Page 34 of Treat Her Right

That brought up another issue that nettled, and Zack said, “You acted plenty interested with Josh.”

“Ha! He’s gorgeous and he took me by surprise. I’m used to Bo being outrageous, but not other guys. That’s all.” She looked Zack over and asked, “What about you? Any steady girlfriends?”

“No.” But not for lack of trying on his part. He just hadn’t met a woman yet who was right for him and Dani, and he saw no reason to get involved in awrongrelationship.

Except that with Wynn…he was tempted.

She looked skeptical, but said only, “You don’t have to worry about those three. They’re just a little overprotective, but now that I’ve assured them you’re harmless, they’ll let it go.”

“Harmless?” He stepped closer to her, until they almost bumped noses. “One of these days I’m going to make you eat all these insults.”

Her eyes brightened and filled with fascination. “Is that right? How?”

“A number of ideas are zinging through my head.”

In the vein of being helpful, she suggested, “We could wrestle again. Next time youmightwin.”

Damned irritating, irrational…He let her go and stalked away. He heard her satisfied snicker before she suddenly went quiet, groaned, and then began tromping after him.

And here he’d actually thought he’d missed her. Ha! He couldn’t be that stupid.

But hewassmiling.

* * *

THE PATIO BEGANto look just as Wynn had pictured it. She’d had the furniture rearranged three times, despite all the guys grumbling, but now everything worked. Including the beautiful new gas grill, which Zack had suggested she move away from the window, to keep smoke from coming into the house.

About half an hour ago at the hottest part of the afternoon, Zack had removed his shirt. His back and shoulders glistened with sweat, as did the straight, light-brown hair clinging to his nape and temples. His blue eyes looked even bluer in the bright sunshine, and the flex of his lean, athletic muscles made Wynn more aware of him than she’d ever been of any man.

She saw Zack lift his head and look around for Dani. He was good at doing that, at always being aware of his daughter and what she was up to. Wynn couldn’t imagine a more attentive or caring parent.

Zack shaded his eyes until he located Dani sitting in the grass beneath a large tree. She was hunting for four-leaf clovers with Clint, who appeared suitably impressed with her skills while he drank an ice-cold cola.

Zack smiled, his face lit with so much love and pride, Wynn thought her heart might burst.

She needed to be with him again.

A week had gone by where she’d done her best to give him time and space, but she didn’t think she could take it anymore.

Bo walked up and thwacked her on the behind. “I need sustenance after all my toils. You got any lunch meat?”

A quick peek at Zack showed his attention had shifted and he now had that scowling, disapproving look on his handsome face again. Resisting the urge to rub her stinging behind, Wynn huffed. It wasn’t exactly her fault that her brother’s friends were all too familiar. “I thought I’d order a pizza.”

“No need, darlin’,” Marc told her. “We can’t stay that long. But a sandwich would hit the spot.”

She flapped her hand toward the kitchen. “There’s all kinds of lunch meat and fixings in the fridge. Go help yourself.”

Bo thwacked her again, almost knocking her off her feet with the sharp swat. She was just irascible enough to give him a reciprocal punch to the shoulder, which he most likely didn’t even feel despite his cringing facade of pain.

Clint called out, “Fix me one, too!” and Marc nodded as he went inside with Bo.

Wynn walked to the other end of the patio and dropped down into her settee. The forest-green and cream striped cushions were soft and plush and she smoothed her hand over them with deep satisfaction. This was hers, all of it, the house, the tree-shaded yard, the hammock and…her neighbor. All hers.

She caught Zack watching her and she smiled. “It looks good, doesn’t it?”

Zack appeared to be so annoyed she wasn’t at all sure he’d answer. Then he sat down beside her. “It’s very nice. You have good taste.”

As he spoke, he stared out at the yard toward his daughter, giving Wynn his profile. She sighed, knowing his thoughts when he hadn’t shared them. “Bo is just…Bo. I’ve known him almost as long as I’ve known Conan. They went through school together and stuff. He really doesn’t—”

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