Long-Lost Mom Read online

  “I can promise I feel something for you,” he said slowly, stroking her back, his voice rumbly and deep against her ear. “I can’t imagine that changing.”

  She closed her eyes, breathing in his wonderful scent, and wished with all her heart she didn’t have to do this.

  “Tell me, Cindy.”

  “For starters,” she said, lifting her head and straightening away from him to see his face. “That’s not my real name.”

  He shifted, his shirt stretching over bunching muscles. His voice was carefully patient, as though he refused to jump to conclusion. “You mean it’s short for something?”

  This was so desperately hard. “No. I mean Cindy isn’t my name at all.”

  Silence. He didn’t move a muscle. Then, very quietly, “What?”

  “I’m not...Cindy.” She grimaced. “Much as I spent most of my life wishing I was.”

  “Then who are you?”

  “That’s the...tricky part.”

  “I see.” His eyes narrowed speculatively. “Now I understand why you don’t always answer to your name.”

  Her face felt hot. “Yes,” she whispered. “I’m sorry.”

  “Why don’t you tell me the rest of it before you go apologizing for something I don’t understand?”

  “All right.” She stood, and swiped her wet palms down her pants. Lifting her hands to her eyes, she prepared to remove the dark contacts, wanting Stone to see the real her.

  The doorbell rang.

  Stone swore and Jenna froze. “No,” she whispered. “Not again. Fate really has it in for me.”

  “Tell me,” he said. “Just tell me.”

  Jenna stared at him, unable to believe they were going to be interrupted again. It was just too much. “But the door—”

  “It’s a salesman.”

  “At eight o’clock at night?” Jenna shook her head, frustration so strong she nearly choked on it. Truly unbelievable! “Stone, you’ve got to get it.”

  “Fine.” With one lithe motion he rolled to his feet. Looming over her, he looked powerful. Intense. And very annoyed. Unconsciously she stepped back from him.

  Jaw tight, Stone reached out and touched her, just a light brush on her shoulder, but it was enough to remind her that his superior strength would never be used against her.

  “Don’t forget where we were,” he demanded softly, reminding her that she wasn’t done here tonight, not by a long shot.

  “I don’t think that’s possible.”

  The bell rang again, a harsh ugly sound echoing in the room.

  With a choice expletive, Stone moved toward the door, equal parts anger and frustration making his movements jerky. He nearly tore the hinges off the door as he yanked it open, and then he went still.

  From her perch near the couch, all Jenna could see was his broad shoulders blocking the opening. She heard him murmur something in a surprised voice and a woman murmur in return.

  Then Stone stepped back, his face pale. Jenna realized why when his mother, Lara Cameron, stepped over the threshold.

  The woman had once hated Jenna with all her might, which made it more than mildly disconcerting to have her smile politely at her. Without any sign of recognition.

  Looking shocked to his toes, Stone started to introduce his mother, but stopped suddenly and flashed Jenna a disarming but decidedly shaky grin. “Would you like to tell my mother your name, since at the moment I don’t seem to actually know it?”

  Jenna’s mouth opened, but all that came out was a short desperate laugh. “Cindy will do for now,” she managed, covering her mouth.

  “Nice to meet you,” Lara said formally, gripping her purse close as she made an obvious attempt to remain polite and true to her status. But her gaze kept falling back to her son, wonder and regret filling her eyes.

  It was a big moment for Stone. Having stood between them once, Jenna had hoped never to do so again. “I’d better go,” she said quietly, her throat tight with the need to scream in frustration. Surely this was Fate’s idea of a joke, interrupting them continually before she could tell Stone the truth.

  “No,” Stone said. “Wait.”

  Jenna walked to the door.

  “Cindy.”

  God, that name! Tears filled her vision, her hands clenched tight. She had no choice, no choice at all, but it was going to drive her crazy. She moved faster, stepping around his mother without meeting her eyes.

  “Just wait, dammit.” Stone stopped her, his voice low, urgent. “We were in the middle of something important. You wanted to tell me—”

  “It’s not as important as this,” she said, even though with all her heart she wished it could be.

  “Thank you,” Lara said. “You’re right, this is very important. I’ve waited too long as it is.”

  But Stone was having none of it. “That you’ve waited at all is not my fault,” he told his mother, “nor at the moment, my problem. This,” he told Jenna firmly, “comes first.”

  Lara pressed her lips together, but then inclined her head and said, “As you wish.”

  Stone sighed, his brow deeply creased as if he had a headache. “Mother—”

  “He wanted to talk to you, you know. Richard.” Lara nodded. “He wanted that more than anything.”

  His face grim, Stone shook his head. “No, he didn’t.”

  “It’s true,” his mother insisted.

  “The hell he did,” he said in a carefully controlled voice.

  With his innate courtesy gone, Jenna knew he was near the point of exploding. All she wanted to do was wrap her arms around him and never let go.

  “He...he didn’t because he thought he’d disappoint me. I think he was afraid to hurt me more than I’d already been hurt.” Lara shook her head. “The only problem, Stone, is that you were hurt too, more than any of us, and you were all alone. Richard realized that. He thought about you a lot, especially... recently, almost as if he’d known... He started talking about you. I think he was trying to get me to—” She broke off suddenly, covering her mouth with her fingers.

  Stone looked out the window into the dark night, his eyes suspiciously bright. Jenna felt tears well up in her own eyes. Tears for a man who’d given so much and received so little. Tears for a man who wouldn’t let his own fall.

  Nothing could have kept Jenna from taking his hand. He strung his fingers through hers and held tight, still staring out the window.

  I love you, she wanted to tell him, the words nearly bouncing off her tongue with an ease that startled her, for she’d never, ever, said them before.

  He whipped his head around to face her, and for a horrified second, Jenna feared she’d spoken out loud.

  “Excuse us,” Stone said politely to his mother, and taking Jenna’s hand, he practically dragged her into the kitchen.

  “Stone, you’re going to have to talk to her. I’m not nearly as...important”

  “Don’t do that,” he said, touching her face gently and stopping her words. “You’re as important to me as she is.”

  “But—”

  “No buts.” He rubbed his forehead, reminding her how tired he was. “I have no way of knowing how serious she is, or if this is just a passing phase because she lost Richard. But you...yoa’re not a passing phase.”

  “Stone—”

  “I mean it,” he said gruffly, sinking his fingers into her hair, holding her head. “I know it hasn’t been very long—”

  “Do this first,” Jenna said shakily. “Do this with her, then we’ll talk. Then, if you still mean it...” Please let him still mean it. Her voice cracked.

  With a low sound of concern, Stone dipped his head and kissed her softly. “Tell me now.”

  Jenna glanced at the kitchen door. “No,” she whispered. “Not like this. Not in a hurry. I can’t, I just can’t. God, Stone...I’ve been trying to tell you forever. It has to be right. And most certainly it’s not right now.”

  “Okay.” He sighed and straightened. “I’ll talk to her first, but