What? What are you talking about?
Sara rolled her eyes. Give it up, babe. Its all over your face.
Hell. She was going to have to leave if it was that obvious.
Hell. She was going to have to leave if it was that obvious.
Unfortunately, Max made a beeline for her. Jane. Can I talk to you a minute? Oh, hey, Sara. Its about work. You dont mind, do you?
Sara grinned. Of course not.
The auburn-haired siren watched intently as Max touched a hand to Janes back, right on her bare skin, and guided her away. She shivered from the roots of her hair to her toes.
Youre not cold, are you? Max asked solicitously.
No. Is something wrong at work? Maybe she shouldnt just leave without telling him.
Everything at work is fine. I just wanted to ask you, if you dont mind, not to mention our pink-magazine disaster to anyone else.
I wont, of course. But why would you worry? From what I can tell, your cousins are completely supportive.
Yeah, but not all of the family is. I just dont want it to get back to my brother or either of my parents thatwell, that I let an employee bail me out.
I wont say anything. She didnt really want it to get around that she was selling her boat, either. Cooper and Allie knew, but since Cooper was acting as her attorney, he wouldnt blab it to anyone.
You look hot.
A minute ago you thought I was cold.
No, I meanhell, what am I doing? I told myself I wouldnt do this.
Oh, now Jane got it. Duh. She looked hot. Her nipples tightened beneath her halter top, and she really, really wished shed chosen a shirt she could have worn a bra with.
Maybe you better get back to your date, Jane said primly.
Who?
Goodness, he had a short attention span. The gorgeous, six-foot woman you arrived with? She nodded toward the woman in question, who was staring holes through Maxs back.
Max glanced over her shoulder. Her? He laughed. I just met her.
You work fast, then.
No, I mean, I really just met her. We arrived on the front porch at the same time. Shes Coopers neighbor.
Janes face grew even warmer, if that were possible. She had just made a complete idiot of herself. Worse, Max was no longer safely out of reach. He was a free agent.
She was in trouble.
Are you jealous? Max whispered.
Stop flirting with me, she whispered back.
Ill stop if you really want me to. So long as you know-anything personal between us has nothing to do with work.
That wasnt really her biggest concern. Yes, workplace romances could cause heaps of trouble, but she was more concerned about her heart. She wasnt just attracted to Max. She saw the potential for a deep emotional attachment, as well. And how could she trust her judgment right now?
He made her feel appreciated and valued, all the things she hadnt gotten from Scott. And he related well to Kaylee, also another of her exs shortcomings. Her budding feelings for Max could be nothing more than a knee-jerk reflex.
We shouldnt, Max. Really.
His mischievous grin disappeared. Okay. Guess Ill have to flirt with Wendy.
Wendy?
He nodded toward the siren.
Janes reaction was swift and instinctual. Stay away from her. Shes a barracuda.
Maxs grin returned. I like barracudas.
Just then something catapulted into Maxs leg.
Max!
He looked down as Kaylee wrapped herself around his leg, and his grin widened. Hey, there, Kaylee. Are you ready to eat some fish tonight?
She nodded and held her arms out, wanting to be picked up, and Max obliged. Apparently shed either forgotten or forgiven him for kicking Scott at the restaurant. Max hugged Kaylee and she hugged him back, her eyes squeezed shut as she reveled in the experience.
Jane watched with a lump rising in her throat. Scott had never hugged his daughter that way. The child was starved for fatherly affection. Last weekend during his visitation hed barely spent any time with her, leaving her with his parents while he partied.
But Max?
Why had Kaylee formed a bond with him so quickly? Shed spent a lot of time around Cooper and Reece, both of whom had babysat, and she liked them fine. But she had especially close feelings reserved for Max.
Maybe it was that overnight trip, when theyd behaved so much like a family.
Kaylee had pretty much lost the only father shed ever known, a father she loved, as lousy as he was. Jane was determined to prevent her daughter from forming an attachment to Max, who certainly wasnt destined to be around long-term.
That meant she had to keep Kaylee and Max apart.
Though it pained her to do so, she pulled Kaylee out of Maxs arms and set her on the ground. Kaylee, your new little friend looks lonely. Dont you want to play with him? Why dont you two try out the teeter-totter?
Okay, Mommy. She dashed off, unconcerned, confident that Max wasnt going anywhere. How many disappointments would it take before she would become mistrustful, slow to give affection?
Shes a great kid, Max said.
I know. Im lucky. She likes you an awful lot.
You say that like you think its a bad thing.
She answered cautiously. Kaylees vulnerable right now. Shes anxious to attach to someone.
And you dont think Im the right someone.
This discussion wasnt going so well. She started to argue that she hadnt meant any slight, but he interrupted.
Its okay, Jane. I know what you mean. She might have gotten the wrong idea in Houston.
Exactly. I explained it as best I could, but shes too young to reason with.
So you wont ever have another man around because youre afraid of disappointing Kaylee?
She frowned. Single parents shouldnt be forced to isolate themselves just because theyre afraid of disappointing their children. Yet
Okay, Max, lets just put it on the table. If you and I should, um, start dating, I know you and Kaylee would grow close. Its obvious. Then what if something happened and you suddenly disappeared from our lives? Shes already so confused about her fathers vanishing act-
There, shed said it. The worst was over. Now he knew how she felt, what shed been thinking about.
I understand. More than you know.
Sowe move on. She had to force the words out of her mouth. If I ever get involved with someone else-and thats a big if-it will be when Im ready to settle down, and the man is, too. That doesnt describe you and me. I mean, I just got divorced and youwell, Ive seen your little black book.
She held her breath, half hoping he would argue with her. And for a moment, he stared at her intently. But then suddenly he grinned. You looked in my black book?
So, he agreed. He wasnt the settling-down type. Just by accident.
I havent put a girlfriend in there in months. Well, weeks, anyway.
Slowing down, are you?
His grin faded. You dont have to put it like that. Ive been too busy to date. No, thats not it, he quickly added. Maybe Im not ready to settle down. But since the day you walked into my office and strong-armed me into a job, I havent been interested in other women. If I were, Id be all over Wendy. Dating her would be easy-no complications.
But I dont want Wendy. I want you.
Chapter Eleven
Max tried to swallow, but his mouth was too dry. Had he actually just said that? Had he thrown himself at Jane Selwyn, his employee and a freshly divorced single mom who was not interested in a casual relationship?
Yes, he had. Hed broken every rule hed ever made for himself regarding women.
Max pinched the bridge of his nose. Before you say anything, let me just make it clear that no matter how you react in the next thirty seconds, your job is completely secure. You could throw your drink in my face and I would still be happy to see you at the office come Monday morning.
At least she wouldnt have to worry about her job, which she seemed to do on a daily basis.
Her eyes widened slightly. So despite everything I just said, youuh
Id like to see you outside of work. Socially. Sexually. He trusted she understood that part without him spelling it out. You can say no. Please, dont say no.
It wouldnt be smart for either of us, she said a little desperately.
So was that a no? One simple word, Jane, and you can easily put an end to this discussion. Ill never bring it up again.
She opened her mouth. But no words came out.
Just think about it. He walked away while he was ahead.
JANE MANAGED to get through the fish fry with no further contact with Max. She took him at his word-she was going to think long and hard about taking the next step with him. No impulsive moves.
She had until Monday, anyway, before she saw him again. She spent the weekend quietly shopping for a new place to live. Shed thought she would probably go with one of the new beach condos. They were small, but they had ocean views.
Then the Realtor showed her a quaint little cottage. Well, not so little. Three bedrooms. It was in desperate need of paint and repairs. The kitchen was completely outdated, the tiny yard overgrown. But it had a big deck overlooking the dunes and the ocean beyond.
I like this one, Mommy, Kaylee said as she stood at the railing, watching a trio of seagulls fly overhead.
Really. What is it you like?
I dont know.
Funny, but Jane felt the same way. As dilapidated as the place was, it had a good feel to it. She could see it all fixed up, floors refinished, new furniture, a fresh coat of bright blue paint.
Of course, if she bought it, she wouldnt have any money left over for repairs. But the place was livable even without a makeover. She could work on it slowly, maybe finance the renovations with her portrait work. Shed been working like mad every evening, and she almost had enough finished drawings that she could send them to Erin Freeman.
She resisted the urge to sign a contract on the house. If she was being cautious about Max, she should be cautious about her new home, too.
JANE WAS STILL THINKING about both decisions Monday morning when she arrived at work bright and early. She immediately sensed a hushed tension in the office. Carols brow was furrowed as she sat at her desk making notations on her computer. Max was in his office with the door closed. She could hear his voice on the phone, and he didnt sound happy.
She put her things away in her desk, then returned to the reception area. Is something wrong? Its not the real-estate magazines, is it?