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Even now, he envisioned a cozy dinner and lighthearted banter. Later, they’d share a bit of coffee out on the porch. He’d follow that up with a kiss…or two. He sighed. Of course, none of that was going to happen. She was here with him because she had to be, not because she wanted to be. She’d made that all too clear when she’d rejected his kiss.
He stood next to the center island in the kitchen and glanced up at the clock on the wall for the third time in the past five minutes. Six o’clock straight up. Time to eat.
He prepared a couple of steaks to add to the foil-wrapped potatoes already on the grill. When he came back inside, there was still no sign of Lexi. Thinking that she might want more than meat and potatoes, he tossed together a salad.
He should probably go wake her. Then again, maybe she’d be better off sleeping. He pulled out her care instructions and in the silence began deciphering the words one at a time. He was a slow reader, but with determination, he could make it through to the end.
“Would that happen to be the instructions from the doctor?” Lexi came up behind him.
Too late to hide the paper. “Ah, yes. Here you go.”
“That’s okay. Can you just read the part about what symptoms to watch for?”
“Is something wrong?” He was poised to drop everything to drive her to the hospital.
“Um…no. I’m just being cautious is all.”
He looked at her as she made her way to the sink. His gaze settled on the gentle sway of her hips. He swallowed hard before forcing his attention back to the care instructions. He hadn’t gotten to the symptoms section. His chest tightened as the letters formed a jumbled mess. His throat clogged. There was no way he’d read it out loud to her. He’d sound like…like a complete and utter jerk, or worse. He might have opened up a bit to her while they were at Haggerty, but he was not sharing this part of his life. Absolutely not.
“You can read it.” He pushed the paper toward her as she lifted a glass of water to her lips.
Before she could even take a sip, she lowered the glass. “If you don’t want me here, I’ll leave.”
He shook his head. “It’s not that. In fact, it’s the opposite. It…it’s nice to have some company.”
The corners of her mouth lifted, and she stepped up to him. “Really?” Her voice purred with delight. “Well, thanks for having me. Sorry I wasn’t so agreeable earlier. I wasn’t feeling very well.”
“But you’re feeling better now?”
“Much better. That nap was just what I needed.”
His needs ran in a completely different direction. His gaze dipped to her lips. They were still damp from the cold water. He should turn away and keep busy, but his body seemed to have a will of its own as he leaned down and brushed his mouth over hers. Sweet and delectable, just like he remembered. He also remembered that he was doing the exact thing he’d told himself not to do. She was his opposition. But more than that, she was way out of his league.
However, she didn’t reject his advance. In fact, she didn’t say one thing about his moment of spontaneity. That was a good thing. Wasn’t it? Or was she just too startled to speak?
He pulled away. “I have to get the steaks off the grill.”
He hustled out the back door. He should tell her the truth—he couldn’t read. At least, not like others. Then she’d see him clearly. At last this crazy attraction thing would stop. But his male ego refused to be lessened in her eyes. For some reason, her opinion meant a lot to him. If he could just hide his deficiencies for a little longer, she’d be gone.
Just for once it was nice having someone around who hadn’t known him all of his life. She didn’t know about the merciless teasing because he couldn’t read as fast as the other kids. She didn’t know how he still struggled. Instead, Lexi saw him as a man—a landowner—someone with whom to do business. And he liked it. He really liked it. Most of all, he really liked her and her spunk. He didn’t want any of that to change.
He’d just returned from the grill with a platter holding two medium T-bones and the potatoes when he glanced up in time to catch Lexi in mid-stretch. The curves of her body strained against her turquoise top while a sliver of her bare stomach peeked out from beneath the hem of her shirt. He practically dropped their dinner right there on the floor. He swallowed hard as he continued to stare.
Her amused gaze caught his eye, and he turned away. “I didn’t know what you like to eat, so I grilled up a couple of steaks. If that’s okay with you, we can eat just as soon as I set the table and pour us some iced tea.”
“Sounds good. Is it really after six? I didn’t mean to sleep all afternoon.”
The memory of her stretched out on the bed did nothing to help him regain his composure. His appetite for steak vanished. He craved something else—someone with rumpled hair and bare feet. His gaze strayed to Lexi. Wasn’t it just like a man to hunger for a woman he could never possess? He inwardly groaned.
With the table set and the drinks poured, he grabbed a couple of acetaminophen caplets and handed them to her. “Here. It’s past time for you to take these.”
She accepted the pills and chased them down with some tap water. “Since I’m feeling better, how about after dinner you give me a ride back to the motel?”
He knew her suggestion would be best for his sanity, but he’d given his word to watch over her tonight, and that’s exactly what he intended to do. “You’re stuck with me for twenty-four hours. I’ll give you a ride back to the Doc’s tomorrow for your follow-up appointment. If he okays it, you can go back to the motel then, but not before. Now, let’s eat.”
“And that’s your final word?”
“It is.”
