he wasn’t sure what else to say.
He walked away, Strudel padding at his side. The spot where Mackenzie had kissed him felt warm. As though she’d branded him with her lips.
She didn’t shut the door and turn off the light until he’d started down his own driveway. The house was cold and dark and utterly unwelcoming when he let himself in. He crouched in front of the fireplace and built a stack of kindling and paper twists. He lit a match and watched flames lick up the wood, trying to pretend that something hadn’t happened when Mackenzie’s hand closed around his and her lips brushed his skin.
But it had. Something had stirred in him, the same thing that made his gaze zero in on her breasts and backside every chance he got. The same thing that had turned him into a dazed yokel when she smiled at him tonight.
Desire.
So much for her not being his type.
He threw a log on the fire and used the poker to prod it into position, part of his brain already busy justifying his urges to himself. She was an attractive woman and it had been an unexpectedly intense evening. He was only human.... Just because he’d felt the pull of desire didn’t mean he would necessarily act on it. He’d met dozens of women during his marriage whom he’d found attractive and never laid a finger on any of them, because he took his vows seriously. As far as he was concerned, marriage—
He sat back on his heels, a little stunned at himself.
Marriage? Really?
The fire popped, sending sparks floating up the chimney and snapping him out of his shock. He’d thought he’d drawn a line under his marriage the day Edie had confirmed the affair. But apparently a part of him still lived like a married man, still felt guilty about being attracted to another woman.
Which was nuts, because he was a free agent now.
Free to make his own decisions.
Free to desire other women.
Free to act on that desire, should he so choose.
An image filled his mind—Mackenzie’s bra, a promise spun from delicate black lace and fine silk.
If he wanted to, there was nothing in the world stopping him from finding out how Mackenzie looked in that bra. Well, from trying to find out, anyway. He was single. Available.
And, apparently, more than a little horny.
For a moment, he allowed himself to wonder. Then he shut down those thoughts.
The truth was he didn’t know tons about Mackenzie. He knew she was feisty and prickly and intelligent and challenging. She had a good sense of humor and a sharp, sometimes acidic tongue. She was also sexy as hell, it turned out.
She certainly wasn’t the kind of woman a man took on lightly. Especially not a man who had next to no game where women were concerned—it had been a long, long time since he’d even thought about trying to get a woman who wasn’t his wife into bed, and he wouldn’t even know where to start where Mackenzie was concerned. He had no idea if she was remotely interested in him as a man. For all he knew, she was as likely to slap his face as kiss it if he made a move.
And no, that kiss on the cheek did not count as a sign. He wasn’t that rusty or deluded.
He grabbed a couple cushions off the couch and settled in more comfortably in front of the fire.
This being-single thing was complicated. Fortunately, there was plenty of night left to ponder the subject.
* * *
I AM AN IDIOT. I am an idiot. I am an idiot.
The refrain echoed through Mackenzie’s brain on an endless loop as she cleaned the kitchen. Who in their right mind invited a man to dinner and then had an almighty meltdown in front of him? Who did that?
You, you idiot.
She blamed the wine. She’d consumed four glasses in quick succession trying to numb the shock of Patrick’s news. Instead of washing the pain away, however, the alcohol had eaten away at her defenses leaving her weak and emotional and unable to control herself when the tide of loss had risen up inside her—as it had on and off all evening.
She’d managed to laugh and talk and put on a good show the first few times the loss had threatened, even though inside she’d been wailing and pulling her hair and rending her shirt. Then she’d had one glass too many and suddenly there had been nothing between her and the