Taken: A Kept Novella Read Free

looked like marble countertops. The backsplash boasted a marble, chevroned pattern that tied it all together. A teal teapot sat on the back burner of a six-burner, stainless steel range.
    “Wow. You did this?”
    “Mostly.” He crossed his arms over his chest, satisfaction in his stance. “I hired a designer to get the layout and design right, but I did the tiling. Helped with the cabinet install. Put in the lights.”
    She glanced up at the recessed lighting above. “You’re good.”
    “Thank you.” He relaxed his arms. “I’ll get my laptop, then we’ll go.”
    “Okay.”
    He headed for the stairs.
    “Mind if I get a glass of water?” she called after him.
    “Sure.” His words came from partway up the stairs. “Glasses are above the dishwasher.”
    She found the cabinet and opened it. Half a dozen tall, glass glasses stood on the right side. She reached for one.
    On the left side sat a stack of small, plastic cups.
    Her hand halted a fingertip away from a glass.
    Cups with Disney princes and princesses. Cups with Dora the Explorer…
    Cups for children.
    Huh.
    Cam’s footsteps sounded upstairs.
    Jordan grabbed an adult glass and crossed to the stainless steel fridge, filling it there. She stayed in front of the refrigerator as she drank and scanned the pictures across the front. She’d just enjoy pictures of Cam and forget everything odd she’d seen.
    She smiled at a picture of him with her brothers after doing some run together. Cam wasn’t short, but he did look a little short next to her two giants of brothers, both well over six feet tall. Cam was definitely the best looking of the bunch, though. His brown hair wasn’t as dark as hers, and he wasn’t as lean as Dillan and Garrett, but he sure had the best smile. The nicest eyes.
    After a lifetime being around such tall men, dating someone closer to her own height sounded wonderful.
    Most of the other pictures held familiar faces. Cam with guys from the church’s singles group. Pictures from last year’s Memorial Day party. From a winter day spent downtown. From the Fourth of July.
    Funny—she’d never thought a guy would put up pictures like this. Especially pictures of friends from church. Where were the pictures of his family?
    She scanned a couple more that included people she knew until she came to one with Cam holding a young girl in his arms, a smiling brown-haired woman beside him, her hand wrapped around his upper arm. Like he belonged to her. To the little girl.
    To them.
    Cam started down the stairs.
    Jordan took another swallow and studied the picture more closely.
    The girl—did she have Down Syndrome?
    Yes, it looked like it.
    She studied Cam’s face.
    The picture seemed fairly recent. Maybe a year or so old. Who was this girl? This woman? Where did they fit with Cam? Were they family?
    Or something else?
    He entered the kitchen and set his laptop on the island. “Ready to go?”
    “Sure.” She dragged her gaze from the picture to him.
    Cam stood still, his own gaze stuck on the picture, looking as if he wished she hadn’t seen it.
    Why? She looked back at it, praying her voice would sound nonchalant. “Who’s this?”
    “Just…” It sounded like he swallowed. “Someone close to me.”
    The little girl held the teddy bear she’d seen on the stairs.
    Jordan caught her breath. What did this mean? Nothing? Something?
    Everything?
    She faced him again, not faking a thing this time. “How close, Cam?”
    Somehow, the question softened him. “Very close, Jordan.”
    “That doesn’t make me…” Should she be honest? She pushed her bangs to the side. She’d played the game with Matt, waiting and wondering, never being bold enough to ask where she stood or why he couldn’t commit. No, she was done with that dance. It was time to be bold. “I don’t know if I like that.”
    Slowly, he walked to her, his hands in his pockets. He looked at the picture, then back at her. “I can’t explain her to you now, Jordan.