When Hearts Collide - By James, Kendra Page 0,52

She turned her head before more tears gave her away.

“You were crying. Did Daddy make you cry?”

“No.” Molly lied for the second time. She shut her eyes when she heard Gracie’s raised voice.

“Daddy, you’re bad. You made Molly cry. You shouldn’t do that. You have to say you’re sorry.”

Molly felt her body sink like a deflated balloon. Oh, Gracie. I love you, sweetie, but how could you? I don’t want your dad to know how seeing the way he loves you makes me a whimpering fool. Molly left the sandwiches on the table and turned away, but Pearce grabbed her hand.

“Molly.”

“I need to...”

“Please, Molly, do I need to apologize?”

“It’s okay.” Molly tried to pull away.

“No, it isn’t. Please, Molly.” He held his hand out to her. “Let me apologize. Gracie thinks I hurt your feelings.”

“Please, Molly,” Gracie held out her hand, too. “Daddy didn’t mean to make you cry.”

“He didn’t.”

Pearce’s face took on the look of a sad puppy and Lord knew she couldn’t resist a sad puppy. Molly shook her head and grinned at the two pleading faces. “I’m fine. Do you guys want lunch or not?”

“Yes,” Gracie announced. “But first you have to kiss and make up.”

Molly almost sputtered. She knew her mouth was catching mosquitoes.

Pearce threw his head back and let out a deep chuckle. “I guess we better do as she says.”

“That’s really not necessary,” Molly said.

“Yes,” Gracie said. “You have to.”

Pearce tipped his head and waited. “Come, Molly, give Daddy a kiss.”

Adrenalin surged through Molly as her mind reacted to a fight or flight response. She felt split in two, the one half urging her to flee to the refuge of her bedroom and the other half wanting to stay and fight, to show Pearce nothing was bothering her. Besides, she had a strong urge to feel the warmth of his lips on hers again.

Molly challenged Gracie. “Can’t we have lunch first? I’m starving.”

“No. You have to kiss and make up. Daddy’s waiting.”

Pearce grinned wickedly. “Daddy’s waiting, Molly.”

Molly’s heart raced erratically as she bent to meet his upturned face.

It should have been a quick peck, but once their lips met, neither seemed able to pull away. The child’s giggling in the background brought the adults to their senses.

Chapter 13

That night, Molly slept in Gracie’s room again. She decided she might actually get more rest if she lay beside the child and the rising heat in her body woke her than if she had to keep coming in and checking on her.

She’d been in a light sleep with visions of blond-haired children and a dark-haired men dancing around her when something woke her. Her first concern was Gracie. Had her fever come back? But the child’s skin felt cool. What had roused her? She lay in the shadowed room and listened.

A loud crash sounded close by. Molly leapt out of the bed, her, fear depositing a foul taste in her mouth. She swallowed it and glanced at Gracie. Thankfully the noise hadn’t woken her. Was that a groan? She hurried to the door. Had a burglar broken into the house? She looked at Trooper. Why wasn’t he barking? He raised his head, looked at Gracie, then as if assured his charge was safe, he wagged his tail and put his head back down.

“Great watchdog you are,” Molly growled.

She glanced around the room for a weapon. Gracie’s red baseball bat stuck out of her toy box. It was plastic but large enough to pack a significant wallop. Her hand shook as she eased it out of the out of the toy box. Raising it over her shoulder, Molly eased the door open. Trooper rose and reluctantly followed her into the dimly lit hallway.

Molly peeked toward the stairway. A form crouched by the top of the stairs—something large and dark, veiled in the shadows.

Where was the closest phone? She thought of the one in Pearce’s bedroom. It was the first doorway before the stairs, just feet from the crouching form. She wouldn’t be able to make it. If she tried for it, all the person had to do was reach out and grab her ankle, and he would have her.

Maybe she could knock him out, rush past him, get the phone. No. If she weren’t successful, he could get to Gracie. An intense need to protect the child overwhelmed her. Whatever it took, she wouldn’t let him get Gracie.

Raising the bat above her head, Molly took a cautious step into the hall. She