Just One Night (The Kingston Family #1) - Carly Phillips Page 0,42

to make breakfast for her and Linc instead. While he showered, which she’d already done, she headed to the kitchen.

Going through his cupboards, she found everything she needed to make French toast. Not because he went food shopping or cooked for himself but because someone did it for him. Mrs. Farley made certain his fridge and cabinets were stocked. She cooked dinner for him if he was going to be home and left it for him to heat.

Which meant, Jordan thought as she flipped the bread in the frying pan, she was spoiling him more. But she didn’t mind. As usual, he’d been there for her and pressed her to deal with something she’d have otherwise buried deep. She couldn’t help but be grateful for last night and this morning even if she was setting herself up for heartbreak each time she gave in and found herself in his bed.

In her heart, she knew Linc would never intentionally hurt her. She’d also discovered she couldn’t resist him. All she could do was to move forward and do her best not to let this happen again. But she wasn’t going to beat herself up for being with him, either.

Her body hurt in the best ways. Muscles were sore, reminding her of how good they’d been together. How in sync. How well he read her need.

Her cell phone rang from its place on the granite countertop, Mom showing up on the screen. She winced because she’d owed her mother a phone call for too long. They normally spoke more often, but Jordan had been so busy since coming home from Florida, she hadn’t had a chance to do more than exchange texts with her parent. She didn’t want to talk to her now, from Linc’s, but at this point, her mother would worry if Jordan didn’t take the call.

She picked up the phone and touched the accept button. “Hi, Mom.” She tucked the phone between her ear and shoulder.

“Jordan Marie, where have you been? I called you a few times last night and again this morning.”

She cringed. She’d never wanted to worry her mother. “I’m fine, Mom. Sorry. It’s been a little crazy.” She added a slice of toast from the frying pan to the plate where the other finished pieces were before placing the final coated piece onto the pan.

“Is Linc working you that hard?” her mother asked.

“No, Mom. His new sister had a baby last night.”

“Oh, a baby! A boy or a girl?” her mom asked.

Jordan smiled. “A girl. Unnamed but I’m sure Aurora will pick one soon. And the baby is the sweetest thing.”

“You were there? At the hospital?” Her mom sounded surprised.

“Yes. Actually I was in the room with Aurora when she gave birth.” As Jordan spoke, she braced herself for a negative reaction.

“I don’t understand. Wasn’t there someone from the family who could have been with her? You aren’t family.”

Ouch. “I’m well aware. And if I wasn’t, you certainly remind me of it often enough,” she snapped.

Her mother sighed. “Honey, I’m not trying to be mean. I’m just reminding you of your place. One day the man you call your best friend is going to find a woman to marry, and where will that leave you?”

Jordan flipped the bread and did her best to breathe and not let her mother’s words get to her, but it was hard after spending the night in Linc’s bed, sleeping in his arms.

“Can we talk about something else?” she asked.

“Sure. Did I tell you the fire alarm went off in my building the other night? We all had to go outside, and I was wearing my robe…” Her mother went on with her story, and Jordan murmured the requisite mmm-hmms while she spoke.

By the time she hung up, her good mood had been ruined by her mother’s judgmental assessment of her place in Linc and Aurora’s life. It only served to reinforce all the negative thoughts Jordan already held about why they could never be together long-term and why she needed to be better about guarding her heart.

Chapter Eight

“Jordan, hold my calls,” Linc said as he exited his office. “I’ll be holed up in the conference room with Brian. No interruptions.”

“Got it!” She turned her attention back to work.

In the two weeks since she’d slept with Linc again, they’d fallen back into their normal routine, working during the day, occasional dinners together, and yes, he’d taken her to Ocean Prime for lunch as promised, but he’d been a total gentleman. She