Page 47 of An Unexpected Match

She almost laughed.

“At least we know we’ll be safe when you’re home. You must be a light sleeper.”

“I wasn’t asleep.”

“Oh.

She was conscious he still held her, but his hold had changed from capturing to almost caressing?

She could feel the warmth from his body envelop hers. Daringly, she reached out and touched his bare chest again, her fingertips exploring the expanse of skin. At last she had direct contact with those muscles she’d longed to trace and explore. His skin was hot, the muscles rock-hard beneath.

Opening her palm, she pressed it against him, stepping closer, breathing in the very essence of Brendan. Her heart skipped a beat and then settled down in a rapid tattoo.

“I didn’t mean to worry you,” she said softly, entranced by the shivering sensations that filled her, the tingling in her hands that seemed to zip through her entire body.

“Why are you still up?” he asked.

She shrugged. “I worked on my project, finished and then drew whatever picture I wanted for a while. When I realized how late it was, I stopped, but still needed to unwind. So I stepped outside for a breath of fresh air. Now I need to get to bed.”

And step away from temptation. But her feet refused to move.

“You work too hard. You should have gone to bed early like you indicated you were,”he said.

This from the man who worked all day on a Saturday?

“So what’s your excuse for still being awake?” she asked.

“Habit.”

“Habit?”

He took a deep breath. When he let it out, it ruffled her hair.

“When Lannie first died, I used work as a means to forget. To keep my mind occupied, so I didn’t have to think about her. Now it’s just a habit. Fill the hours with work to keep from thinking, missing.”

“You need to spend more time with your daughters. Wait,” she said before he could respond. “You said earlier you couldn’t relate to them and would feel more at ease with a boy. That has nothing to do with their being girls, you know. You need to spend time with them. Find out what they like to do. Teach them things they want to learn. They can play ball or learn to swim, or whatever you think is appropriate.”

“They’re so little. I’m afraid of any rough-and-tumble in case they get hurt.”

“They won’t break if you use some sense. Run with them, laugh and play. But most importantly, spend time with them. These are precious years that, once gone, won’t ever be back. You need to build memories to last a lifetime. Give them memories to last their lifetimes.”

His hand moved up her arms to her shoulders, then to cradle her head, his fingers rubbing in her hair, releasing the clasp that held it back, spilling the cascade of curls into his palms. His fingers caressed each strand as if it were silk.

She was having trouble breathing again. Did he have a clue what his touch did to her?

“You’ll have to show me how, Arden.”

“How?”

She was confused, captivated, entranced. What was he talking about?

“Show me how to be a good father,” he said, brushing his lips across hers. “Spend time with us to make sure I’m getting it right.”

He brushed her lips again, then trailed ardent kisses along her jaw, across her cheeks.

She was lost. Her train of thought vanished as a will-o’-the-wisp. Alive with sensation, with her blood racing through her veins and her breathing hard to come by, she stepped even closer and shut her eyes when his mouth took hers in a searing kiss.

The stars outside dimmed in memory with the starburst that came. His lips were hot and compelling and she rose to the challenge, matching him kiss for kiss.

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