Their Secret Son (Bayside Bachelors #2)

by Judy Duarte

“Bobby’s a bit young to notice those things, I suppose. And Chloe does have an R-rated wardrobe. But she’s a nice person.”

  She cleared her throat. “Bobby thinks that she has a big heart, and that’s why her breasts are so large. In fact, he seems to have gotten that idea from you.”

  Joe looked at her as though she’d socked him in the gut. Then he sobered and pasted a smirk on his face. “So you’ve got it all figured out. Okay, I’ll come clean about what really went on that day. Bobby and I knocked back a couple of beers, then sat around the pool, smoking cigarettes and waiting for some woman with big knockers to show up.”

  Her mouth dropped, and she caught his eye. When he crossed his arms and slid her a look of annoyance, she realized she’d offended him.

  He clicked his tongue. “Come on, Kristin. Give me credit for being more considerate than that. I want my son to grow up to be the kind of guy who respects women. I’m not sure what he told you, or whether he misunderstood the conversation.”

  “I’m sorry. It’s just that I…”

  “That you what?”

  “I don’t know. You’re a bachelor, I guess.”

  He lifted a brow. “And?”

  “I noticed that watch on the counter. I know you’ve got women who come here. And I’m concerned about the kind of environment Bobby will be exposed to.”

  “Let’s get something straight. Chloe is my neighbor. That’s all. We’re friends. We’ve never slept together. And never will.” Joe set his beer on the coffee table and stood up. He turned toward Kristin. “And in spite of having a figure that would knock most men for a loop, Chloe isn’t the shallow bimbo that she appears to be. She’s got a big heart—which, by the way, is what I pointed out to Bobby when he brought up her physical attributes. We discussed how a man needs to assess a woman’s beauty.”

  The words Bobby had uttered began to make sense, and guilt cloaked her shoulders. She’d come to the kind of conclusion her dad might have made had he overheard Bobby’s comment.

  Kristin had no problem admitting when she was wrong. She set down her drink and stood. “I’m really sorry, Joe. I had no business taking offense until I’d discussed it with you first. This shared parenting is new for me.”

  He blew out a ragged sigh. “Yeah. It’s new for me, too.”

  For the past seven years, Kristin had made each and every decision regarding Bobby’s upbringing. And that would no longer be the case.

  “Can we start over?” she asked, her eyes searching his.

  He nodded, then reached out a hand, as if to shake on it, but when their fingers touched, something passed between them. Something old and heart-stirring, like a yellowed photograph. Something new and blood-pumping, like a glimpse into a crystal ball.

  Their movements froze, and they merely stood there, gripped by the past, touched by the future. Caught up in something warm and powerful, something hot and wild.

  Something Kristin had no business feeling.

  A hundred memories swirled in her mind. The day they’d met at the high school baseball field that warm, spring afternoon. A teenage, golden-haired Adonis and his awkward attempts to make her smile. The kiss they’d shared behind the dugout, where no one could see—a sweet, shy kiss that had turned their young lives on end.

  Joe’s eyes darkened, and she suspected he was remembering, too. Were his memories just as special, just as strong as hers?

  He tugged on her hand and drew her closer to him, close enough to be snared by his sea-breezy scent, his topaz-colored eyes. Her heart began to race, and she licked her lips. But she didn’t pull away. Didn’t put a stop to whatever had set her heart racing and made her knees wobble.

  She wanted to prolong that sweet, innocent memory of first love once again—if only for a moment.

  Joe didn’t know what had come over him, and he damn sure didn’t know why he did it, but he pulled Kristin into his arms and lowered his mouth to hers.

  It was crazy. Foolish. And he expected her to fight him off, to tell him no. To be offended. But she leaned into the embrace and kissed him back.

  And when she parted her lips, allowing his tongue to enter the wet, velvety softness of her mouth, he was lost in a haze of passion and urges that were stronger and more grown-up than the innocent, youthful ones in the past.

  She still favored spearmint breath mints, and he couldn’t seem to get his fill of her taste, of her touch.

  Their tongues mated in a deep, vigorous hunger that couldn’t be sated. Hell, that shouldn’t be a surprise. The passion that had raged between them in the past had always been hot, demanding, insatiable. And apparently, nothing had changed. Their bodies seemed to know right where they’d left off.

  His hands sought the familiar contours of her back, but it wasn’t enough, and he pulled her flush against a growing arousal.

  A moan sounded low in Kristin’s throat, and Joe was lost. Lost in a rushing swirl of desire he’d never really shared with anyone but Kristin. Not quite like this.

  The kiss intensified, and when it seemed as though every lick of sense he’d ever mastered had suddenly taken a back seat to passion, Kristin pulled away.

  Her cheeks were flushed. And a rosy splotch along the side of her neck and chest suggested she’d been as swept away as he had. She combed a hand through her hair and ran her tongue along swollen lips. “I’m really sorry, Joe. But I had no business kissing you like that. I don’t know what got into me.”

  Joe knew what had gotten into her. But he wasn’t going to spell it out. He’d never wanted a woman like he’d wanted Kristin Reynolds. And, at least in the past, it had seemed that she felt the same way.

  “You don’t need to apologize. It was my fault. I guess it was just the old memories playing havoc with my good sense.” He dragged his hand through his hair, hoping the effort might clear his mind, dislodge the desire. But it didn’t help. In fact, it merely made him feel guiltier about the forbidden kiss. “I’m not the kind of guy who would kiss another man’s woman.”

  Before either of them could speak, a knock sounded. A sense of apprehension shoved against him, cornering him with no way out.

  But there was nothing else he could do, other than face the interruption.

  And pray it wasn’t Allison.

  But much to his dismay, when he swung open the front door, the attractive flight attendant stood on the porch, a bright-eyed smile on her face.

  A smile that wouldn’t last long.

  “Surprised?” she asked.

  Chapter Eight

  Kristin studied the tall, attractive blonde who stood on Joe’s porch holding the handle of a travel bag on wheels. She was apparently ready for a sleepover.

  The afternoon sun glistened off strands of platinum in her shoulder-length hair. She smiled brightly, blue eyes dancing, as she released the handle of her suitcase and wrapped her arms around Joe’s neck.

  When the pretty blonde tried to place a kiss on his lips, he turned his head and offered her a cheek instead—a move that probably hurt the woman’s feelings. It would have hurt Kristin’s.

  A big knot formed in Kristin’s tummy, and her heart began to pound at an awkward pace, urging her to flee, while at the same time provoking her curiosity. For the life of her, she wasn’t quite sure what was happening.

  She and Joe had just shared a kiss—an inappropriate kiss for two people who were involved with other people. And seriously involved—at least in her case.

  Yet she still felt awkward.

  And hurt?

  Yes.

  No.

  Make that confused and uneasy.

  “What’s the matter, Joe?” The blonde appeared bewildered by the way he’d sidestepped her kiss—until her gaze landed on Kristin. Shock, as well as annoyance, flared in her expression, and she crossed her arms. “I guess I should have called first.”

  “I can explain, Allison.” Joe glanced at Kristin, and offered her an awkward grin that suggested he would try and explain things to her, too.

&nbs
p; But how in the world could either of them explain the kiss they’d just shared?

  Allison appeared to recover from her surprise, even if Kristin hadn’t. “I’m a big girl, Joe. And I can add. Three’s a crowd. So, if you don’t mind, I’ll just pick up my watch.”

  So it wasn’t Chloe’s watch that waited in Joe’s kitchen. And since it was obvious the woman—Allison—wasn’t Joe’s housekeeper, Kristin did the math, too. And she was the one who didn’t belong here.

  “Allison,” Joe said, “I want to introduce you to Kristin Reynolds, the mother of my son.”

  “Your son?” The blonde froze, her gaze flitting from the handsome fireman to Kristin and back again. “I didn’t know you had a son.”

  “Neither did I. Come on in.” Joe turned to Kristin. “This is Allison Winstead. The lady I’ve been dating.”

  Kristin’s cheeks grew hot, and her tummy tossed and turned.

  Didn’t Joe feel the least bit guilty? Not about Kristin’s presence, which he’d easily explained away, but about that kiss?

  He appeared cool, calm and collected. Maybe he was used to juggling women and covering up his indiscretions.

  On the other hand, Kristin didn’t play those dating games. She picked up her purse from where she’d left it on the sofa. “Maybe I’d better come back another time. It was nice meeting you, Allison.”

  “Wait a minute,” Joe said. “We haven’t finished talking.”

  Kristin managed a smile. “Why don’t we take care of our chat over the telephone? I don’t want to put a damper on your evening plans.”

  Joe ran a hand through his hair, the first sign that he might be uncomfortable, then appealed to the blonde. “Kristin and I have to hash out some important details, and I don’t want to do it over the phone. Can you please give us some time? You and I can get together later this evening.”

  Allison nodded. “Sure.” Then she cast Kristin a smile that looked a bit forced.

  “It was nice meeting you,” Kristin repeated, although it wasn’t.

  “Same here. I’m sure we’ll see each other again.”

  Kristin smiled and nodded, even though she wasn’t looking forward to it. Not in the least.

  Why must their lives be so complicated? Joe was already involved with a woman.

  And she was involved with Dylan.

  Involved?

  She was engaged to marry him, for goodness sake. And she’d cheated on him.

  It was only a kiss, of course. But it was of the hot, demanding, hungry variety. A prelude to sex.

  Another layer of guilt settled heavily around Kristin’s shoulders, nearly buckling her knees. How could she have done that to Dylan?

  And it wasn’t just the kiss she and Joe had shared that made her feel so guilty. It was also the memories and latent desire it had unleashed.

  Not to mention the fact that she’d never felt that deep, blood-stirring arousal with anyone other than Joe Davenport.

  And it wasn’t fair.

  Dylan loved her. And she loved him, too.

  So why didn’t his kisses turn her inside out? And why were her emotions tumbling out of control and out of reach?

  Joe retrieved the bangle watch from the kitchen, handed it to the pretty blonde. He brushed her cheek with his lips. “I’ll talk to you later, Ally.”

  After the woman let herself out and closed the door, Joe turned to Kristin. “I’m sorry about that.”

  She was sorry, too. About a lot of things—some of which she couldn’t even identify.

  What had she and Joe just done? Cheated on their significant others? It didn’t rest easy with her.

  Was it bothering him, too?

  “I’d rather not complicate things with Bobby by dating while he’s visiting,” Joe said. “And I have no intention of introducing him to Allison. At least, not yet.”

  Kristin nodded, taking comfort in that for some reason.

  “Since you’ll be taking Bobby back east at the end of summer, I’d like to spend as much time with him as I can over the next couple of months.”

  She nodded again. Where the heck were her words? They’d seemed to desert her, once she’d allowed that forbidden, soul-shattering kiss.

  And the sooner she could forget it had ever happened, the better off she’d be.

  Dylan had been pressuring her to set a date for their wedding, and for some reason, she’d been holding back. She’d used her father’s health as an excuse, although now that she thought about it, her dad would probably feel much better just knowing her future was set and secure.

  So maybe she ought to quit dragging her feet and do the right thing.

  “By the way,” she told the man who could still make her heart spin out of control. “Dylan and I will be setting a wedding date soon. And he’d like to spend our honeymoon in Europe. Maybe Bobby can stay with you.”

  “I’d…like that,” Joe said, his voice soft, his words hesitant.

  Had he been touched by her suggestion that he look after Bobby? Or bothered by her upcoming wedding?

  Don’t be foolish. Joe had stopped loving her years ago—if he’d ever loved her at all. And the kiss they’d just shared had been no big deal to him. Hadn’t he brushed it aside as though it had never happened?

  She needed to put it aside, too. And she needed to focus on Dylan. On their marriage. It would be best for everyone involved.

  “Can I have Bobby on Friday?” Joe asked.

  “Y-yes,” she said, her voice coming out in a hesitant whisper. She cleared her throat and added, “That’ll be fine. But I’d better get back home.”

  “I’ll walk you outside.”

  “Don’t bother.” Kristin managed a smile, then let herself out, just as Allison had done.

  While she climbed into the Town Car to drive away, a tear slipped down her cheek. She brushed it aside with a finger, only to have another take its place.

  As she turned left, out of Joe’s complex and onto the highway, her eyes were still teary. And to make matters worse, a big droplet of water splattered on the windshield. Then another.

  Was it supposed to rain today? She hadn’t heard the weather report.

  Another splat landed, followed by two more.

  As she pulled into the drive that led to the house, the sprinkles grew strong enough to require the windshield wipers. She flipped them on for a minute, getting a clear glimpse of several cars parked near the house. A silver Cadillac Seville. A white Lexus. A Lincoln Navigator. A sporty, red Mercedes.

  Who was here? Her heart began to pound, as though it hadn’t experienced an emotional workout just minutes ago.

  What was going on?

  She hit the button on the garage opener, then waited for the door to lift and parked the Town Car inside.

  When she entered the house through the kitchen, she called, “Dad?”

  “In here, honey.”

  She followed his voice to the den, where he was seated around a table, playing cards with several friends. Stacks of poker chips sat in front of each man.

  “Kristin,” her dad said with a grin. “You remember Dr. Dannenberg, don’t you?”

  “Yes, I do.” She smiled at the silvery-haired gentleman to her father’s left. “How are you, Doctor?”

  Her dad’s old college buddy, a retired surgeon, greeted her with a smile. “I’m going to stay the weekend and make sure your father takes his medicine. And a poker marathon is part of a new therapy I’ve developed.”

  Burl Wisnieski, the owner of several car dealerships in the county, laughed, as did Sam Bradley, a retired banker, and Darryl Niven, her father’s investment counselor.

  “I allowed Mrs. Davies to take Bobby to play with her niece’s children for the evening,” her father said. “And since I’m in good hands, why don’t you drive up to L.A. and see Dylan?”

  “But I came to Bayside to spend time with you,” Kristin argued.

  “Your dad has been worried about you since you’ve put your life on hold for him,” Dr. Dannenberg
said. “And so he invited me to stay a couple of days so you can take some time to yourself.”

  “That’s right, honey.” Her father grinned, his eyes crinkling with mirth. “Worrying about you can’t possibly do me any good. Why don’t you give me a break by going to L.A. and surprising Dylan?”

  Kristin had to admit her father’s mood had definitely improved, as had his coloring. Spending time with his friends certainly seemed to be therapeutic. In fact, seeing him like this, happy and playful, was comforting.

  Maybe going to see Dylan wasn’t a bad idea. It would certainly help get her mind back on track, where it belonged. On the future, rather than the past.

  And the two-hour drive might help her come to grips with the changes Joe’s involvement in Bobby’s life was sure to bring.

  Besides, it was time to set a wedding date and look to a future with the man who loved her.

  Dylan would be pleased by her surprise visit. And she could certainly use some stability now. Not to mention, the reminder of his love.

  She closed her eyes, trying to imagine herself wrapped in Dylan’s arms. Surely that would help.

  And maybe, if she threw her heart and soul into the relationship, her fiancé’s kisses would send her senses reeling.

  The way Joe’s did.

  Kristin arrived at the Las Palmas Resort, the five-star hotel in which Dylan was staying. She let the valet park her car, but resisted the bellman’s request to carry her small overnight bag.

  Once inside the lobby that was decorated in an elegant South Seas motif, she searched for a house phone.

  She’d called Dylan on the way and, as she’d suspected, he was thrilled to learn she was driving up to visit and spend the night.

  Too bad she didn’t share his enthusiasm.

  Her feelings for Dylan hadn’t changed, of course. The kiss she’d shared with Joe was just playing havoc with her attitude. That’s all.

  Should she tell Dylan what she’d done? Tell him she’d let Joe kiss her, that she’d kissed him back—but just for old time’s sake? That it didn’t mean anything?

  Maybe a confession and an apology would lead to forgiveness and set her world back on its axis. Dylan, of all people, would understand and be rational. Why, he’d probably explain the silly incident away, even if Kristin wasn’t entirely sure why she’d allowed it to happen.