Single Mum Seeks…

Had to be a fantasy come true.

She was looking for his house?

“No way,” he muttered, out loud he feared.

She gave him an odd look, one he no doubt deserved, like he might have the IQ of a piece of fruit.

“The Malone house?” he repeated, his voice doing that weird, cracking thing that it hadn’t done since he was fourteen. He hated that stupid cracking thing.

She nodded, like she feared words might be too much for him.

“That’s my house,” he said, still thinking this had to be a mistake.

No way she’d come looking for him.

She frowned, like maybe she didn’t believe him or was really confused. “Your dad is Nick Malone?”

“Uncle,” he said, his voice still sounding funny.

“Oh. And this is your house?” She pointed to Lily’s.

“No, this one,” he said, nodding in the other direction.

“Oh. Okay. I was actually…” She looked thoroughly exasperated, not so much like the blond princess of his fantasies. More like a real person who might actually have normal problems like everyone else. “I was looking for my mom.”

And she didn’t like admitting that. Or maybe it was…thinking her mom was here with his uncle? That something was going on between them?

“She’s right over…” It was Jake’s turn to frown. She wasn’t there anymore. “She was there just a minute ago.”

Andie sighed, like she dreaded the next part, then asked, “Do you think she went inside?”

“No. My uncle’s not there,” Jake told her, not adding that his uncle was at Lily’s, licking Lily’s neck or something like that, and that Andie’s mom had seen them and hadn’t been happy about it.

“Oh,” Andie said, sighing once again. “Your uncle? Is he married?”

“No,” Jake said. Why would she care if his uncle was married?

“Well…thanks, I guess. I’ll just…I’ll be…” She paused for one more moment, then looked him over one more time. “Do I know you?”

Jake shook his head, then woke up to the fact that this was his chance. She knew he was alive, even if it was just to help her find his house. “I’m Jake. Jake Elliott. We go to the same school. I mean…I’m pretty sure we do. Jefferson?”

“Yeah, I go to Jefferson. What are you? What year?”

“Sophomore,” he admitted, knowing she was a junior.

Just one more way in which she was way out of his league.

“Oh,” she said. “Well, I’ve got to go find my mom. See you.”

Jake mumbled goodbye, and then was treated to the sight of her walking away from him in those short shorts, with those long, tanned legs, her long, blond hair swinging as she walked, wishing he could start this whole conversation over again and not sound like an idiot, not act like one, not be one.

She’d talked to him.

She knew his name and where he lived.

Jake suspected he’d be dreaming of her tonight, dreaming in more vivid detail than ever before.

Okay, maybe that wasn’t the best idea I’ve ever had, Nick told himself, safely back in his own house, out of sight of any prying eyes and not mere centimeters away from being plastered up against Lily.

Luscious Lily.

He made a face, trying to get that particular description out of his head.

He did not need to be thinking of his neighbor as luscious.

Particularly with a teenage boy in the house who had visions of entertaining his own ladies in his bedroom.

So, no…nuzzling Lily’s neck was definitely not a good idea.

It had just felt like one.

A great one.

Nick tried to breathe and turn his thoughts to something else, anything else but how long it had been since he’d been involved with a woman or had one in his bed and the utter unlikelihood that he’d ever talk Lily Tanner into joining him there.

Audrey, of the skimpier and skimpier jogging outfits, he could have, if he wanted her. Which, unfortunately, he didn’t.

Lily, he suspected, was firmly off-limits.

He’d bet the woman had never had casual sex in her life. She was too sweet, too nice, too kindhearted. Softhearted, he was sure.

Not at all his type.

And yet…pretty was the word that came to mind, and it both seemed to fit and not do her justice at the same time. She had pretty blond hair and gorgeous skin, an easy smile and an openness and genuineness. She seemed real. That’s what it was. Not fussy. Not fake. Not pushy. Not playing any kind of games. Real and nice and surprisingly appealing.

He opened up the refrigerator and poured a cold glass of water from the pitcher he kept there, wishing it was that easy to cool himself down.

Damn, Lily.

She’d felt so soft and fragile beneath his hands, smelled so good, trembled ever so slightly, blushed a bit, and all he’d been able to think about was devouring her right there in her kitchen.

He took a long swallow of that cold water, but it didn’t seem to do anything to cool him down.

One by one, he thought of all the women who’d shown up at his door with offerings of food, drink and, though unspoken, companionship. Surely he could think of one he’d like to kill some time with, one who wouldn’t object at all to killing time with him.

And yet he found himself discarding one after another and staring out the window toward Lily’s house.

He’d just have to stay away from her. That was all there was to it.