Jared shook his head. “Paul dismantled your car?"
“He wanted to get me alone and talk.” Another bitter laugh tore from her throat. “Do you know what that despicable, two-timing jerk told me?"
Jared thought about Carl's pictures in the glove compartment. “About Ann Young?"
Her eyes narrowed. “Who's Ann Young?"
He swallowed hard. She's going to be mad at me again.
Jared explained about seeing Paul with the other woman and hiring his friend, Carl, to investigate.
She folded her arms, took a deep breath and exhaled audibly. “I thought we were friends."
“We are,” he said.
“Really? You knew about Paul before we went to your office dance and you didn't tell me?” Her hands flew up. “Let me guess. It's a guy thing!” She gave him a disgusting glare.
“It isn't a guy thing. No way in hell would I protect that slimeball. I didn't think it was my place to tell you about it. I wasn't even sure if you'd believe me."
“Do you have proof?"
“Carl took some photos.” He pointed to the glove compartment.
“Paul doesn't know about these?"
“No."
She grew silent and snatched the handle on the glove compartment. It fell open. She retrieved the envelope and slammed it shut again. “I've earned these."
“Don't do this to yourself.” He put his hand on the envelope. “I never wanted you to see these."
Her lips tightened to a slit. “Can I have them or not?"
He removed his hand from the envelope.
“I'm sorry you found out this way.” He turned the heater off and moved closer to her.
“I hate secrets, Jared.” She shook her head. “I lived too many years with a man who lied and kept secrets from me.” Tears glistened on her lashes.
Her slim shoulders shook.
“Oh, Katherine, please don't cry.” He pulled her to him.
As if that one act of kindness opened a dam, her body was racked with sobs. He bent his head and placed a kiss on top of her hair. Tenderly holding her, he let her cry, wishing he could take away every hurtful thing that had ever touched her heart.
“You want to know the funny part?” She sniffed and Jared reached for tissues and gave them to her, releasing her from his embrace for only a heartbeat.
“I want to hear anything you want to talk about,” he whispered near her ear.
“Paul was convinced you and I had slept together. Isn't that a laugh?"
He felt her tense up and rubbed the muscles in her back. “You're a very beautiful, desirable woman, who-"
She interrupted him. “Is a terrific mother and will do anything to make sure Matt's happy.” She pushed away from him and sniffed again, offering him a rueful smile. “This has been one helluva Christmas so far."
He stared at her hurt, determined smile and felt a moment of despair. She was going to leave him. Classify him as “one of them,” take Matt, and leave. If he didn't explain, it would all be over before it started.
He slammed the heel of his hand against the steering wheel and drew a deep, frustrated breath. “About the other night, I'd like to explain more-"
A sudden tapping on the window made them jump. A policeman stood beside the car, tapping his flashlight against the glass. Jared rolled the window down.
“Let's move along.” The officer shined the beam into the car. He focused the light on Jared and snickered. “Mr. Randall, what's wrong? They run out of rooms at the nearest hotel?"
He grimaced at Katherine's shocked and hurt expression. He'd never wanted a woman like he wanted Katherine, but he'd never settle for a cheap, one-night stand in some damn hotel. Not with Katherine. He'd never take advantage of her loneliness and seduce her. He wanted to comfort her, protect her, cherish her… love her.
Why'd it have to be Sergeant Sinclair who stopped? He had to have recognized Jared's car. He was the one who blabbed to Carl every time Jared breathed wrong. Carl probably asked him to watch out for him because of Paul. Carl and Sergeant Sinclair were partners on the police force until Carl retired and became a private detective. And Jared's foster father. He groaned again.
Katherine hiccupped and wiped her face with tissues.
Sergeant Sinclair shined the flashlight beam on her. “You all right in there, young lady?"
She angled Jared a venomous glare and faced the police officer. “Yes, I am. I was just bawling about the troubles I've had this Christmas, but things are bound to get better.” She smiled faintly. “They can't possibly get any worse."
Chapter Twelve
Katherine sat, clothed in the darkness of her bedroom. She bit her bottom lip so hard she tasted blood. Sunrise was in two hours. She'd tried to confront Paul last night when she got home, but he'd pulled a disappearing act again. After several phone calls to his hotel room, she'd finally reached him at three in the morning and demanded that he fix her car. Ripping him apart was long overdue.
She turned toward the sound of the door opening. “Did you reconnect the battery cable on my car? Will it crank?"
Paul flipped the light switch on and shut the door. “Yes, to both questions.” He narrowed his gray eyes. “I don't know why you insisted that I fix it before your mother and Matt get up."
“I don't want them involved in this mess,” she snapped.
He removed her keys from his pants pocket and tossed them to her. She caught them and laid the envelope she'd taken from Jared in front of Paul.
He glanced down at the envelope then back up at her. “Why were you sitting in the dark?"
She plunged the keys into her jeans pocket. “Trying to figure out what I ever saw in you."
He quirked a black eyebrow at her. “Really? You couldn't keep your eyes off me the first time we met. Lust is a powerful aphrodisiac, especially to a virgin."
Her stomach churned. Again, he didn't call what they had together love. He was right. She knew now that they never loved each other. She remembered staring at his almost naked bronze body. It had glistened in the sun as he dived into the swimming pool. He had looked like a Greek god to her. It was her first taste of the unknown, crossing that threshold of sexual curiosity, and she had mistaken it for love. She had mistaken a predator for someone who really cared about her.
She clenched her jaw, removed the sexually explicit photographs from the envelope and spread them on the table. They revealed a collage of deception. “I want you to leave this house immediately and not come back."
He took his coat off, crossed the room and plopped into a chair opposite her. His eyes glittered with angry amusement as he fingered the pictures. “I have no intention of leaving, other than to see Ann when I get the urge.” He shoved the photos into the envelope and threw them back on the table. “I gambled Jared didn't have any proof."
Her jaw dropped open. “Jared? Did he talk to you about your seeing another woman?"
Paul chuckled. “Jared didn't talk to me. He ordered me to tell you, or he would."
“And you agreed?” Of course he'd agreed, that's what Jared thought Paul had talked to her about. No wonder Jared was so surprised when she didn't recognize Ann Young's name.
Paul shrugged. “I agreed so he'd get off my back. I had no intention of letting him tell me what to do."
Why hadn't Jared defended himself? Why hadn't he told her he'd put pressure on Paul?
She could kick herself across Texas. She accused him of protecting Paul. Once again, she'd been wrong about Jared.
Paul shook his head. “Nothing's changed, Katherine. I still want you back as my wife."
She laughed, allowing all her bitterness and anger to spill from the sound. “Why don't you hold your breath until I agree? You don't love anyone but yourself. Every time I think of what I've put up with since you came to visit this Christmas, I get furious. I gave you every opportunity to prove you'd changed-not for me, but for Matt. He deserves a father, but you aren't a father. You're nothing but a sperm donor. Now that my eyes have been opened, there is no way I would want Matt to emulate you."