Kate Sherwood - Dark Horse 03 - Of Dark and Bright by Kate Sherwood Read Free Book Online Page A

he’s going to be a father?”
    “He knows. But he’s already a dad. He’s got two kids with one ex, and one with another. But, you know—he’s not really in any position to be much of a father. And his family’s about as fucked up as he is.” She cut her eyes down to her coffee, and when she looked back up, her face was sweet, almost innocent. It was unnerving, and for the first time, Dan wondered how it looked to other people when he donned his own mask. “But you’re good with kids, right? You must be.”
“What? Why?” Dan tried to understand where she was going. “Why would you think I’d be good with kids?”
    “Just, you know….” Another sweet smile, but Dan wasn’t finding it too compelling anymore. “Because you’re gay. I don’t believe in all that ‘gays shouldn’t be allowed to have kids’ stuff. You’re more sensitive, right? Gentler, or whatever. So you’d probably be really good dads.”
“Jesus, Krista, that’s a shitload of stereotypes all in one sentence.”
    “Look, Dan.” Krista leaned forward intently. “We’re family. Let me talk to you honestly.” She apparently took his lack of objection as consent. “You’ve got a good thing going here. But how long’s it going to last, really? I mean—how long before your boyfriend wants a newer, hotter model? He’s always going to be rich, but you’re not always going to be good-looking, right? We both know how men’s eyes can wander, and how much they like novelty.” She leaned back a little, apparently confident that she had made a convincing argument. “You need something to keep him interested, and to tie him to you. Something that he can’t just walk away from when he gets bored. And what I’m saying is: a baby. I’ve got one, you need one.” She smiled again, and it wasn’t sweet anymore; she looked absolutely predatory. “Let’s make a deal.”
    Dan had no idea how he would have responded, but it turned out that he didn’t have to, at least not right away. There was a knock from the front hall, and then a familiar voice called out, “Hello? Dan? You here?”
Dan stood up quickly. “In the kitchen,” he called. He wasn’t sure if Evan’s arrival was going to make things better or worse.
    E
VAN knew he wasn’t supposed to be there. Jeff had refused to come, saying that they needed to respect Dan’s privacy, and Evan had gone along with that for as long as he could. But Jeff had plans for the afternoon, and as soon as he was out of the house, Evan had looked across the kitchen table to find Tat staring back at him. “We should at least say ‘hi’,” she’d suggested, and that had been all it took.
    His bold curiosity had carried him right up onto the porch, had let him knock on the door, push it slightly open and call “hello.” And then it had deserted him. Jeff had been right; this was an invasion of Dan’s privacy. The guy hadn’t seen his sister in more than a decade, and neither of them had been leading quiet lives; they had a right to get caught up. He winced before calling, “We’re just going to leave some stuff out here, okay? Nothing important.”
    But he’d forgotten that Tat was at least as headstrong as he was. She tossed a scornful look his way and headed for the kitchen. Shit. This was absolutely Evan’s fault. He followed along uncertainly.
    “Hi, I’m Tatiana Kaminski,” he heard her say, and as he rounded the corner he saw her advancing on the pregnant woman in the kitchen chair. Krista. Evan had been right that she would have the same coloring as Dan, but there wasn’t much resemblance otherwise. Where Dan was lean and angular, Krista was rounded. She probably wasn’t overweight, although it was hard to tell with the belly in the way, but she was soft, even in her face. Her eyes were familiar, though, green and quick, taking everything in.
    “Hi, Tatiana,” Krista said, and she extended her hand to take the one that was being offered. Then she looked over Tat’s