Long-Lost Mom

Now he knew why. She was trying to hide her scars. God.

“Hey, lady, where do you want this?”

Cindy quickly turned from Stone, clearly jumping at the chance for distraction. One of the men stood there holding two large boxes. Practically falling in her hurry to get away from Stone, she smiled shakily at the mover. “Next to the filing cabinet Thanks. Is there more? Maybe I should help…”

The man shook his head and disappeared into the office.

They were again alone, yet for the first time in his life, Stone didn’t know what to do or say. He wanted to grab her, hold tight and offer comfort, but more than that, he didn’t want to scare her off, and since at the moment Cindy appeared to be braced for flight, he had to be careful.

Her head was ducked, she was busy studying her shoes. Slowly, gently, he ran his hand over her silky short hair, tucking a strand behind her ear before he cupped her jaw and lifted her face. Stroking her skin with his thumb, he murmured, “What happened to you?”

Immediately Cindy looked away.

But Stone forced her chin back up, his clasp on her face firm yet careful, for he was well aware of his strength in a way that most men his size weren’t.

She shrugged. “The how of it is not important.”

Stone thought it was important. “Cindy-”

“Please.”

Imagining the pain and trauma of whatever she’d been through to cause such scarring made him feel sick for her. But he could see that his closeness was unnerving her, so he backed off.

She straightened the damn sunglasses he was beginning to hate. “Because of it, I’m here,” she said simply. “Okay?”

“So there’s a silver lining.”

A ghost of a smile touched her lips. “Let’s call it a mixed blessing so far. I hope it won’t disturb you, having me nearby every day.”

He laughed shortly and rolled his shoulders, which were filled with tension. “Disturb me? You’ve done nothing but.” His easy joking tone was such a complete contradiction to his words, her gaze flew to his. “You disturb me a lot,” he told her more seriously. “But I think I like it.”

Again she gnawed on her lip, and he had the crazy urge to lean forward and put his mouth just there, to that same spot, and nibble her himself. “I wish I knew more about you,” he said, instead. “Why won’t you talk about yourself? About where you come from?”

“It’s not easy to talk about.” She watched the men removing her things from the truck.

“I’m sorry.” And he was, though the enormity of it, and what he felt for her, no longer surprised him. “You’ve had it rough?”

“You…might say that.”

“No family to help you out?”

“None that would.” She tilted her head and regarded him. “I wasn’t always a nice person, Stone.”

“We’ve all made mistakes.”

“Mine are pretty big.” Drawing a deep breath, she let her words out in a rush, as if expecting him to run off in horror. “I was an angry unhappy kid. I hurt a lot of people, and now those people are likely to hate me.”

“People forgive.”

She stared at him, her expression suddenly filled with so much hope, it almost hurt to look at her. “I’d like to think that’s true,” she said. “I’d like to be able to fix some of my wrongs. Make them right someday.”

“You can do anything you want to do,” he told her. “Especially that.” Her lack of confidence tore at him. Then the men were back with a couch, and Stone took her elbow, drawing her out of their way, even as they both held their breaths at the touch. “I think you’re a wonderful person, Cindy. Others would think it, too, if you gave them a chance.”

“Yeah, well. That’s easier said than done,” she muttered.

He shook his head, smiling. “You need more belief in yourself. Hasn’t anyone ever told you what a really great person you are?”

Not since you, Jenna wanted to cry. Her chest ached with the need to let out some emotion, but she beat it back.

“You are,” Stone said in that dark seductive voice. “Give yourself a break once in a while, okay?”

He didn’t understand. Couldn’t, because she hadn’t been honest. But his generosity of heart nearly broke her. “I have no idea why I thought this would be a good thing.” Shaken, she took a step backward, away from him.

Stone snagged her hand. “Wait,” he said, holding gently but firmly when she would have fled. “I know this is crazy, but there’s something between us already.”

“But I don’t like it,” she blurted.

A smile tugged at his provocative mouth. “Doesn’t seem to matter. We’re attracted to each other, wildly so.” His low rough voice and the admission of his feelings thrilled her. “And as much as we might want to ignore it, it isn’t going to go away.”

She swallowed hard, but didn’t object when he stepped closer, still holding her hand. He seemed so big, so powerful… so unbearably sexy, and he was doing nothing but looking at her, but it was that look, the one that made her knees weak.

Anyone could walk by and see them, see the sexual tension flickering between them like electricity. Heat flooded her face, but Stone appeared unconcerned. And he would be, she thought ruefully, for Stone was not a man to worry about what others thought, not as long as he was doing what he felt was right. He’d always been incredibly strong-willed that way. Even coming from the conservative background he had, Stone Cameron had always marched to his own beat, and it appeared he still did.

Their clothing brushed, clung, and he tipped his head down a bit. “We might as well explore it,” he said huskily.

As they once had. She remembered so well-too well.

And suddenly she was there, back in time, back to when Rand Ridgeway had nearly raped her. He would have, if her mother hadn’t come home, but instead of sympathizing, she’d hit Jenna for telling lies.

Jenna had been in her tree by the beach, high above the ground, crying and holding her aching jaw when Stone had found her.

He’d come looking for her, just as he always did when she needed him most.

What’s wrong? he’d asked.

I’m an awful person.

No. Never. Tell me what’s wrong.

She’d refused, but he’d stroked her bruised jaw, his own tight with anger. Shame had filled her, for she knew he would hear soon enough how she had allegedly seduced her mother’s boyfriend. Her own school principal.

Lies, all of it.

But no one would believe the words of a troubled angry girl. No one but Stone.

She remembered he’d whispered her name before brushing lips across hers that first time. She remembered how he’d waited patiently for her to try to shove him out of the tree as she had before, but she didn’t. He’d kissed her again and she’d responded with every inch of her betrayed heart.

She’d cried and he’d held her, then coaxed her down from the tree. He’d brought her to his house, empty of anyone but them, and there, in his moonlit room, they’d held each other for a long time. She could remember the feel of his strong hands holding her possessively to him. Could remember the low huskiness of his voice as he tried to reassure her. Could remember the taste of him on her lips as their comforting embrace turned into something far more sensual, and soon deeply out of their control.

They’d touched. Explored. Pleasured. And then touched some more, until Jenna had thought she would die of the wondrous feelings shattering her. They’d fumbled their way out of their clothes, stopping for long involved kisses that had left her panting and crying for more.

Then they’d made sweet powerful love, using protection that had gone with the rest of Jenna’s luck and failed. Still, no man in her life since had ever compared to Stone, and no man could. As a result, her heart had forever belonged to him and the lovely product of their passion-Sara.

“Cindy.”