Guilty Pleasures: A Collection Read Online Free PDF Page A

she heard him say softly, affectionately, to whoever was on the other end of the line. “What's going on?”
    Sweetheart ? Like a splash of cold water to her face, that doting pet name, clearly meant for someone female, jolted Renee awake completely. Her stomach churning with a sense of dread, and her heart pounding in her chest, she sat up in bed. And even though she wasn’t one to normally eavesdrop, this was one conversation she couldn’t bring herself to ignore.
    “Sure honey.” His voice was tender and caring, and then he chuckled at something she must have said. “Tell grandma I said yes. I’m glad you’re having a good time. What are you planning on doing today? Anything fun?”
    Renee’s mind spun as she processed his words and came to the conclusion that he could only be talking to a child—a daughter judging by the feminine endearments he used.
    She dragged her fingers through her disheveled hair, still in shock. Good God, he had a daughter , and he’d never mentioned her, which said everything about Jake's thoughts on their time together this weekend. While she’d hoped this was just the beginning of something deeper, clearly for him it had been all about a fun, no-strings-attached hook-up.
    How stupid was she for thinking that there was something more to all their late night talks and emails? For believing that the intimate, caring look in his eyes last night when he’d been buried deep inside her carried the same emotional impact for him as it had her? Or maybe she’d just imagined it all because she’d wanted there to be so much more between them.
    The truth was like a knife to the heart, and despite the hurt and disappointment eating at her, Renee knew she had no one to blame for this unexpected and devastating letdown than herself. Jake had never made any promises beyond amazing, phenomenal, mind-blowing sex, which he’d given her plenty of last night. Their do-over had been a huge success and he’d fulfilled his end of the bargain, and then some.
    Since Jake had gone outside to talk to his daughter, he clearly wanted to be alone, and that’s what she intended to give him. And honestly, the very last thing she wanted to deal with was yet another awkward and embarrassing parting like they'd had ten years ago.
    Telling herself she ought to be grateful that she’d avoided the humiliation of confessing to Jake how she felt about him, and him not returning the sentiment, she got out of bed and quickly put her clothes back on. Finding a pen and hotel stationary in the nightstand drawer, she wrote him a direct and to the point note: I left to give you privacy with your daughter. Thanks for the do-over. You definitely fulfilled all promises made. Renee.
    She tossed the paper onto the pillow she’d slept on, then silently made her escape.
    #
    As soon as Jake walked back into the hotel room after his chat with Addison and saw the empty bed, his gut told him that Renee was gone. Sure enough, the bathroom door was wide open, her clothes were no longer scattered all over the floor, and there was a note on her pillow.
    Reluctantly, he picked it up and read what she wrote, not missing the way she’d emphasized the word daughter . Add to that her curt thanks for the do-over and her disappearing act, and he was smart enough to read between the lines and realize that she was hurt and angry that he'd kept such a big part of his life a secret . . . rightly so.
    “Shit,” he muttered. He’d royally fucked things up. He could only imagine how this looked to Renee, and he'd never intended for her to find out about his daughter this way. But when Addison called, he'd automatically picked up the phone. His little girl meant the world to him, and very rarely did he let her calls go to voice mail. But as soon as he'd stepped out on the balcony to talk to Addison, he realized his mistake.
    By then it was too late.
    He'd planned on spending the day with Renee and breaking the news about Addison to her so that she