Coulson's Secret

by McIntyre, Anna J

“Certainly.” Adam followed her to the kitchen. “You mentioned you were going to Clement Falls yesterday with your brother. I wanted to see how the visit with your father went. I was worried about you.”

  “Oh…” Kim didn’t know if she was ready to tell Adam the truth about Franklin and Nick Myers. She was still getting used to it. “It went better than the first visit. Would you like some scrambled eggs? I was just getting ready to make some.”

  “No thanks, I already ate. But you go ahead. I’ll keep you company, if you don’t mind.” Adam took a seat on a barstool at the breakfast bar. Kim went into the kitchen, grabbed a mug from the cabinet, poured Adam a cup of coffee, and then handed it to him. Adam sipped the coffee while he watched Kim prepare her breakfast.

  “So, what does Angela think about you coming over here?” Kim asked.

  “We’re sort of taking a break from each other,” he told her as he set his mug on the counter.

  “You broke up?” Kim turned from the stove and faced him.

  “Not exactly.” Adam absently pushed his mug from one hand to another, sliding it across the countertop. “Things have been a little rocky for us recently, and everything came to a head yesterday.”

  “Does this have anything to do with me?”

  “Don’t burn your egg,” Adam pointed to the stove and the pan she’d abandoned on the burner. Kim turned back to the stove, turned off the burner, and dumped the scrambled eggs onto a plate. Instead of taking a barstool, she stood in the kitchen facing Adam, the breakfast bar separating them, as she ate her egg.

  “Well?” she asked again, scooping up some egg on a fork and popping it in her mouth.

  “What, no toast?”

  “Screw the toast. What’s the deal with you and Angela?”

  “I suppose you being here upset Angela,” he told her.

  “Well, gee, I’m sorry my mother was murdered. Didn’t mean to inconvenience your girlfriend.” Kim was inexplicably irritated by Angela’s attitude toward her.

  “Hey, she felt horrible about your mom. No, it wasn’t just you being here. We had an argument about how I should handle a situation. She wants me to do one thing, and I feel I need to do something else. You being here just added fuel to the fire. Apparently, her father knew a little more about our past relationship than I thought, and the other day he told her what he knew.”

  “She knows about the baby?” Kim asked.

  “Yes. That moved you into an entirely new category for her, and she feels threatened.”

  “I have two questions for you,” Kim told him as she set her fork and plate on the countertop and stopped eating.

  “What?”

  “First, how did her father know about the baby? Did your mother or Garret tell him?” Kim felt betrayed.

  “No. Remember, he was the police chief back then and knew most of the emergency room staff. Apparently, patient confidentiality isn’t an absolute between emergency room staff and the local police chief. I don’t know exactly how he found out, but he knew. Now Angela knows. What is your second question?”

  “Why are you here?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Why are you here? If our friendship disturbs your fiancée, something I can somewhat understand now that I know she is aware of our history, why would you come here? What is the point of stopping by to see me when it will hurt the woman you intend to marry?”

  “I don’t know if we’re getting married now,” Adam said, his voice serious. “I told you we put things on hold.”

  “What does that mean, put things on hold? Sounds like you just aren’t setting the date yet, which from what I understand, you hadn’t done anyway. Did she give you the ring back?”

  “Not exactly.” Adam looked down. He hadn’t expected Kim to get this irritated with him.

  “What do you mean, not exactly? Either she gave you the ring back or not.”

  “She took it off,” he told her.

  “And?” Kim asked, raising her brows. She wanted to smack him. He could be so dense, she thought.

  “She still has the ring. She put it in her jewelry box until we work things out.”

  “Then why are you here? What do you want from me?”

  Adam stood up and walked around the breakfast bar into the kitchen.

  “I was just worried about you. I told you, I knew you went to see your dad yesterday.” Adam was now standing right in front of Kim.

  “Next time, just call, Adam. I really don’t want to be responsible for making problems with you and your girlfriend.” Kim thought her life was complicated enough.

  Adam and Kim stood in the kitchen for a moment, each looking at each other and neither saying a word. Adam could tell Kim was upset.

  “The truth?” Adam finally asked.

  “The truth would be nice.”

  “I haven’t been able to get you out of my mind.”

  “I thought we got this out of the way the other day. You admitted it was just deep friendship you felt toward me,” Kim reminded him.

  “Maybe we should give it another try,” Adam whispered.

  Before she could respond, Adam stepped closer and took hold of her robe, pulling her toward him for a kiss. Kim’s eyes widened in surprise, yet she was unable to pull herself away from him.

  The need for physical human contact overrode Kim’s better judgment. Closing her eyes, she leaned into the kiss, losing herself in the familiar sensation. The initial surrender was born more from an emotional need than from sexual desire.

  Lost in the moment, she failed to realize Adam had already unfastened her robe and was slipping his hands under the fabric. She gasped at his touch, feeling the cool palms of his hands move over the bare skin of her waist and dip down around her back, taking a firm hold of her bare buttock. With a firm jerk, he pulled her closer, his hands boldly massaging the firm globes of her bottom.

  It had been a long time since a man had touched her so intimately. Instead of pushing away, she moved closer, wrapping her arms around Adam’s neck and returning his kiss. The front of her robe was now open and her bare breasts pressed against his chest, separated from his skin by the fabric of his flannel shirt.

  The soft flannel fabric rubbed against her nipples. She wasn’t sure how it happened, but in the next minute, Adam was lifting her up, setting her bottom on the edge of the sturdy oak kitchen table. She felt him spread her knees apart with one of his hands and step between her open thighs. When his zipper had come down, she had no clue, and the sudden thrust of his shaft entering her body was a shock. Yet, it was too late to stop, and her legs wrapped around his hips, pulling him closer. The table shook, and neither spoke, their breathing labored and ragged, each lost in the primal mating ritual.

  At the very last minute, Adam managed to pull out of her body, leaving his seed trailing down her inner thigh. Neither spoke, but Adam held her hips, trying to regain composure.

  “Oh, fuck,” Kim said at last, out of breath and her heart pounding. She pushed Adam away and wrapped the robe around her body. “What have we done?”

  “I think it’s fairly obvious,” Adam said with a dry chuckle as he pushed his spent penis back in his pants and pulled up his zipper. Kim made a fist with her right hand and punched his left shoulder with as much force as she could muster.

  “Ouch!” Adam yelped, grabbing hold of the shoulder with his right hand. He could tell Kim was pissed, but he thought she had no right to blame him completely.

  He stood in the kitchen and watched as Kim yanked a few paper towels off a roll and turned her back to him. She lifted her robe and wiped off the sperm Adam left on her body. Throwing the paper towel in the trashcan, she grabbed a second piece, wet it under the kitchen faucet, and rinsed the skin on her thighs. After tossing the wet paper towel in the trashcan, she refastened her robe and faced Adam.

  “I’m sorry,” Adam said lamely, yet he couldn’t deny the encounter had been incredibly hot.

  “No you aren’t,” Kim spat. She was furious. Not just at Ada
m but at herself.

  “I guess you’re right. I’m not. Don’t get so pissed at me; you could’ve stopped me.”

  “What are you trying to do, get me pregnant again?” Kim fumed.

  “I pulled out,” Adam told her.

  “We aren’t teenagers anymore, Adam. I think we know pulling out isn’t the best form of birth control.”

  “Kimmy, I didn’t hear you protesting,” Adam reminded her again.

  “What do you want from me, Adam?” Kim realized she had asked Nick the same question the day before.

  “I’m not sure. But you and I have always had this amazing sexual chemistry.”

  Not exactly, Kim thought, the words popping into her head. It had taken her a number of years to realize sexual chemistry was not why she had given Adam Keller her virginity or why she had continued to have sex with him during high school. The truth was far more complicated and less sexy.

  “I thought you told me the other day you didn’t have those kinds of feelings for me?”

  Adam looked at Kim and didn’t answer immediately. “I believe I said I love you, but I am not in love with you.”

  “Then what in the hell was this all about?” Kim wrapped her arms around herself in a protective gesture.

  “Kimmy, I’ve been upfront with you. Just because we’re not in love with each other, doesn’t mean I don’t want to make love with you. It’s never been as good with anyone as it is with you.”

  “That is not making love. It’s sex.”

  “Okay, sex. We have great sex. We’re both adults; we’re not hurting anyone.”

  “What about Angela?” Kim asked.

  “I told you, we put that on hold.”

  “I don’t understand this. You kissed me the other day, and we both acknowledged it wasn’t there anymore.”

  “That isn’t exactly how I remember it. But the other day, your tempting body wasn’t so accessible.” Adam grinned. He started thinking about her smooth skin, how her thighs had wrapped around his hips and pulled him closer. The evidence of his new erection was obvious beneath the fabric of his jeans. He shoved his right hand in the top of his pants and tried to adjust his penis.

  “See what you do to me?” Adam grinned mischievously. “I tell you what. How about I run down to the pharmacy and get some condoms?”

  Before Kim could respond, the doorbell rang.

  Ignoring his indecent proposal, she said, “Someone’s here.”

  Kim went to answer the door, tightening the sash on her robe during the short walk from the kitchen to the entry hall. Kim wasn’t expecting Nick so soon and was surprised to find him standing on the front porch.

  “Hi. Hope you don’t mind I’m a little early,” Nick greeted with a cheerful smile. His smile faded when he looked past Kim and noticed Adam Keller standing behind her. “Oh, you have company.”

  “Adam was just leaving,” Kim told him and then stood aside, so Adam could make it to the front door.

  “Aren’t you Kimmy’s brother? I’m Adam Keller, an old friend.” Adam extended his right hand to Nick, who refused to take it.

  “I know who you are,” Nick replied in an unfriendly voice.

  Adam was a little startled with the brother’s reaction but took Kim’s cue and said his goodbyes.

  “I’ll call you later,” Adam told her as he stepped off the front porch and Nick went into the house.

  “That’s okay, Adam. I’m going to be busy.” Kim slammed the door shut. She turned and looked at Nick, wondering why he looked so angry.

  “What was he doing here?” Nick asked.

  “He just dropped by to see how I was doing,” Kim said awkwardly, regretting the spontaneous sexual encounter.

  “Do you always entertain men wearing just your robe and nothing underneath?” Nick asked, his gaze boldly sweeping over her.

  “How do you know what is under my robe?”

  “For one reason, if your nipples get any harder, they are going to poke through the fabric. And when you were standing in the doorway, that robe is virtually transparent. I thought all women waxed these days?”

  Kim could feel herself blushing. She turned from him and hurried up the stairs, shouting back that she was going to get dressed.

  Before she dressed, she jumped in the shower for the second time that morning. Instead of denims, she threw on her jogging suit. If she and Nick were going to be rummaging through the attic looking for clues on her mother’s past, she wanted to be comfortable.

  When she came downstairs, she found Nick sitting at the breakfast bar.

  “You had sex with him, didn’t you?” Nick asked.

  “Why do you say that?” She asked defensively. “And if I did, why is that any of your business?”

  “Well for one thing, the guy is engaged. And for another, didn’t you already learn he isn’t the right guy for you?”

  “How do you know about me and Adam?” Kim asked.

  “I know you dated him in high school. I know he got you pregnant and didn’t marry you.”

  “How do you know that?” Kim was shocked. For years, she assumed only a few people knew about her and Adam’s baby. Now, it seemed the entire world knew.

  “Your mother told my father about it after you and Adam broke up. After the miscarriage.”

  “I don’t understand. Your father never said anything about talking to my mother in later years.”

  “Dad never said he hadn’t. He and your mother kept in touch after the divorce. They would talk every couple years.”

  “He never said anything. Why didn’t he tell me?”

  “I guess because there was really nothing to tell. She never told him who your father was.”

  “What else haven’t you told me?” Kim felt betrayed. She had thought she could trust Nick.

  “Adam is not right for you. The guy is engaged. You deserve better than that.”

  Kim hated the way Nick was looking at her.

  “I’m not getting involved with Adam.”

  “But you had sex with him! Right in your kitchen, for god’s sake.”

  “What were you doing, looking in the kitchen window?” The thought horrified Kim. Nick raised his brows. She realized he had been baiting her.

  “No, I wasn’t, but you confirmed my suspicions.”

  “Oh, shut up.” Kim was embarrassed and no longer wanted to discuss her foolish behavior. She pushed past Nick and got herself a fresh cup of coffee. Nick followed her into the kitchen.

  “Do you love him?” he asked, no longer sounding smug.

  “No,” Kim answered honestly. “It’s complicated.”

  “How so?” Nick helped himself to a cup of coffee and stood a few feet from Kim, watching her expression.

  “I don’t know. I guess I feel a level of comfort with Adam. We have a history. But I know he isn’t in love with me.”

  “Are you sure you don’t love him?”

  Kim didn’t answer immediately. “I don’t think so.” She took a deep breath. “I sure as hell hope not.”

  “Kim, you deserve to be with someone who is madly in love with you.”

  Kim smiled and looked Nick in the eyes. “Nick, just yesterday you told me you wanted to get me in your bed. I don’t think you’re madly in love with me, either.”

  “First,” Nick began, after setting his mug on the kitchen counter, “I will be just as happy in your bed as mine. Anywhere, in fact, except perhaps the kitchen.”

  Kim blushed at the mention of the kitchen, and she still couldn’t believe he had figured it out.

  “Second thing, Adam Keller had his chance with you. So move on. He isn’t the right guy for you.”

  “I don’t want to talk about this anymore.” Kim felt embarrassed.

  “Okay. How about we search the house and see what we can find in the attic?” Nick suggested.

  Chapter 14

  When Adam pulled into his driveway after leaving Kim, he found his mother sitting on his front porch, waiting for him. He glanced across the
street and noticed her parked car. She appeared to be alone.

  Adam got out of his vehicle and slammed the car door shut. Walking up to the house, he began fidgeting with his key chain, looking for his house key.

  “Hello, Mom,” Adam greeted his mother as he walked up the steps. Alex got up from the porch bench and stood behind her son, waiting for him to unlock the door.

  “I’ve been calling you since yesterday morning. I was worried about you,” Alex told him as he opened the door.

  “I turned off my cell phone. I didn’t feel like talking to anyone. As you can see, I’m okay.” He opened the door and walked inside. Alex followed him into the house and closed the door behind her.

  “Angela stopped over last night. She was upset.” Alex followed Adam into the kitchen and watched him take a glass out of the kitchen cabinet and pour himself a glass of water.

  “Would you like something to drink, Mom? I could make some coffee,” Adam offered as he turned to face her and forced a smile.

  “No thanks. Where have you been, Adam? I’ve been sitting on your porch for over thirty minutes.”

  “Mom, it’s Sunday morning. I went out to have breakfast,” Adam explained.

  “Oh, you’re eating two breakfasts these days?” Alexandra nodded to the sink. Unwashed breakfast dishes filled the sink, along with several discarded eggshells.

  “Okay,” Adam let out an exasperated sigh. “I stopped by Kimmy’s to see how she was doing this morning.”

  “Adam, what’s going on between you two?” Alexandra didn’t normally pry, but considering what she had discovered Friday night, she felt she had no choice.

  “Nothing is going on, Mom. I just stopped by there. Why the inquisition? You haven’t grilled me like this since I was in high school.”

  “I told you. Angela stopped by last night looking for you. She said you two broke up, that you’ve gotten back with Kimmy.”

  “Good lord!” Adam looked surprised. “She said that? Angela and I had a disagreement yesterday. We’ve decided to step back and reevaluate things. Hell, she still has the engagement ring.”

  “Why would she say you’ve gotten back with Kimmy?” Alexandra studied Adam’s expression. He looked guilty to her.