Chapter 25
While AJ's words held a warning, his eyes held a promise. Wondering what he would do, Luna bravely taunted, "Like what?"
Glad they were at right angles to each other, rather than having the square table between them, AJ removed his finger from her lips and covered them lightly with his. Her gasp was captured by the unexpected kiss. Luna wasn't quite sure what to do. She hadn't been kissed since before the explosion and had never thought she would be again.
With a sigh, she melted into the tender kiss, determined to take as much pleasure as she could from an experience she was sure would be a one-time thing.
When he lifted his head, AJ stared into her bemused face and asked, "So are you going to keep interrupting me?"
She couldn't believe what he was implying! That if she did keep interrupting him, he would keep kissing her! She just had to know if he really meant it, "I just might," she offered.
"Then I think it would be more comfortable for both of us if you were over here." He gently tugged her out of her chair and guided her back down onto his lap. To say Luna was startled was an understatement. "So, as I was saying…the way you wear your hair covers most of the scars." He reached out to gently brush back the hair that she'd had styled to cover her right cheek and the side of her neck where the burns from the explosion were still in evidence. Caressing her cheek, he ran his thumb lightly over the scars. "It looks like you've had some reconstructive surgery done. Do the scars still hurt?" he asked softly.
"Not any more, and I've had seven surgeries in all. After I came out of the coma, it was much worse originally. The doctors said it was unusual that I didn't try and cover my face when I saw the explosion, but I tried to protect the baby instead. I only turned away as fast as I could and that's why just one side of my face got so badly damaged. But it didn't do any good, I lost the baby anyway," she said with a sad sigh. Luna had cried herself out over the loss of that tiny life she'd never had the chance to know. Now the tears only came on the anniversary of the day she lost him.
Taking both her hands in his, AJ wasn't quite sure how to tell her the news he had. With their faces so close he could see the deep sadness she still felt over the loss of her baby and no matter how he said it, this was going to come as a huge shock to her. "Luna, after I'd discovered your case, I had to know the truth from you, because the things I found in the file didn't coincide with what you'd told me. Today Lieutenant Roberts tracked down your ex-husband and his new wife, along with your son Shawn. You were lied to, my dear. Frank told the care facility you were transferred to that your baby was stillborn, but he wasn't. Frank received sole custody of the baby because of the lies he told about you being a drug addict. Shawn is alive and well and should be here in a few days."
Her stunned look didn't tell him much and as he waited for the news to sink in AJ held her close. He felt her entire body shudder the moment it hit her. Luna's gasp was immediately followed by body-wracking sobs. AJ's arms supported her and his hand rubbed soothing circles on her back as he murmured comforting words.
Finally, after several minutes, she pleaded, "My baby's really alive?"
"Yes he is Luna, and he will be here tomorrow so you can see him."
"He's six years old and I've never even seen him! All the things I've missed! His first words, steps…everything! And he doesn't know me either! What has he been told about me? And how will he react to me? The scars will scare him! Oh AJ, I can't face him!"
To be continued…