LITMIR.BIZ

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more enticing than any finely cooked fare.

      She had to fight off the sudden urge to tip her head back against his shoulder, to revisit the taste of his mouth on hers…

      “I am hungry.” Ravenously so, suddenly.

      Well, if she couldn’t feed her senses the way her body craved, at least she could enjoy this meal. She draped a linen napkin across her lap, eyeing the cup of creamy crab soup.

      Kyle motioned toward two wine bottles in silver ice buckets. “Would you prefer chardonnay or merlot?” He smiled. “Don’t worry, I’m not planning to get you soused and press for my marital ‘rights.’ The cook just wasn’t sure which kind of wine we would prefer with a surf-and-turf meal.”

       Marital rights.

      The words brought to mind an image of the two of them tangled in Kyle’s sheets, taking the attraction to a heated conclusion. Blinking back the thought, she spooned up a taste of the creamy soup instead—and held back her moan of appreciation. Then again, maybe she’d just needed an excuse to release the tension inside her at the thought of a physical relationship with the man seated across from her.

      Her senses sang to life begging for more of this, of everything. “I really should keep my head clear to listen for Nina.”

      And to be sure she didn’t get soused and claim her marital rights.

      “One glass then?”

      She couldn’t resist everything. “Chardonnay, then, please.”

      He filled her wineglass halfway, then poured the merlot into his. He held her eyes with his while she tasted. Damn. There was a difference in the good stuff. How much of this would it take to ruin her for cheap wine for the rest of her life?

      He set his glass back on the table. “I’m sorry about the mix-up with Lucy at the courthouse.”

      Phoebe tucked her tongue against her cheek while she considered what to say. She was upset, but probably not for the reason he thought. And she couldn’t change anything. Better to take the high road. “You have nothing to apologize for. It’s not like you were seeing some other woman while we were engaged for all of twenty-four hours.”

      She tried a smile, hoping the conversation would veer away from the woman.

      “You’re being very reasonable.” He watched her through narrowed eyes.

      “Did you expect me to throw a jealous fit? I seem to recall you already warned me against falling in love with you.” She leaned forward on her elbows. “I’m a very good listener.”

      He threw his head back and laughed, that sexy sound of pure Kyle winding around her with the wind. “Just so you know, the wedding ring on your finger put an end to my friendship with Lucy.”

      “I noticed how fast she ran out of the elevator.”

      “I meant that as long as you’re wearing my ring, I won’t be seeing anyone else.”

      Now, that surprised her…If she could even believe him. “Bianca warned me you were a charmer.”

      His face hardened for the first time since she’d met him. “You think I’m BS-ing you? I may have a lot of flaws, but I do not lie.”

      “You really expect me to believe you’re going to be celibate for the entire marriage? For a whole year?” She wondered how long he really expected that to last? Did he have plans to walk away that she didn’t know about?

      “Aren’t you? What makes you think I have less self-control than you do?”

      She opened her mouth—and closed it again. She didn’t have an answer to that. And truth be told, as much as she cautioned herself against being gullible, she believed him on this one. Phoebe nudged aside her soup and stabbed the steak.

      He swirled his merlot in his glass, watching her. “Celibacy doesn’t make for much of a wedding night.”

      “I don’t know about that.” Although just the mention filled her mind with what the night could have held. Had he chosen his words with that intent? “Nina is safe for now. That means the world to me.”

      He finished off his merlot. “What about when Bianca shows up again?”

       The bite of steak palled in her mouth. She swallowed thickly. “I only want the best thing for Nina. That would be to have her parents’ love and want to take care of her.”

      “Even if that means giving her up?”

      Her fork clattered against her plate. “Are you threatening to take her away?”

      His one-sided smile returned with a dry twist. “Hardly. You’re a terrific mother. But me? Ask anyone and they’ll tell you I’m a crappy candidate for fatherhood.”

      Curiosity nipped.

      “You say you’re always honest, so tell me. What do you have against children?”

      “Why would you say that?” he asked evasively. “Marianna and Sebastian have never voiced any complaints about me with kids.”

      “You pick Nina up, you carry her, even play with her, but you’re always holding something of yourself back. I know it’s early yet, but it seems like you distance yourself from her.”

      Kyle attacked the rest of his steak. “That’s just your imagination.”

      She reached across the table and touched his wrist, stilling his hand. “I’ve heard too much about acting from Bianca over the years not to have picked up something. You’re good, but you can’t fool me.”

      He stared at her fingers for two crashes of the waves before setting aside his fork. “Little Edward isn’t my brother’s first child. They had a baby girl before Edward, but lost her before her first birthday.”

      She gasped. “How awful.” Her heart ached for the lovely woman who’d been so kind to her. “I can’t imagine how devastated I would be if something happened to Nina.”

      “Sophie didn’t die.” But his face still creased with pain. “They’d tried for years to get pregnant, then decided to adopt. Four months after Sophie was placed with them, the birth mother changed her mind. They went through hell.”

      She’d assumed the extra portraits of children that didn’t look like Landises were the grandchildren of Ginger’s second husband. Now she realized one of the little-girl images must have been that adopted daughter. So that’s why Marianna had noticed she loved Nina as much as any biological mother could. “I’m so sorry for what they went through.”

      “The birth mother sends them periodic updates and Sophie looks happy.”

      As she studied his pained expression, she realized it wasn’t totally about hurting for his brother. He’d loved the little girl, too, and grieved when she was taken away. She stayed silent so he could just talk.

      “My brother and his wife may be happy now, but after all they went through…” He shook his head slowly. “They even divorced at one point. My brother is a steady sort, good marriage material. Me? Not so much, even on a good day.”

      His line of logic wasn’t going where she’d expected. She struggled to follow. “You’re afraid of letting your family down?”

      “I would do what I have to, but I saw from my sister-in-law, from my mother, too, how much more is needed to make a marriage and family work. I’m not cut out for that.”

      She almost blurted out her disbelief at his assumption, told him that he was copping out, but held the words back at the last second. He said he didn’t lie to people, and maybe strictly that was true. But she suspected he was lying to himself. Men weren’t always great at admitting their fears, especially if one fear involved turning his heart over to a child. “You’re really content to live your life alone?”

      “I

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