For the Girls' Sake - By Janice Kay Johnson Page 0,67

her.

"Want some cocoa?"

Her gaze shied away from his. She hadn’t yet let herself think about what had happened, but she’d have to soon. It changed everything. Unless he’d hated it, he would want to kiss her again.

She wanted him to.

"Please." Another blush fired her cheeks at the double meaning.

A glint in Adam’s eyes told her he’d guessed at some of her thoughts, or at least that the kiss was in the forefront of his.

"You c’n have a marshmallow, too, if you want," Rose told her generously.

"Thank you. I’d like one."

"How come Shelly cried like that?"

"I think she was tired," Lynn explained. "Have you ever felt really sad, mostly because you were tired?"

Rose nodded, but doubtfully.

The kettle sang, and a moment later Adam’s big hand set the mug of cocoa in front of her at the kitchen table.

"Thank you." Lynn sent a smile his way without quite meeting his eyes.

“I like cocoa." Rose sounded quietly satisfied. Perhaps she also liked having Mommy and Daddy all to herself. Neither girl was used to sharing. It was a wonder they got along so beautifully.

Lynn suggested a game, which they played. Then she ran a bath for Rose and stayed with her. Braiding her hair took time.

But bedtime couldn’t be put off forever. Adam did the honors and tucked Rose in. Lynn washed mugs and wiped the table and arranged the flowers more carefully in the stoneware jar Adam had put them in. They were glorious, too fancy for anything but crystal, she thought, tilting her head, but she would enjoy them anyway.

Was it possible she and Adam had been married for a month already?

Every nerve strained for the sound of his footsteps in the hall. He would come looking for her, she knew. To take up where they’d left off?

Or would he give her breathing space by asking how business had been for her, by telling her what the market had done this week, how Shelly had liked staying over with Rose?

She felt jumpy. Where was he?

"Shelly’s sound asleep."

Lynn gasped and whirled. He blocked the kitchen doorway, his expression inscrutable.

"You scared me!"

"I’m sorry." He didn’t sound sorry, but rather...pleased. As if he was glad she’d been affected enough to be jumpy. "What were you thinking about?"

"I...the flowers are gorgeous."

"I’m glad you like them." He strolled toward her.

Her back to the kitchen counter, Lynn had nowhere to go. Did she want to flee? All she had to do was say, You’re crowding me. I need time. Was he? Did she? It was hard to think with her heartbeats pounding in her ears and her knees wanting to buckle.

He stopped inches away. Lynn swallowed and stared fixedly at the buttons on his white shirt. The tie that he must have worn today was long gone, probably slung over the seat of the Lexus along with the suit jacket. He was dauntingly handsome in charcoal slacks and a dress shirt, his face dark and saturnine in contrast to the white. Several of the top buttons were undone, exposing a tanned throat. All she had to do was reach out to touch him.

"I enjoyed kissing you." His voice was a soft rumble.

Lynn sneaked a peak upward, expecting to see the gleam in his eyes, but a frown was gathering on his brows. He wasn’t sure of her, she realized suddenly. Did he share her same apprehensions? The possibility stunned her. He was a confident, handsome, wealthy man.

Stuck with her by circumstances. He probably didn’t know what to make of her. She wasn’t his usual kind of woman.

She was nothing like his beautiful, charming wife, Lynn thought, with a sinking feeling.

Okay, she argued with herself, maybe she wasn’t anything like his Jennifer, but he’d kissed her. He wanted to be with her. He seemed to like her. That was enough to build on, wasn’t it?

“I enjoyed it, too," she admitted shyly, eyes still downcast. "I mean, the kiss."

"Good." He reached for her hand and placed it on his chest.

Slowly she splayed her fingers, flattening her palm. Wonderingly, she felt his heart beat, as hard and fast as hers. The knowledge that he was as affected by her as she was by him allowed her to look up.

Muttering something she couldn’t make out, Adam bent his head and kissed her again. The first kiss had been the kind a man might give a woman on her doorstep before he said good-night. This one was more urgent. He drank in her breath, his thumb stroking her cheek. His fingers dove