The Mistletoe Affair

“That's all we have between us now.'

Looking away from Paul, her gaze traveled around the room, noting the familiar rich brown leathers and distressed wood furnishings. She inhaled and exhaled audibly. “Matt will show you where I left off on the story we started. I better warn you, he expects you to do sound effects with the reading, so good luck.'

“You're kidding.'

She shook her head. “Nope.'

He grumbled and left to entertain Matt.

Back in her room, Katherine took a bubble bath, trying to shake the tension that flooded her entire body. The lavender scented bubbles hugged her body, and steam fogged the mirrors. She crossed her arms. Mistrust kept gnawing at her. Why had he suddenly shown up? If he came back into their lives, would he treat Matt better? She threw the loofah on the side of the tub. He damned well better not disappoint their son again.

Stepping out of the Jacuzzi and onto the mat, she dried, splashed with moisturizer and finished preparing for bed. She walked barefoot across the carpet and turned back the comforter.

Footfalls sounded behind her. She spun around to find Paul staring at her. He had discarded his jacket and tie. The sleeves of his white shirt were rolled up to his elbows. He leaned against the doorframe, looking like he'd stepped off a GQ photo-shoot. His steel-gray eyes she'd once found warm and inviting now seemed cold, calculating.

“Your bedroom is down the hall,” she said firmly, turning and fluffing her pillow.

His voice floated over her shoulder, low and intimate. “I forgot how beautiful you are with your hair brushed and flowing in waves down your back. I've got to tell you, though, that raggedy, oversized T-shirt you're wearing doesn't do anything for you.” He continued on a whisper, “I remember a red silk teddy I gave you and how hot you looked in it.'

Turning, she plopped on the bed and watched him walk to the middle of the room. “What do you want, Paul?'

His hands sliced the air. “I want things back like they were. I want my family back. I want you.'

Her hands fisted and she shook her head in disbelief. He hadn't offered an apology for the pain he'd caused her. Always, whatever Paul wanted-Paul got. Not this time! She bit down hard on her lip.

“Back like they were? I haven't changed my views on infidelity. I won't share my husband with other women.'

“You wouldn't have to.” Sitting beside her on the bed, his gray eyes suddenly looked sad. “I've changed.'

Like the air rushing from a pinpricked balloon, her anger subsided, replaced with resigned weariness. She hoped he had changed. For Matt's sake and her own, she needed to make peace with the past. “I hope that's true. I'm glad you can spend time with our son. Don't treat him like something you pay attention to when it's convenient for you.'

He nodded. “I won't.” Pausing, he touched her hand. “Do you remember how good the sex was between us? How often you came apart in my arms and screamed my name over and over again?'

Her face heated with embarrassment and anger at how quickly he'd turned the conversation from their son to his solution to everything-sex. She also noticed Paul didn't call it ‘lovemaking', or remember that she'd failed to elicit the same excitement in him. Another reason he said he ran around. “I haven't forgotten a thing. You're the one who did that.'

“I know I hurt you very badly. Matt isn't the only one I'd like to make things up to,” he whispered. “I'd like to prove I've changed, court you again, and ask you to remarry me. I've missed you, Angel.'

Without warning, he pulled her into his arms and tried to kiss her. The weight of his body pressed her back into the comforter, squeezing the air from her lungs. Wisps of cottony down rose beside her face. She moved her head from side to side evading the touch of his mouth on hers. His lips rained sloppy kisses onto her cheeks. Her heart beat faster when she heard his heavy breathing. Panic set in. She pushed on his chest. “No, dammit!'

At last he got the message. He stopped and moved away from her. Resting on his elbows, he studied her. She gulped air.

“I'm sorry. When Grace said you wanted me here for Christmas, and you had been waiting for me, I jumped to the wrong conclusions.'

Her body stiffened. “You certainly did. I should have insisted that you leave when you first stepped into my bedroom. Tomorrow morning, find somewhere else to stay that's near the house so you can spend time with Matt while you're here.'

“Hey, wait a second.” He sighed and rose from the bed. “I'm sorry. I read something in your reactions because I wanted-hoped it was there. I'm trying to reach you, but I realize now that I'm pushing you away by moving too fast.” He closed his eyes.

“You're not listening to me, Paul. Don't try anything like that again. And don't ever come into my bedroom uninvited.'

“What a pity. It could be so good between us again if you'd only let me love you.'

“You don't know the meaning of the word.'

“Yes I do. It's the way I feel about you now.” Walking toward the door, he glanced over his shoulder.

“You had no right to try what you did,” she said.

“I know. I wanted everything like it was before. I'm a fool for thinking you hadn't changed.'

“Yes, you are. We're divorced. For Matt's sake, let's try and get through Christmas.'

He nodded. “I'm really sorry. Whatever boundaries you set, I'll honor. Goodnight, Katherine.'

Angry and disconcerted, she paced the length of the room, talking out loud to herself. “Am I supposed to believe him because he says he's changed? Did he really think I'd swoon when he kissed me?” She spun around and walked back across the room. He obviously thought her still that naive girl he'd married-the virginal bride he had to teach how to make love. That girl died the day he destroyed her illusions about herself and their marriage.

Yes, he'd killed her innocence, but he was Matt's father. And maybe he had changed. He certainly would not have admitted fault or accepted any responsibility for doing something wrong in the past, but a moment ago he seemed conciliatory-even reasonable. That was not the Paul she knew.

Pausing at the vanity, she lifted her hand and touched her face, her mind whirling. She knew that encouraging him to have a relationship with his son didn't mean she needed to have one with Paul, too.

She bit her lower lip hard. She could barely stand to be around the man but the only kisses she wanted were from Jared. It was his face, his touch, his voice that she had heard in those twilight moments between sleep and dreams in the past few nights.

For Matt's sake, she hoped Paul had changed. But for her sake, she wished he had never come back.

Chapter Six

A sudden repeated pinging interrupted Katherine's thoughts. What the hell was causing that noise? Rushing to the window, she pushed the curtains aside and jumped when a barrage of pebbles bombarded the glass. She unlocked the window and pushed it open.

As she stared into the darkness, a figure strode forward. Blond hair, sprinkled with auburn gleamed in the moonlight. Speak of the devil, she smiled without thinking. “Jared, what are you doing down there?'

“Making an absolute fool of myself.” He dropped a handful of pebbles back into the flowerbed. “I need to talk to you.” Wiping his hands on his coat, he moved to the lamppost and pointed to the oak. “I'll climb up.'

Her jaw dropped. “I hope you realize how absurd it is for a grown man to climb a fifteen foot tree to talk to a woman.'

He chuckled. “Yeah. Well, I told you I was about to make a fool of myself.'

Make a fool of himself? Over her? An unexpected smile tugged at the corners of her lips. First he's John Wayne, taking over putting the lights on the house, now he's Romeo. “Are you crazy?'

He cocked his head to one side. “That's the second time you've asked me that.'

“I'm worried you'll fall.'

The lamplight illuminated a wry smile. “Careful, someone might think you actually care what happens to this