His Best Mistake (12 page)

“That I was upset over the end of our presumed relationship. My crying jag was the result of stress, not J.W.’s girlfriend.”

“I’m confused, Leah. Why did you lie about it?”

“I thought that if you thought I was involved with someone else, then what’s been happening between us wouldn’t happen. And it did work for a while, until J.W. blew it by leaving that message.”

“For the record, you don’t need protection from me. Like I’ve said before, I won’t do anything you don’t want me to do.”

And that was the problem. She wanted him to do
anything he’d like—aside from breaking her heart again. “Are you mad?”

“No, I’m not mad. On some level I do understand the self-protection aspect. I’m a master at building walls.”

She’d been on the outside of those walls, trying her best to break them down, without success. At least until recently. “You seem much more open than you used to be, Kevin.”

“I’m working on it, Leah. But I still have a few issues to deal with.”

Continued confirmed bachelorhood could be one of those issues. “Can you elaborate?”

“Let’s just say a lot went on in my life while we were apart. Those events caused me to do some serious soul-searching. We’ll talk about it when we have more time. It’s going to take a while for me to explain.”

His cryptic attitude piqued Leah’s curiosity. Yet if she pushed him for more information before he was ready, that could lead him to shut down and shut her out. “In the meantime, what do we do about this thing between us?”

“What do you want to do about it?”

Leah hated it when someone answered a question with a question, especially when the answer was risky. “Well, we’re both consenting adults. As long as we know where we stand before establishing a physical liaison, that we’re going to enjoy each other until I leave, then I see no logical reason why we can’t let nature takes its course.”

He released a bark of a laugh. “I feel like I just had a session with a relationship counselor.”

She always tended to go into analytical mode when
it came to conflict. “In layman’s terms, I don’t think we’re going to be able to prevent what’s happening unless one of us consents to being locked in a closet for the next few weeks.”

“We both have a free will, Leah. The point is, neither of us
wants
to stop.”

How very, very true. “Then we’re agreed we’re going to quit fighting it?”

“On one condition. I’d like to know that you’ll forgive me one day for how I ended it with you.”

“I have forgiven you, Kevin. But it’s something I may never forget. That’s why I have to tread cautiously.” Exactly why she had to treat lovemaking with Kevin casually. That could prove to be incredibly difficult, if not impossible.

“Fair enough,” he said. “Then we’ll let nature take its course.”

Leah checked the clock and, after realizing the lateness of the hour, decided the time had come to end their conversation. “Now that we’ve settled our chemistry issues, it’s time for bed.”

“Sounds good to me, sweetheart, but since I’m here, and you’re there, the bed’s not all that appealing.”

Little by little, the Kevin she’d known before had begun to surface. The sexy-talking, sweet-nothing-whispering Kevin, who could keep her on a prolonged high with only the sound of his voice. “Believe me, I seriously need to sleep. But I really have enjoyed our talk. It reminds me of the conversations we used to have when you were out of town for an interview.”

“Not a chance, unless I say something like this.” He lowered his voice and listed a litany of sensual, stimulating and somewhat graphic suggestions about what he’d do to her if he were there.

Leah laid a palm over her rapidly beating heart. “Why, Kevin O’Brien, I’m shocked.”

“Are you really? You used to give as good as you got, and if I remember correctly, you didn’t utter one anatomically accurate term.”

Luckily he couldn’t see her blushing. “That was before I was the mother of a daughter.”

“It’s okay to be bad, Leah. Being a mother shouldn’t impact your natural sexuality. Besides, how do you think kids get siblings?”

The smile in his voice brought about her own smile. “Surely you’re not suggesting we make a brother or sister for Carly.”

A stark, deafening silence ensued, leading Leah to believe his fear of settling down still existed, in spite of his love for Carly. “I’m kidding, Kevin.”

“I know you are. Now go to bed and remember what I just said to you a few minutes ago.”

“Oh, yeah. I’ll go to bed practically on fire with no one to cool me off.”

“I wish I could be there to help you out, babe. But if you want me to talk you through it so you can get some relief, I’m game.”

“No, Kevin. I just want you to hurry up and come home to me.”

O
N
S
ATURDAY EVENING
, Kevin came home after 11:00 p.m. to find the den deserted and the house quiet. He was more than a little disappointed that Leah hadn’t stayed awake for his arrival, even if he had called and told her earlier not to wait up. Probably just as well. He had an important call to make in private, and if she happened to greet him with a kiss, talking on the phone would be the last thing on his mind.

After entering his office, Kevin closed the door behind him on the chance that Leah might appear. He could have waited until morning, but with his oldest brother’s habit of staying up past midnight even when not working the E.R. night shift, odds were Devin was still awake.

When he answered with his usual “Dr. O’Brien,” Kevin didn’t hesitate to get to the point. “Hey, Dev, I was wondering if you’ve heard anything on the lab work.”

“No, and I didn’t expect to hear anything. You dropped off the specimen at two o’clock on a Friday before a holiday. You’ll be lucky if you have the results on Monday.”

Kevin loosened his tie and shrugged out of his jacket. “Is there anything you can do to rush it?”

“I’ll call the lab first thing Monday morning, then I’ll call you if I learn anything.”

“Thanks. I’m just a little anxious about it.” Both anxious and dreading the news at the same time. But he needed to deal with this matter before he laid it all out on the table when he finally told Leah the truth.

“I understand your anxiety,” Devin said. “But even if the test shows you’re sterile, you still have hope. They’ve developed a few treatments for post-chemotherapy azoospermia that can result in conception.”

“But there’s no guarantee.”

“Of course not. It’s still something positive to go on.”

It might not be enough for Leah to permanently figure into Kevin’s future. And he wanted her in his future. He’d come to that conclusion over the past two nights when he’d done nothing but think about her. So much was riding on how he handled the revelations about his previous illness, and how she responded. A lot depended on whether she would accept why he hadn’t told her sooner, and the possibility that Carly might be the only biological child they could have together.

Right now, he needed to say good-night to her and his baby. “Thanks again, Dev. Guess I’ll see you here tomorrow.”

“Unfortunately, I’m on call. And I’m expecting the emergency room to be packed with people who’ve celebrated just a little too much. Ask Leah about it. I’m sure
she can tell you a few stories about her E.R. experiences. And speaking of Leah, use a condom, just in case.”

He could argue they weren’t sleeping together, but he didn’t see any reason for that. Not when they were coming so close to taking that step. “Thanks for the info, and I’ll talk to you on Monday.”

After Kevin hung up, he left his office and on the way to his bedroom, stopped by the nursery first. He opened the door to find the room bathed in muted light from the lamp in the corner, revealing mother and daughter sleeping on the daybed, facing each other, their foreheads almost touching.

Even though a shower and sleep called to him, Kevin couldn’t seem to pull himself away from the sight. He leaned a shoulder against the door frame, realizing that moments like these might be few and far between. Or they might never come around again if Leah walked out of his life, taking Carly with her. But as he continued to watch both his girls, he vowed to do everything humanly possible to keep that from happening, unless fate dictated otherwise.

L
EAH HAD
greatly enjoyed the food, the company, and the simple task of doing nothing except sun-basking. Yet watching Kevin and their baby playing in the pool had been the highlight of her day. Carly wore a pink polka-dot floppy hat that matched her brand-new bikini, exposing a tummy that had filled out in the past few weeks. Kevin had donned a pair of navy swim
trunks that gave her a great view of his equally great legs. That and his bare, broad chest provided enough diversion to last almost a lifetime. Almost.

She was astonished at how patient Kevin had been with Carly today, even after coming in late from his trip. So late, he’d said, that he hadn’t bothered to wake her. She sincerely wished he had.

While Leah continued to look on, Kevin taught Carly how to splash the water with her tiny fists after relatively few attempts. And from the proud grin on his beautiful face, he looked as if his daughter had accomplished something monumental. She could only imagine how he would react when she took her first steps, when she said her first words, when she rode a bike without the benefit of training wheels. To think that he might not be around to witness those milestones brought about a down-in-the-dumps feeling she couldn’t ignore. In a perfect world, they would be the perfect family. Life experience had taught her perfection wasn’t always attainable, and that only increased her sense of sadness.

“He looks so natural with Carly.”

She managed a slight smile aimed at Mallory, who was seated in a lounge chair next to her. “She’s definitely becoming a daddy’s girl. He was gone two days and she practically squealed when she saw him this morning.” Leah had wanted to do a little squealing, as well, but she’d refrained from appearing to be too excited to see him, even if she was.

“It’s going to be hard on both of them when you move back home,” Mallory said.

That reality had begun to bother Leah, as well. “He’ll be able to see her whenever he’s available.”

“But it’s not the same thing, is it?”

No, it wasn’t. Yet Leah didn’t see any real choice in the matter. Not unless something drastically changed in their relationship over the next few weeks.

In an effort not to ruin the afternoon completely, she surveyed the backyard and took a quick head count. Whit and Mallory’s toddler twins, Maddie and Lucy, had gone into the house with their grandmother and grandfather. Logan and Jenna hadn’t come since Jenna was due to deliver any moment; Devin’s absence came about because he was playing doctor for the day. That left Corri and Aidan, who were lounging on a blanket beneath a tree with their toddler, Emma, fast asleep beside them. She soon realized one couple was noticeably absent. “Where did Kieran and Erica go?”

Mallory took a drink of iced tea before setting it back in the holder built into the lounger’s arm. “When they couldn’t seem to keep their hands off each other, my dear husband told them to get a room. And since Stormy is at a sleep-over, I’m assuming they left and did just that.”

Not such a bad idea, Leah decided before she pushed those thoughts out of her mind. “They really seem to be crazy about each other.”

“They are,” Mallory said. After a brief hesitation, she asked, “There’s not any chance you and Kevin might become more than just friends again?”

She was surprised that she hadn’t heard that question
before now. “We’re on different paths, Mallory. I have my career and he has his. We’ve both moved on.”

“Not Kevin. As far as I know, he hasn’t had anyone else in his life since the two of you broke up.”

Leah suspected Mallory didn’t know everything about Kevin’s extracurricular activities. Nor did she, and she frankly didn’t want to know. “I find it hard to believe that Kevin hasn’t been back on the dating scene.”

“I’m almost positive it’s true. For the most part, he’s become a regular homebody.”

Leah pondered that for a moment before Dermot O’Brien walked out of the house and took the empty chair beside Mallory. “Are you not going to join your beau and baby in the water, Leah?”

Obviously Kevin’s dad was making a huge assumption about her relationship with his son. Yet she felt it would be rude to set him straight. “I’m just enjoying having a day away from work. Between the hospital and the clinic and finishing up the last of my research, I haven’t had much time off since I moved…” She certainly wasn’t going to be the one to tell Kevin’s parents about the living arrangement. “I guess it’s been a few weeks.”

Whit came up behind Mallory, leaned over and kissed her cheek. “You mean Kevin hasn’t given you a break since you moved in here, Leah?”

Mallory pinched him hard on the thigh, causing him to wince and ask, “What did I say?”

Dermot belly-laughed. “Don’t worry, daughter. Kieran told me a while ago that Kevin and the lassie
were livin’ together. Even if I wasn’t the wiser, I’m thinkin’ that isn’t the lad’s makeup and girly shampoo in the spare bathroom. And I’m also thinkin’ that those items are there to throw this old hound off the scent. Would you and my boy be tryin’ to pull the wool over my eyes? Or would you be sharing the same mattress?”

Mallory said, “That’s enough, Dad,” while Leah internally cringed. Heavens, she should’ve been a little more discreet with her personal belongings.

“I’m only here until August,” she added promptly to clear the air. “I wanted Kevin to have the opportunity to get to know Carly before I return home. That’s why I agreed to move in. And in answer to your question, he has his bedroom and I have mine.”

Lucy O’Brien picked that moment to exit out the French doors, a plate of golden-brown pastry in her hand. She set the dessert down on the table and regarded Mallory first. “The girls are in the back bedroom taking a nap.” She then pivoted toward Leah and asked, “Is that Kevin’s loofah in the bathroom, dear, or are you and my son living together?”

Leah’s toiletries had served to dig a hole bigger than the Grand Canyon. At the moment, she wished she had a hole to crawl into. “It’s not what you think, Mrs. O’Brien. We’re friends and nothing more.”

“You’re the parents of a baby girl.” Lucy took a seat across from her husband and shook her head. “I have such a hard time figuring out young people these days. You seem to treat cohabitation as a sport. First Devin and Stacy living together while they were in college.
Kieran and Erica aren’t living under the same roof but they might as well be and I know Aidan and Corri moved in together before their wedding and so did Logan and Jenna, even though they pretended otherwise. But the worst scenario…” She shot a quick glance at Mallory then Whit. “All that time the two of you pretending to be roommates while secretly making a baby.”

“Making two babies,” Whit added with a grin.

Lucy sighed. “The world is changing too fast for me.”

“My love,” Dermot began. “For what cannot be cured, patience is best.”

“And don’t cut your throat with your tongue, old man,” Lucy tossed back. “You still have to sleep with me.”

Dermot winked. “And what a pleasure that is.”

Mallory rolled her eyes. “Okay, let’s not get into the too-much-information terrain. And let’s leave Leah alone. How she and Kevin choose to live their lives isn’t any of our business.” She put both pinkies in her mouth and blew out a loud whistle. “Bring my niece to me, Kevin.”

Whit rested his hands on Mallory’s shoulders and faked a frown. “She has baby fever, which means I’m going to be nothing more than a stud to her until we make another one.”

When Mallory reached to pinch him again, Whit caught her wrist. “Not this time, lady.”

Leah enjoyed the good-natured banter between the family members, but she also experienced a little bout
of homesickness. With her parents retired and traveling for the summer, she’d rarely spoken to them lately. Yet when Kevin left the pool carrying Carly, Leah didn’t feel quite so lonely. For the moment, he served as a part of her immediate family, if only temporarily.

After wrapping the baby in a towel, Kevin handed her off to Mallory. “She’s going to be an Olympian swimmer if I have anything to say about it.”

“I thought you wanted a softball player,” Leah said.

“No reason why she can’t do both.”

Leah found herself practically melting over Kevin’s grin, and since she couldn’t seem to keep her eyes off his bare torso, she thought it best to make a hasty escape, or risk giving herself away. After kissing Carly’s cheek, she scooted off the lounger and stood. “I’m going to get something to drink.”

“I could use something, too,” Kevin said. “I’ll be right in.”

Without even asking if anyone else wanted anything, Leah rushed into the house, thankful for the cool air drifting over her rather warm body. She attempted to convince herself that her elevated temperature was due to the July sun, even though that sun was starting to set. Like it or not, Kevin had played a major part in her somewhat overheated condition, a condition that had plagued her for days.

Not long after she’d filled her glass with ice, Kevin wandered into the kitchen and slid his shades onto the counter. “When are you going to take off that cover-up, Leah?”

She looked down at the oversized T-shirt that hit her mid-thigh. “When I’m sure everyone’s gone.”

“Why? I can attest to the fact that your body looks great.”

“You haven’t seen me naked, Kevin.”

“How soon we forget.”

“Recently.”

“I’ve come pretty close a couple of times.” He walked up behind her and kissed her neck. “You smell like suntan lotion.”

She poured tea into the glass, fortunately without spilling it. “You smell like chlorine. You’ve spent so much time in the water, I’m surprised you haven’t turned into a prune.”

He clasped her waist and turned her around to face him. “I assure you, nothing on my body is shriveled.”

She sidestepped him and moved to the opposite end of the kitchen. “We need to be careful. Your mother and father figured out I’m living here. I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re developing a few more theories about our relationship as we speak. More accurately, our sleeping arrangements.”

He shrugged. “Let them speculate. What we do in the privacy of our home is our business. Speaking of which…” He grabbed a cola from the refrigerator and popped it open. “Mallory wants to take Carly for the night. I told her I’d ask you, but I thought it wouldn’t be a problem. She says we should go to dinner or see a movie. Something to get us out of the house. Personally, I can think of plenty to do without leaving the house.”

So could Leah. But still…“I don’t know, Kevin. A whole night without her? That would be the first time that’s happened since I brought her home from the hospital.”