be inside.”
Kevin frowned. “I’m the only one here.”
“You don’t have a roommate?”
“Nope. It’s just me.”
At least that answered her question. Still, she didn’t dare spend a moment alone in a house with Kevin O’Brien. Particularly in a house with a bed. Or a sofa or a floor, for that matter. “I’d prefer the front porch.”
“It’s a lot cooler in the house, Leah.” He studied her through narrowed eyes. “Or are you afraid I’m going to make a move on you if we’re alone together?”
Yes, and equally afraid she might forget that he’d trampled her emotions and make an inadvisable move on him. “That wouldn’t be a first, Kevin.”
“You know me well enough to know that I won’t do anything you don’t want me to do, Leah.”
Aside from breaking her heart. “I still think remaining outside would be better.”
His expression showed a hint of impatience. “Could we at least go into the backyard and sit in a chair under some shade?”
That sounded like a solid plan to Leah. Kevin might need a chair once she was done. “Okay.”
He gestured toward the drive to his left. “Right this way.”
“Just a minute.” Leah returned to the car, opened the door and grabbed a bag from the backseat. A bag that contained two items representing her reasons for the spontaneous visit.
After slipping the strap over her shoulder, she walked with Kevin down the lengthy drive, keeping a reasonable berth between them. Even a brush of arms would bring about old memories she didn’t care to relive, although at times she had relived them in her mind. Each wonderful, exciting and heartbreaking moment. She’d foolishly been bowled over by his easy charm, intrigued by his complex personality. Completely drawn in by his expertise as a lover. She’d learned quite a bit about him in their eight months together. Clearly she hadn’t learned the most important detail before she’d fallen totally in love with him—he wasn’t in the market for a permanent commitment.
Once they rounded the corner of the house, Kevin opened a black iron gate that provided the entry through a white brick wall surrounding the backyard. When he motioned her forward, Leah stepped into what she would deem a perfect oasis, right down to the rock waterfall feeding into a crystal-blue diving pool and a state-of-the-art outdoor kitchen adjacent to a small cabana.
“Wow.” That was the only thing Leah could manage around her surprise.
“Pretty great, huh?”
She turned and caught Kevin’s smile. Big mistake. That smile had been the death of her determination to resist him on more than one occasion. After a brief mental pep talk, Leah said, “It’s very nice. Great for entertaining.”
“Yeah, but I haven’t had a chance to do much entertaining yet. I’ve only been here a month.”
As if she really believed a month wasn’t enough time for him to entertain various bikini-clad beauties. “Corri told me you’d only recently moved in.” The only solid information his sister-in-law had provided when Leah had worked up the nerve to contact her.
His smile faded into a frown. “Is that how you found me?”
“Yes. I called her after I stopped by your loft and discovered you’d moved.”
“Didn’t she give you my new phone number?”
“She did, but I decided we needed to speak in person.” She’d actually considered delivering the news by phone, affording him the same non-courtesy that he’d afforded her when he’d ended their relationship. Instead, she’d opted to be an adult and engage in a face-to-face meeting, although at the moment she questioned her wisdom.
But she was here now, so she might as well get down to brass tacks. On that thought, she asked, “Can we sit down now?”
“Sure.” Kevin guided her to a table situated beneath a copse of pines and oaks and pulled out a brown-striped chair.
Leah took the designated seat while Kevin chose the chair across from her, thankful for the table that put much-needed space between them. She set her bag on the ground at her feet and tightly clasped her hands on the glass surface. “These trees help with the heat.” At least from a meteorological standpoint. Noticing all of Kevin’s finer details didn’t help Leah’s internal heat in the least. It seemed he’d lost some weight, but he’d undeniably gained some muscle. He’d always been in great shape, but his biceps looked larger. His chest looked broader. His abs looked tighter beneath the T-shirt. And if she knew what was best, she’d keep her eyes off his attributes.
“The Houston heat in June’s always brutal, especially at four in the afternoon,” he said, drawing her attention back to his face.
“I had a busy morning, otherwise, I would have been here much earlier.” She’d spent the better part of the day engaged in an internal debate, until she’d forced herself to stop procrastinating.
After another brief bout of silence, Kevin asked, “How’s your fellowship going?”
Though she was avoiding the news she’d come to deliver, Leah saw no reason not to be civil. “It’s going well. The hospital rotations can be tough, but I work part of the time in a clinic.”
“Which means more normal hours,” he said.
Odd that he remembered all the details they’d discussed during their time together. Then again, he had been very attentive, both in and out of bed. “I’m really looking forward to finishing in August so I can finally start utilizing what I’ve learned.” She would have been finished now had she not taken a necessary break in her hometown before returning to Houston two months ago.
Kevin brushed a leaf from the table with a sweep of his hand. “Have you decided where you’re going to practice?”
In some ways, that decision had been made for her. “I’m going home to Mississippi. Since my fellowship has focused on healthcare for the indigent, I plan to work part-time in a free clinic, and possibly open my own practice to pay the bills.”
“You won’t miss the big-city lifestyle?” His tone hinted at disappointment, or maybe she was reading too much into it.
“I’d miss my family more.” She also needed their support, now more than ever.
“I’m sure you’ll do great, wherever you land,” he said. “Good luck.”
For some reason, she’d wanted him to say he would miss her. That he’d made a huge error in judgment by letting her go. That he wished she would stay in Houston. And that was insanely ridiculous. Even if he did say all those things, she couldn’t believe him.
The conversation died for a time until Leah sent a quick glance in his direction to find him rubbing his eyes. “You look tired. Obviously you’ve been burning the midnight oil.” Or burning up the sheets with his latest babe.
“Just been busy with work.”
“Traveling
