determined businesswoman who had handled some fairly tough trials through the three years of running her company. One little attraction wasn’t going to ruin her.
Feeling better, she walked back to the living room, but stopped dead in the doorway. Reaching up to paint the ceiling, with his back to her, Cain stretched his T-shirt taut against his muscles. His jeans snugly outlined his behind. She swallowed. Memories of them in the shower and tangled in their sheets flashed through her brain.
She pressed the water bottle to her cheek again, pushing the pointless memories aside, and strode up behind him.
“Here.”
He turned abruptly and a few drops of paint rained on her nose.
“Oops! Sorry. You kind of surprised me.”
“It’s okay.”
He yanked a work hanky from his back pocket. “Let me get that.”
Enclosing her chin in his big hand to hold her head still, he rubbed the cloth against her nose. Memories returned full force. Times he’d kissed her. Laughing on the beach before running into the house for mind-blowing sex. Falling asleep spooned together after.
He blinked. His hand stilled. Everything she was feeling was reflected in his dark eyes.
The world stopped for Liz. Holding his gaze, knowing exactly what he was remembering, feeling the thrum of her own heart as a result of the memories that poured through her brain, Liz couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe.
For ten seconds she was absolutely positive he was going to kiss her. The urge to stand on her tiptoes and accept a kiss was so strong she had to fight it with everything in her. But in the end, he backed away, his hand falling to his side.
Turning to the wall again, he said, “Another twenty minutes and I’ll have the ceiling done. If you want to go put blue tape around the windows in the dining room we could probably get that room done today, too.”
She stepped back. “Okay.” She took another step backward toward the door. “Don’t forget your water.”
He didn’t look up. “I won’t.”
Relief rattled through her. He’d just had a golden opportunity to kiss her, yet he’d stepped away.
She definitely wasn’t the only one who wanted them to be friends, not lovers, or the only one who’d changed.
When Liz was gone, Cain lowered himself to the floor. Leaning against the old stone fireplace, he rubbed his hand down his face.
He could have kissed her. Not out of habit. Not out of instinct driven by happy memories. But because he wanted to. He longed to. She’d hardly left the house for their entire marriage. Now she was a business owner, a volunteer for a charity, a confident, self-sufficient woman. This new side of Liz he was seeing was very appealing. When he coupled her new personality with his blissful sexual memories, she was damned near irresistible.
But the clincher—the thing that almost took him over the top—was the way she looked at him as if she’d never stopped loving him. As if she wanted what he wanted. As if her entire body revved with anticipation, the way his did. As if her heart was open and begging.
He’d always known he was the problem in their marriage. And now that he was older and wiser, he desperately wanted to fix things. But he didn’t want to hurt her again. He saw the trust in her eyes. Sweet, innocent trust. She was counting on him to do the right thing.
Part of him genuinely believed the right thing was to leave her alone. Let her get on with her life. Become the success she was destined to be.
The other part just kept thinking that she was his woman, and he wanted her back.
But he knew that was impossible.
CHAPTER FIVE
WHILE THEY WORKED, Amanda and Joy returned from Joy’s playdate, and Amanda prepared a barbecue. Liz didn’t realize she was cooking until the aroma of tangy barbeque sauce floated through the downstairs. Just the scent brought Liz to the patio. A minute later, Cain followed behind her.
“What is that smell?”
Amanda laughed. “It’s my mother’s special barbeque-sauce recipe. Have a seat. Everything’s done.”
A glance to the right showed the umbrella table had been set with paper plates and plastic utensils. A bowl of potato salad sat beside some baked beans and a basket of rolls.
Starving from all the work she’d done, Liz sat down without a second thought. Cain, however, debated. She couldn’t imagine how a single man could turn down home cooking until she remembered their near miss with the kiss. Their gazes caught. He looked away.
She could guess what he was thinking. It was getting harder and harder to work together because the longer they were together the more tempted they were. But his stepping away from the kiss proved he was here to help, only to help, not to try to work his way back into her bed.
And that meant she was safe. But so was he. He simply didn’t know that she was as determined as he was to get beyond their attraction. Perhaps even to be friends.
So maybe she had to show him?
“Come on, Cain. This smells too good to resist.”
He caught her gaze and she smiled encouragingly. She tried to show him with her expression that everything was okay. They could be around each other, if he’d just relax.
He walked to the table. “You’re right. Especially since I’d be going home to takeout.”
He sat across the table from her, leaving the two seats on either side of her for Amanda and Joy.
She smiled. As long as they paid no attention to their attraction, they could work toward becoming friends. She would simply have to ignore the extreme sadness that welled in her heart, now that their glances would no longer be heated and they had both silently stated their intentions not to get involved again. Mourning something that hadn’t worked was ridiculous. She didn’t want to go back to what they had. Apparently neither did he. So at least trying to become friends would make the next few weeks easier.
“Where’s Billy?”
“Beach with some friends,” Amanda announced casually. Then she paused and grinned. “You can’t believe how wonderful it feels to say that. We were always so worried about Rick’s reaction to everything that most of the time we didn’t talk. Telling him where Billy was was an invitation to get into an argument.” She shook her head. “It was no way to live.”
“No. It isn’t.”
That came from Cain and caused Liz’s head to swivel in his direction. Not only was he not one to talk about such personal things, but his sympathetic tone was so unexpected she almost couldn’t believe it was he who had spoken.
“Men who abuse anyone weaker than they are are scum.” His voice gentled and he glanced at Amanda. “I’m glad you’re safe.”
Liz stared at him, suddenly understanding. He’d never been a bad person, simply
