When the Wind Chimes - Mary Ting Page 0,67
it up. I get it.” I didn’t need a second mother.
“Okay, fine, but are you okay? Are you coming home or do you need to watch Bridget? Do you need my help?”
Abby hadn’t given me a chance to respond, but I couldn’t say much, anyway. I was still shocked by what I was wearing.
“I’m wearing his T-shirt.” I sniffed the fabric—pine. “It smells like Lee—sweet and fresh laundry.”
“What? What happened?” I could picture my sister’s shocked face.
I laid back in bed, glancing up at the recessed lighting. “Nothing happened. I’m just making a comment. I’ll let you know if I’m coming home. I’ll call you later.”
I bit my bottom lip, contemplating if I should put on yesterday’s clothes. Surely they were dried by now. I got out of bed and searched the bathroom, then on top of the dresser. Where could they be?
Lee must have them if I was wearing his shirt. Had I taken off my clothes in front of him? At least I had my bra and panties on.
There was only one way to find out. Brave it and leave the room to find him.
I inhaled a deep breath and opened the door. Well, I didn’t need to find him. Lee stood in front of me with my clothes neatly folded.
“Hi?” My greeting came off like a question.
He gave me a once over and produced a devilish grin, and then with a straight face, he handed me my clothes. “I hope you don’t mind but I washed them except for your”—he cleared his throat—“undergarments. You didn’t take them off.”
Heat flushed through me. I rubbed the side of my face. “Did I ... did I take my clothes off in front of you?”
“Yes,” he said.
My eyes widened, shock rendering me speechless. No hesitation there.
His cheeks turned color. “Oh. I meant, you did, but I turned around. I didn’t see you. I would never take advantage of you. I hope you don’t think—”
I exhaled with relief. “No, no, no. I don’t think that. I’m just grateful, that’s all.”
Lee’s chest rose and fell with a long sigh. “I’m glad we cleared that up. Anyway, you must be starving. I have breakfast ready. After you change, please join us.”
“Sure. Thank you, but let me take a quick shower.”
“Of course.” He took a step, but then turned. “Before I forget to tell you, I need you to come back tomorrow morning about eight. I’ll be gone the rest of the week, but I’ll be home Friday afternoon.”
“Sure. No problem.” I gave a wobbly smile.
When he turned, I gently laid my hand on his shoulder, recalling that day he had done the same to me in the cab. Life was strange. I couldn’t believe I was working for the man who had given his taxi to me, whom I’d thought I would never see again.
“Lee?” My heart fluttered in my stomach.
“Yes.” His voice was tender and hypnotic, like his eyes.
“I’m sorry you had to take care of me. I’m so embarrassed. This is so unprofessional. I hope you don’t think less of me or that I’m incapable of watching Bridget, and—”
He brought a finger to my lips, parting them.
I sucked in air as something warm grew in the center of my belly.
Lee lowered his darkened eyes to my mouth, then met my gaze with intensity. His voice became rough and deeper. “I don’t think that at all, Kate. If you knew what I was thinking at this moment, you would think I wasn’t being professional.”
I had no idea how to process that as I watched him walk away.
Chapter Twenty-Six — Painting Room
Lee never failed to call twice a day during his business trips—in the morning before Bridget went to school and then before she went to bed. He also texted me daily, asking if I needed anything.
Sometimes, our conversations were about his work, and sometimes he would send me random paintings he saw at the hotel or at the restaurants and ask my opinion. We were acting like a couple.
Four days passed and Lee came home Friday, like he’d said he would. He had asked me to keep Bridget home from school, so I arranged a lesson with her swimming teacher. I’d thought it was a good idea to get her back into the water as soon as possible.
From where I stood by the pool, I could see Lee through the double glass doors, sitting at the dining table with his laptop open. Occasionally, he would look out toward us.
The swimming lesson had ended