returned and they had a lengthy discussion in French about different wines. Claire flipped pages in the wine book and pointed. Finally they agreed on a local boutique winery he’d never heard of. The waiter appeared and they ordered their dinner. When they were finally alone, she leaned toward him and smiled.
“Did I already thank you for asking me out?”
There was something about that smile—an invitation that made him want to lean close and kiss her. He’d liked kissing Claire. He wouldn’t mind doing a lot more. But a nagging voice in the back of his mind reminded him that he had to make sure they were playing by the same rules.
“You did.”
The wine arrived. They went through the ceremony of tasting and approving. When the sommelier had left, Wyatt asked, “Has Drew been back to the house?”
“Not that I know of. I still can’t decide if I feel badly about hurting him or not.”
“Don’t bother. He’s healing. Pain and suffering might help his character.”
“He’s your stepbrother?”
“One of many.”
She raised her eyebrows. “Big family?”
“One that’s constantly changing. I come from a long line of men who screw up relationships. Most of my uncles haven’t been married and the few that have are going for the land speed record for divorces. My dad recently remarried. It’s his fifth. Drew’s my stepbrother from two or three marriages ago. I can’t remember which one.”
Claire looked a little startled. “What about your mom?”
“She found someone decent. They’ve been together about twenty-five years. But not my dad. I give this one six months.” He leaned toward her.
“The problem with him is he keeps trying. He thinks he’s something he’s not—a man capable of choosing the right woman.”
“It could happen.”
“Not likely. We have screwed up relationship biology. I wasn’t going to get married. Figured I’d try to stop the train wreck before it happened.”
“You married Shanna.”
“She got pregnant. I didn’t have a choice.”
Claire tilted her head. “Actually you did. You could have not married her and still been a part of Amy’s life.”
“Marriage seemed to be the right thing to do. At the time.”
“Because you do the right thing.”
Somehow the conversation wasn’t going in the direction he wanted. “I’m not the hero here.”
“Why not? Shanna’s the one who left. Was it right after Amy was born?”
“Within a couple of months, after we confirmed she couldn’t hear. I didn’t mind being a single father. I guess I half expected Shanna to bolt, what with my family history.” He met her gaze and held it. “You’re missing the point, Claire. I don’t do relationships. I’m glad we’re going out and I’m having a good time, but that’s all this is to me. Casual fun. Sex would be good, but I don’t get involved. I don’t do serious.”
He shrugged. “I might be putting all this out there for nothing. I don’t know if you’re interested. But if you are, I want to be clear about what I’m willing to do and not do.”
Her blue eyes widened. “You want to have sex with me?” Her voice was low and breathless.
“Is that all you got from what I said?”
“No, I got the rest of it. You’re warning me off, for my own good. I totally understand that. But you really want to sleep with me?”
“Why is that a surprise?”
Because no one ever wanted to, Claire thought, lacing her fingers together tightly in her lap so she wouldn’t give in to the need to clap her hands in delight. Wyatt wanted her. Her!
He was a pretty macho, good-looking guy. He could probably have anyone he wanted and he wanted her! Could this day get any better?
She wanted to ask him to repeat the statement again, maybe with a few details thrown in. Like when he’d decided she was sexy and did he plan to make his move anytime soon? But she found herself feeling nervous and shy and went for a safer topic.
“I’m not surprised, exactly. Tell me about Amy’s hearing loss. She was born with it?”
“That’s the theory. She has a small amount of hearing in one ear and almost none in the other. Hearing aids help, but they’re far from perfect. Even with all the medical advances.”
“Like what?”
“They can tune digital hearing aids to the specific hearing loss. Whether it’s high tones or low tones.”
“What about other treatments? Could she get a cochlear implant?”
“It’s possible.” He sipped his wine. “The current surgeries require the inner ear to be destroyed for the implant. Which means if some better technology comes up, it can’t be used. There’s a lot of debate in the deaf community about them.”
She hadn’t known that. “You decided not to go in that direction?”
“For now. Amy hasn’t pushed. I want something better. I want her to hear.” He shrugged. “A very unpopular opinion and one I wouldn’t say to a lot of people. For some, being deaf isn’t considered a handicap. It simply… is. Like height. I don’t agree. I want my daughter to have every advantage. I’m not convinced the implant gives her that.”
“You have a lot to deal with.”
“Amy has more.”
He was a good dad, she thought happily. A good man. Not that she had a huge frame of reference, but she didn’t think she was wrong about Wyatt.
“Spike was asking about you.”
She looked up and met his gaze. There was humor in his eyes.
“Very funny,” she told him. “I’m not interested in Spike.”
“You were.”
Not in the way he meant. She was excited that someone had asked her out. “I don’t meet a lot of men like him in my travels.”
“There’s a surprise. You probably don’t meet a lot of guys like me, either.”
“No, I don’t,” she said slowly, thinking that was a real pity. Guys like Wyatt were worth knowing.
DINNER PASSED in a blur of great conversation and laughter. Before Claire realized it, they were back at Nicole’s house, walking to the front door.
Claire told herself not to be nervous. That the end of the evening was no big deal. Sure, Wyatt would
