LITMIR.BIZ

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would give it six months until they give us permanent custody. After that I won’t try to hold you, or make you responsible for the child. I’ll move into town and not ask anything more of you. As soon as I get another counseling job, I’ll move away.”

      Damn, there it was. She couldn’t say it any plainer. The chant rang repeatedly in his head. She only wants a child. “You’re asking a lot, Kira.”

      “I know,” was all she said in her defense.

      “What do I get out of this deal? What are you willing to give me?”

      She blinked at his question, but soon recovered. Her arms tightened around his neck. “What do you want, Trace? If it was me, all you had to do any time was walk through that door. I’ve been here the whole time, wanting you.”

      His body stirred at the feel of her length pressed against him. The easy way would be to give them what they both wanted. He wasn’t sure he could, knowing in the end he could lose everything anyway. Everything. Not only would he give up Kira, but a child.

      “Like I said, I’ll have to think about it.” He removed her hands, and walked out before he changed his mind. Before he did something crazy like agreeing to her request.

      CHAPTER TWO

      OF ALL mornings to oversleep.

      Kira pulled her leather satchel from the back seat, slammed the car door and rushed off across the parking lot toward the large brick building, Winchester Ridge High School. And the nine o’clock meeting.

      After Trace had left the house, she hadn’t been able to finish her work until well after midnight. Then she lay awake a long time, reliving her husband’s visit, their kiss.

      Trace’s familiar taste. The way he held her, reminding her how well their bodies meshed together. She delighted in the fact she could still make his control slip, just as hers had. She had to stop herself from trying to convince him to stay and make love to her.

      Oh God, it had been a long time since Trace had touched her.

      “Mrs. McKane, are you all right?”

      Kira shook away the fantasy and glanced at her student, Jody Campbell. “Oh, Jody. Yes, I’m fine. Just a lot of things on my mind.” She picked up her pace toward the counselors’ office, realizing the student was staying right with her. “What are you doing out of class?”

      “Mr. Douglas let me leave early because I needed to see you.” The pretty girl hesitated. “It’s about volunteer time at the retirement home. All the kids voted it as our class project, but some don’t have enough hours to come to the senior roundup.”

      “Give me the list and I’ll talk to them,” Kira said as she stopped at the counseling department’s door and took the paper.

      Seeing Jody reminded her that she’d gotten a notice from her English teacher. The promising student’s work had been suffering the past month. Kira hated that her own personal distractions had caused her to neglect one of the best students in the senior class.

      “Why don’t you come back at three o’clock? We should talk.”

      Jody hesitated again. “I work at four so I need to catch the three-thirty bus.”

      She couldn’t let this slip any longer, not with finals next week. “Well, I could give you a lift if you like and we can have a quick chat.”

      Her once-enthusiastic student kept her eyes cast down. “Okay.”

      Kira signed Jody’s pass and sent her off to class just as the bell rang. She walked inside the guidance office and into the first glass cubicle. She hated being distracted from her work. And these last few weeks, it had been especially difficult for her to keep focused on a job she was crazy about. She loved doing extra things to stay involved with the teenagers.

      Kira was the sponsor for this year’s senior class, including all activities. Doing service hours and giving back to the community was an important part of their curriculum. It helped to develop their social skills, and it looked good on their college applications. She rewarded those students with senior roundup at McKane Ranch.

      Winchester Ridge was a small ranching town, but the teenagers loved to spend the day helping with the roundup and branding. Followed by a barbecue and barn dance that closed out their senior year with wonderful memories.

      Kira sank into her desk chair. Not all kids were that lucky. Suddenly the last fifteen years faded away as her thoughts went back to her own high school days. Shy and naive, she’d been passed around to so many different foster homes it had been difficult to make friends. So when someone gave her attention, she’d been eager for it, and easy to be taken advantage of. Those lonely years had been a big motivator for her career choice.

      At the sound of the knock on her door, Kira looked up to see her fellow counselor and friend, Michelle Turner, peer in.

      “Michele,” she greeted. “Are you coming for the meeting?”

      “It’s been postponed until one o’clock,” her friend said as she walked inside the small enclosure and closed the door. “Kira, are you all right?”

      She gave her friend a bright smile. “I’m fine.”

      The young teacher sat down in the only other chair. “No, you’re not.”

      Kira shook her head. Michele had been the one person she’d confided in about her inability to conceive. The fellow teacher had been her first friend when she’d come to the western Colorado town. “No, really. We’ve gotten word from the adoption agency.”

      Michele’s pretty blue eyes lit up. “Oh, that’s great news.” She frowned. “Why so sad?”

      Kira shrugged. “Hormones, probably. And Trace. He’s a little hesitant about the idea.”

      Michele leaned forward. “You two have been through a lot over this and now that you’re so close to having a baby, he’s probably a little scared.”

      And he wants his own child, Kira added silently. “It’s more.” She looked her friend in the eye, knowing she’d never betray her confidence. “It hasn’t been easy living with me this last year.”

      “You’ve gone through a lot, trying to have a baby.”

      Kira released a shuttering breath. “Trace moved out to the bunkhouse two months ago.”

      “Oh, Kira.” Michele shook her head. “Isn’t that just like a man? When they can’t deal with things, they up and leave. Well, I know Trace loves you.”

      And Kira wasn’t so sure of that anymore. “I might have pushed him too far this time. We both said things that can’t be taken back.” She recalled the hurtful words she’d thrown at him. And yesterday she mentioned the “D” word. It was all or nothing now.

      “Then march out to that bunkhouse and convince him to come back home.”

      “I’m not sure that will work.”

      “How do you know if you don’t try? So go and seduce your husband.” Michele glanced at her watch. “I’ve got to get back. Can we do lunch later in the week?”

      “Sure. Are you going to help chaperone at the roundup?”

      Michele grinned. “I wouldn’t miss it. Is your good-looking brother-in-law going to be there?”

      Kira was surprised by her friend’s interest in Jarrett. “I’m not sure.”

      Michelle waved off the question then hugged her. “I’ll see you later.” She walked out.

      Kira leaned back in her chair. Could she get Trace to come back home, and get him to change his mind about the divorce? Could they work together to repair their mess of a marriage?

      She thought back to the last time Trace had wanted to be close to her. In the weeks before he’d moved out, her

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