he was alone, she barked, “What now?”
He couldn’t help it. He smiled, then actually laughed. “Without Dani listening, I get the full brunt of your temper? Is that it?”
“Don’t kid yourself.” She looked furious and still hurt. Pushing her wild hair out of her face, she sneered, “If you had my full temper, you’d be flat on your back right now.”
Her threat brought with it an image of him on his back, her over him, riding him slow and deep. Her legs were so long and so strong he had no doubt her endurance would be endless, mind-blowing. He glanced down at her breasts, thinly covered by the soft material of the halter. Without his mind’s permission, he imagined them naked, her nipples puckered, begging for his fingers, his mouth. Her chest glistened from the heat, her skin was radiant and so very soft looking.
No words came, no reply, but she must have read his mind because she drew back and her anger melted away. “I didn’t mean that,” she whispered in a shaky voice.
He couldn’t stop himself from asking, “Mean what?”
She hesitated, their gazes locked, then she shrugged with a blatant challenge. “Sex. That’s what you were thinking. Though I suppose you’ll deny it now.”
Zack rubbed his face. “No, I won’t deny it.” His neck and shoulders were still sore from the night before, when he’d dealt with two very unusual crises, and now his body throbbed with sexual tension. “Look, Wynn...”
“Hey, I understand. Dani is a sweetheart, but kids have a way of speaking out of turn. No harm done, and I really do have plenty more work to do.”
He dismissed what she said to ask, “You’ve been working all day, haven’t you? I bet you haven’t eaten at all except for that muffin at dawn.”
“It wasn’t exactly dawn—”
“Close enough.”
“—and my eating habits aren’t your concern.”
Why did he have to have the most frustrating woman in creation move in behind him? Why did he have to find her so appealing that even his teeth were aroused? He was tired, achy, sexually frustrated, and now he had to deal with this.
Knowing Dani would only show so much patience before she decided to come help him out, he admitted, “I want you. That’s why I was rude.”
Those golden eyes opened so wide, she looked comical. He heard her swallow. Her mouth opened, but nothing came out.
Zack looked toward the trees where she planned to hang her hammock. “Between Dani and work, I don’t get a lot of chances to date and it’s been a long time—too damn long—since I’ve been with a woman. I didn’t get enough sleep last night or I’d probably show better restraint today, but I’m running on four hours tops, and all my understanding and restraint is saved up for my daughter.”
She said, “Oh.”
“I don’t want you to worry that I’m going to come on to you—”
“I’m not worried,” she rushed to assure him.
“—because I have no intention of doing that.”
She said, “Oh,” again. This time with regret, if his tired ears didn’t deceive him.
“Yeah, oh.” He shook his head. “Come and eat with us, then I’ll help you get that box to the backyard and from there we can be sociable, but not overly friendly. Okay?”
“Not overly friendly,” she repeated, “because you don’t want to want me?”
“That’s right.” Talking about it wasn’t helping. He felt like an ass, more so with every word that left his mouth. “It wouldn’t be a good idea what with us being neighbors and everything.”
“I see.”
She looked perplexed. Zack sighed again and looked around to see his daughter watching intently, arms crossed and foot tapping. He turned back to Wynn. “You understand, surely. Being neighbors is one thing. But it could get awkward if we took it any further than that.”
She nodded. “Awkward.”
His eyes narrowed at her patronizing tone. “That’s right. Relationships have a way of complicating things, especially if they don’t work out, and since I’m not looking to get involved—”
“It couldn’t work out?” She smiled. “Well, you got me there.”
What in the world did she have to smile about? He wasn’t amused. In fact, he was getting close to annoyed. “We’d still be living next door to each other.”
“I’m sure not planning on moving!”
“And then we’d both—”
“Feel awkward.” She gave a sage nod. “I see your point.”
Zack ground his teeth. “Will you join us for pizza or not?”
She licked her lips and tilted her head. “Can I clarify something first?”
“Make it quick. Dani will be on us any minute now.”
“I’m standing here all sweaty and hot and my hair looks worse than usual and yet...you say I’m turning you on?”
Zack wanted to throttle her. Not wanting to hurt her feelings, he’d tried being honest with her, and now she felt free to provoke him.
She did look hot and sweaty—like she’d just been making love most vigorously. He stiffened his resolve. “Let’s not belabor the point, okay?”
“Okay.” She searched his face. “I just wanted to be sure.”
Together they started back toward Dani. Zack could feel the heat of Wynn at his side, could smell the intensified scent of sun-kissed feminine skin, of shampoo and lotion and woman.
“How long’s it been?” she asked with unparalleled nonchalance, as if that wasn’t the most personal topic around.
Of course, he’d brought it up. He didn’t look at her. “Long enough.”
“For me, too.” She smiled toward Dani and waved. “Although I don’t think that’s why you turn me on.” She glanced at him, her long lashes at half-mast, her lips slightly curled. She leaned closer and breathed into his ear, “I think it’s your gorgeous bod that’s doing the trick.”
Zack stumbled over his own feet, which left him standing behind Wynn. She walked over to his yard, took Dani’s hand, and together they marched around front to the porch. He heard Dani say, “I can show you my new clothes!”
And Wynn replied happily, “Right after we eat. I’m starved.”
* * *
Wynn finished off her fourth slice of pizza and sighed. She hadn’t realized she was so hungry until she’d taken the first bite. Then she’d had to be careful not to make a glutton of herself. “That was heavenly. Thank you.”
Zack just grunted, but Dani said, “You ate as much as Dad.”
“Not true! He had one piece more than me.” Then, eyeing Zack, she added, “But he has a lot more muscle so he naturally needs more to eat.”
Zack choked on the drink of cola he’d just taken, and slanted her an evil look. It was all she could do not to laugh.
He wanted her.
He didn’t want to want her, but he did. That was a good start. She could work with that.
On her end, she was crazy-nuts about him already. Not only was the man handsome and well built, but he had a soft streak for his daughter, an outrageous honesty, and his house was spotless. She’d never known a bachelor who enjoyed cleanliness as much as she did.
“Your