He remained unsmiling, that wide, sexy mouth serious. She felt panic rise.
Youre not seventeen anymore, she told herself firmly, even as her feet shuffled, prepared to run, as was their lifelong habit. Youre twenty-seven and here to right your wrongs. Turn your life around. Do it!
Far below, Saras lips moved and Stone nodded in response, but he did not break eye contact with Jenna.
Jenna smiled feebly. It was all she could manage, but Stones intense stare didnt waver. Neither did Saras.
Tell them, an inner voice urged. Just go down there and tell them who you are.
Of their own accord, her legs took her down the stands shed climbed up an hour and a half earlier-when shed been driven by a need to see her daughter and hadnt known how else to go about it other than to watch her from afar. And when shed read the banner listing the names of the all-city fifth-grade champs, shed been surprised to find Sara Cameron listed. After seeing that, fire-breathing dragons couldnt have kept Jenna from the games.
Hello, Stone said when she got within hearing distance. That warm lazy baritone made her shudder with memories. For years shed dreamed about that deep silky voice of his, and hearing it now brought her vividly back in time. Shockingly another memory surfaced.
Stone, making love to her the way he spoke, as if he had all the time in the world.
Jenna blushed wildly. Where had that come from? There was more to Stone than the way hed once touched her, far more. Hed have fits if he knew her thoughts, for he wasnt smiling now, not the way he had when the game had ended favorably or when Sara had flung herself into his arms for a hug. Jenna had to clear her throat twice before she croaked out a hello in return.
I saw you at the game the other day, he said in that voice like dark honey. You ran off before I could talk to you. ItsCindy, isnt it?
He remembered her name, or that horrible pretend name Jenna had given him at the beach. She wanted to laugh and, instead, nearly cried.
Tell him the truth.
Yes, she murmured, sealing her fate with yet another lie. Its Cindy.
Chapter 2
Chicken, Jenna told herself furiously, but she didnt recant the lie. And I didnt mean to run off. I just
Its all right. I ran off on you first, at the beach, Stone said, quietly apologetic, his voice velvety and calm. The arm hed thrown around Sara squeezed as tension seemed to fill him. And Im-
Before he could finish his apology, which was what she should be doing for the rest of her life, Jenna broke in. No, no. Please. She clenched her hands together to keep them from moving wildly about as they tended to do when she was nervous. And she was very nervous now. I understand. II acted strangely.
Are you new to town?
Jenna looked at Sara and managed a smile, though her throat tightened as she got her first close look at her child. God. Her child. She was so beautiful and the urge to touch her was so strong that Jenna had to close her hands into tight fists. Her short neatly manicured nails dug into her palms as she forced herself not to cry. Yes. Her voice caught on the sob she didnt quite swallow, so she cleared her throat to hide it, avoiding Stones probing gaze. Im brand-new.
And wasnt that the complete truth? Certainly shed been rebuilt since the car accident. For whatever reason, shed been given another chance, and she didnt want to mess it up this time. No longer did she want to spend the rest of her life job hopping for survival. Drifting from one group of so-called friends to another, living her life on the edge because that was the only way she knew how to live it.
She wanted to come back.
But if what shed lived with all this time since the accident, knowing shed pretty much mangled every inch of her face and a good part of her body, had terrified her, the prospect of telling Stone who she really was quite simply paralyzed her. No, petrified her.
Why had she lived?
She couldnt help but wonder. She hadnt deserved to-or had she? A part of her so desperately wanted someone to tell her how much she had deserved it.
But she had no one like that in her life, and that was her own fault.
Youre beautiful, Sara said.
Beautiful. In the accident, Jennas cheekbones had been shattered. So had her jaw and nose. Theyd shaved her head completely, whisking away her icy blond waist-length locks without a thought.
It had grown back a bit now, but it was darker and much thicker, totally different than it had been before. Her eyes, normally blue, were covered with both dark sunglasses and even darker prescription contact lenses required for her own comfort-for most light still burned horribly-and also so she could see without wearing her glasses, which she hated.
She was totally and completely transformed. And as Sara pointed out, beautiful. Thank you, Jenna whispered, unable to stop looking at her child. It was hard to remain still, to not reach for her and pull her close.
You moved here all alone? Sara asked with the avid curiosity of the young.
The question threw Jenna off balance. Her mother had passed away some time ago, but she wasnt truly alone, not with her sister, Kristen, still alive. Yet she couldnt imagine her sister rejoicing at their reunion. All alone, she confirmed.
This is my daughter, Sara. Stone squeezed Saras shoulders, his big body shimmering with pride. Shes very curious, he added wryly. And the new county basketball champ.
Daddy. But Sara laughed.
Jenna swallowed hard, consumed by how hed taken to fatherhood. Shed played an all-too-willing part in that area of his life, a part that to this day haunted her lonely nights with remembered visions of hot searing passion, warm safe arms that kept the outside world at bay and an unbreakable bond of affection. There would have been more, too, if only shed let it.
Shed left him alone to deal with the consequences of their passion, but she knew, he had handled it as he handled everything-with an unwavering inner strength.
Which of course did nothing to assuage her horrible guilt and regret.
She could feel Stones interest like a physical thing, and it was no less for her. Standing this close to him, she had all she could do to remember to breathe. He was so familiar, yet a perfect stranger.
A magnificent perfect stranger shed never been able to forget.
Are you gonna eat pizza tonight? Sara asked.
Jenna blinked at Sara. Pizza?
Tonights pizza night at Joeys. Itll be packed with all the kids from the game, Stone explained.
Joeys has great pizza. Sara grinned in anticipation. Lotsa cheese. Im really starving, Daddy.
Daddy. God, the way she said that, it made Jenna yearn. Made her ache. Made her want to cry, something she absolutely could not do with the protective contacts in, for it would burn like hell.
Were going, honey. But Stone didnt move for an interminably long moment.
Jenna didnt, either. She held her breath, absorbing the intensity of his gaze. As the nearly visible electrical current ran between the two of them, she wondered how long this could continue.
Daddy?
I know, Sara. He smiled down at her, handed her the basketball and a backpack. Here, take these. Ill catch up in a sec.
Happily Sara took his things, shot a shy smile at Jenna and walked away.
Stone waited, wanting to be certain Sara was out of earshot. Look, he said to the silent woman, feeling a little foolish. This might seem odd, butdo I know you?
Cindy paled. Whatwhat do you mean?
He knew that following his gut instinct had been the right thing to do, given her reaction. But it explained nothing, certainly not the strange mixture of dismay and wonder just the sight of her evoked. Have we met before?
She raised a hand to her face, just as she had at the beach, as if she wanted to hide herself from him, which made no sense. But she seemed so distressed that Stone took pity on her and said quickly, as gently as he could, Im sorry. Its just that you look What? She didnt look familiar, not at all, and yet, he could swear that he knew her from somewhere.
But if hed met this slender beauty before, certainly he would remember.
She made a soft sound, one that conveyed a wrenching sorrow. The urge to move forward, to take her arm and offer some sort of solace was strong.
But hed sworn off damsels in distress a long time ago. The only women he let in his life now were strong-willed, self-possessed, sophisticated women who not only took care of themselves, but were not looking for any sort of permanence.
He might have laughed, for a woman in his life, any woman, was rare indeed. With his booming business and his vivacious daughter, Stone had little to no social time left over for himself. After so long hed gotten used to it. Almost. But a small part of him couldnt help but wonder when would he meet someone who would reawaken his heart?
She smiled, although it was clearly forced. Wellit was nice to see you again.
So polite, he thought. So hurt. Dammit. Wait, he said just as she turned away, cursing himself even as he took a step toward her. Are you coming for pizza night?
Startled, she stared at him from behind those disconcertingly dark glasses. I dont think so. A slim shoulder lifted. I dont know anyone.
You know us. He had no idea why he was doing this, but something about her called to him on a deep primal level he was reluctant to explore. Come on. Itd be a great way for you to acclimate yourself to small-town life.
Suspicion filled her fine features. How do you know Im not used to it already?
How to disburse that frightened-doe look? he wondered. Your clothes for starters. Were a one-school town here, and youre dressed pretty fancy for a basketball game starring our local ten-year-olds.
He laughed when she stared down at herself, taking in the expensive leather flats, the slim fitted trousers that outlined her showcase legs, her soft silky blouse, with the hint of lace and sexy curves beneath it. She wore a string of fine pearls on her elegant neck that reminded him of something he couldnt quite put his finger on, but-
Well, believe it or not, I grew up in a small town. Her face colored slightly when he arched his brows in surprise. But its been a while.
Daaaddyyyyy!
Stone swiveled toward the voice. Sara stood in the doorway to the gymnasium, waving wildly, making him smile. Coming, he called.