UNSURE WHY SHE was so furious, Kelly pushed back from the table and stood. She didn’t have anything to hide. In fact, she was proud of how far she’d come.
But she should have the power to decide who knew the details of her life.
“I routinely get security clearance on anyone who comes near Jason,” Trey said in a tight voice.
“I’m a cop,” she said. “Why can’t people remember that?”
“I know you’re a cop, but there are always rotten apples.”
“So I’m a crooked cop?”
“You know I didn’t say that.”
“But you suspected I was involved with Jason’s kidnappers?”
“Not anymore.” Trey stood and threw his napkin to the table. “But Brian ordered the clearance the first day, and I only received the report this morning.”
“I want to see it,” she said.
“Fair enough.”
“What’s wrong, Mommy?”
Kelly whirled at the sound of Jason’s voice. With tousled damp hair and clean pajamas, he stood in the doorway of the dining room looking worriedly from his father and then back to her.
“Why are you yelling?” Jason asked.
Kelly took a deep breath. Poor little dude had been through enough without listening to his parents fighting. God, she remembered what it was like when her mother and Roy started hurling furious words at each other. She’d always hid under the bed, waiting for the inevitable sound of the first blow and her mother’s piercing wails afterward.
She’d sworn that she would never put a child through that kind of pain. It was one reason she became a cop.
“I’m sorry,” she said, her voice shaky. “Just a silly argument. I didn’t mean to yell.”
“Are you ready for some TV, buddy?” Trey asked.
Jason nodded solemnly.
With a sharp pang to her gut, Kelly intuitively knew he was terrified the angry words meant his mother was leaving him again. Just how many arguments had he suffered through between his real mother and father? Did he think that was why his mom had gone away?
She hurried over, lifted Jason into her arms and hugged him close. Smelling of baby shampoo, he hooked his arms around her neck.
“I’m sorry if I scared you,” she said, meeting Trey’s gaze over Jason’s shoulder. Trey’s mouth was pinched. He looked as guilt ridden as she felt. “Everything is okay.”
Jason’s warm body relaxed in her arms. He trusted her. He believed her. But in her opinion everything was most certainly not okay. So now she was a liar.
“Instead of TV, why don’t I read you a story before you go to sleep?” Kelly suggested.
Jason pulled back so he could see her face, his blue eyes wide. “A story?”
“Sure,” she said. Surely his real mother read him stories at bedtime. Even her mom had managed that on occasion.
“Do you have a favorite?” she asked. She recalled a shelf full of books in his bedroom.
“I’m sure we can find one,” Trey said, taking Jason from her arms. Kelly sighed in relief when the heavy child went willingly to his father.
Inside Jason’s bedroom, Kelly selected a book from the shelf whose cover featured an adorable brown-and-white puppy while Trey pulled two chairs next to the bed. When she sat with the book, Jason stared at her with such wide eyes Kelly decided this must be a novel experience. His mom must not have been much of a reader.
She glanced at Trey, and he nodded. By unspoken agreement, their conflict over her security clearance had been postponed.
She began to read. “Rocket was a happy puppy who liked to explore.”
By the end of a few pages, she realized she’d selected a story featuring a curious little puppy who wandered away from his mother, got lost and met friends and enemies while trying to find her. She assumed it was a cautionary tale for children about staying close to home.
But this might not be such a great choice for a little boy who’d lost his own mother.
She shot Jason a look to judge his reaction. His eyes were closed. Was he already asleep?
“Why did you stop?” he mumbled. And then yawned.
She continued with the story. When she read, “The end,” a short time later, Jason’s eyes were still closed, his breathing regular.
“I think he’s out,” Trey whispered.
Making as little noise as possible, Kelly stood and switched off the bedside light. Jason’s face appeared sweet and totally at peace. If only.
She leaned over and kissed his forehead, catching another distinctive whiff of baby shampoo. She quietly backed away from the bed, and Trey did the same, his gaze on her.
“Now Mommy and Daddy have to kiss,” Jason said sleepily.
Kelly froze.
Jason’s eyes were wide open now, staring at them, waiting.
And then Trey’s mouth was on hers, his hands cupping her cheeks. While last night he’d seemed surprised by the kiss, tonight he took possession of her mouth with such intent and control she knew he’d planned this, intended to elicit a reaction from her.
When he drew back, her lips felt ripe and deliciously bruised. Was he the world’s greatest kisser or had she never met a man who knew how to do it properly?
He smiled down at her, cupping her cheek with his warm hand. “I’m sorry,” he whispered.
She understood his apology had nothing to do with his mouth on hers. But exactly what was he sorry for?
“Good night, son,” Trey said.
Kelly allowed him to take her hand and lead her out of Jason’s room. She came back to herself halfway down the staircase and yanked her hand from his.
He looked back at her with an unreadable expression. “We need to talk.”
“You bet we do,” she said.
Her life was spiraling out of control. She’d worked too long and too hard to allow that to happen. She needed to get herself back on track. She needed to get off billionaire island and back to reality.
* * *
AS KELLY STOMPED ahead of him into the bar, Trey wondered if she was prickly because of the kiss, the bodyguard or maybe it was the security clearance issue. Everything he did made her angry. Dealing with Kelly Jenkins was like walking on shredded glass.
His feelings about her changed constantly, but his admiration for her ambition and resolve increased steadily. As did his appreciation of her body. Under different circumstances, he would have seen where their kisses led. She could pretend otherwise, but in his arms Kelly turned into a firecracker—one ready to ignite.
She removed a wineglass from the overhead display and sat at a bar stool. When he moved behind the bar, she pushed the glass toward him.
Trey selected a bottle, opened it and poured ruby liquid into her glass. He’d intended to ask Kelly about her history this evening, open up a dialogue to get some more intimate clues about her life, but had reconsidered that idea. He’d talk to Dr. Carico first about how he should approach the subject. Donna might have some professional insight.
“I’m sorry if the security clearance upset you,” he said. “It was ordered before I got to know you. Please forgive me.”
“You think you know me now?”
“A poor choice of words,” he said, pouring wine into a second glass. “Of course I don’t know you. I met you two days ago.”
“Damn right,” she muttered, and took a healthy swallow.
When she lowered the glass, he met her clear blue gaze. She had amazing eyes, but she looked away.
“What are you so angry about, Kelly?” he asked softly.
Her gaze flew back to his.
“And what can I do to make it right?”
She released a sigh, her shoulders relaxing.
He tasted the wine. “If you like, I can arrange for a taxi to take you to work. Just tell me what you need.”
“Truthfully, I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I’m just—I don’t know. Unsettled by everything that’s going on.”
“You don’t like our kisses?”
“Oh, I like them, all right,” she said, as color crept into her cheeks. “And you know it. That’s part of the problem.”
“I agree.”
Her eyes widened. “You do?”
“I also like our kisses too much.”
She smiled faintly and averted her gaze. “How long can this go on, Trey? I can’t stay here for the rest of my life. I mean, I like Jason and all. Despite his delusions about me being mother material, he’s a sweet kid. But this crazy situation is screwing up my career. My whole life.”
“You don’t think you’re mother material?”
“Absolutely not. I’d be lousy at it.”
“Now I do have to disagree. You’re wonderful with Jason.”
“Are you kidding? Did you see his face when he caught us arguing?” She closed her eyes as if to shut out that image.
Trey nodded, remembering his son’s anxious face. Of course she was right that Jason shouldn’t see conflict between them.
“I felt like crying,” she said, and took a sip of wine.
“We need to be more careful. Still, Kelly, you’d be a great mom.”
“You’re as delusional as your son,” she said. “I hate kids.”
“What? You certainly could have fooled me.”
“Well, considering the woman you married, maybe you’re easily fooled.”
Trey blinked, surprised by how much her comment stung. Maybe the fact that he had been a fool to marry Darlene was what made the words so difficult to hear. The truth often was.
“Gee, Kelly,” he said. “Why don’t you say what you really mean?”
At least she had the grace to blush. “Sorry. Like I said, I’m unsettled.”
“Right. Unsettled.” Trey took a long swallow of wine, disappointment searing his gut. But why? No more kisses? Because this woman didn’t want children? Why should he care?
Because Kelly’s true opinion of him was all too clear, now.
She’d seen right through him, knew the truth about him. He was a fool, a man who had done nothing useful with a life blessed by a fortunate birth. Kelly Jenkins had come from nothing yet had done far more with hers.
“So how do you want to get to work in the morning?” he asked.
“Actually, I’m off tomorrow. I hope to sleep in.”
He laughed, the sound harsh to his own ears. “Don’t count on it with a four-year-old searching for you.”
She nibbled at her bottom lip, looking uncertain. He focused on her lush mouth, remembering how soft and willing she’d been, and fought the urge to pull her into his arms again.
He took a step back from the bar. He needed to get away from her before he made an even bigger fool of himself.
“I trust you can find your room?” he asked as politely as he could manage.
“I think I know the way by now,” she muttered.
He bowed. “Then I’ll see you in the morning.”
Leaving his wine behind, he left Kelly at the bar, feeling the heat of her gaze on his back as he retreated.
He needed to vent a raging frustration that had been building since the kidnapping. Was this what Kelly meant about being unsettled? He felt like he had no foundation anymore, that his life was built on quicksand.
By the time Darlene had died, once every stint in rehab had failed, he’d felt nothing for her but pity. And then a fierce rage when he learned Jason had been in the vehicle with her.
And, yeah, maybe Kelly resembled Darlene a little, but Officer Jenkins was nothing like his ex-wife at all. Nothing.
He headed toward the tennis court. Smacking a few thousand tennis balls lobbed across the net from the automatic Ballmaster sounded about right.
He switched on the huge overheads. Light flooded the court, clearly illuminating the stark white lines, and he immediately felt better. Tennis was the only thing he’d ever done on his own that he’d been good at. Maybe because boundaries were obvious to him on the familiar and never-changing court.