they'd have gotten married.
And he wouldn't have missed out on the first seven years of his son's life.
Mike leaned his head back against the seat and closed his eyes. Bitterness ate at his soul until all he could think about was revenge. If it was the last thing he ever did, Rachel and Jimmy would pay, and pay dearly.
"You asked me where Ethan thinks you've been all this time,” Sara said, snapping Mike from his brooding. “And the answer is, he thinks you're in heaven. I told him you were killed in a car accident."
"What?” He shot up and glared at her. “Why the hell did you tell him that?"
"Because to me, you were dead.” Sara set his flannel shirt on the seat and wrapped her arms around herself. She turned to gaze out the window. “How could you have ever believed I'd sleep with Jimmy?” she asked in a near whisper.
"The same way you believed I could hit a woman. I saw the proof with my own eyes.” He blew out a frustrated breath and finger-combed his damp hair again. “I was a kid, Sara. I wasn't equipped with the best decision-making abilities back then."
"And now?"
"Now I'm a grown man who knows exactly what he wants.” And I want you, sweetheart. You and our son.
She cast him a quick glance over her shoulder, but didn't say anything. He'd have given anything to know what was going through that gorgeous head of hers.
They'd been sitting in silence for a couple of minutes when she said, “I want you to promise me something."
"Anything."
She turned to face him. “Once Ethan learns the truth, and you become a part of his life, I want you to swear you'll never leave him again."
Again . So damn ironic. Until a few minutes ago, Mike had no idea he'd left him in the first place. “I want to be angry as hell at you for even suggesting I'd leave my own son."
"Mike, I didn't mean—"
"Sweetheart, I know I have no one to blame but myself. You and Ethan are the complete innocents in all of this."
His gaze dropped to her lips. He'd wanted to kiss her since the moment he'd laid eyes on her yesterday in the bakery. He looked up. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes heavy-lidded. He knew that look—whether she was aware of it or not, she wanted him to kiss her.
And Mike had never been able to deny Sara anything.
He leaned forward, cupped her face with both hands, and rested his forehead against hers. “I've missed you so much,” he whispered, as overwhelmed by emotion as by the intoxicating scent that was uniquely hers.
With a groan full of eight years’ worth of longing, Mike slanted his mouth across hers in a fierce, urgent kiss. He coaxed her lips apart with the tip of his tongue, and when she opened for him, he deepened the kiss. A sexy little moan escaped her, and he crushed her in his arms.
Suddenly, she pushed against his chest and broke off the kiss. Lifting an unsteady hand to her lips, she said, “No, I don't want this."
Mike kept his frustration in check. He leaned back against the seat and let out a silent breath. “If the way you responded to me just now was any indication, I'd say you're in denial."
"Get over yourself; it was just a reflex. Besides, I happen to be seeing someone."
Mike clenched his jaw. It took all his self-control not to tell her exactly what kind of sleazeball her ‘someone’ was. Changing the subject back to Ethan, he said, “When am I going to meet my son?"
"Garrett and I plan to sit him down tomorrow after supper. We'll explain everything to him the best we can and hope he understands. I have no idea how he's going to react, though, so it may be a few days before he agrees to meet you. You'll have to be patient,” she finished, as if daring him to contest her authority where their son was concerned.
Mike had to grit his teeth, not because he might have to wait a few days to meet the boy, but because it was Garrett who held that power in his hands. Hell, if it were up to Garrett, Mike would never get to meet his son. And then Mike would end up looking
And he wouldn't have missed out on the first seven years of his son's life.
Mike leaned his head back against the seat and closed his eyes. Bitterness ate at his soul until all he could think about was revenge. If it was the last thing he ever did, Rachel and Jimmy would pay, and pay dearly.
"You asked me where Ethan thinks you've been all this time,” Sara said, snapping Mike from his brooding. “And the answer is, he thinks you're in heaven. I told him you were killed in a car accident."
"What?” He shot up and glared at her. “Why the hell did you tell him that?"
"Because to me, you were dead.” Sara set his flannel shirt on the seat and wrapped her arms around herself. She turned to gaze out the window. “How could you have ever believed I'd sleep with Jimmy?” she asked in a near whisper.
"The same way you believed I could hit a woman. I saw the proof with my own eyes.” He blew out a frustrated breath and finger-combed his damp hair again. “I was a kid, Sara. I wasn't equipped with the best decision-making abilities back then."
"And now?"
"Now I'm a grown man who knows exactly what he wants.” And I want you, sweetheart. You and our son.
She cast him a quick glance over her shoulder, but didn't say anything. He'd have given anything to know what was going through that gorgeous head of hers.
They'd been sitting in silence for a couple of minutes when she said, “I want you to promise me something."
"Anything."
She turned to face him. “Once Ethan learns the truth, and you become a part of his life, I want you to swear you'll never leave him again."
Again . So damn ironic. Until a few minutes ago, Mike had no idea he'd left him in the first place. “I want to be angry as hell at you for even suggesting I'd leave my own son."
"Mike, I didn't mean—"
"Sweetheart, I know I have no one to blame but myself. You and Ethan are the complete innocents in all of this."
His gaze dropped to her lips. He'd wanted to kiss her since the moment he'd laid eyes on her yesterday in the bakery. He looked up. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes heavy-lidded. He knew that look—whether she was aware of it or not, she wanted him to kiss her.
And Mike had never been able to deny Sara anything.
He leaned forward, cupped her face with both hands, and rested his forehead against hers. “I've missed you so much,” he whispered, as overwhelmed by emotion as by the intoxicating scent that was uniquely hers.
With a groan full of eight years’ worth of longing, Mike slanted his mouth across hers in a fierce, urgent kiss. He coaxed her lips apart with the tip of his tongue, and when she opened for him, he deepened the kiss. A sexy little moan escaped her, and he crushed her in his arms.
Suddenly, she pushed against his chest and broke off the kiss. Lifting an unsteady hand to her lips, she said, “No, I don't want this."
Mike kept his frustration in check. He leaned back against the seat and let out a silent breath. “If the way you responded to me just now was any indication, I'd say you're in denial."
"Get over yourself; it was just a reflex. Besides, I happen to be seeing someone."
Mike clenched his jaw. It took all his self-control not to tell her exactly what kind of sleazeball her ‘someone’ was. Changing the subject back to Ethan, he said, “When am I going to meet my son?"
"Garrett and I plan to sit him down tomorrow after supper. We'll explain everything to him the best we can and hope he understands. I have no idea how he's going to react, though, so it may be a few days before he agrees to meet you. You'll have to be patient,” she finished, as if daring him to contest her authority where their son was concerned.
Mike had to grit his teeth, not because he might have to wait a few days to meet the boy, but because it was Garrett who held that power in his hands. Hell, if it were up to Garrett, Mike would never get to meet his son. And then Mike would end up looking
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