Her Secret, His Child

"You know I can't marry you," she said, sometime after midnight. They were lying on the couch by then, her head on his chest, both still fully clothed. Their hands had been exploring intimate places on and off for the past hour.

"What are you talking about?" He sat up suddenly, setting her beside him.

"Have you forgotten Nelson Monroe?" she asked him. She certainly hadn't. "You could lose your job, Kyle!"

TARA TAYLOR QUINN

"They can't fire me for something they'll never be able to prove," he said. "You went out of business after that night with me. 1 wasn't one of your clients."

"But—"

"It doesn't matter anyway, Jamie," he said, silencing her with a gentle finger to her lips. "The town is going to tak

e its cues from us. The way everyone else handles the situation depends largely on how we handle it ourselves."

She wanted to believe him. So badly.

"If you feel we should move, we'll move, but you have nothing to be ashamed of, honey."

"Right, Kyle. Tell that to Dean Patterson after Nelson gives him an earful."

"I don't think I'll have to, Jamie. You've already told the dean all he needs to know."

"I don't follow you."

"Ever hear the saying 'actions speak louder than words'?"

She nodded, frowning.

"You've been living in Larkspur Grove for more than four years. Living every day as the good, caring, committed, dependable person you are."

She almost grinned at his list of adjectives, except that she'd needed to hear them so badly she started to cry again, instead.

"All you have to do is stand proudly as that person and eventually even your most staunch critics will have to come around. Or show themselves for the unworthy people they are—and then who cares?"

HER SECRET, HIS CHILD

"You really think so?" She could drown in the love in his eyes.

"I do." Leaning forward, he kissed her on the lips. Lingering there. "Everyone, including Dean Patterson, has a past littered with mistakes of one kind or another."

Once again, he was right.

"I'm not saying it's always going to be easy, but not many things worth having are."

"What about Ashley? How can we expose her to the truth? Kids can be really mean."

"She'll have us, honey." Kyle smiled at her. "And Karen and Dennis and Kayla. And maybe a little sister or brother?"

Gazing into his smiling eyes, Jamie felt the tiniest ray of happiness.

"Everyone has crosses to bear," Kyle told her. ' 'Monroe may very well do as he threatened. Or he may not. Or we may run into someone else who knew you back then. And if we do, we'll deal with it. Together."

Kyle dropped a kiss tenderly on the top of her head, and Jamie finally understood. She had a family of her own now. A haven from the world. A fortress around her that couldn't be breached. Unconditional love. And as long as she and Kyle had each other, nothing else mattered.

"Love me, Kyle?" Jamie begged, kissing him hungrily. She'd waited more than five years. She couldn't wait any longer.

As the kiss ended, Kyle pulled back enough to meet her eyes. "Will you marry me, Jamie?"