Page 65 of Knocked Up in Alaska

No point denying it. “Yeah.”

“God, Ford. I kissed a boy. That doesn’t mean I intend to have sex with him.”

“That’s good. Good to know.” He rubbed the back of his neck and tried to figure out what to say to keep it that way. “It’s just, you’re here this summer, away from your regular friends, your regular activities, your mom’s not around to talk to whenever—”

“Mom’s not really around to talk to all that much when I am home. She works a lot.” Mia stared at the water. “She’s fooling around with some guy she works with. He lives in Orlando.”

Yeah, he’d figured that much out, too. According to Jen, Jack had fooled around first and had moved in with the other woman when he’d moved out of their place, so Captivity was probably looking pretty fucking peaceful to Mia these days. “Well, my point is, I’m not the one you’re used to talking to about guys, and I don’t know what you’ve done, or haven’t done, but I definitely jumped to a conclusion back there…”

“Ford, I’m only going to say this once. I’m a virgin, and I plan to stay that way for a while. Don’t have a panic attack every time I buy something from the personal care aisle at Watkins’.”

“Deal.” He’d grab that deal with both hands. His relief was so profound he would have hugged her if he hadn’t had a baby strapped to him. “You don’t have to buy things you need out of your own money. Just add it to the list, and I’ll take care of it.”

For some reason, this brought a smile to her lips. One dark brow winged above her sunglasses. “Badass special forces sniper Ford Langley’s going to stroll into Watkins’ and buy tampons?”

Well, when she put it that way…still, yes. But should she even be using tampons at her age, especially being a virgin, or should she use…? He gave himself a mental shake. Jen had already handled this, for sure, and handled it properly. He didn’t need to do anything except purchase whatever Mia asked for. “I’ve completed far more dangerous missions.”

That coaxed another smile from her. “I’ll take your word.”

“Thanks. So, you’re good for now?”

“All good.”

“Good enough to go to dinner and hang out at Louis’ house Sunday night? I mean, if you’re up to it.”

She laughed. “You guys are so lame. Yes, I think I’ll be fine. Can I go?”

He stood, offered his hand to her. When she took it, he hauled her to her feet, which took no effort because, despite her height, she still was a coltish thing. A young thing. “Yeah. It’s okay by me. Be home by ten.”

“Ten thirty?” She left her hand in his, swung it a little as they walked.

“Don’t push your luck, kid.”

She pushed it a little on their walk back, but her arguments were funny and clever, so he finally left it with, “I’ll think about it,” as he held the door to the bar open to let her precede him inside.

The light, almost playful scent of draft beer merged with the heavier aromas rolling off Silent Mike’s busy grill—sizzling burgers and sauteed onions. Hungry tourists hoping to squeeze in a fast, filling lunch between the morning nature trails and the afternoon boat tours occupied tables and seats at the bar. Ford handed Shayla off to Mia and crossed the dining area to relieve Owen of bar duty. On the way he noted Lilah standing next to a two-top by the front window, bathed in sunlight slanting in from beneath the covered sidewalk, laughing at something a customer said as she took his order. Summer had braided blond into the light brown waves she’d piled into a loose knot. A snug white “Tipsy Goose” T-shirt highlighted the breathtaking attributes Wing had commented on earlier, and a short denim skirt left her long legs smooth, bare, and begging to be touched. Damn, if she didn’t just…glow.

He felt his steps slow as Wing’s words came back to haunt him. I’m not the only one who’s noticed. The guy sitting at the table, aiming his toothpaste commercial smile at her, sure as hell noticed. Every time she dropped her eyes to her order pad to note something, the preppy pervert checked her out from head to toe.

As if sensing his growing consternation from across the room, Lilah turned. Her warm green gaze deepened as it moved over him. The polite, friendly smile she’d shined on the customer shifted into a shy yet knowing curve of lips. A smile that transported him back to last night, when her innocent gesture of thanks had shredded the tethers of his restraint, so he’d lost control of himself in a way he’d promised he’d never do with her. Lost control so completely his guilty apology had only emphasized how out of line he’d been. Her infant daughter had been asleep in the backseat of the car, for God’s sake, while he’d been giving in to a fantasy where it was okay for him to want her, to act on that want, despite realizing she didn’t have enough life experience to know what the hell she wanted, and he had more than enough to recognize an unfair advantage.

But now, taking in her soft stare and slow smile, her whispered response to his late and insufficient “I’m sorry” played in his mind.

I’m not.

She should be, no doubt would be, eventually, if he let his selfish and inappropriate feelings for her overturn his commitment to be a friend she could trust—to do what was right for her.

Her customer—young, clean-cut Ivy League type who Ford hated on principle—said something to break the spell and reclaimed Lilah’s attention. She turned away, freeing him to continue to the bar and do his fucking job.

He’d collected a bunch of drink orders from patrons at the bar, plus orders from the servers, and was busy filling them when she came around the bar and sidled up next to him to fill pint glasses with soft drinks. Was it his imagination, or did she stand closer to him than strictly necessary? Close enough their hips brushed.

“Thanks for letting me start a little late this morning so I could get in to see the doctor.”

Oh. That’s what brought her so close. “No problem. Everything okay?”

Her cheeks went pink, but she offered him a closed-mouthed smile. “Everything’s fine. Just a quick consultation.” She turned back to filling her soft drink orders. “I needed to ask her about something, and she was able to help me sort through my options and figure out the right choice for me.”

That sounded involved. Just hearing the vague summary stirred his curiosity and concern, and…

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