I never could take it. You’re supposed to be the tough one.”
She gulped in steadying breaths. Her breasts pressed against his side. As her hand moved across his chest, his skin tingled beneath the thin fabric of his shirt. The casual touch sent a jolt of electricity through his entire body, spurring all kinds of thoughts, a host of memories. He wanted her hands on his skin, her lips pressed against his, her body below, above, against his any way she wanted. As many times as she wanted.
She eased back enough to look up at him. And when she did, those deep green eyes tugged at something in his soul no one before or since had ever been able to touch. So soulful and expressive, those eyes had haunted his dreams since the day she’d disappeared.
Her hand lifted, and she paused, then reached out and slid the sunglasses off his face. Her gaze settled on his, and recognition sparked in her glittering eyes. Recognition, followed by stark fear.
She pulled away and sat up, dropped his sunglasses on his chest then rubbed her hands over her face as if wiping away what she’d seen.
Ryan’s skin chilled. He watched her reel in her emotions and wanted to ask why she was fleeing from a connection they both so obviously felt. But he couldn’t find the words. In that instant, he’d seen a glimpse of the woman she used to be, but she’d pushed it down so fast, he didn’t know how to respond.
He dropped his hands, slipped on his sunglasses again. Then he stood and tried like hell to keep his voice even when he said, “I guess we’re going to head home.”
Annie nodded, slipping on her own glasses.
He rested his hands on his hips, trying so hard for normal when this situation was anything but. “I need some time to talk to Julia. But I want to see Reed again, soon. I was thinking maybe we could meet somewhere, after work, mid-week. Maybe swap for a few hours again.”
“Okay. I can do that.”
Her voice was steadier, more sure. No longer filled with emotions he wanted to tear out of her.
He forced back the hurt. “I want them to get to know each other too. Maybe we can set up some kind of alternating weekend thing down the line, where you have both, then I have both. They need time together as well.”
She nodded again. “Yeah, that sounds okay.”
“Okay.” He looked over at her again. Part of him wanted to just grab her. Part of him wanted to run. “I’ll call you.”
“Ryan.” She stood.
He watched her face for any sort of indication she felt even a fraction of what he did. He couldn’t see it. He couldn’t see any of it.
“Thank you,” she said quietly.
“Yeah, sure.”
***
Laughter echoed from Mitch’s backyard when Kate and Reed walked up to his front door. The crack of a bat sent Reed’s eyes wide. As Kate rang the bell and waited, she heard feet moving across the floor and was surprised when Simone opened the door.
“Hey, come on in.” Simone moved aside and made room.
“I didn’t know you’d be here,” Kate said.
“Well, I was talking to Mitch this morning because Shannon and Julia are trying to arrange another playdate, and he said you were coming by. I have some news for you. I hope you don’t mind. He invited us for a barbecue, said Reed would be here.” She glanced down and grinned. “Hiya, Reed.”
Reed smiled, looked past her legs to see into the house.
“No, I don’t mind,” Kate said. “In fact, a little fun sounds fabulous right now.”
“Stressful day?”
“Stressful life.” As if her meeting with Ryan yesterday hadn’t been enough, today she had to call her parents.
Right. Like that was going to make things better.
At the sound of the bat cracking again, Reed let out a whoop and tore off through the house toward the back door.
“Come on.” Simone led her through the small house. “Shannon’s playing baseball with Mitch. They’ve struck up a little connection there.”
They stopped in the patio doorway. Kate watched Mitch pitch the ball to Shannon. She hit it, sending it sailing over his head. Reed ran around his feet, scrambling for the ball.
“They make quite a picture, don’t they?” Kate asked. She hadn’t even introduced her son to Mitch yet, and the two were automatically drawn to each other.
“Yeah, they do,” Simone said.
Kate looked toward her lawyer, who seemed to be staring only at Mitch. “You’ve got a pretty sappy look