Page 71 of Sinful Temptations

An awkward smile crawled across his lips. “I can tell.”

I reached for his hand. “Please, please stay.”

He nodded, and together we sat side by side on the bed and waited until the phone rang again. I still jumped when it did. Inhaling a deep breath, I jabbed the green button. “Hello, Mother.”

“Oh, thank God. I thought you’d never answer.”

“I’m busy. I’ve told you that.”

“Yes, I know. I’m so sorry to be a burden. It’s just . . .” She sniffled and I groaned.Here we go. Mother was about to put on one of her shows.

“They’ve, they’ve found . . .” She burst into a wracking sob, and I squeezed my eyes shut, waiting it out.

The warmth of Roman’s thigh pressing up against mine was the stability I needed to get through this.

“What have they found, Mom?” I still didn’t feel right calling her that.

“They’ve found another tumor. I need you here. I need you,” she howled into my ear. “You should be here with me.”

“I can’t yet, Mom.” My gut churned at what I was about to say. “I’ll be there when my work has finished.”

“You’re coming.” Her sobbing miraculously stopped.

“Yes. In January.”

“But . . . but January? It may be too late.”

“It won’t be. You’re going to be fine.”

“I’m not fine. I’m dying.”

“You’ll be fine. I’ve got to go, Mom. We’ll talk again soon.” I hung up before she said another word. My pulse thumped in my ears.

“Is your mother okay?” Roman rubbed my leg.

“She has breast cancer.”

“Oh no.” His expression crumpled into absolute sorrow. “Is it bad?”

“She says so.”

He frowned and looked at me all weird. “You don’t believe her?”

Staring at the ceiling, I clenched my fists. “Mother has lied about having cancer many times.”

“What? Why? Who does that?”

“She used it for sympathy, to get men into bed with her. She could break into tears like that.” I clicked my fingers.

His face morphed into an expression of disgust.

“Yeah, pathetic, huh?”

“And for the guys who fell for it.”

“Mom was pretty and fun—guys loved being around her. When they didn’t fall for her flirting, they fell for her cancer story.”

“So why do you believe her this time?”

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