Page 37 of Playing with Temptation

“And every night I go to bed regretting that I can’t be in his life every day, the way my dad has always been in mine.” Hurt and anger rose in his chest. When he met her gaze, her eyes were filled with tears. “Kendra, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to—”

“I can’t do this and still do my job, Nate.” She cut him off, shaking her head. “Right now, doing my job is more important.” She turned to leave.

When would he learn to keep his big mouth shut?

“I didn’t mean to upset you.” Nate sighed, catching her elbow. “Would I be making you a home-cooked meal right now if I intended to say something stupid and ruin our night?”

“What you said wasn’t stupid. You’re right. I made a bad decision, but you’re the one who’s had to suffer most. It isn’t fair. So I promise, after this is all over, we’ll work out a more fair arrangement so you get to spend more time with Kai.”

“You’d do that?” Nate was stunned. Kai meant everything to her. “You’d be willing to sacrifice some of your time with him?”

She nodded, her lips pursed and her eyes glossy.

“That means a lot to me.” He cleared his throat. “But being together as a family would mean even more.”

“As much as we love Kai, we can’t be together just for his sake. Neither of us would be happy. I want more than that for myself and for you.”

“Shouldn’t I get to decide what’s best for me?”

“I’m sorry.” Kendra pulled free from him, her cheeks suddenly wet with tears. “Excuse me.”

She rushed from the room and up the stairs.

Dammit.

He’d blown it again.

Nate finished up the lasagna sauce by adding the supplied herbs and seasonings. Then he let it simmer while he drained the noodles. A half hour had passed and Kendra hadn’t returned.

His pride hadn’t allowed him to go after her following the proposal debacle seven years ago. He wouldn’t make that mistake again. If she wasn’t back by the time the sauce finished simmering, he’d go and find her.

* * *

Kendra cupped her hands under the cold running water in Nate’s guest bathroom and splashed it on her face. Her eyes were red, her cheeks were stained with tears and her mascara was a runny mess. Better to strip it all off than to attempt to fix it.

She removed her makeup, cleansed her skin, then patted her face dry with a towel.

Standing there, her face stripped of all makeup, she felt nearly as vulnerable as she had when Nate told her what he thought of her co-parenting.

She’d been lying to herself. Pretending things were good for all of them, when the truth was they were all miserable.

Kai missed being with his dad. Nate was hurting without his son. She lived with the guilt of being the coward who broke up their family because she couldn’t deal with her daddy issues.

“Thanks, Dad,” she groaned. “You produced one damaged little girl.”

There was a tap at the bathroom door. “Kendra, are you okay?”

She opened the door partially. “I didn’t expect to take so long. I’ll be down in a sec.”

“You’ve been crying.” Nate reached his long arm through the door and cradled her cheek in his large palm. “I didn’t intend to upset you.”

Loosening her grip on the door handle, Kendra leaned into his palm, her eyes drifting shut. She savored his touch—strong, yet delicate—and the warmth of his rough palm against her cool cheek. Heat radiated into her neck and down her spine. A soothing lightness seeped into her bones, and a sense of calm settled over her.

Her eyes fluttered open. Something in Nate’s brown eyes was so tender and sweet it melted her heart. Yet the heat in his penetrating gaze and feather-soft touch took her breath away.

She inhaled, dropping her gaze to his stubbled chin. “Nate, I’m sorry I—”

Nate pressed his open mouth to hers, cradling the back of her neck.

Kendra didn’t object to his kiss or the way he slung an arm low around her waist, pulling their bodies together, his firm erection pressed to her belly.

A soft gasp escaped her mouth as his tongue moved against hers. Her fingertips glided up the soft cotton of his shirt. She pressed them to his back through the fabric, aching to touch his heated skin.

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