“I was seventeen when I ended up pregnant with Joey. My parents were grief stricken when I announced I was pregnant. Within a week, they blamed each other for my reckless behavior. Dad ordered me to have an abortion while Mom suggested I ‘go away’ and give the child up for adoption.”

They found a cushioned, bench swing and sat

under the stars while she continued.

“My father refused. It was abortion or out. There was no way Mr. Jackson Davis would allow his only daughter to parade around pregnant.” Richard clenched her hand that tightened in his with her memories. “Wait. Jack Davis of Davis Enterprises?”

“Yep,” she said with a nod. “That would be him.”

“Elizabeth Davis is your mother?”

“Ironic isn’t it?”

He would say so. Elizabeth Davis headed up a large charity auction every year to help a home for wayward girls who found themselves pregnant and scared. Her social circle praised her efforts. It wasn’t unheard of for the high profile couple to end up in the papers society pages.

“My parents have no problem helping others.”

“But not you.”

“I refused to give up Joey. The fighting in the house escalated until I left. I packed my bags, found a home in Arizona who took in teens, and went there under an assumed name. I hopped around for the first couple of years and ended up back in Southern California working as a waitress. My parents’

friends don’t visit the diners I’ve worked in. They never looked for me.”

“How can you be so sure?” Richard stroked her fingers with his thumb and wondered how difficult those first few years must have been.

“My parents are rich, Richard. If they wanted to find me, they would have. The fact remains they were thankful I left. The black mark I would have made on their reputations wasn’t something they wanted to face.”

Kate leaned into him with her head on his shoulder and let her words soak in. She’d never told anyone the truth about her past. Getting the details out in the open gave her a sense of relief. Not that she tried to hide anything, but there was no one

whom she wanted to tell… Until now.

Richard snuggled closer, his arm circled behind her shoulders. He leaned down, and she could swear he sniffed her hair.

“I’m sorry to have dumped all that on you.”

“I asked.”

“Still, it isn’t the most romantic conversation.” She gazed into his eyes.

“Is it romance you want?” He licked his bottom lip and moved in closer.

“I’m not sure what I want. It’s been so long since I’ve concerned myself with my needs.”

“Perhaps,” he said a breath away from her lips,

“you should put aside Kate Davis, the single mom and let Kate Davis, the beautiful young woman come out.”

The warmth of his breath caressed her skin.

“I don’t know if I can do that.”

“Let me see if I can help you.”

His kiss was gentle. A caress of his lips over hers, that sent a spasm of delight to the pit of her stomach. His male body dominated hers by pulling her into his arms where she felt gloriously lost in his embrace.

Oh yes, this was nice. Kate Davis, the woman, wanted this.

Kate deepened the kiss. Roaming hands found a gap in his shirt, and she reached for his skin beneath. His skin grew hot under her touch.

Richard was doing his best to remove her top.

Their simple caressing kiss took on a new life. She arched forward but found the angle uncomfortable.

There simply wasn’t enough of her body touching his. With a dominance she didn’t know she possessed, Kate moved to his lap, straddling his jean-clad thighs. He was already hard and pressed against the material in an effort to escape. Unable to stop herself, Kate ground her core against him. The

friction sent an unexpected shiver of pleasure up her spine.

“Shit,” he said in frustration. “We’ll never make it inside at this rate.”

She hid a grin and nuzzled his neck. His pulse beat in a wild tattoo, matching hers.

“Isn’t that a pool house?” Kate nodded toward the separate building.

Finally freeing her of her blouse, Richard took full control of her aroused br**sts. A wicked smile crested his mouth before he dipped down to devour them.

Lightning bolted with his contact made her rock against him again. She wanted him, all of him.

“Richard?”

“Humm?” he succeeded in removing her bra, unabashed by her naked torso outside where anyone could see, he continued to explore.

“Pool house,” she whimpered, “Now.” His head came up. “Good idea.”

He stood in one swift movement. His hands held her straddled against his erection.

Kate giggled and wrapped her legs around his waist and continued kissing his neck and ear.

It wasn’t locked, thank God. Richard kicked the door closed behind them and headed straight for the bedroom.

There, he set her on the bed, but didn’t let her move away. He stayed between her legs, and kissed her fully. Dueling tongues searched each other’s mouths, unable to quench the thirst the other provoked.

His naked chest pressed against hers, his hands stroked her sides.

Kate brought both her hands around him, ignoring the pain in her arm, and squeezed his sculptured butt.

“Jesus,” he groaned.

“Take these off,” she demanded pulling at his

jeans.

He moved back, breaking contact long enough to put a hand to the buttons of his pants. “You get yours.”

Kate lifted her brows and watched his eyes taking in every one of her movements on the bed.

Purposefully moving slowly, she unsnapped and tugged down the zipper of her pants. She lifted her hips and wiggled her butt causing him to gasp, and her to grin.

Where this brazen hussy came from, she had no idea. The need to have Richard cover her naked body with his grew so powerful, she felt as if she had no control at all.

His eyes followed her fingers while she kicked off her jeans leaving only her panties.

Richard licked his lips, his own task of removing clothing forgotten. She traced the line of lace covering her sex and slipped one finger inside.

A predatory growl erupted Richards lips. His eyes swirled with passion. With only moonlight gleaming through the windows of the pool house, Kate saw his eyes changed color and shape.

Slightly startled but completely at his mercy, Kate moved back on the bed. “Your turn,” she reminded him.

He was naked in a heartbeat, his penis jutting forward at an impressive length.