Heartbreakers: Treat Her Right / Mr November

Oh, no. Zack had no intention of getting anywhere near Wynn. He shook his head and finished undoing Dani’s car seat. By age, Dani was old enough to forego the special seat, but by size... His daughter was so petite it’d probably be another year before he felt comfortable with only a seat belt for her protection. “We’ve got our own work to do, Dani.”

But no sooner did he have his daughter free from the seat than she opened the car door and slithered out. “Hello, Wynn!” She waved both arms, drawing the neighbor’s attention.

Wynn stopped struggling with the box and looked up. She wiped a forearm across her brow, squinted in their direction, then broke out in a smile. Even from the distance, Zack could see the open welcome in that smile.

He cursed, but silently.

Cutting across the yards, Wynn headed toward them. He wanted to groan. He wanted to ignore her and go inside.

He wanted sex, damn it. With her.

No.

“Heym you two!” She stopped by Dani’s side of the car, hands on her hips, legs braced apart. “How’d the shopping go?”

Dani tipped her head way back to grin up at Wynn. “We bought lots of stuff. And we saw a movie, too.”

Wynn automatically went to her knees. Zack remembered her doing that earlier, too, when she’d spoken with Dani. Was it an allowance she made for her height? A man wouldn’t be expected to do that, but a woman?

Or did she just like kids enough that she wanted to greet them on an eye level?

“A whole new wardrobe, huh? Terrific.” She glanced up at Zack. Her hazel eyes looked warm and welcoming, even intimate, at least to his overeager imagination. “Got it all taken care of?” she asked.

He cleared his throat. His brain was already in sexual overdrive, his body too long deprived, and now Wynn got on her knees in front of him. Her face, her beautiful mouth, were level with... No. It was too much.

Zack turned away and began yanking bags out of the car. “She should be all set for fall.”

“I went shopping, too,” Wynn told him, her voice now sounding confused by his dismissal. “I bought a hammock for the backyard.”

Zack froze with his arms loaded down. Slowly he turned to face her. “A hammock?” Surely she didn’t expect to lounge around in a hammock. Not where he could see her? “Where do you intend to put it?”

She pointed. “Those are the only two trees big enough and close enough together to work. I always wanted a hammock, almost as much as I wanted my own house. After I finished unloading boxes, I couldn’t resist. This weather is perfect for lying around outside and reading or napping.”

A thousand questions went winging through his mind, but he heard himself ask, “You went shopping in that?” The way he was staring at her halter, which looked far too enticing molded over soft, heavy breasts that were in perfect proportion to the rest of her big body, he knew she knew just what he meant.

Then when he realized what had come out of his unruly mouth, and how incredibly possessive he’d sounded, he quickly added, “You’re talking about in my trees?” Both yards had an abundance of shade, but the trees she’d pointed at were the ones edging his property.

She’d be right there, visible to him, flaunting herself to him, wearing on his determination. He couldn’t handle it. He’d never had a problem with temptation before, but he’d never met Wynn before, either.

She blinked those awesome hazel eyes at him, and even that seemed provocative, deliberate. Hell, her breathing seemed designed to drive him nuts.

Her expression intent, watchful, she came to her feet. He didn’t mean to, but his gaze switched to her legs, then quickly lifted back to her belly. She wasn’t overly muscular there, not in the least mannish, just very smooth and lithe and softly rounded just as a woman should be.

His heart punched into his ribs.

Hands on her naked waist, one hip cocked out enticingly, she waited for his gaze to finally rise up to hers. It took him far too long to get there, but then, she had a lot of skin showing.

When their eyes met, Wynn smiled, but there was nothing friendly in the tilt of her lips or the narrowing of her eyes. “I changed when I got home,” she informed him, “before getting the box out of the car. And the trees are actually mine. I specifically asked before buying the house. The Realtor checked the property line just to be sure.”

Zack wanted to howl. He wanted to tell her that he didn’t give a damn about the trees or whom they belonged to. He wanted to put his daughter down for a nap, then drag his neighbor off to bed—or to the floor or the ground or against one of those stupid trees...

He managed his own strained smile. “I see.”

Dani, not understanding the sudden tension between the adults, reached up to tug on the hem of Wynn’s shorts. “We got pizza for dinner.”

Wynn’s smile was genuine when she looked at his daughter. “Sounds like you’ve had a wonderful day.” She ruffled Dani’s hair, then saluted Zack. “I better get back to work. I want to get the hammock set up.”

“You can eat with us!”

Zack cursed softly at his daughter’s invitation, but not softly enough. Wynn heard.

Even though her chin lifted and her eyes were direct, she looked hurt. And that hurt him. Damn it, he didn’t want to insult her, but neither did he want to be further forced into her company.

“Thanks, sweetie,” Wynn said to Dani though she continued to look at Zack, “but I’ve got too much to do.”

“Don’t you like pizza?” Dani asked, stubborn to the core and always determined to get her own way.

“I do, but it’s been a busy day, and I’m not done yet. Maybe another time, okay?”

Wynn turned away and almost stumbled. For the first time, Zack noticed the weariness in her long limbs, the slight droop to those surprisingly wide, proud shoulders.

Suspicion bloomed, with it annoyance. Using the same tone that always worked for his daughter, Zack uttered, “Wynn.”

She paused, turned to face him with one brow raised.

He stared at her face and noticed the exhaustion. Damn it. “When did you eat last?”

“What?” She couldn’t have looked more confused by his inquiry. Beside him, Dani all but jiggled with excitement. She knew her father too well and knew he’d just made up his mind.

“Did you have lunch?” Zack demanded, and got a blank expression. He sighed. “Have you eaten anything since the muffins and coffee this morning?”

Rather than answer him, Wynn replied, “I appreciate your concern, Zack, but I’m sure you’ve got more important things to do than keep track of my meals.” Again, she turned away.

He should just let her go, Zack thought, watching her leave and doing his best to keep his gaze off her ample and well-shaped rear end. But his daughter watched him with a look she’d probably picked up from him, one that showed extreme disappointment in his behavior. Dani no doubt expected him to rectify his bad manners, and he knew he should. Even with the womanly sway to her hips, Wynn looked ready to drop, her feet dragging.

She’d been neighborly and friendly and he’d been a surly jerk. All because he hadn’t had a woman in too long and she appealed to him on some insane yet basic level. That couldn’t be blamed on her.

Zack bent low and said to Dani, “Start carrying the bags up to the porch and I’ll be right back.”

With a severe look, Dani ordered, “Talk her into eatin’ with us.”

He sighed. “I’ll try.”

Dani pushed against him. “Go! Before she’s all the way home.”

Wynn had nearly made it before Zack reached her. She had to have heard his approach, but she ignored him. He caught her arm and turned her around to face him. “Wait a minute.”

Seeing he was alone, she barked, “What now?”