by Kris Jayne
“How? Assuming the worst…” She shrugged and fell back against the car.
“I’ll do it. I promise. How is just the details.”
* * *
Shannon wished she could believe Jonah. Maybe she should. The Morans swaggered as if they could always get what they wanted, and often they did.
“I wish you could have told me. When I think about how I treated you after all you’d been through, it’s unforgivable.”
“You didn’t know.”
“Why couldn’t you tell me? Before seeing Aaron. Right when you got back from the funeral. Why?”
“I didn’t want to make excuses for sleeping with someone else, and then I figured it didn’t matter. I didn’t know if you’d stay. I was stupid. I hoped the problem would just—” Shannon flicked her fingers through the air. “Poof.”
“But you didn’t choose to sleep with someone else. I love you, I would have…I’m sorry.”
“I didn’t think any man would love a woman enough to get over something like that.”
“It’s not your fault.”
The words were a balm for all the hurt Shannon buried in the past few months. She told herself that it wasn’t her fault, but hearing it from Jonah shifted something in her.
“I shouldn’t have been so scared.”
“We can still go to the police. Aaron shouldn’t get away with what he did.”
“You and I both know that at this point, it’s an uphill battle, and the turmoil it will cause isn’t worth it to me. Honestly. I’m trying to be realistic. I don’t want to look back.”
Jonah’s jaw flexed, and Shannon could tell he struggled to let it go.
“What if he’s the father and you have to split custody? He’ll be in your life forever.”
“I don’t know. I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it. If the baby is Aaron’s, I’ll handle it somehow.”
“We’ll handle it.”
“I appreciate it, but I can manage. I’ve spent some time wrapping my mind around every scenario, and I’ll be okay.”
“You don’t get it. I’m not leaving you to do this on your own. Unless you don’t want me to help you.”
Jonah’s crestfallen face sank Shannon’s heart.
“I do want your help. I do want…you.”
“I’ve never wanted anyone or anything more than I want you. That’s why I came here. I wanted you to know that I don’t care about the test.”
Shannon’s tears swelled again. “Are you sure? What if I have Aaron’s baby?”
“I’m still yours if you want me to be, and the baby will be mine in every way that matters if you want him or her to be.”
“I do.”
“Save your ‘I do’s’ for later. I haven’t asked you that question yet.”
Her response caught in her throat as he swept her closer and bent down to kiss her.
* * *
In middle of unloading boxes of pillows for Vivienne on Wednesday, she heard the familiar ring under a pile of fabric. Shannon saw the number and immediately knew.
The receptionist at the clinic let Shannon know that the results were available. She could log onto the clinic’s website with her unique identification code and view them.
She immediately rang Jonah.
“Hey, Shannon. Oh, I’m getting another call.”
“It’s probably the clinic. Our results are ready.”
“Are you working at Vivienne’s today?”
“Yes.”
“I can be there in fifteen minutes.”
Shannon sat on the floor amidst the detritus of the morning’s work, itching to run to the computer in the corner of the room. She slipped her hands underneath her thighs and closed her eyes.
“You’re not sleeping on the job are you?” Vivienne stood over her, coffee in hand.
Tears pooled in her eyes as Shannon opened them. Vivienne squatted next her.
“Are you okay?”
“The paternity test results are in. Jonah’s on his way here so we can look at them.”
“Oh. I should go so you guys can have some privacy.”
“You don’t have to go. It’s your office.”
“Nope. I’m taking off for an early lunch. Call me if you need anything. Anything, Shannon.”
Vivienne patted her leg and stood to go.
“Vivienne?”
“Yes?”
“Thank you.”
“Hey, you’re doing us all a favor by getting Jonah settled down.” Vivienne shrugged, then winked.
A few minutes after his sister cleared out, Jonah arrived, full of smiles.
“You’re chipper. I feel like I might be sick.”
“No matter what happens, we’ll deal with it together.”
They trudged upstairs back to the office, and Shannon dropped in front of the computer. Her hands shook so badly, she fumbled on the keyboard.
“You want me to type?”
“Yes.” She jumped up and moved aside so Jonah could sit.
“Here we go.”
Shannon read him the log-in code, and they waited as the page loaded and Jonah clicked on “Lab Results.”
She wished there could just be a “yes” or “no,” but they had to scroll and read. Jonah scrolled so quickly, Shannon scanned the page furiously to find the information she longed for.
Before she could locate it, he grabbed her hand. She tore her eyes away from the screen, and Jonah came into focus, grinning.
Epilogue
The sharp wail of Benjamin Kyle Moran, seven pounds, four ounces, startled Jonah so badly he nearly fell out of the long cot next to Shannon’s bed.
“You should have gone home. I love you, but you look a mess.”
“No. If you’re not leaving, I’m not leaving. I’ll clean up fine.”
“You will.” Shannon laughed. “But right now, the side of your hair is sticking straight up.”
Jonah stood and glanced at a mirror, smoothing the sides of his hair. Benji protested again.
“He’s not hungry. I just fed him. Maybe he’s cold.” Shannon re-swaddled him and then held him, while patting his back until he quieted down.
Seeing Shannon with their baby filled him with a profound relief. The pregnancy had progressed without any problems, but the whole time Jonah felt tense and protective. Benji’s birth transitioned him to new worries, but at least both mother and child were healthy.
“You just missed your mother.”
“You should have woken me. What did she say?” He rubbed his eyes, then opened them, suspicious.
“I wanted to let you sleep. Anyway, she was…nice. She held Benji, insisted on calling him Benjamin, but seemed happy. I guess. I’m not sure I know what your mother looks like happy.”
“Maybe once the divorce is final, we’ll all get a better idea. I still feel horrible about it. Like it’s my fault.”
Sheila Moran would endure many things, but a secret child wasn’t one of them. After Jonah had his DNA compared with Trevor’s, it confirmed what he suspected. They were brothers.
Relieved to know the truth, Trevor gave up the idea of ever speaking to his father, but then Sheila saw paperwork from the clinic at Jonah’s house. He tried to explain it away as a visit related to the pregnancy, but his mother had gone home and looked it up. She called demanding to know why he was getting DNA testing done.
Faced with the choice to tell her about Shannon or to tell her about Trevor, Jonah dropped the bombshell he knew would come out eventually. Plus, he and Vivienne had established a relationship with their little brother and liked him. Now, at least, they might be able to invite him to Christmas—one day.
Sheila slapped Tom with divorce papers within the week. Jonah suspected she had some on ice. Who can hire a lawyer and prepare a detailed request for half of his father’s assets in just a few days? Maybe his mother, but he doubted it.
“I think she’s going to be okay. She does seem softer and less stressed. I think she’s been waiting for the other
shoe to drop in their marriage for a while. I don’t know. Who am I to say? Anyway, she volunteered to get me an ice cream sandwich. I told her I’ve been craving them.”
“Really?”
“I know. This is the woman who once threatened to make my life a living hell if I married you.”
“Well, we got married, and now she’s running errands for ice cream. So much for threats.”
“I think it’s Benji. You should see how she looks at him.”
Shannon cuddled the baby, smelling his cotton-soft head.
Their wedding was a quiet affair in his backyard with his family, Olivia—with Taryn and Jeff—and a couple of Shannon’s friends from work. Jonah told Shannon she could have a fanciful dream wedding, but she opted out.
“Why? So we can share the day with strangers?”
That his parents—together at the time—attended their nuptials shocked Jonah at the time. His father had complained that a private wedding would look like they had something to hide during the campaign. Jonah remembered his mother’s advice and knew to ignore him.
Now, he laughed. He should never forget an important event—Shannon’s Halloween birthday, Benji’s Fourth of July birthday, or their Valentine’s Day anniversary.
“Maybe I should have been born on Christmas instead of on May 9.”
“What?”
“I was thinking about Benji’s birthday yesterday.”
“The nurses keep commenting on how rare it is for a baby to come exactly on the due date.”
“He’s a patriot. Only July 4 would do.”
“Oh, no. Here you go, sounding like a politician.”
Jonah stood up and took his son from Shannon, holding him tightly to his chest. Tiny fanned lashes fluttered almost imperceptibly on chubby cheeks. A surge of love and protectiveness charged through him.
“God, he’s cute.”
Shannon leaned over, stretching her arms down her legs. “I know.”
Their eyes met, and they laughed.
Also in the Thirsty Hearts Series
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Keep reading for a preview of book four, Chasing You. Can’t wait for more Thirsty Hearts? A prequel to book four, the novella Her London Fling, is available now! Miss the first two Thirsty Hearts books? Get them today!
Available Now: Her London Fling
Alexa Stevens lives for the new, the exciting, and what’s next. So when she visits a friend in London to cheer her through a divorce, she’s intrigued by meeting the handsome Adam Gadsby. The heat between them chases away the November chill and has him thinking long-term. Her trip draws to a close, and Alexa figures she’ll fly home with fond memories of her London fling and nothing more. Adam has other plans. Can Alexa open herself to the possibility of love?
Buy Now
And Coming Soon: Chasing You
Alexa Stevens doesn’t do commitment. The ex-model turned personal trainer and gym owner lives a jet-set life. With all the exciting adventures to have in this world—especially of the masculine variety—why get tied down?
Keeping it light suits Graham Ryan just fine—especially after he finds out their financial interests intersect and conflict. Mixing business with pleasure is bound to cause complications he doesn’t need.
However, when her old flame Adam Gadsby arrives in town to win her heart, suddenly Alexa's take on long-term love starts to shift. Graham sees her drifting away and wonders if he doesn’t want more. Adam knows what he wants — if only he can convince Alexa she wants the same.
For Alexa, the question is: how do you know who’s the one? With two men chasing her, can make the right choice before it’s too late?
Available Now: Charming You
Micky Llewellyn has trusted men before with disastrous results. Now, she’s focused on her career, her friends, and making sure she doesn’t let another charming man lie to her and break her heart.
Nick Halden’s life has unfolded according to plan. He’s on track to a partnership at one of Dallas’ premier law firms, and he’s marrying a woman who has the beauty, smarts, and connections to be the perfect wife. Or he thought he was.
Fate and a dead car battery throw Micky and Nick together, forcing them to question what they want. Nick’s charm makes Micky’s heart pound with desire and her gut twist with mistrust. Micky’s fire awakens a passion in Nick that flips his world upside down. With his personal and professional lives colliding in chaos, Nick has one way to make sure he gets what he wants, but it means betraying the woman he craves.
In their struggle to balance love and ambition, Micky and Nick will have to decide what they want and at what cost before they lose the one thing that matters.
Buy Now
Available Now: Choosing You
Taryn Lieber has a date set to marry a man beyond her dreams. Jeff McConnell, and his feisty daughter, Olivia, transformed her life. She never thought she’d want a ready-made family. Now, she can’t wait.
The only good to come out of Jeff McConnell’s first marriage was his curly-haired daughter and the unfulfilled desire for a woman to stand with him as he conquered the world. When he met Taryn, he knew instantly she was the one.
Taryn and Jeff have plans for marriage, adoption, and a life together, but those plans fall apart when Jeff’s ex-wife shows up, wanting to be part of Olivia’s life. What does the woman want? Taryn’s instincts tell her Shannon Nelson is an unreliable, scheming opportunist. Jeff’s compassion compels him to find a way for Olivia to reconnect with her biological mother.
Conflict, mistrust, and danger follow as Taryn and Jeff try to hang on to the love that brought them together and make it down the aisle.
Buy Now
Excerpt from Chasing You
White. Everywhere. Startling white light blasted her eyes open. More white surrounded her. She blinked. Pillows and a cloud of bedding.
This isn’t my bed.
Only hotels had bed sheets bleached this white. Alexa’s heart jumped in panic. Where was she? London? That had been over a month ago. Then, she had stopped in New York on her way back and seen friends. A weekend in Vegas for another friend’s birthday. Oklahoma for Christmas.
Her mind cleared as the world came more into focus. Dallas. She drove up to Dallas because her friend and business partner Melissa had an invite to a slamming house party for New Year’s. It was New Year’s Day. Melissa probably wondered where she was, and Alexa had plans to see her cousin. Taryn was cooking.
What time is it?
She hadn’t worn a watch or even her usual activity tracker. The bulky rubber strap ruined her look. For New Year’s Eve, she’d opted for a sparkly, silver-sequinned halter dress, fitting closely to her body and stopping scandalous inches above her knees. That she could still pull off the dress and the sky-high, spangled platform sandals in her mid-thirties filled Alexa with pride.
The vodka-induced pounding of her head did not. Nor did having no clue where her dress was—or her underwear for that matter. Her stomach roiled. Why had she let Melissa talk her into shots? Alexa hadn’t allowed herself to get that drunk in years. The hangovers. The stupid decision making. The calories.
She had to get out of here. Alexa closed her eyes briefly to gather her reserves for leaving the warm bed and finding her clothes. And a toothbrush.
“Unnnh!”
A masculine groan behind her added to Alexa’s growing morning regret. She rolled over and pulled the fluffy comforter down from in front of her face. A lean stretch of muscle and tanned skin twisted next to her. Stark naked and awake in more ways than one. It’s eyes were open, and it was smiling.
“Mornin’, sweetheart.”
Alexa tried not to cringe.
Why can’t you disappear in a puff of smoke?
Then, she did cringe. The words that sprang up in her head had found their way out of her mouth.
* * *
Graham woke up pleased to reach out and close his hand on the cur
ved hip of a woman. New Year’s Eve success. The exact details of how she got there were a blur, but he remembered the feel of a firm ass on his hand, soft lips, and the tight squeeze on his cock as he eased into her.
He likely had scratches the length of his back from her nails. She clung to him as she bucked, straddling him. And he’d clung to her on his lap.
Remembering the night before—or, more precisely, earlier that morning—spread a sloppy grin on his face.
He heard her stir and turned over with a moan. Light brown eyes with tinges of green stared at him, narrowed with perturbance.
Just as he began brainstorming ways he might bring back the veil of passion that fell over them when he’d slipped a hand down her belly and between her legs a few hours before, she’d doused him with a verbal bucket of ice water.
“Why can’t you disappear in a puff of smoke?”
A beat after her mumbled indictment of their time together, she swore and apologized.
“Sorry. Headache. And I have to go.”
She jumped out of the bed, and Graham got a fantastic view: long, naked curves of creamy cafe au lait skin, rushing into the bathroom. She stopped only to pluck her dress, handbag, and lace underthings off the floor. The door snapped shut.
For the next several minutes, he stared at that door, listening to the rush of water first from the sink and then the shower. The clang of objects against the hard countertop surprised him. How much could she have in that tiny purse?
The door flung open as purposefully as it had been slammed shut. Somehow she looked polished and bright even in last night’s dress.
“I have to go,” she repeated.
“Why?”
“I have plans today. I’m probably already late.”
She flipped her gaze around the room, dark curly hair bouncing.
“What time is it? My phone is dead.”
Graham rolled over to the nightstand on his side of the bed and sat up.
