LITMIR.BIZ

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harder and harder to avoid in my little hometown. Gamble Point, Nebraska, actually. Roxy suggested I move to the city and make a clean break of it. I never expected him to follow me. If he’d hurt anyone, I never would have—”

      “He didn’t, Maddy.”

      “I know, but...” She shook her head as if trying to blot out that horrific image. “Anyway, sit down. And thanks for staying.”

      “Thanks for asking me.”

      Just then her cell phone rang. He nodded toward her purse. “Feel free.”

      “I’ll just be a minute.” She got out her phone and glanced at the readout. “It’s my mom. I’ll try to make it quick.”

      “Take your time.”

      While Maddy talked to her mother, who had obviously called to wish her a happy birthday, Kaleb wandered around the living room, glancing at pictures of her and various family members on the mantelpiece. One of the shots was of a woman with the same curly hair as Maddy, threaded with a few strands of gray. That had to be her mother.

      He peered closer. He could certainly see where Maddy and Roxy got their looks. A man in bib overalls had to be her father. She’d mentioned that he died in a tractor accident and the snapshot was older than the one of her mom. He didn’t see any other ones of the man. A twinge of pain cramped his lungs for a moment. His own parents were still very much alive. Still very much hoping for another grandchild, although Kaleb didn’t see that happening anytime soon, if ever. The genetic dice hadn’t rolled in his favor the first time, and he couldn’t guarantee the outcome would be any better a second time. He couldn’t see himself putting his heart—or a child’s life—at risk like that. Once had been more than enough.

      Having Chloe propped on his shoulders had reawakened feelings that were better off left dead. And Maddy obviously felt the same way about Chloe getting attached to another man.

      He picked up a picture of Maddy holding a bundle wrapped in a hospital blanket. She was smiling, but the curve of her lips seemed uncertain and more than a little sad. He studied the picture. Her hair was longer than it was now, but she still had the same expressive eyes. The same high cheekbones. The woman from the previous picture was also present, leaning down beside Maddy, her cheek pressed to her daughter’s. Matthew was not in the picture, although it was possible she had got rid of any reminders of what must have been a terribly unhappy and unstable marriage. He set the picture back down, a rumble starting up in his gut that wasn’t caused by hunger.

      Something had happened, even back then. But it wasn’t his place to ask. Especially since the last thing he wanted to do was exchange confidences about their pasts. He didn’t want to talk about Grace. Or his own failed marriage. At least Maddy still had her child.

      “Sorry about that. She wanted to wish me a happy birthday.”

      He nodded at the picture he’d just held. “Is that her?”

      Maddy glanced at it. “Yes. I’m trying to talk her into moving to Seattle, but she doesn’t want to leave Nebraska.”

      “You have her eyes. Her smile.”

      “Thank you. I love my mother’s smile. She’s a truly kind woman.”

      “I can believe that, judging from the pictures. But then again, so are you.”

      Something in the atmosphere changed slightly as Maddy’s eyes met his. “D-do you want to eat?”

      Eat. Yes. That was the thing he should do.

      Instead, he moved a step or two closer. “Happy birthday, again, Maddy. Has it been a good one?”

      “It has. Especially now.”

      He wasn’t sure exactly how it happened, but he cupped her face, meaning to give her a quick birthday kiss. But when his lips touched hers, they suddenly had a mind of their own and lingered a little longer than he’d meant them to. When Maddy didn’t move to break the contact, he slid an arm behind her back and edged her another step closer. Still no protest on her part.

      To hell with it. They were both grown-ups. If they spent a night together, it was no big deal. She’d said herself she didn’t want to spend her birthday alone. Well, he didn’t want to spend the night alone either, and it had been forever since he’d been with anyone. She’d made it clear that she wanted no ties to a man. And he wanted no commitments to a woman.

      It was the perfect marriage.

      No. Not marriage. It was the perfect arrangement. An arrangement that would last a single night. Maybe not even that long.

      But you’re in her house. Off your own turf.

      It didn’t matter, because there was no question about where Maddy’s loyalties lay. With her daughter and no one else. He just needed to be certain they were on the same page. He eased back. Landed a few more kisses on her soft lips. “How hungry are you?”

      Her hands went to the back of his neck. “Pretty hungry.”

      His gut sank before coming back up. The way she’d said that... “Hungry. For dinner?”

      “Do you need to ask?”

      No, he didn’t, since she was holding on to him as tightly as he was holding her. This time when he kissed her, he did it without holding back, landing his mouth on hers and slanting over it. His fingers went underneath her tank top, finding the warm skin of her waist before sliding around to her bare back. She was impossibly silky and smooth, and he couldn’t stop one of his hands from running up her spine, feeling the bumps of her vertebrae beneath his seeking fingertips.

      Wanting to touch more of her, he found the hem of her shirt and tugged it up, unlocking their lips long enough to haul it over her head before finding her mouth again. This time, his tongue slid in to find hers.

      The woman tasted like mint with an edge of sweetness that was all Maddy. And he couldn’t get enough of her.

      Her hands went to his chest, splaying over it as he pulled her closer. He found her bra clasp and the need to unhook it thrummed within him. But he wanted to enjoy this. Every second of it.

      He hadn’t planned on coming back to her place and doing this, but, now that it had happened, he was going to make it last. If this was going to be the only time he had with her, he wasn’t going to punt a field goal when he could run the play all the way home.

      Pulling free from her for a couple more seconds, he yanked his own shirt over his head, taking a moment to look at her. Clad in a lacy black bra, casual capri pants and her sandals, the woman was gorgeous. Her lips were pink from his kisses, her hair in glorious disarray from the breeze earlier. She looked like a modern-day Eve. A temptress who was holding out a very different kind of fruit. One he couldn’t wait to taste. To savor. Until he’d devoured every last bite.

      “I’m glad I had Roxy take Chloe after all.”

      “Are you?” He leaned in and nipped her bottom lip. “What about that bubble bath you were looking forward to?”

      “I’m still looking forward to it.”

      He frowned. Maybe he’d misunderstood her. But no. They were both standing there partially clothed.

      Maddy hooked a finger in the waistband of his jeans. “The present Roxy gave me—it’s everything I need for a relaxing night in the tub. Bath salts, bubbles. A loofah.”

      “A what?”

      “It’s a... You’ll have to experience it to understand. But it’s heavenly.”

      It couldn’t be any more heavenly than what he was looking at right now. “And you’re telling me this because?”

      “Because the bathtub in this apartment is oversized.”

      His body went on high alert. “Are you saying it’s more than enough for one person?”

      “I’m saying it’s more

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