Page 41 of A Second Chance for Love

Juss shrugged. “Guilty conscience. Anyhow,” he shook himself, getting back to the point, “LeMonde had nothing about you except that address.” Juss let all his frustration show in his frown and growling tone. “You just bloody disappeared without a trace—after what—” he broke off and scowled at her. “Good God, Oona! How could you be so cruel?”

Her face crumpled at his accusation and she raised her hands to her flaming cheeks.

“Oh hell,” he muttered, lunging to his feet so fast the chair hit the wall. When he took her in his arms she melted against him. “Why, Oona?” he asked as he stroked her delicate shoulders, holding her close while he showered kisses on her beautiful hair, inhaling the intoxicating scent of her; of strawberries.

“Because Katie is—”

“Katie is?”

“She is Venable’s daughter.”

“Yes, that is what I assumed,” he soothed, staggering back when she thrust away from him.

“What?”

The door to the kitchen opened a crack. “Mama? Is aught amiss?”

“Katherine Anne Parker,” Oona began, but the door snapped shut. Oona whipped around and glared up at Juss. “How did you know that?” she demanded, her hands on her hips.

He shrugged. “Just by looking at her.” He grimaced at whatever he saw on her face. “You likely don’t want to hear this, but she looks a lot like Venable.” Juss took a step toward her but she moved back. He shoved a shaking hand through his hair. “Lord, Oona. What the devil is wrong with you? Are you still in love with him?”

“What?!”

They both looked toward the door at the sound of feet thundering on the other side, but the door remained closed.

“Are you?” he demanded.

“No, of course I’m not in love with him.”

“Then why the hell did you disappear? Do you hate me that much? Is that why—”

She lunged toward him and punched him in the arm. “I love you, you—you.”

“Ow!” He grabbed his shoulder. “What was that for?”

She shook her head back and forth, her expression agonized. “I don’t—I don’t know,”she wailed.

Juss grabbed her, holding her struggling body in an unbreakable embrace. “Oona, stop it, love. You’ll hurt yourself. And—and I love you and don’t want you hurt.”

She froze. The room was silent but for the pounding of his heart in his ears and then, “You l-love me?”

He squeezed her until it had to hurt. “Why do you think I’m here?” He released her and she gasped in a deep breath as he took her stubborn little chin and forced her to look at him. “If you love me, why did you leave?”

“Because—” she jerked her head toward the door, tears dribbling rather than streaming now.

“Because of Katie?”

She nodded.

“But. . . why? Did you think I would judge you for having a child outside of wedlock?” he asked in disbelief.

“His child.”

He frowned and then it dawned on him. “Do you really believe I’d take out my dislike of Venable on a child?” He dropped his hands from her body and stepped away from her. “Is that what kind of man you think I am?”

She opened her mouth, but nothing came out, her eyes raw.

Juss ground his teeth, hating that he was the source of her anguish. “I guess we’re even now. I believed you would get me sacked and you believed I could be so petty.”