LITMIR.BIZ

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laid him on the changing table and stripped off his clothes.

      “Hey there.”

      She stilled and turned. Tanner stood in the doorway—hair damp, wearing washed-out jeans and a black collared T-shirt that looked way too good on his broad-shouldered frame. “Hi.”

      “Did you have a good afternoon?”

      Cassie nodded, trying to ignore the throb at her temple. “I went to see my friend Lauren.”

      “Ah, the orange thief?” he said with a grin.

      Cassie laughed softly. “Yes. Were your ears burning?”

      He grinned. “Talking about me, eh?”

      “Maybe a little,” she replied. “I’m going to give Oliver a bath now.”

      “Sure.”

      She took the baby into her arms. “Thanks for doing the yard.”

      “No problem.”

      Cassie felt the warmth of his stare through to her bones and tried to disregard the heat coiling up her legs. He really did have the sexy thing down pat. She willed some good sense into her limbs and headed from the room, conscious of how he moved aside to let her pass. She lingered in the nursery with Oliver after his bath and by the time she’d dressed him in a navy romper suit and settled him down to sleep it was dusk outside.

      When Cassie returned to the kitchen she found Tanner talking to Mouse, and the dog was staring up at him, listening intently. Again, she was struck by the image of the man Doug had told her he was, and the contrasting man he seemed in reality. Not closed off and moody. Not a brooding, unfriendly loner.

      Not anything like the man Doug had described.

      He looked up. “Is Oliver settled?”

      “For the moment,” she replied. “He’ll sleep for a couple of hours. His usual routine gives me enough time to have a shower and eat something.”

      Tanner checked his watch. “Then I should probably go.”

      Something niggled at her. She couldn’t define it. Maybe she didn’t want to. She drew in a long breath and frowned.

      “Are you okay?” he asked, watching her.

      Cassie nodded. “I’ve had one of those daylong headaches.”

      He laughed and then must have realized how insensitive it sounded. “Sorry, I was thinking that maybe since I’ve been here for twenty-four hours there was a connection.”

      She smiled. “No. Although...”

      His brows came up. “Although?”

      She shrugged. “Well...you’re not...”

      “I’m not...?”

      Heat crept up her neck and she searched for the words. “It’s only that you’re not exactly who I thought...” She shrugged again and took a deep breath. “I guess I thought you wouldn’t be so...easy to get along with.”

      Tanner rested against the counter and folded his arms. “Compared to what?”

      She hesitated as her gaze shifted to the floor. “To the person I thought you were.”

      “Who you thought I was,” he said quietly. “Or who Doug said I was.”

      Her shoulders came up for a second and then dropped. “I suppose. He said you were quiet and...”

      “And what?” Tanner asked when her words trailed. “Indifferent and unfriendly?”

      She looked up. “Words to the effect.”

      “And what do you think?”

      Cassie stepped back. “I think you’re confident and sensible. I think you don’t waste time trying to charm or manipulate people.” She paused and took a breath. “I think you know exactly who you are. And what you want.”

      His brown eyes darkened. “And do you?” he asked softly. “Do you know what you want, Cassie?”

      At that moment she wanted to run. Everything about him reached her on some base, heady level. She was hot all over and she knew why. Tanner McCord made her remember she was a woman. And it scared her to death.

      “Ah...what about dinner,” she said quickly and took a sharp breath. She pointed to the telephone. “I have the number of a great pizza place on speed dial. I mean, unless you want to leave right away.”

      He pushed himself off the counter. “Dinner would be good.”

      Cassie nodded and left the room. After checking on Oliver she took only minutes to collect fresh clothes and lock herself in the bathroom. She showered and dressed in cargo pants and a sensible blue shirt buttoned up to her throat.

      By the time she headed back to the kitchen another half hour had passed and she ducked her head around the corner of the nursery to ensure the baby was still asleep. At the kitchen doorway she stilled. Tanner stood by the counter, one elbow in the air and he tugged at the back of his shirt.

      “Something wrong?” she asked and stepped across the threshold.

      He swiveled around and dropped his arm. “I think I caught a barb this afternoon.”

      “A what?”

      “From the vine,” he explained and winced.

      Cassie walked toward him. “You’re hurt?”

      He shrugged. “I’ll be fine.”

      “Do you want me to take a look?”

      He took a step back. “I don’t think so.”

      Cassie ignored the sudden heat in her cheeks. If he’d been injured pruning the hedge she needed to be sensible and find out how bad it was. “It could get infected.”

      “I’m sure it will be—”

      “Let’s see,” she said matter-of-factly. “Where is it?”

      He hesitated for a moment before moving one shoulder. “Left side.”

      Cassie stepped closer. “Okay, turn around.”

      He did as she asked and she took a second before reaching out. His shirt was soft between her fingers and she tugged it down a fraction. When she couldn’t see anything other than one incredibly well-defined shoulder blade, Cassie released the shirt.

      “It has to come off.”

      He turned his head. “What?”

      “Your shirt,” she explained. “I can’t see anything. I’m too short.”

      “I’m sure it’s not—”

      She ignored him, moved back around the countertop and grabbed the small first-aid kit from the bottom drawer. “It won’t take a minute.”

      He didn’t seem convinced and hesitated before he shrugged again and then pulled the shirt over his head and dropped it on the table.

      And of course she couldn’t look anywhere but at his bare skin.

       Sweet heaven.

      He didn’t possess the body of a man who spent hours in a gym—but of one who worked outdoors, using and honing muscles every day. His tanned skin looked as smooth as the sheerest silk pulled across pressed steel and the light smatter of hair on his chest was incredibly sexy. He was pure beauty and temptation. And she had to stop thinking about it.

      “Turn around please.”

      His eyes darkened and Cassie was sure she caught a tiny smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. So, maybe she did sound way too polite and incredibly tense. That was her nature...her way. He turned and Cassie saw where the bougainvillea thorn had pierced his skin directly below his shoulder blade. The spike was easily

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