The Seduction Game

“No need to let them know how weird we are just yet,” Meg had said. “Not until I get to check out the cousins, aka possible dates and such, first.”

Will pulled her into the hallway. The floor was littered with kids’ toys. Dolls, teddy bears, a pile of books next to the safety gate at the bottom of the stairs. A moment later and they were in the family room and Kate swallowed as she took in the view in front of her. Four adults and three children.

Every one of them was smiling broadly.

“Guys,” Will said. “This is my Katie.”

His words, the tone he used, made the butterflies in Kate’s belly relax. She let her gaze travel around the room, from person to person. Will’s family, all of them in one place, and the way things were looking, Kate was fairly certain they were going to be her family, too, at some point.

How had she gotten so lucky?

“My mom,” Will said, as a trim, athletic woman stepped away from the group.

“You can call me Grace,” she said. “And we are so pleased to meet you, at last.”

Similar sentiments were made by Will’s dad, a broad-shouldered man who looked a lot like Will. And then his sister, Fi, who was all fire and sass…and then finally…

“You’ve met Jen before,” Will said, turning to the last adult in the room.

Kate cringed inside, her last meeting with Jen still fresh in her mind. God knew what the other woman thought of her. “Jen, I—”

Jen enfolded her in a hug before Kate could say another word. It was full of warmth, and felt…comfortable…like coming home somehow. “It’s really great to meet you properly at last, Katie,” Jen whispered. “You are so welcome here.”

Kate pulled back to look into the other woman’s eyes, and saw clearly that she meant every single word she said. It was more than Kate deserved, because even though she knew it was not her fault, she was still a little guilty about the Chris situation. The fact that he had managed to escape with Will’s money, that no one had heard from him since, least of all Jen, or her children. It couldn’t be easy for the other woman. Kate knew it couldn’t and yet she was going out of her way to make Kate comfortable. Had in fact been insisting on meeting her for weeks.

“I hope we’ll be good friends,” Kate replied.

“For sure,” Jen said. “I can’t wait. Now, come, meet my kids. God knows, Will babysits them enough, so I guess you might, too.”

The kids were so cute, even the eldest, who Kate immediately pegged as a nerd-in-training. In fact, it didn’t take Kate long at all to become friends with the kids, and everyone else, for that matter. A grill was set up, music was turned on, and everyone was eating and drinking and having fun. Kate reveled in the atmosphere, nervous no more. She fit in just fine. Like there was a place for her in Will’s little family. It was an amazing feeling. One Kate cherished more than she could say.

“They adore you already,” Will said as she went to refill her glass. They stood together, under the shadow of a large tree where Jen had arranged a little table surrounded by fairy lights. Grace had told her that Will had planted the tree when he had built the house for Jen. It had grown in record time and now towered over the home. Two smaller trees sat on either side of the first tree. Three trees, one for each of Jen’s children. Another example, Kate realized, of just how thoughtful Will could be.

“They’re really nice,” Kate said. “All of them.”

“I told you not to be nervous. That it would be fine. Aren’t I always right?”

Kate rolled her eyes, plopped her glass on the table, and placed her hands on her hips. “Not always, Will, just sometimes.”

“I was right about us,” he said. “I knew from almost the beginning that something special was there.”

“But I knew that, too,” Kate said, “so that doesn’t count.”

“I should at least get a point,” he insisted.

“Then I should get one, too.”

“Oh, so we’re in competition now, are we?” Will asked, pulling her into his arms and planting a kiss on her open lips. “What’s the grand prize?”

Kate sighed, breathing in his scent even as she ran her hands along his muscular chest, wondering again how she had gotten so damn lucky. That this man was hers now. That she could touch him whenever she liked. Kiss him. Love him. It was almost too much to comprehend at times. “I have my grand prize,” she whispered. “I won it weeks ago. Before I even realized.”

“And may I ask what the prize was?”

“You, silly,” Kate said. “Always you.”

A pause, and then, “I love you, Katie,” Will breathed. “So damn much.”

“And I love you,” Kate replied, her chest expanding with the words. “Game, set, match.”




Acknowledgments


Once again a big thank-you to my editor, Erin, for all her hard work on this manuscript. She gently coaxes the best out of me and I super appreciate it!

Also to my copy editor, who picked up a, quite frankly, shameful Dr Who mistake! How ever could I have lived it down?

Thanks to my romance author friends, Kellie, Marie, and Jayne, for their support. You guys pick me up when I need it the most.

To my family, for being there no matter what.

And lastly to the eternal cheerleader, Vixie. How do I love thee…let me count the ways…