“Nothing to be embarrassed about.”
The heat of her blush burned her cheeks. She licked her lips, hoping that action would spur a memory. As if she’d taste him. There was nothing. Mad at herself for her lack of control, she lashed out. “Couldn’t have been a good kiss if I don’t remember it.”
“Below par as far as kisses go. You want a memorable kiss, all you have to do is ask.” He reached for the bag of bandages and pulled out the gauze and tape. “Give me a hand?”
“You insult my kisses and now you want help?” Surely the kiss couldn’t have been that bad. How bad could her kiss be?
He moved his hand to the center of the table palm up. “I didn’t insult your kiss.”
She tugged his hand and wrapped the wound with gauze. She might have tugged it a little too tight. Certain she did when he hissed. As much as she wanted him to suffer for his comment, she couldn’t in her right mind torture him, so she loosened the bandage and taped it in place. “You don’t think calling our first kiss subpar is an insult?”
Wes’s laugh filled the air. Even Sarge lifted his head to see what was going on. “Lydia, you asked me to kiss you several times. I refused. Not because I don’t find you attractive. I think you’re stunning.”
“Why did you give in and kiss me?”
He moved his chair so he sat next to her. When he twisted his body, they were close enough for a repeat performance.
“Against my better judgment, I gave in because I couldn’t resist.” He lifted his shoulders and let them drop.
She watched his lips as he spoke—full, lush lips that surely gave memorable kisses. She hated that she couldn’t recall the moment. “Sorry I disappointed you.” Her shoulders tipped forward and her head hung low.
Wes thumbed her chin up, forcing her to look at him. “Lydia, you weren’t a disappointment. We barely brushed lips and honestly you were already passed out when that happened. I told you last night if you really wanted a kiss you needed to ask me for it when you were sober.”
His words worked their way from her head to her heart. “You didn’t want to take advantage of me.” The words came out in soft awe because so many people would have taken what she’d drunkenly offered.
“I’m not that guy.” He let go of her chin and cupped her cheek. “I hear you’re an amazing kisser, Lydia.”
She smiled. “Who told you?”
He leaned forward. “You did,” he whispered across her lips.
“I could do better.” She shifted her body so her knees moved between his thighs. Face to face, their lips were a separated by a breath. “I want to do better.”
“Overachiever?” The hand that had cupped her cheek now cradled her neck.
He was close enough for her to see the gemstone flecks in his eyes. When she inhaled, she breathed in the citrus and spice that mixed with his scent. Lust and need made her dizzy. Her head spun. Unsteady, she palmed his chest for balance. The hard muscle flexed under her hand. Her fingers trailed down his chest to explore every hill and valley of sinew.
She breathed deeply. “Call it what you want, but kiss me.”
Soft and sure, his lips pressed to hers. It wasn’t a frenzied kiss, but a measured moment until she parted her lips to grant him access. He dipped his tongue inside and slid it across her tongue for a languid taste.
Fingers threaded through her hair, he gripped her tight and pulled her closer to deepen the kiss. Sweet like honey, his mouth moved over hers. His soft, velvet tongue danced across hers. She knew he was a busy man, but he sat there and kissed her like he had all day. When he pulled away, he nipped at her bottom lip until he sucked it into his mouth. Rockets of desire shot like fireworks through her body.
With a pop, he released her lip and sat back. His eyes burned with passion. The kind of passion she had always wanted to see from a lover but never did.
“Now that’s a kiss I’ll remember.” He lifted from the seat and gathered his dishes. “I’ll see you at the park.” Then he was gone.
Lydia sat at the table in silence reliving the best kiss of her life.
Chapter Twelve
“Stop looking at me like that.” Sarge sat in the seat next to Wes, staring at him like he’d stolen his bone. “How was I supposed to resist when she was sitting in front of me asking for another kiss?”
Sarge turned and lay down with his tail end facing Wes.
“You get to sleep with her. All I got was a kiss.”
He thought about that kiss all the way to the site. How her lips fit flush against his like they were molded for each other. How her kisses tasted like honey and cinnamon. The way her hands felt on his chest. Though he’d told himself Lydia wasn’t the woman for him, that kiss made him a liar. She was perfect. All he had to do was convince her to stay.
Four black pickups sat in front of the old mill, their doors emblazoned with the Lockhart logo—a heart-shaped lock. It was clever branding for their name. Too bad Wes was saddled with Covington. There was no easy way to advertise his brand. His logo was Covington Construction on top of a horizontal ladder. It was simple, but it worked.
Sarge hopped out of the truck after him and wandered into the open door.
Wes wanted to see how much the Lockharts finished yesterday. They had to gut the place before the renovation could start. When he entered he was surprised at how much had been accomplished.
Noah lifted his head. “Hey, man. How’s things?” He took off his glove and held out his hand.
Wes liked a good firm handshake. It was the sign of a confident man. “I can’t complain.” Not after Lydia’s kiss. He knew he had to get his head clear. Hard labor would do that for sure. “Thought I’d stop by and help.”
“We’ll never turn down free labor.” Noah led him to the center of the factory floor, where ancient machines were once used to press pulp into paper. “We’re dismantling this weekend and hauling it all away on Monday.”
Wes’s eyes grew big. There were at least a dozen pieces of machinery to dismantle. The sheer size of them made him doubt the job could be finished by Monday, but as he scanned the warehouse, he saw the Lockhart brothers moved together like a well-oiled machine.
They put him to work loosening bolts. Noah and Ethan followed him by dismantling parts while Bayden and Quinn carried it all outside. They worked like this for several hours. When it was nearing noon he cut out to shower and get to the park. He was part of the barbecue crew.
At home, he was alone. Lydia had probably hightailed it out of the house after the kiss. Her absence made taking a shower boring. This morning, he’d noticed her the minute she came in. What really alerted him was the breeze that floated past the heat of the water to prickle his skin. He kept his back turned waiting for her to realize the bathroom was occupied.
When she didn’t leave, he shifted to face her. He wasn’t a nudist, but he wasn’t ashamed of his body either. The way Lydia looked at him, the hunger and interest in her eyes made it hard to cover up. He loved the way she pulled back her shoulders as if she weren’t affected.
He was affected. He could have hung the towel on his pole.
Twenty minutes later, he was back in the truck with Sarge.
Parking was at a premium when he arrived at the park. A crowd lined up on the edge of the grass. In the center were the Bishops, who had funded the park. Katie had actually donated part of her trust fund to make it all happen. It had been the first big project in Aspen Cove that Wes oversaw.
The two hundred thousand dollars she’d spent was well worth it. At least a hundred kids rocked on their heels waiting for Katie to cut the ribbon. Behind her, on the perimeter of the property, were vendors from all over town. Kind of like a country fair without the rides.
There was a tap on the microphone and the air grew silent but the energy of anticipation was thick.
“I’m not much of a public speaker,” Katie said. She bounced her daughter, Sahara, on her hip. “All I want to say is I’m so happy to give back to the community that gav
e me everything.” Tears flowed from her eyes. If there was ever a perfect script for a Hallmark movie, it was Katie’s story. She passed Sahara to Bowie and picked up the oversized scissors. “Everything is free today, grab an ice cream from Sam’s Scoop, a hotdog or hamburger from my husband and the other good-looking men from Aspen Cove. Visit the bouncy castle. Get your face painted by Maisey and Ben. If you need first aid, go visit Sage and Lydia in the blue tent. Most of all, have fun.” She cut through the ribbon and huddled against Bowie until the stampede passed by.
Wes and Sarge took it all in. The swing sets, the jungle gym, the rock-climbing wall. To the far right sat the baseball field. Sign-ups for both a children’s league and an adult coed league were posted in the bakery, the diner, and the bar.
He walked the perimeter feeling proud that he had played a part in creating a place that would bring the townspeople together. It was important to him to help build the community.
“You’re here.” Katie lifted up on tiptoes and kissed his cheek. “Thanks for volunteering all your time.”
He turned in a circle. “It’s amazing.”
“It wouldn’t have come together without you.”
He shook his head. “It takes a village.”
The adults gathered under the pavilion to listen to Samantha sing. She promised a sneak peek of her new album. On each table was a fireman’s boot to collect donations. Until the town grew big enough for taxes to pay for a crew, they would have to depend on donations, the largest coming from Samantha, to finance the fire department. Wes volunteered his services to build the firehouse, but Samantha insisted she pay him his normal fees for the Guild Center.
He didn’t need the money. He’d inherited a sizable amount from his grandfather. He’d also tucked away a small fortune from his architectural projects. His earnings from the center would be set aside until something important came up—something that would benefit the community.
Sahara started crying. “I’ve got to feed her. She’s as serious about her meals as Bowie. I’ll catch ya later.” Katie hurried off in the direction of the pavilion, while Wes gravitated toward the first aid tent.
Behind a table dressed in navy blue scrubs was Lydia. When he entered, her cheeks flushed red.
“Need a Band-Aid?”
“Nope. Just stopping by to say hello.”
Sage set out flyers and pamphlets and smiley face stickers. He picked a sticker up and held it in the air. “Do I deserve one?”
Lydia’s eyes grew big. She swiped the sticker from his hand. “You didn’t cry when I changed your bandage so I suppose you earned it.” She peeled it from the backing and pressed it to his chest. Her hand lingered there until Sage spoke.
“Hell, he had to carry you home. That alone deserves a sticker. I’m surprised you’re here.”
Lydia swiped her hand back and stepped away. “Not a proud moment.”
“Nothing to be ashamed of,” he said while his eyes held hers. “I was being neighborly. We’d hate for your time in Aspen Cove to be subpar.”
Her lips parted and her jaw fell open. All he wanted to do was kiss her again, but he wouldn’t until he could figure out where this thing with Lydia was headed.
Sage stepped in front of the table and stood in front of Wes. “So did you ever give my sister that kiss she begged for?”
“Oh my God,” Lydia said. “You didn’t just ask him that.”
Sage grinned. “I owe you for all those years you picked on me. So what about that kiss?”
Wes looked between the two sisters. “A gentleman never tells.” He glanced past Sage to Lydia. “I’m getting an ice cream, you want to come?”
Lydia wasted no time rounding the table. “It’s ice cream or beat my sister to death. I’ll take ice cream.”
He rested his hand at the curve of her back and led her into the sun. The line was long at Sam’s Scoops but moved fast so it didn’t take them long to get to the front.
Wes was used to the colorful names Sam used for his flavors. Today’s were Cherry Potter, Mintnight Madness and Rockin’ Roadie.
“Cherry Potter?” Lydia stared at the menu as if waiting for the options to change.
“Just try it.” Wes asked for a scoop of Cherry Potter for her and a scoop of Rockin’ Roadie for him.
Sam plopped a big sloppy spoonful into each cone and sprinkled chocolate bits on top. “Got to have the chocolate-covered ants.”
“Ants?” Eyes big, mouth twisted, Lydia stared at the brown specks, appalled.
He led her away from the window. “Nothing to worry about, it’s chocolate-covered puffed rice.”
“Oh my God, why would he do that?”
Wes laughed. “He likes to razz the kids. You haven’t had anything until you’ve tried Unicorn Poop.”
“I don’t even want to know. I’ll stick with my cherries with marshmallows and ants.” She puckered her lips and pressed them into the pink cream. When her tongue snuck out to lick what remained, Wes wanted to help her out. He glanced around and found no one watching so he leaned in and licked the sweet cream she’d missed.
“Hey, that was mine.” She bent forward and licked at his chocolate mint cone. “If you’re going to sneak a taste so will I.”
“You want a taste?” He tapped her lips with his scoop and moved forward to lick it off. Just as his lips touched hers, Sarge, who had been a silent shadow the whole time, let out a low menacing growl.
Wes wanted to kill the dog, but he rarely growled so something was up. When he turned around to take in the surroundings, a flash of pink barreled into him.
“Surprise!” Courtney had practically crawled up his body. “Did you miss me?” Prying her free was like peeling a skin from a banana.
He stepped back and looked at Lydia, whose face showed no emotion. She inched away from him in tiny steps. Wes turned back to his ex-wife. “I told you not to come.”
“Oh, baby. I missed you. Of course I’d come. You built this park. It’s a big deal.”
“You built this park?” Lydia asked.
“He did,” Courtney bubbled. “My Wes is so talented.”
Lydia stepped farther back. “Your Wes? Who are you?”
Courtney offered her hand. “I’m Courtney Covington, his wife.”
Wes watched Lydia’s face turn white and her cone drop to the grass. “Ex-wife. She’s my ex-wife.”
Lydia’s eyes narrowed. A protective mask of indifference stole her smile. “Nice to meet you. I should get back to the tent.”
“Tent?”
Wes wrapped his arm around Lydia’s shoulders. “Lydia is the new doctor in town.”
“Oh, how sweet.”
He leaned down and whispered in her ear. “She’s my past, not my present.”
Lydia smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “Funny how the past seems to haunt us all.” She shrugged out of his hold and walked away.
Chapter Thirteen
“He has a damn wife?” Lydia mumbled as she entered the first aid tent.
Sage sat in a chair reading a book. Her eyes stayed on the page for a few more seconds. “Who has a wife?”
Lydia hid behind the tent flap, looking toward Wes, who stood next to Courtney. From her hiding place she could see the couple clearly. “Wes has a wife.”
“No, he doesn’t.” She rose from her chair and pressed her back to Lydia.
With Sage being significantly shorter, Lydia tugged her sister in front of her and pointed to where Wes stood with the tall brunette.
“He says she’s his ex-wife, but she’s not acting like an ex anything.”
“Why do you care?”
“I don’t care.” Lydia peeked out again.
“Obviously, since you’re obsessed with watching him.”
“Not obsessed. I’m merely curious. It’s a professional interest since he’s my patient.” She rolled her eyes at no one. Maybe she rolled them at herself for saying such a stupid thing.
Sage returned to the table, flopped into her chair,
and dug out a bag of Skittles. “Right, because patching up his hand has everything to do with who he sees. Did you kiss him?”
“What? What does it matter?” She gripped the tent fabric and turned toward the park again. Courtney moved forward, Wes moved back. In the end, he gave her a hug and moved in Lydia’s direction.
“Because you’re obsessing over him. Was it a good kiss?”
Lydia gave up. “The best. Kisses like a porn star kiss. He made my toes curl and my heart leap.” As he neared, she raced to the other side of the table and picked up Sage’s book, opening it to the center. “Pretend everything is okay.”
Sage yanked her book back. “Everything is okay.”
Wes ducked under the tent and squinted while his eyes adjusted to the lack of light. “Sorry about that.” He looked from Lydia to Sage. “Can I borrow your sister for a minute?”
Sage’s brows lifted. “Borrow? No. Keep her? Absolutely.”
Lydia reached over and pinched her sister’s rib cage. She knew getting the tiniest bit of skin and twisting would make her scream. “Behave. I’m older and wiser than you.” When Sage yelped, Lydia let go.
Sage rose and stepped away, no doubt getting out of reach. “Older? Yes. Wiser? No damn way.” She swiped her bag of Skittles from the table and exited the tent, leaving Lydia and Wes alone.
“Can I sit down?” He nodded toward the empty seat beside her.
“Sure. Something you needed?” Her attempt to sound indifferent failed. It was hard to pull off when Wes was so close. So tempting. So damn sexy.
“I wanted to explain.” His fingers slipped under the seat to drag it closer before he sat down.
“You don’t owe me an explanation.” He was too close. His presence made her skin tingle or maybe he made her itch. Was that the issue? He was bad for her and her body knew it before her brain. Like an allergic reaction?
He palmed her knee, and a charge of heat skittered up her thigh and landed in her core. Molten lava rushed through her veins, the pulse of an eruption throbbing just below the surface. “I saw your face. I’m not Adam.”
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