The Father of Her Son - By Kathleen Pickering Page 0,58
of story was perfect for Evan. With her cleaved to him, Evan could muscle out every other TV station from gaining access to her. When all was said and done, they could divorce. Right? So many celebrities changed their minds like they changed their couture.
Bottom line: Sure Evan liked her and threw a net of pretty convincing arguments, but was he offering marriage because he loved her? He hadn’t said so. Not enough collateral for this levelheaded Irish woman who had sacrificed way too much to create her current situation.
“Evan, at the risk of hurting you I must say that under any other circumstance I would be flattered beyond belief by your offer.”
“But?”
She hardened her gaze. “But I’m not convinced of your motives.”
Her words caused him to sit back in his chair. He frowned. When he spoke, his lowered voice carried hurt. “Kelly, don’t you feel the connection between us?”
She inhaled a long, slow breath. “Yes, Evan, I feel an attraction. But marriage? I can’t answer you. And if you insist, I’ll have to say no.”
He released the breath he’d been holding. “Okay. I understand. I’m being bullheaded and you don’t like to be managed.”
Despite her distress, she grinned. “Yes, there is that.”
“Your back is against the wall, Kelly. You don’t know how seriously you should take my proposal.”
A lump rose in her throat. There was that casual threat again—the same one Michael had delivered.
“Does my lack of choices have anything to do with the damage control over the DNA issue Michael mentioned?”
His mouth pressed into a hard line. “Afraid so.”
She swallowed hard.
“Look,” he said, “let’s go out. We can sit at a table like civilized adults and continue this conversation.”
“I’d prefer we talk about it here. Now.”
He watched her for a long moment as if assessing the situation. He grabbed his phone. “Okay, we stay here. I have to make a call. Does seafood work for you?”
* * *
AS THEY SAT at the kitchen counter eating chilled whole lobsters, Evan silently fumed about the damned issue with Buzz Campbell hanging between them like a hangman’s noose.
How was he going to work around her suspicions? He already knew that she distrusted his motives. Honestly, he couldn’t blame her, but somehow he had to convince her that when it came to feelings for her, his were the real deal. Even his mother had noticed his attraction to her. When she kissed him goodbye this evening she whispered that she couldn’t believe she was going to have a grandchild so soon. He had to love Mom. She never missed a thing. Now, if her words would fly from her lips to God’s ears.
“What are you thinking?”
Kelly watched him with concern. He wanted to slide his hand beneath that sheaf of hair and feel the soft skin of her neck once more like he did last night. He cleared his throat.
“I was thinking about my mother. She likes you.”
Kelly arched an eyebrow in reply. “Really? I suspected she thought I may be another project for you.”
He chuckled. “You have yet to understand Julie. She’s testing your mettle. She likes what she sees.”
He didn’t take his eyes from hers as they sipped their wine. “I hate that this incident with Buzz Campbell has put a wedge between us.”
She shrugged a shoulder, drawing his attention to the smooth whiteness of her skin over the toned muscles of her upper arm. He itched to brush his fingers along the dusting of freckles at her shoulder.
Kelly must have seen the emotion on his face because she blushed. “Look at the bright side.”
“What’s that?”
“If it wasn’t for the senator, I wouldn’t be sitting here, and we wouldn’t be having such a meaningful conversation.”
He chuckled. “Then I should vote for the bastard.”
Her smile faded. “What is going to happen, Evan?”
He reached for her hand and was surprised at the tremor in her fingers. “Damage control. We can pull this off, honey.”
She momentarily tightened her grip in his before releasing his hand to toy with the stem of her glass. “I’m prepared to fight, but I don’t understand how marriage fits into the equation.”
“This is where it gets tricky, Kelly. Again, I must ask you to keep an open mind.” A thought occurred to him. “When did you get your citizenship?”
“Two years ago.”
Evan nodded. “Good. That’s one track Campbell can’t take.”
“Having me deported?”
“If you only had a green card, he certainly could rattle your cage with that one.”