When Hearts Collide - By James, Kendra Page 0,25

hand in his. When his thumb caressed her gently, she felt her heart start to somersault. His features had softened, and he was looking at her with the most irresistible, devastating smile she had ever seen. Another heart vault and words tumbled out of her mouth. “I guess I could stay a few days. At least until you get home.”

“Oh, Molly, you really are an angel.” Pearce squeezed her hand.

A shiver of excitement raced through her, and she was grateful to be sitting. The way he was smiling at her, Molly knew her knees wouldn’t support her weight. There was something about this man that drew her. He’d sparked a sexual awareness that had lain dormant for longer than she wanted to remember. Did that have anything to do with her agreeing to his crazy proposal?

This man had suffered critical injuries and would need time to recover. His child was in need of a mother figure, but was Molly ready to be that figure? They both needed intensive care. Molly could give it, but would she lose her heart to both of them in the process?

She should have said no. If she had any common sense, she would have. She should run as fast and as far as her legs would carry her. Her mouth opened, but the “no” on her tongue refused to budge.

Chapter 6

Less than twenty-four hours ago, Molly had been free, no ties, no commitments, no one depending on her, and now, here she was, responsible for a small child, staying in some unknown man’s house.

Molly watched the child sitting across the kitchen table from her. Gracie had been inconsolable when she found out they would have to leave her father at the hospital. She couldn’t understand he needed to recover from his injuries.

Molly had been almost ready to leave her there, almost ready to have Mrs. Nesbitt take over, no matter how unkind the woman appeared—almost, but not quite. Besides, Mrs. Nesbitt would be on her cruise by now and unavailable.

Despite being at her wit’s end, she couldn’t desert Gracie. Molly thought of how many times as a child her hopes had been raised that there was a foster family for her and her sister. But her hopes were continually dashed when the social worker found out the potential family really wanted a boy, a younger child, a child with blond hair and blue eyes, definitely not two red-haired sisters who got older every year.

“Could you say goodnight to your daddy without crying?” Molly asked.

Gracie sniffed loudly, then nodded. Molly dialed the hospital number and waited for the nurse to get Pearce on the line. True to her word, Gracie remained tear-free.

“Daddy wants to talk to you.” Gracie handed her the phone.

She listened to Pearce’s rich baritone. “Oh, Molly, you don’t know how much this means to me, to know I can count on you. I need you so much right now.” She pressed the phone to her ear and slumped into the chair. He was doing it again, pulling at her heartstrings. Other than her sister, no one had ever told her they needed her. Now she had two people depending on her. Molly clutched the phone to her ear.

When Pearce spoke again, he sounded tired, and his voice softened to a husky whisper. “Goodnight, Molly. I’m off to dream about my two angels.”

A rush of warmth spread through her and she couldn’t help smiling. The thought of being in his dreams was astonishingly appealing. Molly wouldn’t be surprised if tonight he ended up in her own dreams.

As she tucked the blankets around Gracie, Molly was drawn to the pastel bunny pattern on her pajamas. It reminded her of a pair she’d had as a child. She remembered wearing them, just as she remembered her mother putting her to bed. She remembered all the good times, before her own world turned upside-down. She wiped a tear from her eye.

“Molly Mommy, are you sad, too?” Gracie asked.

“I’m okay.” Impulsively, she bent down and placed a kiss on the child’s forehead. She shook away the sad memories. That was long ago. She was a grown woman now, and had to let it go. But she would do whatever possible to keep this child from entering foster care.

Molly flipped on the child’s nightlight and eased the door partway closed. Now, where was she going to sleep? Last night she’d been so exhausted she’d fallen into Pearce’s bed. There was no excuse tonight, even if the temptation remained.