Three little faces stared upward, lips quivering. She barely had the strength to finish her lecture on staying safe and making sure Mom knew where they were at all times without breaking into a smile.
“We’re sorry, Mommy.”
She hugged them close. Now that her heart had slowed from the fear of having them near the water alone, she understood the attraction. Although, they hadn’t been unsupervised—her mysterious stranger had been there. Daniel had managed to tangle himself into her life whether she wanted him there or not.
“Okay, guys. I know you’re excited from the picnic, but it’s time to start slowing things down. I want all of you in the tub, then we can read together before bed.”
The boys raced off to the bathroom, voices raised in energetic shouts. Beth breathed a contented sigh until she remembered Daniel waited on her deck. What in the world was she going to do?
She placed a trembling hand on the back door. There was no unwind button she could push. No way to make the past disappear. He was probably stubborn enough if she didn’t go out he’d sit there all night like he’d threatened. She sucked in her courage and pressed the door open.
The porch boards squeaked, announcing her approach, and he looked up from where he’d settled on the old-fashioned swing.
He hesitated before speaking, sincerity clear in his tone. “You’ve got awesome kids. I’m sorry again about the swimming-hole thing. It never crossed my mind you didn’t know.”
She waved his confession away. “I’m mortified I didn’t figure out where they were disappearing to. I should have kept much better tabs on their whereabouts, and I’m grateful you had an eye on them.”
He stood and peeked in the window. “Will you need to go and get them into bed?”
“They’ll start on their own, but they’ll get distracted soon.”
Daniel smiled. “I think my mama used to say it was like trying to herd cats to get us all in bed on time. I won’t keep you long, but…” He reached for her hand, threading his fingers between hers. She swallowed hard. Oh Lord, it felt so good and scared her mindless at the same time. She stood as still as a statue in spite of her pounding heart.
“I’d like to see you, Beth.”
She bit her lip. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
He turned over her fingers, his thumb brushing the groove on her ring finger that was slowly disappearing. After ten years of wearing her wedding band, the sign was still there, even though the ring was not. “You’re not married.”
She shook her head. “He’s gone.” He raised a brow, and she had to say it, knowing the confusion not speaking plainly would cause. “He’s dead. He died in the accident that injured my leg.”
Her throat went tight. Images flashed through her mind, the icy road, the glaring lights. The pain.
The guilt.
His fingers stopped. “I’m sorry.”
He moved to pull away, and impulsively she resisted, maintaining a hold on his hand. Damn her indecision.
“It’s…okay. We were having troubles when he died, and I’m not grieving for him. Not really. I just don’t think it’s a great idea for you and me…” She couldn’t speak. What she wanted and what she should do—why was it so hard to know which was which?
He squeezed her fingers then let go and paced away. “There’s a whole lot I think you’re not saying right now. That’s fine. I’m still the man you met one night while you were in a drunken state and you don’t know me.”
“I wasn’t drunk.”
He chuckled and her face heated. “We call that liquid courage around here, darling, and you had some. I want you to know I was serious back then when I said I was interested in you. I’m even more interested, knowing you’re not a city girl living in some high-rise apartment hours away from me.”
“Maybe I’m not staying.”
“Then maybe while you’re here, we should spend some time together. I’m a good man, Beth. I’m not talking about taking over your life. I’m saying you intrigue me and you make my body ache. I think our attraction is something worth exploring.”
He moved closer. Her pulse pounded, and she tilted her head involuntarily to keep their eyes in contact.
Another step.
“I want to kiss you,” he growled. Their bodies were close enough their heat meshed, and a gasp of need escaped her throat. “Do you want to kiss me?”
Oh God. “I shouldn’t.”
“But do you want to?”
Desire and being responsible warred within her. Accepting his touch tonight would make it all that much harder to turn him down the next time.
He pressed closer yet, and their torsos connected, his groin rubbing her belly. Her back hit the wall as he caged her without using his hands. Their lips brushed, and she sucked in his air, the full body of his flavour rolling over her tongue like a fine wine. He kissed her tenderly, not the white-hot passion she’d replayed over and over in her mind from the bar scene, but a worshipful caress that started and finished with their lips.
When he pulled away his pupils were huge, his smile even wider.
“Good night, Beth.”
And he walked away, down the path that led into the trees.
Chapter Four
Daniel took his time making his way home, stopping by the swimming hole to stare into the swirling water. His thinking place—the spot he’d retreated to when the noise and bustle of being a part of huge family grew too much.
He’d needed to find quiet. The middle child of six, his daddy would joke, which meant he’d always had one or another of his brothers around. He’d learned to be the peacemaker, to walk the most serene path possible. At least in the public eye.
A ripple spread from the rock he tossed, small waves carrying across the slow-moving section of creek. Beth was a widow—he hadn’t expected that. Something in her actions in the bar had struck him hard, and he wanted so badly to explore the way she had let him take control of her in that hallway before the time and place had ripped them back to reality. She hadn’t acted like a grieving widow. She’d said as much, but she must have been with the man for a number of years. Lance had to be at least eight.
Heck, the boys were another whole issue. Daniel loved kids, but they weren’t what he was focusing on right now. It was the woman who fascinated him. Although, if he did get involved with Beth, she’d probably have all kinds of rules about not seeing the kids and keeping things secretive. He had a buddy in town who was dating a single mom, and he’d shared stories that reminded Daniel of having to crawl in the windows at two a.m. to avoid the wrath of his daddy for missing curfew.
He stood and dragged his fingers through his hair. Ahh, shit. The vision of Beth’s eyes haunted him. Why in the hell couldn’t he just walk away? Did he want to have to hide and balance dating and dealing with kids? The ache in his belly screamed far louder than the warning in his brain.
It wasn’t about being totally in lust, although getting to continue the adventure they’d interrupted so long ago excited him a lot. No, it was something else altogether. Something drew him and damn if he could deny the need.
Baggage and all, he was determined to see where this thing between them could go.
He strode through trees, twilight enough to guide his path. Before he even hit the porch, he smelled his daddy’s pipe, the aromatic tobacco lingering on the air. Daniel took the steps two at a time, dropping himself into one of the comfortable chairs on the deck.
“Beth and the boys get home okay?” Mike puffed his pipe then blew a long slow stream of smoke into the air.
Daniel shook his head. “You adopting more strays? They got home fine.”