Safeguarding Kelly by Zoe Dawson

Author:Zoe Dawson [Dawson, Zoe]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Blue Moon Creative
Published: 2023-02-16T18:30:00+00:00

CHAPTER NINE

Kelly opened her eyes, the imprint of Jason’s mouth against her temple this morning a dreamy memory. She sighed blissfully, then rolled over, grabbing the pillow and breathing deep of his citrus scent. This secret they were keeping was taking its toll on both of them. For Jason, because of his family situation, claiming Kiko was of the utmost importance to him.

The guilt and remorse made her gut churn, adding to her remorse for not telling him sooner. It was impossible to keep her heart from him. If they could get past this terrible secret they were keeping, she believed they could build a strong life together with their own traditions. Which brought her around to her own family situation. Her parents’ respect was very important to her, but not at the cost of their happiness, Kiko’s as well as Jason’s.

She made a mistake, chalking up her decision to fear and maybe it hadn’t been just Jason she’d been worried about. Thinking in terms of how she’d come to the conclusion that she had to hide this from Jason may have been nothing but a smokescreen for her real deep-seated dread. Losing her dad’s love, respect, and acceptance. She faced her anxieties now. She couldn’t sacrifice everything she wanted in the face of her mistakes. It didn’t make the situation any easier, but it made the waters clearer. Feeling judged her whole life, trying to be perfect and live up to her dad’s expectations had taken a toll, and the errors in judgment all stemmed from her perception that honor meant giving up everything she was for what she considered nothing but pride.

Her stomach churned realizing that to move forward, the secret she’d kept all this time would have to come out. Her father would know what she had done—maybe even the Coast Guard.

But this elation, this wonderful, gorgeous feeling was so precious. Knowing that Jason was back in her life, Kiko’s father, felt too damn right, even in the face of all that had gone wrong.

Kiko’s coughing sent Kelly out of bed. She used her cell to call in to work that she wouldn’t be there, but to call her if they needed her. Grabbing her robe, she entered her daughter’s room and sat down on the bed. “How’s my little girl this morning?”

“Still…conbested.”

Kelly chuckled softly at the mispronunciation. “Congested, sweetheart,” she said and felt Kiko’s forehead. The fever was gone. With a sigh of relief, she pushed her daughter’s hair back.

“Jason felt my forehead, too, Mommy. I was mostly sleeping, but a little awake.”

“When?”

“This morning before he left.”

Kelly had never been so aware of him as a man as she was right now. With the way he was concerned about Kiko, her whole body tingled with the sensation of being close and intimate. She hungered for that to become permanent, for them to be a family. Their lives were complicated, but when it came to their daughter, Kelly closed her eyes and bent down to kiss Kiko’s forehead, their daughter…it was so damn easy.

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