Free His Touch by Patty Blount Page A

orchestrated that just to check up on us. Maybe he thinks I keep Nadia chained to her crib or something.”
    “Ma!” Nadia squirmed and Kara put her down, happy to see Nadia interested in playing. She moved to the basket and pulled out a cardboard picture book to put at Kara’s feet. “Ma!” She said again.
    “No, baby, that’s a book. Book.”
    “Book!”
    “Good girl!” Kara applauded with a bright phony smile pinned to her face. As soon as Nadia’s attention was caught by something else, it faded.
    “Kara. She’s okay. She didn’t cough at all and the fever’s down.”
    Kara didn’t find that thought comforting. “The doctor said it tends to hit at night.”
    “Then I’ll stay here tonight. Just in case.”
    Kara nearly leaped up to inflate the air mattress but then remembered her sister had her own life, her own job, both of which she’d skipped today to be there for her and her daughter. “No, honey. Luke needs you home.”
    “Kara, you know Lucas wouldn’t even blink if I told him I was staying here to help you with Nadia.”
    Kara shook her head. No. She had to do this on her own. She was the one who messed up, starting with her choice of men and now she was a single mother. Her mind flashed back to her first breakup. She couldn’t have been more than fifteen and was convinced the pain would never end. Somehow, Mom knew. She’d called her from her office and instead of yelling at her or feeding her dumb platitudes, her mother had told her to hop on a train and meet her in Manhattan. They’d spent the evening eating decadent desserts and trashing boys and by the time they’d gotten home, Kara had stopped feeling sorry for herself and was ready to move on.
    Mom would have taken one look at Nadia yesterday and known she wasn’t feeling well. More importantly, she’d have known how to help her. Kara squeezed her eyes shut. She’d be so disappointed in her if she could see her now.
    Maybe that’s why she wasn’t sending her any signs the way she had for Elena.

Chapter Six
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    T he next morning was sunny and warm, a perfect June day. She’d fastened a wide hat over Nadia’s curls and had sweaters for both of them folded in her bag in case it got chilly. She also had a picnic lunch packed. It was going to be just a Mommy and Baby day in the park.
    Mom used to take them to the park nearly every day when she’d been little until Elena got to the age where she ruined whatever plans they’d tried to made. Elena had been… well, she’d been a brat.
    “Ms. Larsen. And little Miss Larsen.”
    Kara’s stomach did a long slow roll. She stopped, turned, and found Reid Bennett walking toward them, a broad grin on his face—a good look for him—and a to-go cup in his hand. When he smiled, she forgot her own name. He wore jeans and a T-shirt and dark sunglasses and she had to resist the urge to fan her face. Why? Why did her hormones surge for this guy, with his scowly face and disapproving attitude? Okay, yes, he wasn’t scowling just then but seriously, why?
    “Ms. Larsen?”
    Kara shook herself back to reality. She was a mother, for God’s sake. “Mr. Bennett.”
    “It’s Reid.”
    “I know.”
    He laughed and scratched the back of his head. “Are you ladies out shopping again?”
    She narrowed her eyes. Was that some kind of crack? “No. We’re heading to the park.”
    “Ah. As it happens, so am I.”
    Uninvited, he fell into step beside her and made a funny face at Nadia.
    “Gah!”
    Her thoughts exactly. They walked on, Reid sipping his coffee. “Mr. Bennett, are you following me?”
    He glanced sharply at her. “Following you? Where the hell did you get that idea?”
    “You have a habit of being wherever I am.”
    “Maybe it’s a sign,” he said with a shrug and a wink and she tripped over a crack in the sidewalk, heart galloping.
    A sign.
    He grabbed her elbow with his free hand, steadied her. Oh, God. He couldn’t know. There was no way he could know. Unless—“Did