One Summer in Santa Fe - By Molly Evans Page 0,23
around Taylor’s neck and his thin body shook. Taylor squeezed him tight and thought that Piper might be right after all. Hugs were good for a body. Especially those that came from a child.
Piper didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but she heard part of the conversation when she left the bathroom. Clearing her throat, she entered the kitchen with a bright smile. “Hi, guys.”
“Hey, Piper.” Alex pulled away from Taylor. “Wanna see the new video game that Uncle T. got me? It’s really cool.”
She laughed at his abrupt change in disposition. Evidently, the talk with Taylor had been a good one. “Sure.”
Alex shot out of the room. “I’ll set it up.”
“Everything okay?” she asked. “I know it’s none of my business, but he looks a lot better.”
“It’s okay. He does look a lot better and, frankly, I feel better, too.” He raked a hand through his hair, not ashamed to admit that to her. Though they hadn’t known each other very long, he had shared more with her than he had with just about anyone else in his life. At least, for a long time. And it felt good, it felt right. Like the way things were supposed to be. But for her sake, he knew he needed to not depend on her so much. Giving her the wrong impression was a bad idea. “It’s been an odd day, hasn’t it?”
“It has.”
“Piper, I’m ready,” Alex called from the living room.
“I’ll go see the game for a few minutes and then head home myself.”
Taylor only nodded and watched her walk away, wondering why he’d become so enamored with Piper so quickly and how he was going to get through the next five weeks without depending on her so much.
CHAPTER SEVEN
PIPER greeted the next morning with a groan. Every muscle in her body ached. Even her hair seemed to hurt. Glaring at the cheerful sun streaming in through her window, she pulled a spare pillow over her face and contemplated how long she could stay in bed without moving.
The phone rang and solved the problem for her. Moving as little as possible, she reached out for the noisy thing and dragged the receiver under the pillow to her ear.
“Hello?”
“Piper, it’s Taylor. How are you this morning?”
The sound of his deep voice in her ear while she was still in her bed put intimate thoughts in her mind. “I’m okay.”
“Sore?”
“Brutally.” There was no use lying about it, he’d know the truth anyway.
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s not a problem, Taylor. Just need to get moving, loosen up my muscles, and I’m sure I’ll be fine.” Acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and maybe some hemlock would help. Was it bad form to have wine with breakfast? The problem would be choosing red or white.
“Yes, well. Alex’s cousins invited him over for the day, so I’m by myself and…wanted to make up for yesterday.”
“Taylor, that’s very sweet of you, but there’s no—”
“I mean, we didn’t get to our picnic, so how about brunch on me?”
Now that idea appealed greatly. No climbing involved and she didn’t have to cook. “Don’t you want to do something else with your day since Alex is occupied? Jump off a cliff or leap out of a plane or something equally daring?” She didn’t want to intrude in that time if he needed to be by himself. “I don’t want to be a wet blanket on your day.”
He gave a quick laugh. “I had no other plans. Maybe a run in the park again tonight, but that’s all.”
“Then I’ll gladly take you up on the invitation.” She rolled over and stifled a groan.
“Be ready in an hour, and I’ll pick you up.”
After he rang off, Piper threw the covers back and tried to leap from bed, but only managed to crawl pathetically to her feet with a groan. Half a piece of toast, some ibuprofen, and a shower saw her ready to meet the day.
Taylor arrived, looking handsome and fresh in khaki pants, loafers and a navy polo shirt. With hair still damp from his shower, he smelled like the soap she remembered and her mouth watered. She swallowed, remembering her time in that same place. She really ought to stop thinking of him that way, considering he was just the type of man to put a kink in her heart.
His gaze roamed over her from her red peep-toe heels, smooth bare legs and the linen skirt that fell just below her knees. His bold gaze crawled up over her hips and breasts and she felt her nipples