I hear a sound coming from his bedroom.
A woman's giggle.
My stomach plummets, and I feel a wave of nausea rise up my throat.
Oh, dear God, I'm too late. He has a woman here. I need to shield Max from whatever I'm certain is happening in that bedroom, so I set him down in the living room with the pile of toys. But I have to see with my own eyes. It is the only thing that will break this spell Pace has over me.
I tiptoe toward his room. I can hear the woman say something, but I don't hear Pace respond. A quick glance back at Max shows me that he's playing happily. With my stomach twisted into a painful knot, my feet carry me toward Pace's room.
The bedroom door is closed, and once again the soft hush of feminine laughter sounds from within. The laughter seems so out of place when all I feel like doing is crying. But if she's laughing rather than moaning, maybe I've caught him before he's completely indisposed.
Swallowing down my fears, along with my pride, I raise my uninjured hand and knock on the door.
"Pace? I need to speak with you," I say in the calmest voice I can manage when my heart is slamming against my ribcage.
There's no response.
I raise my hand to knock again when the door suddenly opens.
"Kylie?" Pace's confusion lines his face. For once his expression is cold and serious. Gone is the playful, easy to get along with man I've fallen for.
He's fully dressed, and I peer around him into the bedroom – which appears to be empty. The copy of Goodnight Moon is still sitting on his nightstand. I feel heartbroken just looking at it. I'll never be able to read it again without thinking of him and all that I lost.
"What are you doing here?" he asks.
"Where is she?"
"Who?" he says.
"I heard a woman, Pace. Don’t try and deny it."
His expression turns from confused to angry, his mouth drawing into a firm line. "You just refuse to see the real me, is that it? You're so utterly convinced I'm still that irresponsible guy on the prowl that you refuse to believe I might be looking for something real."
"Pace, I heard her," I say, standing my ground, even though his words have pierced the very center of me. He doesn't respond so I storm past him, and look around the room, searching out the bathroom and his large walk-in closet as well. The room is empty. Well, that's not entirely true, because upon hearing our voices, Max has wandered in and is now in Pace's arms.
Pace grabs the remote control from the bed and presses a button. The TV screen comes to life, displaying a man and a woman.
"I was watching a movie," he says.
When the woman laughs, I realize that is the sound I heard.
My relief is instant, and sobering. "I'm sorry," I say.
"For not believing in me or for leaving?" he asks.
"For everything." I sink down onto the edge of his bed, my heart feeling heavy. The adrenaline surge I felt just moments ago, thinking I was about to discover him in a sordid act, makes my pulse plummet. I feel drained. "I was scared, Pace. Scared of feeling something real for you. Scared you couldn’t possibly return those feelings."
"This is as real as it gets, angel," he says.
"I know that now."
"So what happened with you and Elan?" he asks, his voice guarded.
"If Elan wants a relationship with Max, I won't keep him from that. But I have no interest in him, not romantically, anyway." I glance up at Pace, unsure of what he's thinking. He's never normally so guarded. "If you'll still have me…" I start.
Pace steps closer and reaches for my hand. I place my palm against his and he pulls me up so I'm standing before him. "I'm keeping you for always. I thought I told you that."
He leans in, and with Max still in his arms, he kisses me right on the mouth. I kiss him back, my heart thumping wildly. I'm sure he understands that he's the first man I've let kiss me in front of my son.
"You're stubborn as hell, you know that, right?" Pace asks, pulling back with a smile hot enough to singe.
"What makes you say that?"
"You fought my every advance. I've never worked this hard in my damn life."
I laugh softly. "I did put up one hell of a fight, but you're a hard man to resist," I admit.
"Did something happen this morning? Did Elan do something to change your mind?"
"No. It was all the things he didn't do. He doesn't connect with Max like you do. He doesn't make me feel safe and secure. And he certainly doesn't make me feel out of control with desire."
"Out of control?" he asks, his voice dropping lower. "Last night was…incredible," he admits, planting a kiss on my forehead.
"Yes, it was," I agree. I'd never felt so deeply connected to a man when he was inside of me like I did with Pace. Sex was just sex, but with him, it was something else entirely. It was so much more. I could lose control and let go, something I rarely did in my day-to-day life. The sensation was freeing.
I had no idea what would happen next, and as it turned out, Pace proved to be anything but an ordinary boyfriend.
Chapter Fourteen
Kylie
It feels so good to finally have my arm out of the cast. I stretch my arms leisurely above my head, wincing at the small ache when I bend my elbow. I study myself in the full length mirror in my bedroom, and smooth my black sleeveless dress over my hips. My poor arm looks pale and scrawny. I add several long layering necklaces, hoping the bling will draw the attention away from my arm. I have no idea what we're doing tonight. Pace said to be ready at six o'clock, and when I'd asked about Max, he just smiled and said he had everything covered. I wasn't sure what his vague answer meant, so I'd probed my nanny for details. I'd asked if she was staying late tonight and watching him, she'd merely smiled and said that she'd been sworn to secrecy. Then she added that I shouldn’t worry, and yes, she was taking care of Max tonight.
I hadn't been on a proper date in forever, and Pace and I had never actually been on a real date, sans baby, since we started dating six weeks ago. I was almost giddy at the thought of being alone with him. I hoped I could control myself long enough at a restaurant, because I was majorly looking forward to being alone with him. Alone, alone.
Glancing at the clock, I see it's just now six, so I step into my black heels and grab my miniature handbag. Carrying this thing is a treat – normally my extra-large purse also housed pacifiers, diapers and baby toys.
I hear voices from the living room and when I enter, Pace is standing talking to my nanny, Lynn. They both fall silent as I enter the room.