on the air between them, Kelly had to swallow a few times to reel herself in. His strong hand lay palm down on his thigh. She couldn’t even look at his hand without remembering that he had reached for hers earlier—and how nice it would have been to slide her hand into his, just once.
Evan had become quiet, staring out the window. His profile, strong and kind and appealing, tugged at her as well, especially because he appeared so relaxed. He had been wonderful with Matt today, matching that small boy’s energy moment for moment. The proof lay in the fact that Matt lay sleeping when usually he’d still be bouncing around the limo. If Evan wasn’t such an ambitious man, one who took conquering the world as a sport and winning hearts as a hobby, she might actually consider him as a keeper one day. But no. She already knew what happened at the hands of a man who knew no boundaries.
While as a lover, she could never truly relax with Evan, as a friend it was abundantly clear that she could rely on him. He’d already proven himself in that arena with Matt and his constant presence. She was okay with accepting the man’s limitations. Besides, by the time she was ready to date, she’d want a nice simple man with a good sense of humor and a strong heart, with eyes only for her. She could wait for that day because in the meantime she had so much more to do.
* * *
CAUGHT IN HIS own thoughts about how perfectly the afternoon had passed with Kelly and Matt, it took a moment before the heat of Kelly’s stare penetrated Evan’s awareness. The way her brow, lightly dusted with freckles, furrowed in concentration betrayed how she was battling with thoughts of her own. Wouldn’t it be great if she was rethinking her stance on their friendship-only status? He liked the fit of Kelly and Matt in his world. He hadn’t realized how much he missed creating his own family life until spending time with these two. He smiled when he realized she was unaware that she was staring at him.
He turned his full focus on her. “Penny for your thoughts, Red?”
Ever the body language reader, he didn’t miss the fact that she took time to clear her throat, which meant that she was stealing a precious moment to regroup.
She leaned toward him. “Actually, I wanted to ask your advice about something.”
He turned his body to face her. “If I can help, I will.”
She leaned back, but kept her voice low. “I have a brother who is a priest.”
He smiled. “I know. You’ve told me.”
She looked at her hands. “That’s right. I forgot. Well, it seems Michael has found himself shepherding a new flock of parishioners in Brooklyn.”
“That’s terrific, Kelly. You must be happy to have family here.”
She released a sigh. “Yes, and no.”
“What do you mean?”
Kelly glanced at Matt to reassure herself he was asleep. “Until yesterday, Michael did not know about Matt. No one in Ireland does. And worse, Matt knows nothing about my family.”
A soft whistle escaped his lips. “My God, Kelly. How did you pull that one off?”
She shrugged. “It’s probably been the hardest thing I’ve ever done. Until recently, we had Herby George. Everyone else who knows me lives in Ireland. The distance makes it easier. Having Matt out of wedlock, I knew my parents would never accept him. I decided not to expose my son or myself to their disapproval. I keep communications with Ireland short and sweet.”
Along with the barrage of questions that rose in his mind, a swell of new respect for this woman’s indomitable spirit filled him. He hoped she could see admiration reflected in his eyes. The questions could wait. He didn’t want to raise Kelly’s defenses with an interrogation.
She tilted her head, as if trying to read him. “Why are you shaking your head?”
He wanted to reach for her, but refrained. Instead he pressed his back against the limo wall. “Because you truly amaze me, Kelly. You are like a lioness with her cub. I’d love to do a news piece on you.”
Horror rose in her eyes. “Never, Evan! Don’t even think something like that.”
He held up his hand. “Easy, girl. It’s just a statement of my admiration for you.”
She settled back into her seat. “Okay.”
He watched her struggle, as if she wanted to say something. “Kelly. When it comes to you, I feel like that gorilla in