Free Caitlin's Choice by Kat Attalla Page A

received my inheritance and started my company. Garret was the trustee of Erik and Leslie’s shares.”
    The baby began to squirm in his arms, and Andrew forced himself to relax, but his eyes still shone with resentment.
    “He got involved with a conniving little con artist. She steered him into a sure thing investment deal that went bust. There was damned little left after his death. She made a fortune in kickbacks while my family had little more than the house left, which was too big and expensive to run.”
    Caitlin’s body went numb. She knew she could never tell him the truth about her past. He would never believe her.
    “We sold the house and divided the money between Erik, Leslie, and Mother. Erik used his share to buy into my company. Mother and Leslie came to live with me and used their shares to establish themselves with the country club set.”
    Andrew paused to take a deep breath. Maybe the past didn’t excuse his behavior, but it might help Caitlin understand why he had been suspicious of her and Maggie.
    “Andrew?”
    “Yes?” He shook his head and focused on Caitlin, standing above him. Her expression was impossible to read. Was that sadness or fear he saw in the depths of her eyes?
    “I have to feed Ty and get him to bed.”
    “Oh. Sorry.”
    He held Tyler up. “Here you go, sport. Mommy wants to feed you. Yeah, I’d smile too, if I were you.”
    A pink flush washed over her. “Give him to me,” she muttered.
    “Stay here.”
    Caitlin hesitated.
    Andrew could almost read her thoughts. She didn’t want to be feeding the baby when Leslie and Joyce returned. Considering their attitude at dinner, he didn’t blame her. “They won’t be home before midnight. You can bank on that.”
    “All right. But I’m going to have trouble keeping Tyler awake. You’ve got him hypnotized.”
    She sat on the sofa next to Andrew and opened her blouse before taking Tyler in her arms.
    Andrew leaned closer. As his bare arm brushed against hers, she trembled. She inched away to break contact.
    “Put your shirt on.”
    “Why?” he asked innocent.
    She arched a delicate eyebrow in warning. “Put it on or I’m going upstairs.”
    “Do I bother you, Caitlin?”
    “Yes.”
    At least she was honest. Her heart might hate him, but her body reacted to the closeness with the same potent excitement that had drawn them together to begin with.
    He chuckled. “Good. Despite your words to the contrary, all your memories of that night weren’t bad.”
    “It wasn’t the night, Andrew. It was the morning after.”
    He shook his head. She was not going to give him a break. “Will you ever get beyond that?”
    “I don’t know.”
    Andrew reached for his shirt. He slipped his arms through the sleeves but didn’t button it. “Better?”
    She rolled her eyes and sighed at his deliberate attempt to tease her.
    “Erik and Maggie are coming by tomorrow,” he said.
    Her face lit up. Finally, a smile of pure joy. “Great. I’ll finally get to meet Erik.”
    “You’ve never met? But he talks about you as if you have.”
    “We used to speak on the phone every month when I was in Singapore. I was supposed to meet him last week at the house for dinner, but someone served me with a subpoena and I had to leave.”
    “I didn’t mean to ruin your dinner.”
    “Just my life?”
    He exhaled deeply. “Caitlin . . .
    “It was a joke, Andrew. Lighten up.” She finished feeding the baby in silence. As soon as Tyler fell asleep, she handed him to Andrew. With her clothing back in place, she rose.
    “I’m going to turn in myself. I’m tired.”
    Andrew stood, cradling Tyler to his chest with one arm. Before she could stop him, he lowered his head and brushed his mouth over her pouting lips. A small gasp of surprise was quieted by the kiss. She tasted sweet, stirring memories of their night together.  He stroked his hand along her cheek, but made no attempt to draw her closer with the baby between them. Like a fawn caught in