She cleared her throat quickly. ‘No, it’s fine.’
Fine?It wasn’t like he’d called her on the phone, on her way out the door to work. He’d interrupted her morning with mind-blowingbathroomsex!
‘Okay. Well … uh … thank you,’ she said awkwardly, clutching the towel around her as she backed out the door. Oh God, she’d justthanked him.
A teasing grin tugged at the corners of his mouth as he watched her bump into the door, fumble behind herself forthe handle and push it open, almost losing hold of the towel in the process.
Back in her room, Kenzie dressed and bowed her head as she stood in front of the mirror.Focus, Knight. She couldn’t afford to waste time analysing what had just happened. She didn’t even knowwhereto start analysing. It was just sex. A perfectly natural human function, except that had not been your normal, run-of-the-mill sex. That had been … instinctive. One minute, they’d been kissing, the next it had become a raging inferno. She couldn’t remember the last time any man had even come close to having that kind of effect on her before …
Oh.
Okay, so clearly that one-night stand had also been the result of some pretty intense electricity between them, and it was still there.
At least she didn’t have to worry about any unexpected surprises this time around. Never one to make the same mistake twice, she’d had an implant inserted, and made sure she was never caught out again.
‘Can we have dinner in the fancy room again?’ Poppy asked after they’d taken their seats around the smaller dining table on the other side of the kitchen, where they’d taken to eating evening meals. It was definitely less formal but more homey.
‘Poppy,’ Kenzie said quietly.
Vera gave a small laugh. ‘Of course we can,’ she said. ‘How about tomorrow night?’
‘You don’t have to,’ Kenzie protested, mortified that her child had no qualms about asking to rearrange the household.
‘I think it’s a lovely idea. We rarely use the dining room anymore, and it’s a shame,’ Vera continued. For a moment, she had a faraway look in her eye. ‘Do you remember when we used to host dinner parties and birthdays in there all the time?’ she asked, looking at her husband and son. Callum grunted and Ewan gave a curt nod before concentrating on his meal. Kenzie saw Vera’s smile wobble slightly before she quickly plastered it back on and turned her attention back to Kenzie and Poppy. ‘You’ll have to see it at Christmas. I like to go all-out with decorations in the house, and Laire-Mor is renowned for our Christmas lights.’
‘Mum has a Christmas open day every year,’ Ewan explained.
‘Really?’ Kenzie remarked, already imagining how amazing the old house must look decked out in Christmas lights and garlands.
‘It’s just a little something we do for the local community.’ ‘A little something,’ Ewan scoffed. ‘It’s a full-on production. Kids’ carnival rides set up throughout the gardens, markets, music, food vans.’
‘And don’t forget the best bit—a visit from Santa,’ Vera added conspiratorially.
Poppy’s eyes almost fell out of her little head. ‘Santa?’
‘Santa.’ Vera nodded eagerly.
‘Can we come and see Santa, Mummy?’ she asked, turning her big eyes up at Kenzie.
‘Well, I don’t know,’ Kenzie stammered, feeling completely put on the spot.
‘Oh, you have to come down here for Christmas,’ Vera said, placing her hands together in excitement.
Kenzie’s gaze went to Ewan’s who seemed to be watching her with a hard-to-read expression.
‘It’s still a long time away yet,’ Kenzie said weakly.
‘Please, Mummy?’ Poppy joined in with the begging.Christmas?They still had to get through whatever the hell this visit was.
‘Your mum’s right, Christmas is still a long way away,’ Ewan said calmly, although she suspected he was picking up on her inward anxiety.
‘We’ll see,’ Kenzie finally managed. How was she supposed to be thinking that far ahead? Besides, they always had Christmas at her parents’ farm. The thought of Poppy not being there hit her square in the chest, and almost made her gasp out loud. The sudden emptiness was as real as any physical blow: Poppy had a father now, a family who would want to do the special holidays with her too. The urge to stand up and scream that they couldn’t have her was so real, she almost feared she’d said it out loud, but she managed to carefully put her cutlery down beside her plate and take a slow breath in. She noticed her hands were shaking a little and placed them in her lap until she had them under control once more.
She watched Poppy happily chatting to her grandmother as she speared her fork into her food. This had all been a terrible mistake. She was losing her daughter.
The moment the words formed, she felt terrible. She hated that she felt that way, but she couldn’t help it. Nothing was ever going to be the same. It would never just be the two of them again.
She swallowed over a lump in her throat, and the steak she’d eaten formed a heavy lump in the pit of her belly.
