Page 59 of Fate

His eyes lighten, and he smiles. “See? It can be done. I just need to work through this situation with Misty. Get her set up with a new job and a place of her own. Then, of course, I’ll have to work out custody. I need you with me, Kat. I need your love and support. Can you do that? I know it’s asking a lot. It’s asking for the world, but I don’t know any other way. I love you. I love you so goddamned much, and the only other woman I’ve ever said those words to died when I was a child. Don’t leave me like she did. I couldn’t surviveit.”

The truth in his statement rips into my gut, leaving a gaping wound in its wake. “Baby…” I whisper, cupping his cheek. “Is that why you never told me you loved me before? Because you thought I’d leave?” My heart beats so hard I fear it will break arib.

“You did leave, Kat. I showed you I loved you in every way that mattered, and you still pushed meaway.”

I let all the air leave my lungs and close my eyes. Everything he’s admitting is true. All the times he doted on me, made love to me as though I was his universe, tried to take care of me after the fire. All of it was him showing his love in countless ways, and all I did was set it aside like it meant nothing.

“I’m sorry. Carson, I don’t know how to make it right. I wasn’t in my right mind. I didn’t know how to be me anymore. It’s taken me years to get back to this place.”

He breathes heavily against my body, holding me close. “Then you understand what it’s like to have your entire existence flipped upside down. That’s where I’m at right now. I have a daughter, Kat. A fucking kid who needs me and loves me. Jesus Christ. I love her. Ever since I took her into my arms, I’ve loved her. The only problem is she’s not our child. I’d always believed it would be me andyou.”

“Me too,” I admit shakily.

“She has a lot of love in her. I can see it in her eyes. She’s a Davis. Do you think you could let her into your heart? Share in this experience with me? Stumble through it together?”

“Together?” I look up at him using the same words we’d promised one another just this morning.

“I need you. I need you so fucking much. I don’t want to do this alone. I don’t know if I can.” He lays himself wide open, spilling out his insecurities.

The answer within me fills me up to bursting. I don’t want to live my life without him anymore. I’m not sure, after having him the last two weeks, I could go back to being without him. So, he has a daughter. A perfect little bundle of love he’s obviously smitten with. I love children. Love my nieces and nephew, and they love me. I could love Cora. She’s half Carson. It will be easy. However, I do not feel the same will occur with her mother.

Misty.

That’s a person who needs to be set straight.

Firming up my spine and wiping away my tears, I consider Carson’s soulful eyes. “I’m with you. I’m not going anywhere. We’re in this together.”

“Really? You’re not going to disappear on me?” He smiles softly.

I shake my head. “No, I’m not. I want to be with you. I never stopped loving you, Carson, and I don’t know that I ever could. Cora is a part of you, which is enough for me. I already love her because I loveyou.”

Carson closes his eyes. His shoulders slump, and he curls both hands around my hips and smashes me against him. “I love you. Jesus Christ, thank you. Thank you for giving us a chance. A real chance.”

For a few minutes, we lightly kiss and touch one another tenderly, reminding ourselves of our commitment.

I scratch my nails down Carson’s scalp the way I know he loves. He groans and pushes his hips against me automatically, his length hardening by the second. I allow myself a minute of feminine pride at his response to my nearness and touch before I backaway.

He pouts.

“We have to figure out how to handle Misty. She called me a homewrecker when she answered thedoor.”

He growls and fists his hands at his side. “Not acceptable. She’s not allowed to talk to you like that. Not to mention the inaccuracy of her accusation.”

“Be that as it may, Carson, she wants you. Thinks she has some kind of claim on you because you’re the father of her child. I kind of get it in a way. I’d be possessive as hell if you were the father of my child.”

“I am the father of your future children, Kat. This situation doesn’t change where our lives are headed. Don’t for a minute think I don’t want to see you swollen with our child. That baby will have Cora for a big sister.”

I let out a big, frustrated breath. “You can’t talk like that right now. We need to deal with today. Right now. And the simple fact is you have a woman, the mother of your daughter, living in your home, and she thinks you belong to her. How are you going to handle the situation?”

He huffs. “I know exactly how I’m going to handle it.” He grabs my hand and pulls me toward his bedroom door. Before I can ask what’s going on, he drags me down the hallway and into the kitchen, where we can hear Misty cooing toCora.

“That’s a good girl. Eat your Cheerios. Get something in that little belly of yours and make Mommy happy,” she says while pouring another handful of the wheat circles on the baby’stray.

“How’s my baby girl?” Carson addresses Misty firmly but without malice, though I know he has a few things he wants to say toher.

“Fever broke. Looks like you showering with her and taking a nap with her helped. You’re so perfect with her. Isn’t Daddy the best, Cora?” she coos sappily to the pretty little girl, her blond ringlets bouncing as if she wasn’t just sick. Babies sure bounce back quickly.

“So, she’s feeling better?” He walks over to his daughter while still holding my hand in his firm grip and leans his head down to run his lips against her forehead. I’ve seen Gillian and Bree use the same move with their babies to check their temperature before. “Nice and even.” He kisses her on the top of herhead.

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