late to be doing laundry.”
Realizing Wynn must have been looking toward the window, Zack stood, too. He heard her soft laugh, then, “My new washer and dryer won’t arrive for a few more days. I needed clean stuff for tomorrow.”
To Zack’s disgruntlement, Josh smiled, walked to the kitchen door, and continued right on outside and around to Wynn’s house. He should put up a damn privacy fence.
Dani pulled away from Mick and followed. Mick shrugged at Zack, hauled himself to his feet, and followed suit.
Groaning, forced into the situation he’d wanted most to avoid, Zack went along.
When Wynn saw them all approaching, she dropped an item of clothing back into her basket and walked to meet them halfway. Though the night had grown considerably cooler, she was still in the halter and shorts and Zack wanted to strip off his shirt and cover her with it. But it was too late. Josh had already seen her, and was already in charm mode.
Wynn held out her hand when he reached her. “Hello. Wynn Lane.”
Josh took her hand, but not in a handshake. He held her fingers carefully, as if she were fragile. “Josh Marshall,” he murmured, and his tone alone gave away his thoughts on seduction. “Nice to meet you.”
Zack wanted to kick him.
Wynn tried to tug her hand free, but Josh wasn’t being reasonable about it. She snuck a glance at Zack and then back to Josh. “You’re the fireman, right?”
He looked briefly surprised, and Zack explained, “Dani told her all about both of you.”
To Mick she said, “My brother is a big fan of your wife’s work.”
Mick reached out, took Josh’s wrist and pried their hands apart, then indulged his own handshake. At least his was entirely casual and quick. “Mick Dawson. Nice to meet you, Wynn.”
She looked at Zack. “I hope I wasn’t disturbing you again?”
“We were peekin’ at you,” Dani informed her.
Wynn just laughed and petted her hand over Dani’s hair in a show of affection that Zack felt clean down to his gut. “Well,” she said with a wide smile, “I imagine anyone doing laundry by moonlight is sure to draw attention.” And to Zack, “The thing is, I’m still too keyed up from moving in to relax, and I actually brought laundry with me from my apartment, so I figured I might as well get it done. Stuff dried on the line always smells so good, don’t you think?”
Zack thought she smelled good. Working all day had intensified her natural scent, making it more potent, more intoxicating.
He snorted at his own ridiculous fancy and told her, “There’s a Laundromat a couple of miles away, next door to the grocery.”
“You could use our washer and dryer,” Dani offered.
Feeling his smile freeze, Zack said, “Or you could use our washer and dryer.”
Wynn was already shaking her head. “No, I don’t mind using the line.”
Josh stepped in front of Zack. “I’m not that far away. Feel free to use mine until yours arrive.”
Zack considered strangling him. It wasn’t that he cared personally, because he didn’t, but it’d be almost as awkward for Josh to get involved with her as it would be for Zack. Josh wasn’t ready to settle down, and in fact, since Mick’s wedding, he’d been overindulging in a big way. Zack did not want him overindulging with his neighbor.
Mick said, “If you’re about done, we were just getting some drinks. You could join us.”
She took a step back. “Oh no, but thanks anyway.”
“Join us, join us!” Dani sang, bouncing up and down in renewed energy.
“You,” Zack told his daughter, “are about to go to bed.”
Before Dani could summon up a temper about that, Wynn said, “Actually, so am I.”
All three men stared at her.
She cleared her throat. “That is, I need to get showered and...” She looked from one fascinated male gaze to the other and coughed. “I’m a mess. I’ve been working all day.”
In a feminine gesture that took him by surprise, considering he hadn’t seen much in the way of femininity from her, Wynn attempted to smooth her hair.
Josh tipped his head. “You look fine.”
His voice was low and appreciative and again Zack wanted to strangle him.
“Her hair is soft,” Dani informed Josh in a loud whisper, then poked him in the thigh.
“Is that right?” Showing none of the reserve Zack had exhibited, Josh reached out and fingered a bouncing curl at her temple before gently tucking it behind her ear. “You’re right, Dani. It’s very soft.”
Wynn twittered and took another step away. “I’ve got to finish up here. But it was nice meeting you both. Dani, sweet dreams!”
Josh murmured low and suggestively, “You, too.”
She gave another ridiculous, girlish twitter and turned to hurry away. Josh stood there, hands on his hips, watching her go with his gaze southerly enough to singe her backside, until Zack elbowed him. Hard.
They all trooped back into the kitchen, Josh rubbing his ribs as if he’d been mortally wounded. Dani now had her head on Mick’s shoulder and she yawned. They were all three aware of how quickly Dani would collapse into a sound slumber, and they shared smiles.
Zack scooped his daughter into his arms. “Time for you to hit the sack, sweetie.” Once Dani started fading, she went fast. She’d run right up until she ran out of gas.
She blinked sleepy eyes at Josh and Mick. “G’night.”
Josh bent and kissed her nose. “Night, princess.”
Mick tickled her toes. “Good night, honey.”
As Zack turned to leave the kitchen, he saw Mick sit at the table, and Josh go back to the open window. He grumbled under his breath as he hauled his small bundle upstairs. He was just lowering Dani to her mattress when she said in a low, drowsy voice, “Josh likes her.”
Pausing, Zack said, “You think so?”
Dani nodded. “I like her, too. Don’t you?”
“She’s fine.” Zack pulled the sheet up to Dani’s chin, smoothed her hair and kissed her forehead. That didn’t suffice, so he kissed her again, then cuddled her close, squeezing her until she gave a protesting squeak. “I love you, baby.”
“I love you, too, Daddy.”
“Do you need to potty?”
“Nope.” She rolled to her side, cushioned her cheek on one tiny fist, and let out a long deep breath.
With a last peck to her brow, Zack stood. Dani was already snoring softly. For a long minute, he just looked down at her. She was by far the most precious thing in the world to him. It seemed every time he looked at her it struck him anew how much he loved her. That she was his, a part of him, was beyond remarkable.
Josh was still at the damn window when Zack reentered the kitchen. “You look like a lovesick pup.”
Mick choked on a laugh. “As compared to you, who’s playing the part of the snarling junkyard dog?”
At Mick’s taunting words, Zack paused, but only for a second. He knew his friends, and if they had half an inkling of how Wynn affected him, he’d never hear the end of it. Casually, a man without a care, he took his own peek out the window. Wynn was nowhere to be seen, thank God. Out of sight, out of mind.
He grunted, then dropped into his seat, sprawling out and rubbing the back of his neck.