But she couldn’t. Not because her body was frozen in place, but because she didn’t want to. She’d been wishing he would kiss her again since the moment he stopped in the ballroom of the Grand Springs Empress Hotel. Even in the hospital, while she’d been recovering, she’d found her thoughts returning again and again to Jonathan’s kiss and the feel of his body pressed against hers. Now that he was doing it again and she could inhale his scent and taste his masculine sweetness, she saw no reason to make him stop.

Despite what he tried to claim, she knew the truth. He was a good man. Honest, caring, and wounded inside. He couldn’t have learned all he had about his brother without it having an impact on him. She ached for his pain. She wanted to heal him. She sensed that was one of the reasons he kissed her. Instinctively he reached out to another person to ease his pain.

Then his tongue brushed against her lower lip and she found that she couldn’t think anymore. She couldn’t do anything but absorb the sensations that crashed through her like the tide against the shore. Wave upon wave of passion made her quiver and question and wonder how this amazing thing could be happening to her.

She put her hands on his shoulders, then slowly parted her mouth. He groaned against her and swept inside, claiming her in a fit of desire that stole her breath. He explored her and teased her, touching, tasting, taking. He took and took and she continued to offer more. Because the more he needed, the more she seemed to have to give him. She strained to get closer, wanting to heal him with her passion.

Being like this with him felt so right. Need burned inside of her. A wanting she’d never experienced before. She knew the logistics of what happened between a man and a woman, but not the details. Suddenly she wanted to know everything, to experience it all in this man’s arms.

His hand released her hair only to move up and down her back. Long, strong fingers learned the curves of her hips and then her rear. He cupped her there and hauled her up against him. Her belly flattened against him and she felt an unfamiliar ridge. Her inexperienced brain took several seconds to figure out what it was. Jonathan was aroused. Just by this relatively innocent kiss. He might find her young and annoying and a Pollyanna, but he still wanted her.

The information filled her with a lightness that made her wonder how she kept from floating away. She, Cynthia Morgan, virgin, had somehow captured this man’s attention. She surged against him, shocking herself when she made her way into his mouth and began to explore him as he’d explored her. Instinctively she arched her hips toward him and moved her pelvis in a rhythm that provided counterpoint to the actions of her tongue.

Jonathan thrust her away and swore. His eyes were bright with fire, his breathing nearly as fast as hers. He still wore a suit from his day at the office. Now he loosened his tie and unfastened the first couple of buttons on his shirt.

“I won’t apologize,” he said, his voice low and challenging.

“Good. Because that would really annoy me.” She had to clear her throat to make her voice sound right.

He stared at her, his gaze intense. Then he reached up and rubbed his thumb against her bottom lip. “I want you.”

His words sent a thrill racing through her. Between her legs, her muscles convulsed and she felt a sudden spurt of wetness on her panties.

“I-I want you, too,” she managed to say, then had to duck her head so he wouldn’t see her blush.

“The hell you do. You don’t know the first thing about being with a man like me.”

“I could learn.”

He groaned and turned his back on her. “You’re out of your league. You can’t win this game.”

“It’s not a game and so far I’m holding my own.” A flash of temper gave her courage. She walked around him until they were facing each other again. “You treat me like a child. Okay, I’m younger than you and I haven’t lived a life similar to yours. Yes, I think the best of people. But I’m not simple and I’m not weak. When I was young, my mom was gone a lot, working. I grew up fast. I was responsible and capable at an age when most kids were still watching Saturday morning cartoons. When my stepfather died, I’m the one who held the family together. I’ve been a mature woman for a long time.”

His gaze turned haunted. “Then why aren’t you afraid of me?”

With that, he walked out of the room, leaving her alone with only the sound of her rapidly fluttering heart.

Cynthia flipped through the pile of bills she’d picked up on her visit to her office. She had a briefcase full of work, including several phone calls to return. It made sense to spend the morning at her office where she could work quickly and efficiently, but around ten-thirty, she found herself getting restless.

Now she walked up the front stairs to Jonathan’s house and told herself that she was acting crazy. Why had she returned here rather than staying at the headquarters of Mother’s Helper? Several answers came to her at once, but she didn’t like any of them. Not the one that said she wanted to be in Jonathan’s house because being there made her feel as if she was closer to him, nor the one that mentioned something about missing Colton and needing to feel the baby’s warm weight in her arms.

“You know better than to bond with a child,” she told herself sternly as she let herself in the front door. “That’s asking for nothing but trouble.”

As for needing to be in Jonathan’s house to feel closer to him…she didn’t have an answer for that, either.

“Lucinda, it’s me,” she called. “I’m back.”

The housekeeper appeared at the top of the stairs. She held the baby in her arms. “We were playing in his room. He loves that big plastic truck you got him. You know I always read about studies that say boys play with cars and guns because that’s what they’re given, but I think it’s more than that. It’s inside of them.” She tickled Colton’s chin. “You’re just a big boy who’s going to be a strong man, aren’t you, sweetie?”

Colton waved his arms and giggled. He was always happy, always loving, thriving on the attention showered on him by herself and Lucinda.

Cynthia glanced down at her suit. “I need to change out of these clothes, then finish up the work I brought home. Do you want me to take him, or-”

Lucinda cut her off with a quick wave. “I’ll watch him. You know I love to.” She swung around in a wide circle, holding out one of Colton’s arms, as if they were dancing. “I thought maybe I’d teach him the tango later. Women love men who can tango.”

Cynthia laughed as she made her way up the stairs. Lucinda was a wonderful addition to Jonathan’s household and she hoped he understood what a treasure he had in her.

She passed the older woman and the baby still tangoing, then made her way into her bedroom. In a matter of minutes she’d changed into jeans and a sweater, then she sat down at the small desk by the window. An hour later she’d finished paying her bills, had updated her accounts and made most of her phone calls.

With most of her work nearly finished, Cynthia found that her mind started to wander. For one thing, she couldn’t help remembering all that had happened the night before. Not just the kiss, although that had been amazing enough to keep her up most of the night. Being in Jonathan’s arms had been as wonderful the second time as it had been at the ball.

She was still surprised that he didn’t frighten or intimidate her. Maybe it was because she’d come close to death and didn’t want to waste any time. Maybe it was because she had the strong feeling that she was the only one who really saw the truth inside of him. At least she had no regrets about what they’d done the previous night, or if she did, they were regrets that he’d stopped.

She’d never made love with a man. To be honest, she hadn’t thought about it one way or the other. But being with Jonathan like that had made her think about the possibilities.

But as much as she reveled in being with him and however much she wanted to blush at the memory of her own boldness, what she couldn’t escape was what he’d said about his brother. That David had stolen from the company and then had tried to kill him.

She squeezed her eyes shut as pain swept through her. Pain for what Jonathan must be feeling. She couldn’t imagine a brother acting like that. Even though she knew families weren’t perfect and people didn’t always love the way they should, David’s actions were inconceivable.

With that new information, she completely understood Jonathan’s resistance to Colton. On the one hand, Jonathan was fair enough to want to give the innocent child a chance, but on the other, he couldn’t forget who the baby’s father was. She knew now that it was her job to help Jonathan make peace with his past. She would have to help him see that Colton was as much a victim as he was and that together they could heal each other.

A soft knock interrupted her thoughts. Lucinda came in with a tray of coffee and sandwiches. “It’s lunch. You didn’t eat much at breakfast, so I knew you’d be hungry. I already gave Colton his bottle. He’s about out for his nap.”

Cynthia took the offered food. “Thanks, Lucinda,” she said, smiling at the housekeeper. “You’re too good to me.”

The older woman shrugged. “You’re easy. And at least I have something to do now. Mr. Jonathan is never home. He never entertains, nothing.”

Cynthia thought about her questions and wondered if Lucinda would help. “Did you work here before Jonathan’s father died?”

Lucinda sat in one of the wing chairs and nodded. Her short, dark curls bobbed with the movement. “I’ve worked here nearly fifteen years. Old Mr. Steele hired me. Mr. David was still at home on school holidays, but Mr. Jonathan was gone.”