My Sweetheart

“One part is mine,” Joseph laughed in the face of Kathy’s expression.

Kathy shrugged. Getting out of bed, the two of them sat at the table. Joseph poured her soup, and added condiments for her, his ministrations precise and gentle. Kathy was at a loss. One day he’d treat another woman like this. The thought wrenched at her.

Impulsively she asked, “Hasn’t Grandfather pushed you to remarry?” She remembered that when she’d become part of their household, Grandfather had been quite nervous about their marriage.

“He hasn’t been around, so no.”

“Oh.”

“You really want me to remarry?” he feigned hurt.

She furrowed her brow. “Not really.”

“Why?”

“No reason,” Kathy replied, and left it at that. The thought of him marrying another woman was torture for her.

“If you don’t want me to, I won’t,” he told her seriously.

Hearing this, she looked up, unable to hide her surprise. “It’s your affair, not mine,” she said evenly, concealing her joy.

“Is that so?” Joseph asked, giving her a long hard look.

Kathy felt she could hide nothing from him. “Of course it is. Or else what?” she countered.

He laughed lowly. “I don’t want to hurt my ex-wife.”

“You won’t,” she insisted.

He stayed with her till that evening, to the point where she asked him, “Won’t you go home?”

here all alone?” The room was VIP, quite large, yet felt

“No.”

go.” With that, he prepared

sight of him walking away was torment. “Don’t,” she said

his tracks,

here,” she forced

up to me?”

her face turning red. He was enticing her on purpose! Regaining

right. How?”

What had she gotten herself into? “Well, of course you…” But before she could finish, a searing kiss had covered her lips, a familiar scent filling her nose. Her eyes went wide in shock. He settled her against the head of the bed, wrapped her

him away, but the kiss didn’t last long anyway. Breathing deeply, she forced

couldn’t help myself.” Kathy grabbed a tissue to scrub at her lips. He didn’t even look, just went to sit on the sofa and

permeated the room, yet even

Joseph, he stopped short. “For you

here is more appropriate?” Joseph inquired

while you’re

He had never once heard Kathy mention Bertie as a friend. At this, Bertie’s complexion changed, and his hands balled into fists. Authoritatively Joseph said, “I’ll stay

sitting on

open her eyes. Yet with them both there, how could she sleep?

who do you want to stay with you?” Joseph asked, knowing she was

to see both handsome men, she felt prickles along her scalp.

rest.”

expression determined, did not. Sternly Kathy said,

want to see me at

no contact with him. Once the room was quiet, for some reason she couldn’t fall asleep. All she could think of was Joseph’s kiss,

door, Joseph leaned against the wall, watching Bertie exit. Bertie asked with narrowed eyes, “What, have you

you very interested in my