Page 59 of Playing with Temptation

Kendra’s eyes glistened. She cupped his cheek. Her sweet, familiar scent soothed his anxiety, warming his chest.

“Our son is growing up, Nate. New people will constantly come into his life. No matter how much he admires or cares for them, it doesn’t mean he doesn’t love us, too.” She smiled. “You’ll always be his number one. Always.”

Nate grasped the hand on his cheek and kissed her palm. He slipped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer, pressing his ear to the thumping of her heartbeat.

“Marcus was right. You’ve always been able to talk me down off the ledge.”

She leaned down and kissed his head. “That’s why they pay me the big bucks.”

Laughter rumbled in her chest, immediately followed by a sharp intake of air. Nate glanced up at her face. The corners of her eyes were wet with tears. He pulled her onto his lap. “What’s wrong, babe?”

She shook her head and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. “Nothing, because Kai is going to be fine, right?”

“Of course he is.” He swiped her wet cheek with his thumb. “He’s a Johnston. Takes more than a couple of broken bones to take us out.”

She nodded, a nervous laugh bubbling from her pursed lips. “He’s a warrior. Like his dad.”

“There you are.” Liam stood in the doorway, his expression a mixture of guilt and relief. “Kai’s out of surgery. Everything went brilliantly. The doctor wants to see you now.”

Kendra hugged Nate, thanked Liam and headed off in search of the doctor.

Liam shifted his attention to Nate. He cleared his throat. “Again, I can’t tell you how sorry I am.”

“I know. And about earlier…” Nate sighed deeply. “I’m sorry. I’m not usually that much of an ass. I was just really worried about our son.” He extended his hand and shook Liam’s firmly. “Thank you for taking care of Kai today.”

If he couldn’t always be there for his son, it was good to know someone else who cared about him would.

CHAPTER 20

Kendra’s eyes fluttered open in response to the harsh sunlight filtering through Kai’s hospital room window. She repositioned herself in one of the comfy recliners and pulled the plush throw up around her neck.

It wasn’t her own bed, but the setup was remarkably comfortable. Despite her insistence that it wasn’t necessary, she was glad Liam upgraded Kai’s room to a family suite so she and Nate could both spend the night there in comfort.

She looked around. Kai was resting peacefully, unbroken limbs akimbo, in his blue-and-white-patterned hospital gown. She moved beside him and leaned down to kiss his forehead.

The door opened and Nate stepped inside carrying a pastry box and a carafe of coffee. From the delicious scent of both, there was no way either item came from the hospital cafeteria.

“That coffee smells delicious, and are those doughnuts?”

Nate popped the lid open, revealing her favorite doughnuts in the world. Maple bacon, from Lila’s Cafe. They’d met there for coffee a few times during the weeks they’d been working together.

“Thank you.” She reached into the box and grabbed one. She took a generous bite of sweet, salty perfection. The doughnut was soft and fresh. It melted in her mouth. An involuntarily murmur conveyed her satisfaction.

Nate’s eyes widened in response. He cleared his throat. “Got your favorite coffee, too.”

“A mint chocolate mocha from Lila’s?”

“You know it.”

Kendra stood on her toes and kissed his cheek. Cedar and citrus filled her nostrils as she inhaled his fresh-out-of-the-shower scent.

“Is that a maple bacon doughnut?”

Nate and Kendra both turned toward the small, groggy voice coming from their son, his eyes barely open.

Kendra dropped the remainder of the doughnut back in the box and rushed over to him. “Kai, sweetie, you’re awake. Don’t you ever scare Mommy like that again.”

“Hey, champ.” His dad sat on the opposite side of the bed and mussed his son’s hair. “Didn’t we tell you that time you fell down the steps at Nana’s that you can’t fly?”

Kai swallowed hard and nodded. “This time I wasn’t trying to fly. I just wanted to show Uncle Liam how far I could jump down after I climbed up the mountain, just like he did.”

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