Hard to Resist - By Kara Lennox Page 0,13

we stick up for you at the station.”

“You guys are the most enlightened of the bunch,” she agreed. “But that is so not saying much.”

“Where is your furniture?” Ethan asked Kat. “We’ll help you move in.”

“It’s out in my truck.” She nodded in the general direction of the driveway. “But it’s just a few things, and I can move…” She didn’t get a chance to finish. The men were out the door.

Priscilla shrugged. “Testosterone.”

“They really don’t have to do this,” Kat said. She hated being reduced to a clichéd helpless female. But Ethan commandeered the transfer of items from the truck to the apartment and he wouldn’t let her touch anything heavy.

It didn’t take long. She hadn’t been kidding when she said she didn’t have much furniture—just the twin bed, the futon and a cute little coffee table, marked way down because it had a scratch.

“Is this all?” Ethan asked, studying the results with a doubtful eye.

Okay, it did look bare. But that would change once she got her insurance. “It’s all for now. I didn’t have time to get more than a few essentials. I’ll go shopping next week.”

“You don’t even have a table,” Ethan objected. “Where are you going to eat?”

“I can sit on the floor in front of the coffee table.” She’d certainly taken meals in stranger places. Like when she was a little girl, standing outside the door of her apartment, eating chili right out of the can waiting for her mother to come home.

“Kat,” Priscilla said, “I’d love to stay for pizza, but I have a racquetball game in twenty minutes.” She nudged Tony.

“Oh, right. I have to go, too,” he said. “But let us know if you need anything.”

Kat thanked them both again, and they cleared out.

“Guess it’s just you and me,” Ethan said. “I have a coupon for Home Run Pizza.”

Kat was starving. She might not have a table, but Ethan did. The idea of relaxing, putting her feet up and shooting the breeze with handsome Ethan Basque had a certain appeal. But just then her cell phone rang. Kat saw that it was Chuck’s number and she answered immediately.

“Mommy?” Samantha’s tone was uncharacteristically timid. “Can you come get me?”

“Is something wrong?” Kat’s heart rate accelerated.

“No, I just want you to come. I miss you.”

Normally, Samantha loved weekends with her father. She adored her baby half sister and liked helping take care of her. “I miss you, too, sweetie. Can I talk to your dad, please?”

Chuck reported that Sam had been fretful all day, so they agreed to end the weekend visit early just this once. “Tell her I’ll be there in a few minutes.”

Ethan puttered around while Kat talked on the phone, but she knew he’d heard.

“Samantha needs me,” Kat explained, her voice tinged with regret.

“Any reason we couldn’t all have pizza?”

Kat shook her head. “I’m sorry, Ethan. I hope Sam won’t still be afraid of you, but I don’t know. And frankly, I’m not up to dealing with another bout of tears or hysteria tonight.”

“I understand. Promise you’ll ask if you need anything.”

“I promise.” But he’d already done so much. How could she accept even more? She’d fought hard for her independence, and now she was teaching her StrongGirls to do the same. She wanted them to be able to rely on themselves when they reached adulthood—not on the government, not on alcohol or drugs, and not on a man.

She’d set herself up as a role model. The way she coped with this detour in her life would provide a good example—if she handled things right. If she stayed strong.

Ethan took both her hands in his and gave them an encouraging squeeze. He drew her closer, but then he hesitated, as if he had the urge to kiss her but wasn’t sure if he should. The thought of Ethan’s kiss sent a thrilling shiver up her back.

She’d opened that door by giving him an impulsive kiss on the cheek earlier today, so she shouldn’t be surprised. But she was, a little. After her grueling day, without even one look in a mirror, she was hardly a glamour girl, and the idea that he was apparently attracted to her was unsettling. Not unpleasant, just unsettling.

But she was too tired to think about whether it was good or bad, these budding feelings between her and her handsome rescuer. It was just a kiss.

He must have sensed her acquiescence, because he moved in closer. Then his mouth was on hers, warm, welcoming.

It felt good.