Page 10 of Sworn to Protect

I shift my weight to the other foot. “No one, you know. He’s the man who helped the kids and me when I had the tire blowout.”

“Oh, the hot, tattooed man.”

“What?” My voice pitches higher. How would she know how sexy the guy looks? Surely, the rumor mill hasn’t arrived at Mom’s house already.

“Nicholas called the guy who fixed the tire a hot, tattooed man.”

Where on earth did my five-year-old son comeup with that phrase? Although, he isn’t far off course. The man is hot. Gorgeous even. He stirs something deep inside that hasn’t been awakened in years. And when he looks at me. Damn, if I don’t feel it clear to my core. His intense, hard stare creates thatalivefeeling, which is pretty hard for me to deny.

Mom shrugs and continues, “Nick also said you made him put a shirt on to cover it.”

“I didn’t . . . Oh.” Understanding dawns on me. Nick meant hot in the sense of temperature. The guy’s shirt was off because he had said he was hot. It was relatively warm that day, but the only visible tattoo was on his left deltoid. The intricate design was massive, extending from his clavicle to his elbow. I can see why Nick thought I didn’t want to see it since Ethan had never had any. But truthfully, it looked rather good on him. Too good, even. “The guy had mentioned being hot. And he only has one tattoo. It’s not as if he’s covered.”

“Mom.” Liam races back into the kitchen.

One look in those slate-blue eyes, and my chest squeezes tight. We always joked that Liam was Ethan’s mini-me, a carbon copy, and I was nothing but an incubator. It’s only been three months since Ethan’s death, and way too soon to be thinking about some guy’s hotness level. The average grieving time for a widow is a minimum of two years.

I tamp down the ever-present guilt and direct my attention to my son. He and Nick are the only men in my life who matter now. We don’t need anyone else. “What, sweetie?”

“Can we go to the park? I want to work on some drills. And have you found out about soccer sign-ups yet?”

“I’m sorry, but after we pick up the car, we need to head home. I have too much to do tonight. But I can take you to the park tomorrow, okay?”

His face falls, and seeing that disappointment nearly kills me. The kids have had it so rough these past few months. “Yes, ma’am. What about the sign-ups?”

“I’ll check on that. Don’t worry. The season hasn’t started yet. Get your brother, please. We need to head to the mechanic shop.”

“The boys can stay here while Stan takes you,” my mom says.

My mind flashes to the clothes strung along the bathroom floor. “I really need to get back home. I have a few things to do if I’m going to have the hot, tattooed guy over.”

Mom’s knowing laugh earns a smile. “I’m not even going to say it.”

“You don’t have to. I already know what you’re thinking.”Don’t be such a slob. You never know when people will pop over.

“But you know I’m right.” The slight chuckle in Mom’s voice has me shaking my head.

“I know. But some things never change.” But boy, the transformation rolls in like a tsunami when it does.

CHAPTER FIVE

NATE

Another glanceat my phone shows nothing. Not even a “thanks, but no thanks.” I bite back the disappointing growl threatening to escape and shove my cell into my shorts pocket. I shouldn’t be surprised Mackenzie never texted me her address. Of course she wouldn’t have. She’s every bit as stubborn as Ethan warned.

But can I blame her?

In truth, Mackenzie doesn’t know me. I’m nothing more than the stranger who tried to fix her tire alongside the road. If anything, she’s smart by not having a stranger come over. She is a single mother of two, after all.

Christ.

Single sounds wrong, but the truth—the truth of being widowed—sounds way worse. Or maybe it’s because she’s my friend’s widow. My one and only friend.

And how do I honor my friend’s wishes? By checking my cell phone repeatedly while recalling how gorgeous she looked with those auburn curls whisked into a loose bun. But I am a man. A weak one, apparently. I can’t help but picture her fresh face, free of all that makeup so many women wear. She’s a natural beauty I have no business lusting after. Not only is she my dead friend’s wife, but she’s also ten years my junior. She may as well be wrapped in a redflag because she’s as unapproachable as any communist party. Unwavering and off-limits.

I have one job to do, and that’s making sure I take care of her. I’m pretty sure that doesn’t mean in bed, no matter how quickly my body ignites into flames when she’s near. Ethan trusted me. I already let him down once. I can’t let him down again.

As my feet lead me into the auto repair shop, I make a pact with myself. I’ll convince Mackenzie to let me take care of her house issues, and then I’ll get the hell out of Naperville. Maybe once I’m gone, she’ll quit consuming my thoughts. But as I head toward the counter, I have to stifle a laugh from the irony. It’s hard to purge someone from your mind when they’re constantly around.

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