Heartfire (7 page)

Curious, he leaned closer.  "They wouldn't leave a light on?"

Her voice carried a little more than a whisper across his son.  "I asked, but they said it would run up the electric bill.  In other homes, the couples were…kinder.  But as I got older, they had motivation to be kind."

The darkness and the silence closed around them.  "What do you mean?"

"One of the homes had two other children.  Taking me in brought in money and gave them a free maid."

"You're kidding.  How old were the children?"

"Three and five.  I liked taking care of the kids.  It was the housework I didn't like.  I guess no one really does."

"That's why I still have Mrs. Clark come in and clean."  Suddenly more curious about Tessa than he'd ever been, Max asked, "How long did you stay with that family?"

She hesitated a few moments, as if she’d already revealed too much, then answered, "Two years.  They moved out of state so the husband could take a better job.  They were one of my better experiences."

"How many others were there?"

"Three.  I grew a chip on my shoulder.  No one wanted a smart-mouthed teenager.  I can't blame them."

Max suddenly wanted to hold Tessa the same way she was holding Ryan.  But he sensed if he even leaned too close, she'd move away.  Confessions at night in the dark always seemed more intimate than disclosure in the light of day.

For a long time they sat in the silence, listening to his son's rhythmic breathing, Max watching Tessa, Tessa watching Ryan.  Then Max must have dozed off.  When he awoke, he could see light through the tent.  Tessa was curled against Ryan's air mattress, the sleeping bag pulled over them both.  She looked adorable with her cheeks pink, her hair mussed.  Her lashes were long and thick, the dark sweep of them making her skin look creamier.

"Tessa?" he whispered.

"Mm?"

"Do you want to crawl into my sleeping bag?"

Her eyes flew open.

Max disentangled Ryan from her arms, moving his son to free Tessa.  "I'm going to get a fire going and make a pot of coffee, but if you'd like to sleep longer..."

She rolled away from him, coming to a sitting position.  It seemed like a reflex maneuver to wake up quickly.  "No.  No.  I'm awake.  I'll be out in a minute."  She shook her head almost like a puppy would and ran her fingers through her tight curls, disarraying them more.

Ignoring the desire to ruffle them himself, Max pulled the sleeping bag up to Ryan’s shoulders.

Though the tent was large enough for two, Tessa seemed awfully close, even with Ryan between them. The atmosphere in the tent spoke of a closeness that made his heart pump hard.  Did she feel it, too?

He sat back on his heels.  "Take your time getting awake.  The sun hasn't been up long and the coffee will take a while to perk."  His gaze met hers for an unsettling moment before he left the tent.

***

Tessa took a deep breath and blew it out.  She didn’t need time to get awake.  She needed time to recover from being cooped up in a close space with Max.  She’d been so aware that his beard stubble had become heavy and dark, that his hair had been sleep rumpled.  She’d answered his questions all too easily last night.  She didn't know why she couldn't seem to keep up her guard around Max anymore.  Maybe she had tried for too long.

Stopping at her tent for her soap, towel, toothbrush and change of clothes, she headed for the rest rooms and showers.  It took her about twenty minutes to feel like a new woman, ready to face Max and her complicated feelings toward him.

At least she'd thought she was ready until she saw him sitting in a chair by the morning fire, staring pensively into the flames.

He watched her drop her towel and toothbrush in her tent before she approached him.  "I didn't want to leave the camp with Ryan asleep."  He rubbed his hand across his jaw.  "I should think about growing a beard for winter.  It would save time getting ready in the mornings if I didn't have to shave."

Before she caught herself, she said, "You wouldn't want to hide that chin."

"I wouldn't?" he asked with a grin.

She covered her tracks.  "Nope.  How else would I know when you're going to be stubborn?"

"My chin tells you that?"

"Sure does."  She pointed to the left side.  "You have a muscle there that sort of jumps."

He laughed, and she smiled back, thinking this was a nice way to start the day.  The earthy smell of damp leaves and heavy pine, sharing smiles and laughter with someone she—  Tessa cut off the thought.

Max pointed to the grate over the low fire.  "Coffee's almost done."

She rolled her shoulders and moved her head from side to side.  "Good."

"Problem with your neck?"

"I think it was the way I slept."

"How long did you sit up holding Ryan?"

She shrugged.  "I don't know."  She hadn't only been holding Ryan, but she'd watched Max sleep, too.

He pulled the low, folding stool that Ryan had used to toast marshmallows closer with his foot and pointed to it.  "Sit and I'll massage your shoulders for you.  It might help."

"The cramps will work out.  The hot shower helped—"

"Good.  Then the muscles will relax even more if I massage them."

Still hesitating, she wondered why.  What was the big deal?  She was wearing a shirt and jacket.  He was only going to knead her shoulders.

With a small smile, she sat with her back to him between his legs to provide easier access.  As he moved forward in his lawn chair, his jeans brushed her sleeve when she moved her arm.  The cuffs of his flannel jacket teased her still-damp hair.  When he leaned closer to apply more pressure, she could smell earth and man.

Max's hands were large, his fingers long.  He went straight for the knots as if he knew exactly where they were.  And she'd been wrong about the massage.  It was a
very
big deal.  Her shirt and jacket didn't even seem to exist.  His kneading was soothing.  He went deeper and deeper, touching more than her muscles.  His caring touch went straight from his hands to her heart and his sensual stroking made her body come alive.

She didn't want him to stop, but she knew he soon would.  The pressure eased, his thumbs made smaller circles, and he leaned away.  She closed her eyes for a moment to steady herself, then stood on legs that felt wobbly.

"Thank you," she said politely.  "That helped."

He stood, too.  "I'm glad.  I'm also grateful you were here for Ryan last night."

"I'm glad I could be."

They were standing so close.  The air between them seemed to lose its morning dampness and became warm and compelling.  She could see deep into Max's eyes and wasn't sure what emotions she saw there.  Maybe need, and desire...  He bent his head, and her eyelids fluttered closed.

His lips found hers, and she was young again.  The desire was there as well as the wanting that in the past she'd told herself didn't matter.  She reached for Max and felt his arms wrap around her.  And just as she felt as if her heart would leap from her chest and her limbs would never stop shaking, he dropped his arms and left her standing alone.

She opened her eyes, feeling as if her life had drastically changed in a matter of seconds.  Max didn't appear to be affected at all.  Except...was his breathing as fast and as shallow as hers?

His voice was gruff when he spoke.  "The coffee should be perked by now.  I'll get the mugs."

As he went to the table, Tessa didn't know what to think...or feel.  She watched him pour the coffee, glad he was doing it instead of her.  Because her hands still trembled along with the rest of her.  She had to keep her distance from Max, that's all there was to it.

Chapter Five

The following Friday evening, Max poured a jar of seasoned sauce into a bowl and put it in the microwave while Tessa stirred the pot of spaghetti.  They hadn't talked much all week.  They also hadn't looked at each other directly.  Maybe they were both afraid something would happen they didn't want to happen.  Like another kiss.  He didn't know what had come over him.  Gratitude, maybe, because the weekend had gone so well.  Never mind the surge of desire that had pulsed in his veins when he'd held Tessa in his arms.  That had simply been a throwback from the past.

He was looking forward to this weekend, to the fair in the park and the softball games, being out in the air and sun instead of cooped up in the house with Tessa, all too aware of her presence.

When the doorbell rang, it startled him.  Answering the back door, he found two of his students on the porch.

The tall, red-headed boy with freckles grinned.  "Hey, Coach.  Jenny and I are here to talk about the dance.  You got the time?"

Jenny, a pretty blonde with a shy smile, said, "I told Kevin we should call first.  If this isn't a good time, we can come back later."

Max hesitated.  The kids should have had the dance planned down to the last detail before now.  They'd e-mailed him with a few ideas but hadn't solidified anything.  He didn't know how Tessa would feel about this interruption.

He glanced over at her.  "We're just about to eat supper."

Tessa pulled a loaf of garlic bread from the oven and tossed over her shoulder, "There's plenty, Max, if you want to invite them in.  You can talk while we eat."

Stepping back, he motioned the kids inside.  After introducing them to Tessa, he asked them, "Would you like to join us for supper?"

Kevin grinned.  "Sure."

Jenny jabbed him.  "You just had a Big Mac!"

"What can I say?  I'm a growing boy."

Jenny shook her head as if she was exasperated with him often.

Tessa laughed and took two more glasses from the cabinet.  "What dance are you planning?"

"The Fall Jubilee Dance.  We hold it at the fire hall.  Coach is the advisor for the sophomore class, so we have to run everything by him before we can do it," Jenny explained.  "And e-mails just don't cut it sometimes."

Max went to the counter and dished spaghetti onto plates.  "The committee is late getting organized this year.  Very late," he added with a stern look at the two teenagers.

Ryan came running into the kitchen.  Seeing Kevin and Jenny he slowed down and slipped onto a chair at the table.

"Washed up?" Tessa asked.

He nodded.

She introduced him to Kevin and Jenny, and Max explained he taught them in school.  Tessa sliced the garlic bread and gave Ryan a piece.  He grinned and bit off a bite of the crust.

After Max placed the dishes on the table, he addressed Kevin.  "So, what's up?"

Kevin pulled out a chair next to Ryan.  "We can't seem to get good ideas going that everyone agrees on.  It's all been done before.  We want something different this year."