The Secret Agent's Surprises (Harlequin American Romance) by Tina Leonard Page B

man.
    She’d become more withdrawn as the evening progressed. He and his brothers and their wives had kicked around all kinds of ideas for the care of the quadruplets—none of them seemed right, though. Through it all, Josiah had listened, his eyes keen with interest.
    Pete still felt as if he was part of a grand scheme—he wondered if Priscilla felt the same. It was a long drive and neither of them had a lot to say. They talked about the weather, how this February was a particularly cold month. They discussed small matters, avoiding the subjects of children, matrimony and family. It was pretty tricky navigating, considering that children, matrimony and family was all that his family had talked about.
    He didn’t expect her to invite him in, but when they arrived at her house, she turned and said, “Can you come in for a few moments?”
    “Are you sure you’re not too tired for company?”
    She shook her head. “I’m not tired. In fact, you could probably use a break from driving. And there’s something I’d like to discuss with you.”
    This sounded reasonable to Pete, so he parked his truck and followed her into her cozy home. As cute as the tea parlor was, the part of the structure that was her home was warmly welcoming. He could see why she’d never want to leave her house.
    She brought out tea and cookies from the kitchen, setting them on a coffee table before gesturing him to find a place to sit. “Make yourself comfortable, Pete.”
    He’d be more comfortable if he knew why he’d been asked in. During the drive she’d had two hours to talk to him, yet there was something more she felt she had to say? He munched a cookie and waited for her to lead the discussion.
    “Why did you kiss me?” she asked.
    Cookie crumbs got caught in his throat at his sudden inhalation. After he stopped choking, he looked at her with watery eyes. “Sorry. Went down the wrong pipe.” He hoped that would make her forget her question, but she sat waiting, her eyes wide as she waited for his answer.
    “I kissed you,” he said, “because I wanted to.”
    She didn’t say a word.
    “Was there a problem?” he asked, and she shook her head.
    “No.”
    What was a guy supposed to make of that? Had she liked it or not? She wasn’t about to give him any clues, however, so he just sat there, waiting.
    Finally he couldn’t stand it any longer. “Do you want me to kiss you again?”
    “Not tonight,” she said, “and after I tell you this, you may never want to again.”
    “Uh-oh,” he said, “if you’re about to make some kind of confession, I’m not the one to hear it.”
    “It is a confession,” she said softly, her eyes downcast.
    “You know, I’m not good with emotional stuff,” Pete said. “Since I’ve been home I’ve been trying to connect with my father and my brothers, make up for lost time. It’s only been a few days. All this baby conversation, marriage stuff—it’s not easy for me. I’ve been on my own a long time. Being in the military kind of teaches you to rely on yourself. Please don’t confess anything to me, because I’m worse than Pop when it comes to being a male chauvinist. I really think I am.”
    He was aware he was running, heading away from deep water as fast as he could. He hoped she’d let him get away with it. He’d never been a pillow-talk kind of man—she probably had that figured out.
    “I know these little orphans are very much on your family’s mind,” Priscilla said, “and I wish I could help. Short of a bake sale or something, I can’t. In fact, the whole topic is a bit painful to me. I knowchildren make your father stronger,” she told him, her voice soft. “Anyone can see he draws his strength from family, but…I gave a child up for adoption when I was seventeen.”
    He stared at her. She didn’t cry, wasn’t saying the words looking for sympathy. It was a straightforward statement of fact. “I’m sorry,” he said, truly feeling that way but not knowing if