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“When I gave it to her, I told her it was for emergencies only. And since this would constitute an emergency, I’m glad she texted me. Why didn’t you call me? You were stranded on the side of the road, Lily. Who knows what could’ve happened?”
His gaze snared hers for a second before she blinked and looked away.
“I didn’t want to bother you.”
“I’d rather you called than end up roadkill. Besides, I needed a break,” Cullen said. “It’s nice to get outside and away from the hospital for a change.”
Lily looked at her cell phone. “At ten-thirty in the morning? It’s nice of you to say that, but it’s a little early for lunch.”
“Not when your day starts at six-thirty,” he countered. Then again, her day started even earlier since she was usually at the house a good half hour before he left. This morning things had felt a little awkward. Both of them had been distant. She’d been preoccupied and he had to admit he’d been in a hurry to get out the door.
Cullen wondered if she was thinking about that, too, as she crossed her arms in front of her.
“Even if you do break for lunch this early, I doubt this is how you wanted to spend your time. You hired me to make your life easier, not complicate it.”
“Don’t be ridiculous.” His voice sounded gruffer than he’d intended. Again, he snared her gaze and held it for a few beats longer than what might be considered casual. This time she didn’t look away. Not until he opened the car’s fuel door and unscrewed the gas cap.
That was when he noticed four kid faces peering out from inside the SUV. Before Lily had gotten out of the car, she’d laid down the law and told the children that under no circumstances were they to get out of the car. Not on the highway. Thank goodness they seemed to be complying.
George pressed his face against the window so that his nose was flattened into a pig snout. As Cullen drained the gas into the vehicle, he tilted his head to the side and made a face back at George, extending his jaw so that his bottom teeth jutted out over his upper lip.
All four kids, even shy, subdued Bridget, seemed to find this hilarious and started making faces back at him.
Lily laughed. “What are they doing? And why are you egging them on?”
They shared the laugh.
When they were quiet again, Cullen said, “I must admit, I feel a little responsible for stranding you out here. You’ve got your hands full with the kids. I should’ve stopped and filled up the car before we got home last night.”
Last night. Lily’s cheeks flushed and she looked at a spot somewhere over his shoulder. “It’s not your fault. I should’ve reminded you, but honestly, I didn’t even think about it.”
Her cheeks flushed a little more and he wondered if she was thinking about the kiss. Probably not.
Maybe.
It was cold outside and a little windy. Maybe that was what coaxed the color to her cheeks.
Cullen held up his hand. “Stop being so hard on yourself. You take great care of these kids. That’s all that matters.”
The kiss really hadn’t been that big of a deal. Had it?
Sure, he had responded to the feel of her lips under his and to her sweet taste, hints of the vanilla and cinnamon she’d used in her baking. But maybe the taste had simply been his imagination, brought on by the power of suggestion.
Since she’d arrived, the entire house had been perfumed with good smells and warmed with Christmas cheer. It was all so different from what he was used to. She was so different from his usual type.
But he was glad that the kids had helped them along with the mistletoe prank.
“I didn’t want to let the kids down,” she said.
Her words jarred him from his thoughts back to the present. If he didn’t know better, it was almost as if she’d been reading his mind.
“What?” he asked, screwing the gas cap back into place and shutting the small door.
“I didn’t think you were listening.” Lily smiled knowingly. “I was saying that we were on our way to Dallas to buy some shoes for George. The coach wouldn’t let him on the court with dark-soled sneakers.”
“Right,” he said, as if he’d heard every word. He set down the canister and reached into his pocket for his wallet. “You’ll need some money for that. You know, I don’t ever expect you to pay for any of the kids’ expenses. That shouldn’t come out of your pocket.”
