LITMIR.BIZ

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shook her head as she pulled open the cooler’s glass door, stepped just inside and picked up the canister of fresh-cut roses that had been picked up by Abby earlier that morning.

      “No. I can’t take any more from you, Abby. Both you and Cade have done so much for us already. Really, we’ll be fine. Thanks to Mr. Gentry, I have a little breathing space. This morning we worked out an arrangement. He’s not going to charge me rent, and all he wants in return is some decorating help and…meals.”

      Silently, she watched as Abby studied her. This woman was more than her employer, she was her friend. They’d met few months ago at a women’s shelter in San Angelo, where Abby was a volunteer. Maura had come seeking refuge from her abusive ex-husband. Even though Darren had been sent to jail for robbery, he’d threatened to punish her because she had been the one who turned him in to the police. After leaving Dallas, she’d moved around until her money ran out, then ended up at the shelter’s door.

      It had been Abby Randell who counseled her, who’d helped her feel good about herself. During the hours they talked and cried together, Abby confided to Maura about her abusive first husband and how long it had taken her to leave the man. Now, she was happily married to Cade Randell, the man she’d always loved and the father of her two sons.

      Maura reached for the flower clippers. Starting with the roses, she handled them with great care as she began to trim, then added wire to each long stem. She placed the first rose in the crystal vase, deciding she would go with all white, representing purity and innocence, for the bridal suite. Maybe tomorrow, she would move onto the passionate bloodred roses. Suddenly her thoughts turned to the dark-haired man who’d burst into her life. Why didn’t she feel threatened by him?

      “You say you’re going to help him decorate the house. Does he have a family?” Abby asked.

      “He’s a bachelor. And he spoke of a brother.”

      A long pause. “And you’re cooking his meals for him?”

      “Yes, and I’m also doing his laundry.” She rushed on, “That was my idea.”

      “And I’m not sure if it was a good one.”

      Maura understood that Abby was just being protective. They both knew how hard it was to trust anyone, or not to worry about falling for the same type of man and end up in the same brutal situation.

      “Just promise me that if you feel you don’t like this arrangement, you’ll come to me for help,” Abby insisted.

      “I promise, I will,” she said. “Besides, it’s only going to be for a month, or so. By then, I’ll have another place.”

      “And you always have a place to stay with us,” Abby added.

      Tears rushed to Maura’s eyes. Never in her life had anyone cared about her like Abby and her family. “And I thank you for that. You’ve always been there for me, you also taught me to stand on my own and realize my inner strength. And I think it’s about time I did.”

      Later that day, Maura drove home with Jeff and Kelly in tow. Her son’s school bus had let him off at the day care where he spent the past two hours with his sister until Maura closed the shop.

      Now, Jeff had time to finish his homework while Maura fixed dinner. She was a little worried. Darren had complained a lot about her lack of culinary skills. Not that they could afford much more than ground beef.

      Taking the grocery bag out of the car, Maura started up the walk toward the house. The kids had stopped at the door, but they weren’t waiting for her. They watched as Wyatt Gentry pulled rotten floorboards from the porch.

      She wasn’t as disturbed about the condition of the floorboards as much as she was with Wyatt’s lack of clothing. Shirtless, beads of sweat covered his bronze skin, clinging to his broad shoulders and chest. He turned around, tipped his black baseball cap and smiled. Her entire body grew warm, and a warm blush covered her face.

      “Hello, Maura,” he said in that low husky tone. “I hope you don’t mind, but I figured this was a good place to start the repair. I’d hate for one of you to fall and hurt yourselves.”

      “We’re not stupid,” Jeff growled. “We don’t walk in holes.” With a glare, he stomped into the house, letting the screen door slam in his wake.

      Maura started to apologize for her son’s behavior when Kelly sat down on the step and announced, “My brother’s scared of you.”

      “Kelly!” Maura was mortified at her child’s openness.

      “He is?” Wyatt asked as he grabbed his shirt from the railing and slipped it on. “I guess that’s because I came into the house last night.”

      Kelly nodded. “But I’m not scared of you.”

      “You aren’t?” Wyatt asked, studying the child.

      The girl’s large brown eyes roamed over him and he felt himself holding his breath, waiting for her to make a judgment. He hadn’t had much experience with kids. Just the ones who hung around the rodeo. They were more interested in his horse than him.

      “Nope, ’cause your eyes don’t look mean.”

      It was crazy but her appraisal pleased Wyatt. “Good.”

      “You’re nice.” Her ponytail danced against her shoulders. “You let us stay here. And now you’re fixin’ the broked porch so I don’t falled down again. I got an owie. See.”

      Wyatt leaned down and examined the tiny red mark on her knee. “Well, Miss Kelly, I’m sure sorry about that. I’ll just have to make sure that doesn’t happen again.”

      He was rewarded with a giggle. “Can I help you fix it?”

      Her mother stepped forward. “Oh, no, honey. You better come inside and stay out of Mr. Gentry’s way.”

      Wyatt straightened and Maura Wells took a step back. Her eyes widened, causing him to freeze in place. She was frightened of him.

      “I don’t mind if Kelly wants to stay out here,” he assured her. “I’ll leave the door open and you can hear her from the kitchen.” He smiled. “I wouldn’t want anything to hamper your progress on dinner. May I ask what’s on the menu?”

      She shrugged. “It’s just meat loaf and baked potatoes.”

      “There’s nothing ‘just’ about home cooking, ma’am. Not when you’ve been eating restaurant food, or your own cooking for as long as I have.”

      “I hope you’re not disappointed.” She started up the steps. “Just send Kelly inside if she gets in your way.” Maura opened the screen door and went inside.

      Wyatt’s gaze followed the gentle sway of her hips as she walked through the house. Maura Wells did have a cute backside. He shook away the direction of his thoughts. That was as far as he could go, admiring her from afar.

      Wyatt had been fitting some of the pieces together, and he didn’t like how they added up. Someone had put that sadness in Maura’s eyes, more than likely her ex-husband. Wyatt assumed he was an ex—if not, the man deserved to be hog-tied and hung out to dry for deserting his family, leaving them to live in a run-down house.

      “Wyatt.” The little girl tugged on his hand. “You gotta tell me what to do so I can help.”

      Wyatt already knew he’d gotten in over his head when he allowed Maura and her kids to stay in the house. He’d always been a sucker to help out. So he’d done his good deed and it wasn’t putting him out that much. She’d be gone in thirty days, and out of his life.

      He picked up the board he’d sawed to size earlier. “Why don’t you hand me those nails, Kelly?” He pointed to the box of finishing nails.

      Kelly’s tiny fingers reached into the box and pulled out one. “Thank you,” he told her and she rewarded him with a smile so sweet it caused his chest

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