Her Secret, His Child

Jamie swallowed, loving him even while she hated what he was doing to her life. "You're welcome to stay." She paused, holding back tears. "But it won't be necessary."

He glanced sideways then, studying her, as if measuring her trustworthiness. It hurt that he even had to wonder.

She'd known this was going to happen, had prepared herself all along. She'd always realized there was no chance of a future for the two of them. So why was the pain so intense? Why now, when only Ashley mattered, was she suddenly losing her ability to cope?

"We need to figure out what we're going to say." Kyle's tone left no room for argument. "We're going to start out as we must go on—united."

Jamie's eyes flew to his, her foolish heart taking hope for the brief second before reality intruded.

"For the child's sake," he added, obviously reading the question in her eyes.

Jamie nodded. Of course. She hadn't really thought he'd meant anything else.

"She's to know complete security," he said, pacing slowly as he spoke. "Never are we going to speak ill of each other in her presence."

TARA TAYLOR QUINN

He stopped, glanced at Jamie, his eyes full of the steadfastness of his purpose.

She nodded. Though he might not be aware of it, he had the power to destroy her. But she acquiesced to his demands because she agreed with them.

Turning, hands in the pockets of his jeans, he continued pacing. "She's never to feel guilty for loving both of us."

He stopped then, shoulders hunched as he gazed into the dying embers of a fire long forgotten. Without will of her own, Jamie went to him, sliding her hand gently across the back of his neck, into his hair.

"She'll love you with all her heart, Kyle."

He said nothing, but the tension in his neck told her what she'd already known. He was worried Ashley wouldn't like him. Wouldn't want him.

She owed it to him to make certain that his advent into their daughter's life was everything he hoped it would be.

"She's still so young, her emotions so close to the surface." Jamie heard herself introducing their child to him and almost cried. "She wants her father so badly," she forced herself to continue. "She'll love you instantly, just because you're her dad."

It was all too evident that he didn't completely believe her, but she could sense she'd relieved him at least a little.

He pulled away from her and resumed his wearing down of her carpet. And her composure. ' 'We have to tell her I didn't know about her."

Which placed the blame squarely on her shoulders. Jamie hated this, hated what was happening

HER SECRET, HIS CHILD

between them, but she knew that his request was not only fair, it was necessary. Anything else would leave Ashley feeling he'd deserted her.

"We can't tell her the truth." Jamie was thinking out loud. She'd accepted all his demands thus far, and would continue to do so as long as she could. She owed him that. Maybe owed Ashley, too. But she wouldn't tell her daughter about the money—or the conclusions Jamie had drawn.

"She's only four." Kyle stopped pacing, faced Jamie. "We'll simply tell her we had a misunderstanding before we knew she was coming. That you didn't know where to find me."

Her gaze captive, Jamie held on to her composure with help from the strength she saw in his eyes. "Okay." She licked suddenly dry lips.

"We'll also tell her that I've been looking for you ever since."

That made him out to be a knight in shining armor. But it was also true.

"The problem is she'll think we're going to be a couple. She'll have us married and living together by tomorrow night."

"She'll think what we tell her to think," Kyle said, and then, for the first time that evening, he grinned. The grin was weak, definitely un-Kyle-like, but it was there.

"Until she's five or six, anyway," he added.