Read Monday's Child for Free Online Page B

are you all right? What are you doing on the floor?”
    “I’m just sitting here, and I’m fine.” She sniffled.
    “No, you’re not.” He slid off the bed. “Come here.”
    An arm slid around her, and Sara leaned into him, but she was torn. This wasn’t right. It should be Jamie comforting her, not him, even if it did feel good to be held.
    “I’m all right.” After a moment, she pulled away. Luke’s all too male presence overwhelmed her and worked at tearing her best intentions to shreds. Her sense of propriety and resistance failed when Luke was so nice and charming, even if she knew he’d go back to being bossy and overprotective in the morning.
    “Bad dream?”
    She used the tissue he handed her. “Yeah, I get them most nights. Sorry, didn’t mean to wake you.”
    “It’s all right.”
    Reaching for her dressing gown as she stood, she wrapped it around herself. “I’m going to make some cocoa. Want some?”
    Luke shook his head and got wearily to his feet. “No, thanks.”
    “I won’t be long. Go back to bed, Leftenant. You look shattered.”
    At his cocked head she translated. “Very tired, exhausted—still jet lagged.”
    “Ah. I am, but I should stay with you.”
    “I’ll drink it up here. The house is locked, and nothing’s going to happen. Besides, I won’t tell, if you don’t.” She could see him wavering. “I’ll be two minutes.”
    Sara left the room and headed down to the kitchen, the nightmare hovering inside her trembling body. She made the cocoa and carried it back upstairs. Luke was asleep when she got back into bed. She leaned back against the pillows and considered him. He’d score a nine on the Richter scale of gorgeous.
    She sipped the cocoa and sighed. Why did she have to get saddled with a good-looking cop? She studied his lips. What would it be like to kiss him? Would his mouth be firm or soft? Would his hands hold her tight or roam over her body with tender compassion, awakening her need, possessing her?
    She shook her head. Not going there. It can’t happen. I won’t cheat on Jamie .
    She glanced at Luke once more, and then frowned. If Jamie was alive, what kind of game was he playing? Why didn’t he find a way to come to her? If he loved her, as she loved him, as she believed he loved her…where was he? Why had he run away instead of claiming her?
    She set the empty cup on the nightstand. Nothing should stop Jamie from being with her if he truly cared for her. She drew her brows together as she snuggled back under the covers and flicked off her bedside lamp.
    Jamie did love her. And he was alive. And he would find her.
    Right?
     
    ****
     
    Sara woke with a start. Where am I?
    Turning over, her eyes widened. Luke lay beside her.
    In a flash, everything came flooding back. Jumping out of bed, she grabbed a change of clothes. She fled into the bathroom and dressed as fast as she could, shivering as she piled on the layers, glad of the thick jumper. Turning up the thermostat at the top of the stairs, she glanced back once more at the closed door to her bedroom. Shuddering at the memory of how close she’d come to kissing Luke when she’d stared at his lips; she went downstairs to put the kettle on in order to make coffee.
    What was she going to do today? For a start, she could make breakfast. Perhaps if she did something nice for Luke, he’d do something nice for her. Like take her out shopping. It was risky, yes, but with a bodyguard, rich and famous people with stalkers went out all the time. Couldn’t she do the same? Especially now they’d moved and no one knew where she was?
    The floor above her creaked, and Luke’s voice floated down the stairs. “Sara?”
    Her name sounded so good coming from his lips, but she would continue to fight the use of first names for two reasons. One, she didn’t want to be familiar with him. He’d be leaving as soon as this was over. Two, she liked the way his American accent pronounced her name, way too much.
    Sara