what she looked like? There was no one to care. Dan might be concerned but that was only because he wanted the child she carried.
The deal was... A deal. That's what they had. Her baby in exchange for escape for them both. She closed her eyes, setting her hand over her stomach. She'd tried so hard to divorce herself from the life she carried. But yesterday, when her father had come at her with such mad rage in his eyes, her first thought had been to protect the baby.
Kelly drew in a deep breath, squaring her shoulders as she opened her eyes. She'd struck a deal with Dan. A deal that was going to provide a future for her child and for herself. This was the best thing for both of them. It might not be easy, but most things in life that were truly worthwhile weren't easy.
This was the right thing to do. She had to believe that with all her heart. She didn't dare believe anything else.
Her nose led her to the kitchen, though it wouldn't have been difficult to find even without the warm scent of soup drifting out. Dan's apartment was not large. One bedroom, one bath, a fairly large living room and a kitchen with an alcove that functioned as a dining room.
Dan was standing at the stove, stirring the soup. It seemed odd to her to see a man doing such a domestic task. She couldn't ever remember seeing her father doing anything in the kitchen except possibly washing his hands. Cooking was a woman's rightful job, he always said, making it sound like a divine law.
Sensing her presence, Dan glanced over his shoulder. Kelly fought the urge to duck back around the corner.
"You're just in time for some of my world-famous soup," he said casually. "Have a seat. It'll be done in a minute."
He turned, leaning one hip against the counter as she shuffled farther into the room, her gait limited by
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