Which Child Is Mine? by Karen Rose Smith

Author:Karen Rose Smith
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Silhouette
Published: 2004-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eight

The dinner party was in full swing when Chase and Jillian arrived at the Paxtons’ house. After Alissa Paxton took their coats she whispered to Jillian, “Everyone calls me Allie.”

Chase saw Jillian’s first real smile of the evening. She looked beautiful tonight. She was wearing black slacks, a soft white sweater and a black crocheted shawl casually draped over one shoulder and tied on the other. She was so classy and it didn’t take him long to notice that she didn’t need his presence by her side to make her feel comfortable. Obviously a mingler, she was soon involved in more than one conversation with the two other couples the Paxtons had invited, the Forsythes and the Stantons.

Ever since their encounter in the wine cellar, she’d kept to herself and so had he. He was still reeling from the fact that he’d let baser desires overtake him. All she had to do was walk into a room and he didn’t know left side of his brain from his right. He didn’t understand why his libido was stronger than his intelligence when it never had been before.

And then there was the guilt that his heart still belonged somewhere else even though his body desired Jillian.

Her belief that he was trying to manipulate her, the truth that she didn’t trust him, disconcerted him more than he wanted to admit. Yet he understood both. If her husband had been unfaithful, if she’d been lied to, it would be difficult for her to trust again.

Was he as honest with himself? He had to admit that the desire between them was an instrument he could use to convince her to stay.

After an hour of conversation and hors d’oeuvres, Allie guided everyone to their seats at the dining room table.

Before they began the meal, Chase produced two bottles of wine. To everyone he suggested, “Let’s start with the Niagara. Tell me what you think.”

It seemed odd, but Jillian hadn’t yet sampled Willow Creek wines.

Chase first poured the white wine for everyone and watched as Jillian took a sip and savored it on her tongue. He could tell from her smile and pleased expression that she liked it.

“Too grapey for me,” Scott commented.

But Allie joked, “You like wine so dry the taste will last on your tongue for a week.”

Everyone laughed.

When Chase poured from the second bottle—a Chardonnay—that was more to Scott’s liking. Soon everyone was enjoying the wine of their choice with the meal.

Carly Forsythe, who was a pretty blonde around Chase’s age and seated to Jillian’s right, remarked, “Greg told me you and Scott and James are planning a camping trip in May into the Appalachians. He’s already started to buy gear. You do know you won’t get any sleep for as long as you’re gone. His snoring will echo through the mountains.”

Scott slapped Greg on the back. “Your secret’s out.”

Laughter spread around the table.

The four of them had discussed the trip a few months ago but everything had been different then. “I’m not sure I’ll be able to go,” Chase informed them, exchanging a look with Scott.

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