uncle… His older brothers had done bad things to him, so he took it out on Melanie. The doctor’s aren’t sure if she’ll ever be able to have children.”
He cursed under his breath and stood up. In three strides he was standing directly in front of her. He placed his hands on her shoulders and shook her gently.
“Hush, Rebecca. It’s okay. What I started to say is that I don’t think it’s going to be a problem. You’re welcome to the house. For as long as you need it.”
She blinked several times and he realized she was fighting tears. Through the thick layer of the robe, he could feel her slender shoulders tremble. There were dark circles under her eyes and lines of weariness around her mouth.
“Really?” she asked.
“Really. Have you been handling all of this alone?”
She nodded. Her head dipped toward her chest. “I haven’t hired a new assistant since Elizabeth went on maternity leave.” She sniffed, then raised her head. Her smile was a little shaky, but it hit him like a right hook to the jaw. “I can’t tell you what this means to us.”
He released her and stepped back. Great. He’d just gone up three points in her estimation. He didn’t need to fuel her case of hero worship.
“It’s nothing,” he said, flicking his hand dismissively. “The house is empty. You’ll have to rent some beds and stuff. I’ll pick up the tab for that.”
When her big eyes got bigger, he grimaced. “I’m not doing this for you, Rebecca,” he said bluntly. “I’m doing it for the kids and because the people who ran the home were good to me when I stayed there. This isn’t anything but a business deal. I’m paying an old debt. Don’t make it more than it is.”
Judging by the light in her eyes, he hadn’t made his point well enough.
“This is wonderful!” she said. She tugged on the belt around her waist. “I was so afraid of what would happen if you’d said no.” She laughed. “I can’t tell you how uncomfortable it is sleeping in a cot in the elementary-school auditorium.”
“Why have you been staying there?”
“I lost my night supervisor, and I haven’t been able to hire someone to replace her. About a month ago, I moved into the home. It was easier.”
“You lost everything in the fire, too.” It wasn’t a question.
“Not everything, exactly. I had some stuff in storage.”
He wanted to pull her into his arms and hold her until all the bad things went away. He wanted to hit the stairs running and never look back. “Saint Rebecca,” he muttered.
“What?”
“Nothing.” He shook his head. “Let me guess. You’ve been doing this all by yourself. Coordinating where the kids are going to stay temporarily, finding a new place, collecting clothes.”
“You sound as if I’ve done something wrong. The children are my responsibility.”
He felt old and tired, and far too cynical to spend time with someone like her. In his ugly little world, very few people went out of their way to do more than they had to. He was as guilty as the rest of them. It was easier to stay detached that way. Easier to forget why he couldn’t get involved.
“Did I say something to offend you?” she asked.
He looked at her, at the long dark hair, at her big eyes and the trembling set of her mouth. From the top of her head down to her unpainted toenails, she was alien to him.
He leaned toward her and slipped his hand over her shoulder to the nape of her neck. She stiffened but didn’t move. Despite her recent shower, he could smell the sweet scent of her body. It reminded him of vanilla and sunshine, nothing like the musky Oriental fragrances his lovers normally favored.
Her skin was as smooth and warm as he’d imagined. His thumb traced a pattern on her spine, then he curled his fingers into her hair. Her expression held no fear, only faint anticipation and a trusting calm that made him want to bellow with impatience.
“Who the hell are you, Rebecca Chambers?” he asked. “What are you doing in my life?”
“I don’t know how to answer that,” she whispered.
His other hand reached for the collar of the robe. It would be so easy to grab the thick material and jerk it open, exposing her to his gaze. Would she fight him or submit willingly?
He touched the terry cloth, moving back and forth, but didn’t go near her skin.
“Have you ever gotten a ticket?” he asked.
She nodded. “I forgot to put enough change in the meter.”
A parking ticket. He almost groaned. “Ever been really stone-face drunk?”
“No.”
“Had sex with a stranger?”
She blushed and shook her head. Her eyes never left his. He saw the flash of fear, but it was gone before he could feed it.
“Have you ever, in your entire life, done anything bad?”
Her gaze dropped to his mouth, then to the floor. “No.”
He released her and stalked away. Figures.
“Where are you going?” she asked.
“To call the tow truck and get you the hell out of here.”
There was a brilliant flash of lightning, followed by a boom of thunder. The building shook as if God had reached down and bumped it. The lights inside flickered once, twice, then exploded into darkness. He stumbled into an end table and swore. If the power was out, the phone lines were down for the night. He was stuck here. And so was she.
“Are you all right?” Rebecca asked as Austin stumbled in the darkness.
His answer was a mumbled curse.
She stood where he’d left her, in the middle of his living room. Her heart was still pounding in her chest, and her knees felt weak.
He’d touched her. Even thinking about his brief caress sent the blood racing through her veins. His hand on the back of her neck had been hot and hard. He’d stared at her as if he wanted to devour her for dinner, then dish up the remains for breakfast. She wasn’t sure she would have refused him.
Even though it was dark and there was no one to see her blush, she covered her cheeks with her palms. How could she think that about him? A crush was one thing, but casual sex with a man she barely knew was something quite different. Oh sure, she’d thought about making love with Austin hundreds of times. But thinking and doing were two different things…weren’t they?
Have you ever
