Stone looked out the window into the dark night, his eyes suspiciously bright. Jenna felt tears well up in her own eyes. Tears for a man who’d given so much and received so little. Tears for a man who wouldn’t let his own fall.

Nothing could have kept Jenna from taking his hand. He strung his fingers through hers and held tight, still staring out the window.

I love you, she wanted to tell him, the words nearly bouncing off her tongue with an ease that startled her, for she’d never, ever, said them before.

He whipped his head around to face her, and for a horrified second, Jenna feared she’d spoken out loud.

“Excuse us,” Stone said politely to his mother, and taking Jenna’s hand, he practically dragged her into the kitchen.

“Stone, you’re going to have to talk to her. I’m not nearly as…important”

“Don’t do that,” he said, touching her face gently and stopping her words. “You’re as important to me as she is.”

“But-”

“No buts.” He rubbed his forehead, reminding her how tired he was. “I have no way of knowing how serious she is, or if this is just a passing phase because she lost Richard. But you…yoa’re not a passing phase.”

“Stone-”

“I mean it,” he said gruffly, sinking his fingers into her hair, holding her head. “I know it hasn’t been very long-”

“Do this first,” Jenna said shakily. “Do this with her, then we’ll talk. Then, if you still mean it…” Please let him still mean it. Her voice cracked.

With a low sound of concern, Stone dipped his head and kissed her softly. “Tell me now.”

Jenna glanced at the kitchen door. “No,” she whispered. “Not like this. Not in a hurry. I can’t, I just can’t. God, Stone…I’ve been trying to tell you forever. It has to be right. And most certainly it’s not right now.”

“Okay.” He sighed and straightened. “I’ll talk to her first, but don’t you dare leave. Promise you’ll wait this out, no matter how long it takes. That we’ll finish this once and for all.”

“I’ll wait.”

His eyes never left hers. “Promise.”

“I don’t go back on my word.”

He didn’t smile-there was too much heart-wrenching tension in them both for that-but his gaze said it all. And suddenly she wanted to hug him tight.

He beat her to it, wrapping her in his arms and rocking her against him, where they stayed for a long moment

“Oops.”

Jenna jerked out of Stone’s arms at the sound of his mother’s exclamation.

“I’m sorry,” Lara said calmly, chin up, cheeks bright. “I was just checking to see if everything was okay.”

Stone didn’t let go of Jenna. “You were appeasing your curiosity.”

Lara looked startled at his frankness, but then smiled. “Yes. Can you blame me?”

“No,” said Jenna quickly. “Of course not.”

Lara beamed at this support, although her smile turned a bit shaky when she turned to her son.

They all stood there, staring at each other with an awkwardness that deepened with every passing second.

This couldn’t get worse, Jenna assured herself. It couldn’t.

“Daddy?”

At the soft hesitant voice, Jenna closed her eyes and groaned.

Of course it could.

“Come here, Sara,” Stone said wearily. “Before you trap your nose in the door.”

The girl bounded toward them, her cheeks red, her eyes bright with excitement.

A second wind, Jenna thought dully. Sara would never get back to sleep now. “I should really go…”

“No,” Stone said. “You stay here.” Jenna pulled away but kept holding his hand.

“Grandma?”

With the obliviousness of the young, Sara ran up to Stone’s mother and threw her arms around her. “I knew you’d come, I just knew it! I told Daddy you would, but he said not to hope because he didn’t want me to be disappointed.”

Stunned, her arms hovering uncertainly in the air, Lara Cameron stared down at the dark head pressed to her middle.

Sara squeezed.

Closing her eyes with a soft exclamation of emotion, Lara wrapped her arms around the child. “Well, hello, there,” she whispered. “Oh, you feel good.”

“You do, too,” Sara said. Then she wrinkled her nose. “But you don’t smell good. Icky.”

To Jenna’s astonishment, the woman laughed.

Stone gave a little gasp, and Jenna’s heart went out to him. If she was surprised to see the woman smile and laugh, Stone must be near heart failure.

“That’s very expensive perfume, darling.” Lara tipped up Sara’s chin. “It’s an acquired taste.”

Stone shoved fingers through his already tousled hair and shot Jenna a helpless look before turning to his mother. “Why are you here?”

Lara lifted her head, her eyes as bright as her granddaughter’s. “I…” She laughed again, nervously this time. Jenna couldn’t blame her, for Stone was staring at his mother with a probing suspicious look. “I don’t know exactly,” she said finally. “I couldn’t think after the service, then at the house there were so many people, I just got in my car to take a drive.” She lifted her shoulder in a perfect echo of both Stone’s and Sara’s shrug. “And I ended up here.”

Stone didn’t relax, just regarded her with an inscrutable expression. “That’s not good enough,” he said finally.

Jenna shifted uncomfortably. “Stone-”

“Daddy!”

“No,” Laura said to her granddaughter. “He’s right, darling.” She met Stone’s gaze. “I’m sorry, Stone. I came to tell you that. I know it’s not worth much in your world, and-” she swallowed hard and hugged Sara close “-I can see why and what you’re protecting.”

“Can you?”

“Oh, yes.” She smiled down at Sara with wonder and joy. “And believe me, I understand. She’s…priceless.”

Stone let out a deep breath. “Yes, she is. And she’s ten. Ten times around the calendar without you giving a damn.”

“I gave a damn,” Lara whispered. Her gaze fell to Sara’s fascinated one. “I gave a lot of damns. But pride is a horrible thing, Stone.”

“A couple of visits and some expensive presents aren’t going to cover this one, Mother. It’s not going to be a quick fix.”

“I’m not looking for a quick fix.”

“No?” He arched a brow. “What are you looking for?”

For a minute her chin trembled, as if she was about to cry, but then she stiffened it and said bravely, “Forgiveness.”

“Because of Richard.”

“For Richard. I should have done it sooner, I know that. I shouldn’t have ignored your attempts to communicate over the years.”

Stone didn’t appear moved. “It took a long time.”

“Maybe I’m a slow learner. Maybe I had to suffer great pain first.”

At the unmistakable reference to his brother’s death, Stone relented. “I’m sorry. I’ll never stop regretting that we never spoke again. But quite honestly it doesn’t solve anything. Up until just a day ago, you were still refusing to accept my calls.”

Lara glanced down at Sara, then over at Jenna. “Would you mind terribly…?”

“Not at all,” Jenna said, relieved. “Come with me, Sara, into the living room. We’ll stoke the fire.”

“I want to stay here and listen.”

“Sara…”

At the warning in her father’s voice, Sara rolled her eyes and went with Jenna.

“I saw you hugging my daddy,” she said the instant the doors shut behind them. “I don’t want you to do that again. My mommy’s going to come home and he’s hers.”

Jenna nodded seriously, although her heart began to race. Everything she’d ever wanted was standing right in front of her, and she didn’t want to ruin it. “I’m glad your mommy is coming home. Have…” Her voice started to crack and she cleared her throat. “Have you missed her?”

“Yes.”

Jenna took a big chance and kneeling before the stubborn wonderful child of her heart, whispered, “She missed you, too. And I bet she’ll tell you that real soon.”


They were playing cards by the fire, with Jenna losing badly at a game of Go Fish, when Stone and Lara came back into the room. Looking stressed out and exhausted, Stone went directly to his daughter, pulled her close and said, “Would you like to go spend the night at your grandma and grandpa’s house?”

“Oh, boy! Really?”

“Really,” Stone told the bouncing grinning girl. “Can you be good?”

“Yep!”

Stone helped Sara pack, then walked both her and Lara to the car. Jenna sat in the kitchen, her heart pounding. By the time Stone came back in and looked at her, she thought for sure he’d be able to hear it from across the room.

She was about to lay her life and heart and soul on the line. There was nothing and no one to stop her this time, and panic nearly overwhelmed her.

“Just us.” Stone came right for her, lifted her out of the stool and against him.

He felt so good. Warm and hard and strong and capable, so very capable. How long had it been since she’d had someone like him in her life, someone she could depend on?

She knew the answer to that all too well. He’d been the last person. The one and only.

“Oh, Stone,” she whispered, clinging for just another minute. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry in advance for-”

“Just tell me, sweetheart.” Stroking her sides, her back, his big hands were everywhere.

Because she couldn’t help herself, her hands slid under his T-shirt, traveling slowly up the sleek bunched muscles of his back. Stretching beneath her roving fingers, he made a noise like a big cat on the prowl; a deep husky half-purring sound that had her body reacting in a thousand ways.

When she arched against him with a soft needy murmur, he lowered his mouth to hers.

“Wait,” she gasped.

“Cin-” he started, only to break off with a little laugh. “Okay, you’re right. This before hormones, because I just remembered-I don’t even know your name.” Still standing, still holding her, he looked down into her face. His eyes had a suggestive gleam. “Besides, we have all night now.”