face had settled into an inscrutable mask that betrayed none of his thoughts. “When do you plan on telling them the truth about me?”
“Soon.” She laughed softly, but nothing about this situation was remotely humorous. “Especially since we’re apparently moving in together. My parents and I... As I mentioned before, we’re in the process of rebuilding our relationship. And I’m more than a little worried about how this news is going to affect it.”
“Yes, you told me a little bit about what happened with them,” Ross said, leaning a hip against the counter behind him, crossing his arms over his chest. She tried—and failed—not to notice how the muscles flexed underneath his long-sleeved white Henley. The man could make arm porn a multi-million-dollar industry. “From what I remember, you and your parents used to be close.”
“That was before I embarrassed them by getting pregnant out of wedlock. They were incredibly disappointed and disagreed with me raising the baby as a single mother. And they were very vocal about it.”
Vestiges of the hurt echoed in her chest even though she’d forgiven her parents long ago.
“Needless to say, our relationship was strained for a while. It started to heal when Ben was born. They fell in love with him at first sight.” She glanced over at her son, love swelling so hard it brushed away those whispers from the past like a broom sweeping out dirt from dark corners. “But I still never told them who his father was—and they never asked.” She huffed, shaking her head. “They’re going to have some explaining to do with their friends, though. People assumed I got married and divorced while I was in California, and they didn’t disabuse anyone of that assumption. When it becomes known that you’re Ben’s father and that we’ve never been married, they’re going to be scrambling.”
“Are you angry with them?”
She didn’t immediately answer. What are you doing? a small inner voice yelled at her. The last time she’d allowed herself to confide in this man, to trust in him, she’d set herself up for a heartbreak that had nearly broken her. Letting him in again would be a foolish mistake, and she’d promised herself long ago that she’d never be a fool for any man again. Particularly this man.
Yet... In a short time, they would be living together again. Co-parenting. They needed to have some sort of cordial relationship—some level of trust—to ensure Ben flourished in a healthy, calm environment. And that required her opening the door to Ross, even if only a little.
Sighing, she dipped her chin. “I was. They emotionally abandoned me just because I did something they didn’t approve of. And I can’t lie, there are moments when I still have a hard time wrapping my brain around the fact that I’ve forgiven them. But for the most part, I’ve let the anger go.”
“For Ben’s sake, are you going to be able to do the same with me?”
Her breath caught in her lungs, and she stared at him. At the electrifying blue eyes that smoldered with an intensity that simultaneously stirred the embers of desire inside her and set her veins racing with an inexplicable fear.
Discovering he hadn’t known about her pregnancy and hadn’t callously tossed her aside had gone a long way toward soothing her anger and resentment toward him. But a part of her clutched at the slick shards of bitterness that were embedded in her soul. Because that part hadn’t forgiven him for not loving her, not needing her, for letting her go when all she’d wanted was to be his.
Before she could answer, Ben raced from the living room and up to her. He wrapped his arms around her legs and tipped his head back. “Mama, potty!” he announced.
Relief poured through her. Lord, she’d never been so happy to potty train her son. “Let’s go,” she said, grasping his chubby little hand in hers.
Ross’s gaze seared her as she escaped his question and presence. A temporary reprieve. But one she was grateful for.
She needed the time to shore up her defenses against the force that was Ross Edmond.
* * *
“Is he finally down?” Charlotte glanced up from her glass of wine to smirk at Ross. He’d left the living room earlier to put Ben to bed.
A half hour ago.
“Yes.” He sprawled at the end of the couch she sat curled up on, his long, muscled legs spread out before her. “Just out of curiosity—” he rolled his head toward her, eyes narrowed “—do