Just Sex by Heidi Lynn Anderson Page B

stunned him. He never wanted to hurt Kat. “Why?”
    “Because I see the longing on your face. I will never be able to give you what you want.”
    “I want you.”
    “I know that is what you want now, but later you are going to want a family of your own. I’ll never be able to give you that.”
    “I’m twenty-five. I don’t want kids.”
    “You say that now, but what happens in a few years and you change your mind?”
    J.J. didn’t want to think about that right now. He bent in and kissed her senseless. He ran his hands down to her yoga pants and slipped them under the band.
    Kat pulled back. “What is between us can’t last.”
    Sam stumbled down the stairs. “Mom, I can’t sleep.”
    She jumped back from J.J. and left him feeling cold inside. Why can’t it last?
    “Baby,” she said to Sam. “You go lie in my bed. I’ll be up in a minute.”
    A heady swirl of emotions mixed in his gut. “I’ll call you tomorrow night.” He rose and gave Kat a quick kiss. “Have a safe trip.”
    “I’m sorry.”
    He made his way to the front entry and gave Kat what he hoped was a reassuring smile. “You can make it up to me when you get back.”
    Kat walked to him and placed her hand on his arm. “Are you sure you’re all right?”
    “We’ll do it your way for now.” He opened the door and stepped into the humid night. The door closed behind him. J.J. let Kat’s words replay in his head. Was what she said true? Did he want kids someday?

Chapter Eight
     
    Kat and Sam drove over familiar tree-lined roads. The bare trees seemed to part just for them. Dried dead leaves swirled in front of their car. Peace filled Kat’s heart. She slowed to take a sharp turn and had to stop short. Kat pointed out the windshield. “Look, Sammy.” A beautiful pair of deer darted across the narrow street.
    He shrugged and went back to his video game.
    “That’s it. Just a shrug?” She couldn’t help but to chuckle.
    “It’s just some deer.”
    Kat didn’t know if she should hug Sam or smack him. “This coming from the kid who makes me stop the car and use my phone to take photos of lizards crossing the street.”
    “Lizards are cool.”
    “Lizards are like mosquitoes at home. You just have to go outside and you’ll see dozens of them.”
    “Aren’t deer like lizards up here?” He tapped on the screen of his iPad, demolishing an alien.
    She couldn’t come up with a good response to that and guessed he was right. There were a lot of deer in New England. “Touché, touché.”
    Kat opened the window a crack. Fresh, crisp Maine air rushed in and had her childhood memories flooding back. The walks on the rocky beach by their house with her father, lobster bakes and sitting in the yard with her grandmother. “They weren’t all bad.”
    Sam glanced up from his game. “What, Mom?”
    “Nothing, baby.” Love for Sam and her childhood home filled her. Kat took a deep breath and settled back into the driver’s seat. She hoped spending so much time with her mother wouldn’t spoil the good mood this place put her in. Kat pulled into her parents’ driveway.
    Axel and Beverly Harper sat on the front porch swing, bundled in a down blanket. Axel brought their clasped hands to his lips and kissed Bev’s knuckles. Her parents stood and waved to Kat and Sam.
    Kat stopped the rental car and Sam bolted out of the car. “Grammy!” He ran up to Bev, excited. She loved that her parents had a great relationship with her son. She took in her dad’s appearance. Concern settled in her belly. “Hi, Dad.”
    He hugged her and pulled back. “Hi, honey. How are you?” The appraising look he sent her made Kat want to fidget. “You look great. Maybe a little tired.”
    Memories of J.J. stormed into Kat’s brain. She felt a flush ride up from her neck.
    Axel gave her an odd look. He kneeled down to give Sam a bear hug.
    Bev gave Kat the once-over, which had Kat pulling on her jacket. She stiffened and unease settled on her like a wool