Читать книгу Dad In Demand - Metsy Hingle - Страница 10

Sean made a strangled noise in his throat at the sound of Heather’s voice. Talk about timing. A shudder went through him. The clip had disappeared from Katie’s hair, leaving thick auburn curls falling about her neck and shoulders. Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes soft and dreamy. The pink lipstick on that troublesome mouth of hers was gone. She looked like a woman who’d just tumbled out of a man’s bed. The thought sent another jolt of desire knifing through him. Somehow sanity reared its head, and he gripped her by the shoulders and set her away. “Good Lord, what am I doing?”

Katie stiffened beneath his hands, but he didn’t let her go. Drawing another deep breath, he struggled for control. What on earth was he thinking? This was Katie. Katie!

“Sean?” Heather called out again, her voice closer.

“I’m sorry.” He cringed the moment the words were out, but it was too late to take them back. “What I mean is I didn’t plan for that to happen. I don’t know what came over me. Or why I—”

“It’s okay,” she said, scrambling off the swing.

“It’s not okay.” And it wasn’t. Even with only the light of the moon and the deck to aid him, he couldn’t miss the color staining her cheeks, or the way panic had stolen into her eyes. Sean stood and caught her arm as much to steady her as to stop her from running. Because she was poised to run.

“Guess that’s what we get for drinking all that wine,” she said, in a voice as forced as the smile on her lips.

“I’m not sure we can blame the wine. I—”

“There you are,” Heather said breezing through the doorway and out onto the deck with a foil-wrapped dish in her hands. “I rang the bell, but you didn’t answer. Then I saw your truck, and decided to try the door. I thought I’d take a chance and drop by. I never did hear back from you today,” she accused.

“I, um, I’m sorry. I got tied up.”

“Well, I guess I’ll forgive you this time,” Heather said, a pouty look on her face, her thick lashes sweeping down over her baby blue eyes. She swished and swayed her way over to him. “Oh, hello, Katie,” she said, barely sparing Katie a glance. “Would you be a sweetie and hold this for me while I tell this fellow hello?”

Not saying a word, Katie took the dish from Heather and turned away.

His eyes on Katie’s retreating back, Sean barely heard Heather say, “I’ve missed you,” before she had her mouth locked on his.

Removing Heather’s arms from around his neck, Sean cut the kiss short, which apparently didn’t please Heather, but didn’t stop her from launching into a litany about her busy schedule. Sean tuned her out. How was it possible that for the past three months the voluptuous blond aerobics instructor had inspired such lust in him? Looking at her now, in the barely there, white shorts and cropped T-shirt that clearly displayed her ample assets, left him cold. Yet looking at Katie with her long legs and skinny curves had him breaking out in a sweat. It didn’t make a lick of sense.

“Sounds like you really have been busy,” Katie said.

“Oh, I have.” Heather slid her gaze over to Katie who stood next to the table where she had placed Heather’s dish. “How have you been?”

“Fine. I see you’re looking fit as usual.”

“Thanks. I’m conducting six classes a week at the body gym now. You should think about coming. I have one class where we work on muscle tone. You might find a toning class would help you fill out a bit.”

“I’ll think about it,” Katie said, but Sean could have strangled Heather for the remark. What was wrong with a narrow torso and lean curves? They certainly suited Katie.

“Oh, my,” Heather said, spying the wine and cake plates on the table. “I hope I’m not interrupting anything.”

“As a matter of fact, Katie and I were having dinner,” Sean told her.

“Oh,” Heather replied, another pretty pout forming on her lips. She slanted a glance to the foil-covered dish on the table. “I didn’t realize you’d made plans. I brought you one of my veggie casseroles. I’d hoped we could share it.”

“Actually, we finished dinner a while ago,” Katie informed her. “And you know Sean.the man’s always hungry. He’s probably ready for a snack already, and the casserole sounds wonderful.”

Heather beamed. “It is very good, even if I do say so myself.”

“Well, I’ll just get out of your way and give the two of you some privacy.” Katie began gathering the wrapping paper and ribbon and stuffing it into the box that had held her gift.

“You don’t have to rush off,” he said.

“I’m not rushing off. I’ve been here all evening, and I’m sure you and Heather have some catching up to do. But thanks, anyway. Dinner was great, and the gift is beautiful.”

“Gift?” Heather repeated. Suddenly alert, her eyes darted like a laser to the music box Katie was carefully packing away. “Sean gave you a gift?”

Katie looked up. “Yes. A music box for my birthday.”

“How sweet,” the blonde said, relaxing. “You’re lucky. My brother never remembers my birthday.”

“I’m not Katie’s brother,” Sean informed her, for some reason irritated by the comment.

“Oh, I know that. But the two of you are such good friends, and you told me yourself how you practically grew up together. You’re almost like brother and sister.”

“I really do have to go,” Katie said.

“No, you don’t.” At both women’s surprised expressions, Sean said more calmly, “I mean, I’m sure there’s enough of Heather’s casserole for the three of us.”

“Thanks. But I’m stuffed, and I’ve got a busy day tomorrow. I was planning to turn in early tonight.”

“It’s not even nine o’clock,” Sean argued, ignoring Heather’s obvious displeasure at his reluctance to have Katie leave. He sensed Katie’s awkwardness and wasn’t sure if it was because of Heather or the kiss. Somehow things had gotten all mixed up again, and he wanted to straighten them out.

“I know it’s early, but I’m really tired. It’s been a long day, and tomorrow’s going to be even longer.”

“Don’t worry, we understand,” Heather told her, linking her arm through Sean’s. “It was nice seeing you again, Katie. Oh, and happy birthday.”

“Thanks.” Katie barely spared Sean a glance as she said, “Don’t worry about seeing me out. I know the way.”

“Excuse me,” Sean said to Heather and followed Katie to the door. “We still have a few things to go over regarding that matter we were discussing,” he told her, aware that Heather had followed him and was eyeing the exchange from a short distance.

“Um, why don’t you just give me a call and let me know what else you need? If I’m not home, you can leave a message, and I’ll get back to you.”

“What about the rest of your cake? Don’t you want it?” he asked, barely able to keep the irritation from his voice.

She didn’t even bother turning around to look at him. “Why don’t you and Heather finish it?”

“Katie…”

But she was already out the door and scurrying into her apartment next door. Sean stood there for a moment and contemplated going after her. They needed to talk. He had a bad feeling about this. Really bad. He’d more than crossed the line with Katie tonight, and he needed to put things back to the way they used to be.

“Sean?”

He hesitated. Then sighing, he shut his door and turned to face the other woman.

By the time he’d sent a not-very-happy Heather on her way thirty minutes later, Katie’s apartment was in darkness. From his adjoining deck out back, he stared at her bedroom window, hoping for some sign of movement that would tell him she was awake. There was none. Only darkness and silence.

Driving both hands through his hair, Sean leaned on the rail of the deck and turned away to stare up at the sky. The moon slid behind a thicket of clouds, taking with it the soft glow and giving the night a somber feeling. It matched his mood, Sean decided. The guilt that had hopped onto his shoulders following that melt-the-fillings-in-his-teeth kiss with Katie had grown heavier by the minute. Never in a million years had he intended to complicate things this way.