A Forever Love by Maggie Marr Read Free Book Online Page B

window as the guests slowly left the restaurant. Finally Justin walked out of the front door. A stark, strong figure, he walked along the path toward his luxury suite. He was … he was still gorgeous, and he was her son’s father. How could she ever explain to him what she’d done? She couldn’t. There were no words to help a father understand why he’d never met his fourteen-year-old son.
    A fierce desire to protect Max pummeled her. She could pack two bags, get in the Jeep, and be at Camp Willow in under two hours. She had cash squirreled away in different hidey-holes at Rockwater. Her nightmares had always included a Travati security team descending upon Rockwater Farms and taking Max. Not too far-fetched when dealing with one of the wealthiest men in the world. Her Jeep, Max, the open road. He wouldn’t complain too much once they hit the Rocky Mountains. He’d always loved Colorado with the cool fresh air, the mountains, and the aspen trees. She’d tell Max this was a last-minute summer trip or that Nina had asked her to check out a couple of new restaurants she’d heard about in Colorado.
    Yes, she wanted to escape with her son, but running away now would only confirm what Justin believed. He would never stop until he had Max. Now that it seemed he had interest in being a father, Justin would hunt them down.
    She walked through the kitchen again and waved good night to the staff. She so desperately wanted to escape instead of confronting the new reality that would include Max’s father. Her heart crumpled. This quiet, lovely life had ended tonight when she saw Justin. Regardless of her reasons, whether sound or flawed, she’d taken the memories of Max’s childhood from Justin. Now her baby boy was ready to enter high school, and Justin was here to claim his son.
    She walked out the back door and down the side path, directly to Justin’s suite. She’d confront her past and defend her decisions. Today Justin might be a man who wanted to be a father, but he must remember who he’d been then, before Max was born, when she’d discovered she was pregnant. His life and desires had been much different. He’d been a man enraptured by his glorious playboy lifestyle. Her knuckles rapped against the wooden door.
    The door flew open. He stood before her, still in his suit jacket but his tie now gone and his collar unbuttoned. “I wasn’t certain you’d be brave enough to come by tonight.”
    He turned from the doorway, and she followed him inside his suite. Conflicting emotions bounded through her. Uncapped sexual attraction dizzied her and collided with fear and anguish and confusion. How could she keep a calm and cool demeanor in the presence of the only man who had made her swoon?
    He walked toward the kitchen, lifted a glass of pinot noir, and turned to her. She took the glass.
    “I suppose I should offer a toast.” He lifted his wineglass and anger thundered over his face and then passed, quickly concealed. “To our son, the boy I’ve yet to meet and the man I want to know.” He reached out his glass and clinked it to hers.
    She couldn’t drink to those words. Couldn’t sip the wine as though Justin’s presence hadn’t sent her carefully constructed world reeling.
    Justin took a long drink and set the wineglass on the kitchen island. “You can’t drink to that or you won’t?”
    Her gaze captured his. There were so many things to discuss. A part of her wanted his forgiveness, a part of her wanted him to leave, and a part of her she was scared to acknowledge wanted him. Heat grew in her chest, and as if sensing her desire, he stepped closer. His masculine, musky scent mixed with wine overwhelmed her. His voice was low. “Where is my son? Where is Max?”
    “How do you … why do you think he’s your son?” She stepped back, but her hand clutched the counter. Let him stew on the possibility that another man might have claim to Max. An impossibility that made her want to laugh out loud. There’d