Read Online The Kissing Season by Rachael Johns - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Rachael Johns
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“Hannah.” He spoke for what seemed like the first time in ages but could be no longer than half a minute.
She shut her eyes, preparing for a barrage of anger or at least a few choice names for what he thought of her, but nothing of the sort came.
“Here.” As the two scraps of material that made up her underwear appeared outstretched toward her, she realized Matt had climbed off the bed and come to her. She dared not look at him as she took his offering, mumbled a “thank you” and somehow managed to fix the items where they were supposed to go. Her underwear in place, she took a quick breath and pulled her capris and shirt on as well. Behind her she heard shuffling of what sounded like Matt dressing, but her cheeks burned red and she still couldn’t bring herself to turn around.
“I guess that’s why you didn’t want the beer,” he said eventually.
She tried to decipher the tone of his voice—irritation, sadness, amusement, something else? He had every right to feel angry with her; she’d been a selfish bitch.
“I’m sorry, Matt.” She turned slightly, dared to look into his face. And damn, it was gorgeous. Even without his roguish smile, he could be the poster boy for toothpaste, aftershave or diet soft drinks. How could she begin to tell him that she’d wanted some of that? Just one last time before she became a mother, Miss Responsible, she wanted to do something for her. Something that made her knees buckle and her feminine core rejoice.
“Do you want to talk about it?”
She found herself giggling because no man had ever asked her such a question, not even Larry. About to make a joke of this, she bit down on the reactive reply and shook her head. “Not really, but I guess I owe you some kind of explanation.”
“You don’t owe me anything.” He folded his arms across his chest and glanced toward the door.
Yes, she could see now there was anger simmering in his eyes. “I do owe you an apology. I should have told you about the baby straightaway.”
He nodded. “When I first asked you out might have been a good idea. I can guarantee that would have been all you needed to have said to get to me to back off.”
“Maybe I didn’t want you to back off.” She let her head fall into her hands and contemplated making a run for it. “Oh God, I’m so messed up. I don’t know if it’s the pregnancy hormones, but just looking at you makes my toes curl and my body temperature skyrocket. I reckon I’d have managed to fight it if you hadn’t gone and kissed me. Twice. Once I’d experienced the power of your lips, I wanted more.”
“So this is my fault?” he asked, his voice ringing with skepticism.
“Yes, dammit. If you weren’t so sexy, so persistent, I’d never have thrown myself at you in such a manner.” Her chest heaved. That was a slight lie—that was exactly the type of thing she’d have done in the past, but things had changed. She’d managed to remember that at the eleventh hour. “So sue me, I like sex and I wanted to have some with you.”
He raised his eyebrows, but didn’t smile. “I don’t know whether to feel used and abused by that statement or flattered.”
She sighed. “Please, go with the flattery and we’ll call it a day. This hasn’t been one of my better moments and I’d like to put it behind me.” Thank the Lord her family would never find out.
When he didn’t say anything, she made a quick dash for her thongs and began to shove them on her feet. The sooner she was out of here the better.
“Where’s the father?” he asked as she started toward the door.
It was none of his business, but his voice wasn’t callous. In fact, he sounded concerned and she found herself telling him. “In Vegas. Kids weren’t on his agenda. We parted ways.”
“Is he doing the right thing? Paying his way?”
“If he can’t give us love, we don’t need his money.” Instinctively she placed a hand on her belly, the intense love for her unborn child
“Hannah.” He spoke for what seemed like the first time in ages but could be no longer than half a minute.
She shut her eyes, preparing for a barrage of anger or at least a few choice names for what he thought of her, but nothing of the sort came.
“Here.” As the two scraps of material that made up her underwear appeared outstretched toward her, she realized Matt had climbed off the bed and come to her. She dared not look at him as she took his offering, mumbled a “thank you” and somehow managed to fix the items where they were supposed to go. Her underwear in place, she took a quick breath and pulled her capris and shirt on as well. Behind her she heard shuffling of what sounded like Matt dressing, but her cheeks burned red and she still couldn’t bring herself to turn around.
“I guess that’s why you didn’t want the beer,” he said eventually.
She tried to decipher the tone of his voice—irritation, sadness, amusement, something else? He had every right to feel angry with her; she’d been a selfish bitch.
“I’m sorry, Matt.” She turned slightly, dared to look into his face. And damn, it was gorgeous. Even without his roguish smile, he could be the poster boy for toothpaste, aftershave or diet soft drinks. How could she begin to tell him that she’d wanted some of that? Just one last time before she became a mother, Miss Responsible, she wanted to do something for her. Something that made her knees buckle and her feminine core rejoice.
“Do you want to talk about it?”
She found herself giggling because no man had ever asked her such a question, not even Larry. About to make a joke of this, she bit down on the reactive reply and shook her head. “Not really, but I guess I owe you some kind of explanation.”
“You don’t owe me anything.” He folded his arms across his chest and glanced toward the door.
Yes, she could see now there was anger simmering in his eyes. “I do owe you an apology. I should have told you about the baby straightaway.”
He nodded. “When I first asked you out might have been a good idea. I can guarantee that would have been all you needed to have said to get to me to back off.”
“Maybe I didn’t want you to back off.” She let her head fall into her hands and contemplated making a run for it. “Oh God, I’m so messed up. I don’t know if it’s the pregnancy hormones, but just looking at you makes my toes curl and my body temperature skyrocket. I reckon I’d have managed to fight it if you hadn’t gone and kissed me. Twice. Once I’d experienced the power of your lips, I wanted more.”
“So this is my fault?” he asked, his voice ringing with skepticism.
“Yes, dammit. If you weren’t so sexy, so persistent, I’d never have thrown myself at you in such a manner.” Her chest heaved. That was a slight lie—that was exactly the type of thing she’d have done in the past, but things had changed. She’d managed to remember that at the eleventh hour. “So sue me, I like sex and I wanted to have some with you.”
He raised his eyebrows, but didn’t smile. “I don’t know whether to feel used and abused by that statement or flattered.”
She sighed. “Please, go with the flattery and we’ll call it a day. This hasn’t been one of my better moments and I’d like to put it behind me.” Thank the Lord her family would never find out.
When he didn’t say anything, she made a quick dash for her thongs and began to shove them on her feet. The sooner she was out of here the better.
“Where’s the father?” he asked as she started toward the door.
It was none of his business, but his voice wasn’t callous. In fact, he sounded concerned and she found herself telling him. “In Vegas. Kids weren’t on his agenda. We parted ways.”
“Is he doing the right thing? Paying his way?”
“If he can’t give us love, we don’t need his money.” Instinctively she placed a hand on her belly, the intense love for her unborn child
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