Page 26 of Playing with Temptation

She sniffled, raising her eyes, wet with tears, to his. “And I shouldn’t have made such a big deal about not being able to tuck Kai in tonight. That’s what upset you, isn’t it? I was complaining about one night without him while you…” She sighed heavily. “While you’re away from him most nights.”

Nate shrugged, watching a line of dark clouds rolling in and lightning in the distance.

“Every day I regret the pain my choice has caused both you and Kai.” Kendra touched his arm. She leaned into him when he didn’t respond. “I know it’s a lot to ask, but I hope that one day you can forgive me. Both you and Kai.”

His chest ached from the pain and regret he saw in her brown eyes. “What do you mean you hope Kai will forgive you?”

Kendra’s eyebrows gathered and a deep line creased her forehead, hardening her soft features. She pressed her lips together tightly, as if she were trying to hold back a sob.

“He’s been asking for you a lot more since Liam came into our lives. He sees Liam with the girls and he doesn’t understand why his dad isn’t in his life every day.” Her voice grew faint; the tears etched a salty path down her face faster than she could erase them. “He’s only six now, but eventually he’ll be hurt and angry…he’ll hate me for taking him away from his dad.” Kendra covered her mouth and turned away.

Nate wrapped his arms around her, pulling her wet cheek to his bare chest. He kissed her forehead. “Kai adores you. He could never stay angry with you. He’s too much of a mama’s boy.”

Kendra laughed against his chest, then pulled away enough to meet his gaze. “Like his dad?”

He held her at arm’s length. “Whoa? Me? A mama’s boy?”

She raised an eyebrow and punched him in the gut playfully. “Uh…yeah.”

Nate peeked through his thumb and forefinger. “Maybe just a tad. Nothing wrong with that.”

“No, there isn’t.” Kendra smiled wistfully. “There’s a little mama’s boy in every good man.”

He pulled her to him again, his body reacting to the exquisite sensation of her curves pressed against him. “You saying I’m a good man?”

“I wouldn’t be here now if I didn’t believe you are. That’s why this campaign is so important. I want people to see the kind, brilliant man I’ve always known. That’s my mission. Once we accomplish that, everything else will come. The contract, the endorsements.”

“Didn’t think you believed in me anymore.” He paused, his next words catching in his throat. “That’s what hurt most when you left.”

Kendra dropped her stare, but Nate cupped her chin, raising her eyes to meet his again.

“I know that you don’t want to talk about this and that what’s done is done. But in all these years, it’s never felt over to me. There’s always been a tiny piece of me that—despite the anger and hurt feelings—still wanted you to be there for me like you are right now.”

She tried to pull away, but he held on tight, his gaze not leaving hers.

“I need to know, is there still a chance we can be a family?”

* * *

Yes.

That single word hung at the back of her throat, unable to make its way past her lips. She shook her head, trying to clear the warm thoughts that were fogging her brain and spreading throughout her body. Making her want things she had no right to. “Nate, I—”

He leaned down and kissed her open mouth, mid-sentence. His strong arms encircling her waist, he pulled their lower bodies together.

Kendra gasped at the sensation of his lips pressed to hers. She savored the taste and warmth of his mouth as she melted into his strong embrace. The memories of what they’d once been filled her body with heat and caused a delicious ache in her nipples and between her thighs.

Kissing Nate went against every rule she’d established when she agreed to take him on as a client. Rules she put in place to safeguard their working relationship and protect her heart.

Despite the blissful contentment she felt, surrendering to the magnetic pull between them, she needed to put a stop to it and regain control. Kendra pressed the heels of her hands into his chest, but Nate pulled her closer. Kissed her more fervently.

---