Sean's Reckoning - By Sherryl Woods Page 0,12

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But when Sean walked into view in his snug jeans and tight T-shirt, looking like a walking advertisement for testosterone, that weak-kneed effect slammed into her again. Deanna was forced to face the possibility that it hadn’t been seeing the burned-out wreckage of her home that had drawn all the air out of her lungs that day. Maybe she’d just been subconsciously looking for an excuse to fall into this man’s powerful arms.

Beside her, Ruby sucked in a breath. “My God, he’s every bit as gorgeous as I remembered,” she said in a stage whisper that Sean could easily hear.

“Stop it,” Deanna whispered, her cheeks flaming. “You’re embarrassing me.”

“A work of art that impressive is meant to be appreciated,” Ruby retorted with a grin, her gaze never wavering as Sean sauntered toward them. “And if you tell me that you don’t see it, then I’m giving up on you and taking another shot at him myself.”

“Okay, yes, I see it,” Deanna admitted. “Now hush.”

Ruby ignored her plea and leaned down to whisper, “I still say he has the hots for you. Just look at that glint in his eyes. He hasn’t even glanced at me once.”

“It’s probably there because he knows you’re talking about him,” Deanna retorted with exasperation.

Fortunately, Kevin raced ahead to literally launch himself at Sean. Deanna noticed he caught her son without breaking stride, and after one last glance in her direction, he focused all of his attention on Kevin. Deanna’s heart instantly melted. She liked the fact that he treated Kevin as if what he had to say was important. Ruby had been right. Sean was a man who understood a boy’s desperate need for attention. She was forced to admit it was a trait that could get to her if she let it.

Because she was so shaken by the discovery that any man could have that sort of impact on her after years of general immunity to the male segment of the species, she resorted to brisk politeness when Sean finally reached them. When he held out his hand, rather than shaking it as he’d obviously expected, she slapped an envelope of cash in it.

“I really appreciate what you did for me,” she said, the words stiff and formal and not nearly as grateful as she’d meant them to be. “This is half of what I owe you. I’ll have the rest in another week or so.”

He gazed directly into her eyes. “Yeah, well, that’s something we should talk about.”

Deanna blinked at his somber tone. “Meaning?” she asked, noting that he didn’t put the envelope into his pocket. In fact, he looked as if he had every intention of giving it right back to her.

Sean didn’t reply. Instead he glanced across the room. “Hey, Hank,” he called to another fireman, who looked to be a year or two older. His craggy features weren’t as handsome as Sean’s, but there was a confidence about him and an irrepressible grin that would definitely appeal to most women. “How about showing my man Kevin here and his friend Ruby around the station, while Deanna and I talk? We’ll catch up with you in a few minutes.”

Hank’s appreciative gaze swept over Ruby and his eyes lit up. Deanna noted that Ruby looked equally intrigued.

“No problem,” Hank said at once, then forced his attention to Kevin. “You really like fire trucks, huh, kid?”

“You bet,” Kevin said eagerly.

“Personally, I prefer the men who drive them,” Ruby said, regarding Hank with frank appreciation.

Deanna took note of his broad shoulders, dark-brown eyes and only a dark shadow of hair on his shaved head. He was definitely Ruby’s type—unrepentantly male.

He grinned at Ruby. “Is that so?”

Deanna shook her head as the three of them left. “Your friend is a brave man. Ruby’s a wonderful friend, but she’s fickle. She has a habit of discarding men like tissues when they don’t live up to her ideals, and they seldom do.”

Sean chuckled. “Then I think they were made for each other. Hank is a notorious flirt.”

Deanna shot a look at him. “He’s not married, is he?”

Sean looked hurt by the question. “Of course not. What kind of guy do you think I am? And even if he were, what’s the harm in asking him to show Ruby and Kevin around the station? I didn’t set them up on a date.”

“Sorry,” she said at once. “I overreacted. It’s just that Ruby’s a lot more vulnerable than she looks. Most men miss that.”

Sean stared after them, his