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“What happened?”
When she didn’t give him a speedy reply, Justin answered. “Me and Mr. Murdock were having a breath-holding contest, and Angie thought I was drowning. So she jumped in the pool to save me.”
Justin glanced at Angie, then at Toby, his eyes wary as though he was bracing himself for a scolding. But Toby was still waiting for Angie to say something.
Apparently, thinking he was off the hook, Justin brightened and really opened up. “It was pretty sweet, though. The firemen and paramedics came—with sirens and everything. But best of all, I beat Mr. Murdock at holding my breath. And then he cussed. And Angie yelled at both of us. And even though the fireman said I couldn’t ride in the ambulance, but I could look inside, Angie wouldn’t let me. But that’s okay, because—”
Toby interrupted the boy’s rambling dialogue and said, “Kiddo, why don’t you go get some dry clothes on before dinner. I’ll let Angie tell me the rest of the story.”
There was no telling what all had transpired at the YMCA earlier, but knowing Justin’s history of wandering off and Mr. Murdock’s fierce competitive streak, Toby was able to piece a lot of it together.
After Justin ran inside, Toby turned his full attention to the soaking-wet woman. She’d better get out of her clothes, too.
Whoops. Now that was an intriguing thought. And an arousing one, seeing how the Lycra now covered her like a sexy layer of skin. But as tears filled her eyes, his thoughts cooled to sympathy.
Justin said she’d been angry earlier, but she appeared to be hurt now. Crushed, actually.
Uh-oh. This was bad.
What in blazes had happened?
“I’m so sorry,” she said. “It’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have gone to that yoga class. I should’ve just stayed out by the pool with him. And then, when he wasn’t where he was supposed to meet me, I thought of all the terrible things that could have happened to him, and I panicked. I guess you could say I had a meltdown, and everyone saw the whole thing.”
“It couldn’t have been that bad,” he said.
“Oh, no? If I’d been on an E.R. reality show, the TV ratings would have shot through the roof. It was terrible, and I completely lost it.”
She started rambling then, just as Justin had. And while her sweet face still looked confused in the aftermath of her unnecessary panic attack, the snug workout pants sent his testosterone soaring, and he nearly dropped the platter of grilled chicken he was holding.
Damn. If he didn’t have his hands full, he’d pull her to him, wet Lycra and all, just to offer his comfort and whatever else he could.
“Salad’s ready!” Brian yelled out the side door. “I’m starved. Can we start eating?”
“You go ahead and eat with the kids,” Angie told him. “I’m not hungry. I need to go home and get out of these wet clothes. If you want to talk more about it, we can do that in the morning.”
Then she turned toward her car.
“Wait!” Toby called to her back.
When she turned around, he said, “I’ll give you some dry clothes and a glass of wine. You look like you could use both. And after dinner, you and I can sit down and enjoy some quiet time—adults only. Then you can tell me what happened. Or, if you’d rather, you can forget all about it.”
Whatever would make her smile again.
That was, unless she wanted to get the hell away from him and the kids as fast as her toned legs would carry her.
And quite frankly, he wouldn’t blame her if she did. After all, he’d known all along how it would end. And he’d implied as much to her a few days ago when they’d discussed his nonexistent love life.
Women saw him as some sort of Captain Rescue at first. And then they ran for the hills as soon as they came face-to-face with the reality of dealing with three kids, each of whom still had some issues after living in a dysfunctional household with their aunt Barbara. But they seemed to be getting through all that, especially since Angie had started coming around.
“You know,” she said, “a glass of wine sounds great. Besides, if I go home now and run into Mr. Murdock, I just might ring his little ole leatherneck.”
Toby laughed. At least her sense of humor was coming back.
He shifted the plate into his left hand, then slipped his arm around her shoulders. She leaned into him, and he gave her a gentle squeeze.
A guy could get used to comforting her, even when she was soaking wet. In fact, Toby might have just stood there, holding her all night, except he had children to feed.
“Come on,” he said, as he led her to the kitchen, where the kids had gathered.
Once inside, he assigned them all chores so they could eat sooner. “Check the rice steamer, Brian. Kylie, set a place for Angie. She’s staying for dinner.”
Kylie, who was down on her hands and knees, looked up from the floor, where she was picking up some dropped silverware. “I already set the table. Well, all but the forks and spoons.”
Toby was about to warn her to get fresh utensils from the drawer, then he figured he may as well forget it since the housekeeper had been here today and had mopped the floor. So at least for tonight, the three-second rule for germ-free drops had become a three-minute rule, as far as he was concerned.
While the kids did as they’d been asked, Toby took Angie to his bedroom, where he began opening drawers, looking for something she could wear, something that might fit.
When he caught her looking at the king-sized bed in the center of the room, he wondered if she was thinking the same thing he was.
And just what was he thinking?
Right now, he didn’t dare put it into words. Instead, he haphazardly handed her a worn-out Houston Texans T-shirt, along with a pair of his old cross-country shorts from Horseback Hollow High, which he figured would be too big.
If he had his way, he’d prefer to see her stay in those tight pants and sports tank. But they were wet. And even if they were dry, he had to find something else for her to wear—and quick.
It was killing him to see her looking so sexy and so vulnerable at the same time, especially since she was just an arm’s distance and mere steps away from his bed.
“While you change,” he said, “I’ll get the wine.”
Minutes later, everyone was sitting in their places when Angie came to the table. The kids must have picked up on her solemn mood, because they were so quiet you could hear a pin drop—or a man’s heart beat, his blood race.
She’d rolled his shorts up at the waist to make them fit her. The shirt barely reached the hem of the shorts, making it look as though she wasn’t wearing anything underneath.
Man, he needed to get a grip. There were kids present.
And thankfully, the kids soon began to chatter, because Angie remained quiet through dinner, sipping her wine and picking at her food.
When everyone else had eaten their fill, Toby said, “Okay, guys, no TV tonight. It’s already time to pick up your rooms, take your baths and get ready for bed.”
It really wasn’t all that late, but Toby had waited long enough to get Angie alone.
With her being as pensive as she’d been at dinner, he hadn’t expected her to help out with the evening routine the way she’d done the other night she’d been here. But she surprised him by stepping right up to the plate, which was nice. The kids liked having her around.
He did, too. But he’d have to be careful that nobody got too attached. Especially him.
When Toby finished reading the next chapter of Treasure Island, Angie was still with Kylie, so he went to the kitchen and started to clean up. He’d just loaded the dishwasher when she entered the room, her shoulders slumped.
“Come on,” he said, wiping his hands on a dish towel. “The rest of this can wait until tomorrow.”
After refilling her wineglass, he grabbed a cold beer out of the fridge for himself. Then they walked into the living room. The house was noticeably quieter with all the kids tucked in.
She took a sip of the chardonnay before practically collapsing on the sofa. He recognized the signs of an adrenaline dump. Or maybe she was just emotionally exhausted.
He sat next to her, and it seemed only natural to reach out, to touch her shoulder, to finger her hair. “Okay, tell me what’s bothering you.”
She let out a ragged sigh. “I feel as though I’ve let you down.”
“Why would you think that? The way I see it, you took your responsibility seriously. I’m actually impressed.”
“Thank you, but I never should have let him out of my sight in the first place.” She closed her eyes.
“Don’t blame yourself. The same thing happens to me at least four times a week. Justin is impulsive. He has a history of running off and doing his own thing, which led to some of the behavioral problems he was having at school. We’ve been working on correcting it, but he’s eight. It happens. I should have better prepared you.”
She shuddered, and he adjusted his body so he could pull her even closer. He reminded himself that she was upset and vulnerable now, but she felt so good in his arms. He stroked her back, his fingers unhampered by any bra straps. And with those long, tanned legs bare to her thighs, she was practically naked.
Aw, man. It would be so easy to take advantage of the situation. But should he?
Then what?
She had her head cradled against his shoulder, and he was tempted to kiss the top of her head—a gentle kiss meant to comfort. But something told him he wouldn’t want to stop at gentle.
Or at the top of her head.
And kissing her would take their relationship to a level neither of them was ready for, not when three kids stood in the balance.
So he reined in his lust and didn’t kiss her at all. But he probably should have taken the opportunity while he’d had the chance, because it seemed as though she was pulling away from him and getting to her feet before he knew it.
She was leaving? So soon?
“It’s been a long day,” she said. “I need to go.”
He followed her to the door. He hated to see her go, but the fact that she was wearing his shirt and shorts gave him some comfort. If he wouldn’t be sleeping with her, maybe his clothes would.
“Thanks for dinner and for understanding,” she said, as she grabbed the oversized purse and the wet shoes she’d left just outside the front door.
When she straightened, their eyes met.
A good-night kiss crossed his mind, but he pondered the wisdom of doing so for a beat too long, because she said, “I’ll talk to you later.”
Then she headed for her car.
As he stood on the porch and watched her go, the sway of her hips and those long, shapely legs taunted him. He kicked himself for his lack of courage, his foresight and his strong sense of family values—or whatever the hell had convinced him to do the right thing and keep his lips and his hands to himself.
He’d had two opportunities to kiss Angie tonight, neither of which he’d taken. He tried to tell himself that he’d done the right thing, that he’d made the right call, but his libido wasn’t buying it.
But wouldn’t you know it? Once he’d lost his chance to kiss her, he wanted her all that much more.
Chapter Six (#ulink_ed1960bb-e5ab-55af-a554-683986efdc37)
After Angie left, Toby went into the bathroom to take a shower and spotted her wet workout clothes hanging over his towel bar. He’d assumed she’d taken them with her, along with her purse and the wet shoes she’d left outside by the door, but apparently, she’d forgotten them after she’d changed.
He’d return them, of course, which would give him an opportunity to see her again soon.
That was a good thing, right?
Less than twenty minutes ago, he’d been tempted to kiss her. In fact, he’d been tempted to do more than that, right there on his living-room sofa—and despite having a house full of kids.
But that wouldn’t have been good. He blew out a sigh.
As long as those three children were depending upon him, he’d better not even think about having a woman spend the night. And since he hoped they’d be living with him until they each went off to college, he’d better get used to sleeping alone—unless he tied a cowbell around each of their necks.
The image of him doing that was actually kind of funny, and he might have even chuckled out loud if being twenty-six and facing the possibility of ten years of near celibacy wasn’t downright unsettling—and unthinkable.
Surely it wouldn’t come to that.
He ran his hand through his hair, then turned on the water in the shower, adjusting the temperature to warm—hoping cold sprays wouldn’t be the only ones in his future.
Something told him this was going to be a long night, and that sleep would be a long time coming.
And he’d been right.
The next day, as soon as school let out, he surprised the kids by driving to the Superette and telling them they could each pick out a snack. As they unbuckled their seat belts, he reached for the plastic bag holding Angie’s now-dry workout clothes.
Then he herded the happy kids into the mom-and-pop grocery store, riding pretty high in the saddle himself. No matter what he told himself, being with Angie always brightened his day.
Trouble was, once he got inside and the kids took off, he didn’t see her at any of the checkout registers.
Where was she? He could’ve sworn that she worked at the market on Thursdays. But it was tough keeping up with her schedule. Had he been wrong? Was she working for Sawyer and Laurel today?
Dang. Was this what his life would be like if he were to actually date her? Would she always be working at some odd job, changing shifts frequently, possibly moving to another city?
She didn’t have a history of stability, and no matter how many family conversations she livened up or how many heated looks passed between the two of them, nothing was going to change that fact.
Just when he began to realize he’d have to take the plastic bag back to his truck, Justin ran up and asked, “Can I have one of Angie’s cupcakes? She put little race cars on top and everything.”
“Slow down, Justin. What are you talking about?”
“I’ll show you.” The boy turned and dashed off toward the bakery section.
Toby followed him to the display case—and to Angie, who stood behind it, wearing a white apron tied around her slim waist.
“See?” Justin said, imploring Toby to tear his gaze from Angie and to look at the tray of cupcakes behind the glass enclosure, each one blue and topped with candy sprinkles and a tiny toy race car.
“You’re a baker, too?” Toby asked her.
“It’s a long story. The baker called in sick, so I stepped in. And when I spotted the toy cars stashed in one of the cupboards in back, I thought they might add a little more pizzazz. Apparently, the customers agreed because we sold the first batch already and the second is going fast.”
“So can I have one for my treat?” Justin asked again.
