Through The Leaded Glass by Judi Fennell Page B

his
braies.
    “ Down, Papa!”
    Thank God for William. Alex used the
opportunity of setting him down to gain control over his
inopportune thoughts and body. God’s teeth, it’d only been a kiss
or two. She shouldn’t affect him like this.
    “ I can’t wait to have my own
daughter.” She patted William’s head as he played with the wooden
balls Alex had also played with as a child.
    “ I thought you already
did?”
    “ Well, that is, she’s not mine yet.
I’m adopting her.”
    “ Are you barren?” He hadn’t
considered that possibility. If she didn’t return to her time,
would he be bound to a woman unable to give him heirs? Had he
merely substituted one end to his dynasty for another?
    “ Barren? Look here, oh great lord.
Just because I haven’t given birth doesn’t mean I can’t. There are
thousands of children around the world who need families. Just
because she didn’t come from my body doesn’t make her any less
mine. Doesn’t mean I love her any less. I’m going to be able to
give her a good life—”
    “ Kate, you misunderstand.” Such
passion in her . He thrust that thought aside—and thrust the
thought of thrusting aside. “I’m certain you’ll love your child,
but I must marry a woman able to bear children.”
    “ Which would be a good argument if
we were actually going to get married. But we’re not, remember? You
were going to send some men out to find my window? Ring any
bells?”
    Oh, yes, they were ringing. But ‘twas only
because of the color in her cheeks and the flash in her eyes when
she admonished him. Alex had to work to keep the amusement off his
face—and the passion from his blood. God’s breath, she was a
distraction when he did not need one.
    “ My men are out searching as we
speak, Kate But if they can’t find it and we do marry, I need to be
certain that you will be able to provide me heirs.”
    “ Provide you with—? God, I’d almost
forgotten what century I’m in.” One of William’s balls rolled by
her feet. She tossed it back.
    William squealed and rolled another one toward
her. “More!”
    Kate sat on the grass and rolled it back.
“Look, Alex,” she said, tilting her head back, and Alex was gifted
with the most exquisite view of the tops of her breasts.
    He was a knave for noticing.
    No, he was a man.
    A lonely man who missed the comfort of a
woman—and there was no denying Kate was a woman.
    “ I’m sure I’m perfectly able to
bear children.”
    He’d like to test that theory.
    She rolled another ball back to William. “And
somehow I’ll get home, either with the window or by Alicia, so
it’ll be a non-issue. You’ll just have to find someone else to give
you your heirs.”
    As he watched her play with his son, with
sunlight gleaming on her wine colored hair, a ready smile on those
soft sweet lips he hadn’t tasted enough of, and the rise and fall
of her breasts as she stretched and moved to retrieve the balls,
Alex knew he’d be hard-pressed to find someone he’d want
more.
     
    ***
     
    He peered around the corner of the
outbuilding, as the lord and his lady-to-be played with the
child—the ruination of all his plans. There could be no
heirs.
    He ducked from view and thought of his
strategy. How could she have found that damned ring? Had someone
turned traitor on him?
    Ah, the irony if it were so.
    But it wouldn’t matter. In a short time, Alex
would be no longer be earl—or alive, for that matter.
     
    ***
     
    Kate thoroughly enjoyed the afternoon playing
with William, though the ball rolling had gotten old after the
first half hour, and the five games of Find The Frog had her
teaching him to play pick-up-sticks.
    Alex had given up after the second Find The
Frog episode, saying he was content to watch she and William get to
know each other, but that’d been a cop-out; she’d seen his reaction
to their conversation about children.
    Thankfully, he hadn’t acted on the desire
she’d seen in his eyes. Alex was one sexy guy, but