Single Mom Seeks... (4 page)

And then he froze. “Damn,” he muttered, turning his head back to her.

“What’s wrong?”

Had she done something? Completely given herself away?

Would she be forever embarrassed in his company and have to live with him being right next door forever and knowing she wanted him as much as Audrey? Would he be getting tips from someone else on how to avoid Lily?

Still, he held her gently by the arms, mere fractions of an inch from being pressed up against him, and he wasn’t moving away.

“Audrey’s out there. I saw her through the kitchen door,” he said.

“Oh.”

“And she sees us,” he said.

Okay?

So?

“I don’t understand—”

“Lily, she followed me into the kitchen two mornings ago and practically jumped me as Jake was coming downstairs.”

“Oh!”

“I thought I made it clear, as politely as possible, that I wasn’t interested, but maybe I didn’t. Because she’s been stalking me ever since, and Jake is daydreaming about going out with her daughter. So I’d rather not piss her off completely, if I don’t have to.”

“Okay.” Lily said, still frozen there, half an inch from him and liking it. Liking it a lot. “But what does that have to do with…this?”

He took a breath, chest and shoulders rising, coming that much closer to actually touching her, and she wanted him to touch her. She was tingling all over, like her body was singing, it was so happy. Like she’d already anticipated this slight touch a dozen times in the few seconds they’d been standing here, her waiting and waiting for things she couldn’t bring herself to ask for.

He was just so big and strong. So much…a man.

And it had been so long since she’d been this close to a man.

If she was really honest with herself, she’d admit she’d never been this close to a man as appealing as him. In a completely physical way, of course. She didn’t really know him. She just knew that her body really wanted to know his better.

“Well,” he said, dipping his head ever so slowly until his lips were resting somewhere near the base of her throat.

Not touching her.

Not really.

Doing something oh so sexy that was almost like touching.

Breathing on her, breathing in her, like a man taking a moment to savor a great meal he knew he was going to love before he ever took the first bite.

Bite!

She couldn’t think about him taking a
bite
of her.

Men didn’t take bites of her!

She wasn’t that kind of girl.

Maybe she should have been.

Maybe she regretted that right this minute, but still…

“If I could just do this for a moment,” he whispered, his arms sliding carefully around her.

“Mmm-hmm,” she said, her voice coming out a little squeaky and weird.

“And you were to put your arms around me, just for a minute….”

“Okay.” She was all too happy to comply.

She’d been thinking about touching him for days. Touching him in all sorts of ways, in all sorts of places that made her blush.

And actually touching him was even better, she found.

His body was solid as could be, all hard and sexy, muscles curving and sloping one into another, her hands sliding up his biceps, to cup his broad shoulders, one hand even sneaking onto the base of his neck and into the ends of his hair.

“There you go,” he said, like he really liked that. “Just like that.”

Oh, yes.

Just like that.

Lily took a giant gulp of air, her breasts rising to the point where they just barely brushed his chest.

He sucked in a breath, then gave a shaky little laugh.

“She’s watching everything we do,” he said. “And if it’s okay with you, I think if I just do this for a few moments….”

And then he stroked the tip of his nose along the side of her neck, lips so close they left a trail of heat and longing in their wake.

Lily whimpered. Couldn’t help it.

If this didn’t stop soon, she’d be begging him to stop putting on a show for Audrey and just kiss her already and be done with it.

As it was, she could imagine his mouth opening and then landing right there in that spot where the base of her neck met her shoulder, a spot that was already tingling with longing. She thought about his warm, moist mouth teasing, caressing, his beautiful, hard body plastered up against hers.

Lily stretched her neck out to the side, like she was giving him that spot, giving him anything he wanted, and let her body settle in against his. His arms tightened around her ever so slowly and carefully, like he was determined not to take advantage of the situation.

Or she hoped that’s what it was.

That he was a nice man.

A very nice, wickedly sexy man.

His nose nuzzled her ear, teased her hair, his hand cupping one side of her face and his lips settling as gently as a whisper against her temple before he slowly drew back, a wry grin on his face.

Lily tried not to whimper or to beg for more. Tried to stand on her own two feet without any help from him and tried not to look too thrilled by what he’d done or too devastated that it was over.

“So…she got an eyeful?” Lily asked, reminding herself what this had all been about.

“Yes, she did.” He grinned easily, the way a man might look at a woman he considers a good friend. “I hope that was okay? I mean, I hope I didn’t offend you….”

“No. Of course not,” she said. “Anything to help out a neighbor.”

“Well, she’s gone so…” He waited, like he wanted to say more.

She waited, too, hoping, wanting, needing, thrilled and a little bit scared.

But then he shook his head and all he said was, “I should be getting back to work. Thanks again, Lily.”

“You’re welcome,” she said.

She waited until he was out the door and she heard his lawn mower start before she sank down to the floor in her kitchen, leaning back against the cabinets, closed her eyes and relived every glorious second of what had just happened.

Sadly, it was the sexiest thing that had happened to her in years.

J
ake hadn’t been trying to spy on them.

Honestly.

He’d been spying on Audrey Graham, the woman who wore all the skimpy tops and had practically attacked his uncle in their kitchen, because Mrs. Graham had an absolutely gorgeous sixteen-year-old daughter, clearly miles out of Jake’s league and who’d never so much as looked down her nose at him at school.

But still…a guy had to have hope, didn’t he?

If nothing else, Jake could look and hope.

At the moment, he’d been looking at Mrs. Graham, hoping her daughter might be with her, but she wasn’t. He’d seen Mrs. Graham staring into Lily’s house and looking none too happy at what she saw, and then Jake wondered what was going on, and that’s when he saw them.

His uncle and Lily?

It looked like Nick was licking Lily’s neck or something, and it sure looked like Lily liked it.

Women liked to have their necks licked?

Jake frowned.

He didn’t exactly know a ton about women, but he’d sure never heard that one.

Kissing necks, yes.

Licking?

Not that he had a problem trying it.

He was open to pretty much anything, especially with Andie Graham.

He would be her willing slave, fulfilling her every wish, if he ever got to the point where she knew he was alive and was willing to have him close enough to do things to that pretty neck of hers.

Jake took one more look at his uncle and Lily, not quite sure what he thought about that. One, he didn’t want his uncle to make Andie’s mother mad, just on the off chance that Andie might one day have anything to do with Jake. And he liked Lily. She was sweet, and she’d been kind and understanding and made the most incredible fudge Jake had ever eaten. He didn’t want anyone to hurt her, and if she knew his uncle was all over Mrs. Graham in the kitchen the other day, and now all over Lily, Lily wouldn’t like that. Would she?

Women didn’t like to share.

It was one thing Jake was pretty sure about.

And he didn’t like thinking his uncle was the kind of man who’d hurt someone like Lily. Was he that kind of man? Jake frowned and—

“Excuse me? I’m looking for the Malone house? Is this it?”

Jake thought for a second he must be dreaming, because he was pretty sure he knew that voice. He
dreamed
about that voice. About more than the voice.

He turned around really slowly and hoped he didn’t look too stupid as he stared for a minute and wondered if he was actually dreaming or if Andie Graham was actually standing in front of him. If she’d actually spoken to him.

“Uh…” was all he managed to get out before he had to take a breath and try to calm down.

She was wearing some really short shorts and a little white top with spaghetti straps and a scooped out neckline, and truly, it was hard to breathe this close to her. Especially with her looking the way she did. Looking as good as she did.

Had to be a fantasy come true.

She
was looking for
his
house?

“No way,” he muttered, out loud he feared.

She gave him an odd look, one he no doubt deserved, like he might have the IQ of a piece of fruit.

“The Malone house?” he repeated, his voice doing that weird, cracking thing that it hadn’t done since he was fourteen. He hated that stupid cracking thing.

She nodded, like she feared words might be too much for him.

“That’s my house,” he said, still thinking this had to be a mistake.

No way she’d come looking for him.

She frowned, like maybe she didn’t believe him or was really confused. “Your dad is Nick Malone?”

“Uncle,” he said, his voice still sounding funny.

“Oh. And this is your house?” She pointed to Lily’s.

“No, this one,” he said, nodding in the other direction.

“Oh. Okay. I was actually…” She looked thoroughly exasperated, not so much like the blond princess of his fantasies. More like a real person who might actually have normal problems like everyone else. “I was looking for my mom.”

And she didn’t like admitting that. Or maybe it was…thinking her mom was here with his uncle? That something was going on between them?

“She’s right over…” It was Jake’s turn to frown. She wasn’t there anymore. “She was there just a minute ago.”

Andie sighed, like she dreaded the next part, then asked, “Do you think she went inside?”

“No. My uncle’s not there,” Jake told her, not adding that his uncle was at Lily’s, licking Lily’s neck or something like that, and that Andie’s mom had seen them and hadn’t been happy about it.

“Oh,” Andie said, sighing once again. “Your uncle? Is he married?”

“No,” Jake said. Why would she care if his uncle was married?

“Well…thanks, I guess. I’ll just…I’ll be…” She paused for one more moment, then looked him over one more time. “Do I know you?”

Jake shook his head, then woke up to the fact that this was his chance. She knew he was alive, even if it was just to help her find his house. “I’m Jake. Jake Elliott. We go to the same school. I mean…I’m pretty sure we do. Jefferson?”

“Yeah, I go to Jefferson. What are you? What year?”

“Sophomore,” he admitted, knowing she was a junior.

Just one more way in which she was way out of his league.

“Oh,” she said. “Well, I’ve got to go find my mom. See you.”

Jake mumbled goodbye, and then was treated to the sight of her walking away from him in those short shorts, with those long, tanned legs, her long, blond hair swinging as she walked, wishing he could start this whole conversation over again and not sound like an idiot, not act like one, not be one.

She’d talked to him.

She knew his name and where he lived.

Jake suspected he’d be dreaming of her tonight, dreaming in more vivid detail than ever before.

Okay, maybe that wasn’t the best idea I’ve ever had,
Nick told himself, safely back in his own house, out of sight of any prying eyes and not mere centimeters away from being plastered up against Lily.

Luscious Lily.

He made a face, trying to get that particular description out of his head.

He did not need to be thinking of his neighbor as
luscious.

Particularly with a teenage boy in the house who had visions of entertaining his own ladies in his bedroom.

So, no…nuzzling Lily’s neck was definitely not a good idea.

It had just felt like one.

A great one.

Nick tried to breathe and turn his thoughts to something else, anything else but how long it had been since he’d been involved with a woman or had one in his bed and the utter unlikelihood that he’d ever talk Lily Tanner into joining him there.

Audrey, of the skimpier and skimpier jogging outfits, he could have, if he wanted her. Which, unfortunately, he didn’t.

Lily, he suspected, was firmly off-limits.

He’d bet the woman had never had casual sex in her life. She was too sweet, too nice, too kindhearted. Softhearted, he was sure.

Not at all his type.

And yet…pretty was the word that came to mind, and it both seemed to fit and not do her justice at the same time. She had pretty blond hair and gorgeous skin, an easy smile and an openness and genuineness. She seemed real. That’s what it was. Not fussy. Not fake. Not pushy. Not playing any kind of games. Real and nice and surprisingly appealing.

He opened up the refrigerator and poured a cold glass of water from the pitcher he kept there, wishing it was that easy to cool himself down.

Damn, Lily.

She’d felt so soft and fragile beneath his hands, smelled so good, trembled ever so slightly, blushed a bit, and all he’d been able to think about was devouring her right there in her kitchen.

He took a long swallow of that cold water, but it didn’t seem to do anything to cool him down.

One by one, he thought of all the women who’d shown up at his door with offerings of food, drink and, though unspoken, companionship. Surely he could think of one he’d like to kill some time with, one who wouldn’t object at all to killing time with him.

And yet he found himself discarding one after another and staring out the window toward Lily’s house.

He’d just have to stay away from her. That was all there was to it.

He had Jake to take care of, parenting stuff to figure out, legal issues to sort through having to do with his sister and brother-in-law’s estate, determining the boys’ finances and whether there was enough money to see them all through college and if there was time, his own life to see to.

More than enough to do to keep a grown man busy and his mind off one, quietly pretty, sweet-smelling woman.

Yeah. He’d just have to stay away from her.

Three days later, Lily was trying to explain to Jake the finer points of scraping old wallpaper off the kitchen wall, when he started asking her about Audrey Graham.

What did she know about Mrs. Graham?

Lily frowned.

Was the woman still chasing after Nick? Even after the…
incident?

Lily was trying very hard not to call it what it was.

Neck-nuzzling.

Oh! She practically shivered, just thinking about it. How good it had been. How delicious it had felt.

Better than sweet, warm, gooey fudge, as far as Lily was concerned.

“You do know her, don’t you?” Jake said again, giving her a funny look.

Like she’d gone off into la-la land.

“Yes,” Lily all but groaned. “I know her. Is she…bothering your uncle?”

Lily hated asking the question, but there it was. It had just popped out, oh so innocently. Okay, not so innocent. Probably not innocently at all. She felt really bad about it, but there! She’d asked.

Jake looked puzzled. “I don’t know. Maybe.”

Lily went back to steaming the wallpaper in hopes it would just peel off the wall, wishing quite firmly that she hadn’t asked. She hadn’t seen Audrey Graham lurking around the Malone house, but that didn’t mean it hadn’t happened. Audrey was sneaky and quite determined. There was no telling what Lily had missed.

And then she wondered if maybe Jake was trying to look out for her, to warn her that Audrey had been hanging around, and maybe she wasn’t bothering Nick. Maybe Nick was enjoying himself.

Maybe he’d changed his mind after the neck-nuzzling incident. Maybe Audrey had done something to change his mind.

Lily made a face, then tried to wipe the look off her face before Jake saw.

She really hated the idea of Nick with Audrey Graham. Having to see them next door. Hear them. Think about them.

Nick neck-nuzzling with Audrey Graham.

Lily wasn’t sure if she wanted to scream or cry.

“Are you okay?” Jake asked.

“Of course,” Lily lied, not too badly she hoped.

“So…Mrs. Graham has a daughter, right?” Jake asked, as he scraped the wall clean of the residue left on it, despite Lily’s careful steaming and peeling off of the old wallpaper.

Daughter?

“Yes,” Lily said. Had she completely misread the whole conversation so far? Was she so obsessed with Nick Malone that she’d completely jumped to the wrong conclusions? “I think she probably goes to high school with you.”

Jake turned an interesting shade of pink, and Lily didn’t think it was coming from the heat of the steamer.

Okay, now she got it.

The Graham women captivated men of all ages.

Lily rolled her eyes. “Andie,” she said. “You know Andie?”

“Well…yeah. I mean, I doubt she remembers I’m alive. But…I’ve seen her around.”

Oh, I just bet you have,
Lily thought.

She tried to think of the last time she’d seen Andie Graham and if the daughter took after the mother in her wardrobe choices.

Lily hoped not, for Jake’s sake.

“Isn’t she a little old for you, Jake?” Lily tried, because he was so adorably awkward and sweet, and if Andie was anything like her mother, she’d chew him up and spit him out without thinking twice about it. Lily hated to see him hurt.

“Only a year older,” Jake said.

Lily nodded.

“Do you know…like…what she likes to do? I mean, where she might hang out? Or anything like that?” Jake asked.

“I think I’ve seen her at the mall a few times,” Lily told him.

Andie really looked like a mall kind of girl.

She had a feeling Jake would be spending every spare moment there, hoping to run into Andie.

Trying to let him down easily, Lily told him, “I think, last I heard, she had a boyfriend who’s in college now. Someone who went to her high school last year.”

“Oh.” Jake looked completely dejected.

A college boy.

Lily kept steaming. Jake attacked the wall, scraping so hard Lily was afraid he was going to gouge the Sheetrock underneath.

“Hey, why don’t we take a break while I start dinner, okay?” she suggested.

“Dinner?” He perked right up at that.

“What would you like?” Lily asked, shutting off her steamer and heading for the refrigerator. “Come on. You can pick.”

If he couldn’t have Andie Graham, he could at least have a good dinner.

They dug through Lily’s refrigerator, Jake settling on a chicken and rice dish Lily had made last week that he’d particularly enjoyed. She’d bought twice as much as she had the week before, astonished at how much he could eat and wanting to have enough to send home to Nick, too, and maybe for leftovers.

She’d learned Nick and Jake lived on takeout and her leftovers, and decided she was going to teach Jake to cook. Otherwise, they might not survive.

He was cutting up chicken, and Lily was assembling ingredients when the girls burst into the kitchen, arguing as they went.

“Cannot!” Ginny said, heading for the refrigerator.

“Can, too!” Brittany said, her bottom lip sticking out in a pout so adorable, it was all Lily could do not to laugh.