Page 19 of Reckless

Standing so close to him at the sink reminds me of the first time I saw him, shirtless and dripping wet. With all those muscles and that angry ink etched into his goldenskin.

The kind of guy to make a girl ache in just the right ways, if he were another guy and I anothergirl.

This close, I can smell his shower gel. Something manly and crisp. He must’ve showered right before he cameover.

I clear my throat. “Would you need me to cook or clean your housetoo?”

“I’m not hiring you to be my maid. Just to take care of Mila and Cody. I’ll do my best to make them dinner, clean the house, do our laundry. Those aren’t your jobs, and I never want you to feel like they are. If you don’t care that I smell like a barn animal, I can probably come in to make them a quick breakfast if you want. Then you’d only have to make themlunch.”

Something about that image softens me. Ethan slaving away in the heat and stopping to take care of his kids. I’m starting to get what my sister said about this guy doing it all on hisown.

“I can handle breakfast and lunch. That’s not a big deal.” I shift to get a quick glance at him and am overwhelmed by his presence when he reaches across me to turn off thefaucet.

His voice is low and gravelly. “Listen, I really am sorry for being such an asshole to you the other day. I’d love nothing more than for you to take care of my kids. I promise to stay out of your way and not annoy you toomuch.”

He dries his hands on his shirt and turns to me, but he’s looking at the ground. “You asked why I’m being nice.” Those big blue eyes shift up until they sear into mine. “Well, I’m a nice guy. No one seems to think that, but I am. I’ve just… I’ve had a rough few years.” As though he’s flipping through a memory book, he frowns and glances away. “I’m going through an ugly divorce, and my mom, who’s been keeping my household together since my wife left, is headed to Chicago on Monday to help her sister. I can’t keep the business afloat and take care of my children by myself. It kills me to admit that, but it’s true. So I guess you could say I need you. I need yourhelp.”

I don’t like how those words,I need you, make me feel soft and squishy, like a piece of bittersweet chocolate left out in the sun. “Why not call one of those nanny agencies? Get someone who’s fingerprinted and meets yourqualifications.”

“I’m on some waiting lists, but they’re not sure they’ll find someone willing to live out here.” His eyes turn up to mine, a playfulness brightening his expression. “Should I be worried? Do you have a criminal record for all the coke andhookers?”

I laugh, remembering what I told him the other day. “Not exactly,but—”

“Then it’s fine. Don’t let my kids cook meth or play with sharp objects, and we should begood.”

9

Ethan

The house feelsdifferent with Tori in it. Perhaps because nothing’s really settled. After some begging and eating crow on my part at dinner the other night, Tori agreed to help me for the next two weeks. Long enough to see if she can get someone to sublet her apartment and for me to explore whether an agency can better handle mysituation.

It seemed prudent to contact an agency in case Tori and I ended up clashing again. The fact we didn’t at dinner was a pleasant surprise, and if it taught me anything, it’s that I want us to get along in the meantime. I want her to know I’ll treat her well. That I’m not really anasshole.

As for my unbidden attraction to her? I figure it’ll pass. I haven’t been around a beautiful woman in a long time. Living on a ranch doesn’t make socializing easy. I don’t count Mallory Mathers or the like, because hooking up with one of my wife’s friends seems about as smart as jamming a wet finger in a lightsocket.

It’s been ages since I’ve been with anyone. Not since Allison, and that intimacy ended during her pregnancy with Cody. His second birthday later this summer is a reminder that she shut me out a long time ago. Two years is a long damn time to go without sex. I’m twenty-eight, noteighty.

Maybe my brother is right and I need to get out more. Start dating or something to take the edge off. Especially since Tori made it abundantly clear I’m not the kind of guy she goes for. That we wouldneverhavesex.

I chuckle, thinking about the fire in her eyes as the little tornado told me off again. All that passion oozing from herpores.

But she doesn’t have anything to worry about. I’d never take advantage of awoman.

As for her not being my type, well, that’s mostlytrue.

I’ve always gone for the polite and polished kind of woman.And a little high-maintenance.Not sure why since Allison has been anything but polite in the last fewyears.

Tori has a wildness about her, a level of honesty I’m not used to. At least not from a perfectstranger.

I think I likeit.

I just can’t like it toomuch.

After so much time out of the dating game, it’s weird to think about diving back in. It’s even weirder to consider dating when my divorce isn’t final yet, but I know from mutual friends that Allison has already been out with other men. The thought makes my chest feel heavy with too many emotions toname.

A soft knock on the office door makes me lookup.

“I’m packed and ready to go,son.”

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