Second Chance Guy

by Marsh, Nicola

  “Uh-huh.” He deliberately kept his voice devoid of emotion, ignoring the rush of heat as he remembered that kiss in every tempting detail.

  She sighed, a soft, plaintive sound that shot straight to his heart. “You’re right about us needing to get reacquainted.”

  Her gaze drifted to the back door where their son had vanished. “Tonight proved it.”

  “But you’re not happy about it?”

  “It’s not that.” Longing shifted across Lori’s face, as expressive as ever in the low light cast from a mosquito lamp in the center of the table.

  “Tell me.”

  She fiddled with the condiments, buying time, and he let her. He’d been foolish in turning up here unannounced, hoping she’d forget that little aberration under the high school gum tree last night.

  When she finally raised her gaze to his, what he saw there snatched his breath.

  Fire. Daring. Challenge.

  “That’s the second time you’ve kissed me.” She unconsciously traced her bottom lip. “And I let you, which pretty much proves we’ve got unresolved issues. And the more time we spend together, odds are things will intensify.”

  Risking a quick glance over her shoulder, she placed her palms on the table and leaned forward. “Is that what you want?”

  Damned if he knew.

  Until now, the army had been the only family he’d known. Pop barely acknowledged him after he’d enlisted, an irony in itself considering he’d done it for him. He’d like to think it was early onset dementia that caused Pa’s withdrawal but in reality, it was the ongoing aloofness of a man who’d given up everything to raise him and had resented it every day since.

  Considering his upbringing, could he be the family man Lori expected? The man she deserved?

  “Let’s see how it goes,” he said, his noncommittal response sounding lackadaisical and uncaring.

  The corners of her mouth drooped and he felt like the biggest bastard in the world.

  “I don’t want to make any promises I can’t keep.” He didn’t add, not after last time.

  She nodded, the fire in her gaze replaced by a sadness he wished he could banish.

  “I know this situation is difficult, but I’m doing the best I can.” He reached out and covered her hand with his, surprised when she turned hers over to grab hold tight.

  “None of this is your fault.” Her guilt was palpable as she squeezed his hand, tears shimmering in her eyes, and it took all his willpower not to haul her into his arms.

  “Lori, look at me.” He placed a finger under her chin and gently tilted her face up, leaving her little option but to look him straight in the eye. “We can’t change the past. We both messed up but the important thing is I’m here now, you’ve done an incredible job with Adam, and we’ve got a lot of catching up to do.”

  She blinked, once, twice, a single, fat tear rolling down her cheek before she swiped it away, a tremulous smile lightening her somber expression.

  “Catching up, huh?”

  “You bet.” He slanted a gentle kiss across her lips, keeping it much briefer than he would’ve liked. Way too brief considering every cell in his body cried out for her, needing her with a staggering fierceness he’d never felt before even in the hormonal hunger of their youth.

  Lori’s eyes fluttered open as Flynn pulled away, his kiss the barest whisper against her lips.

  She knew it wasn’t the time or place to push for more considering Adam might pop his head out the back door any moment to say goodnight but that didn’t stop the raging need burning her up from the inside out.

  She’d always reacted this way to him, even as a teenager: one touch and he’d send her up in flames.

  “We’ve got a lot to catch up on,” she murmured, cupping his cheek, savoring the rasp of stubble against her palm.

  His steady gray gaze held hers, mesmerizing in the soft light, enticing her to do all sorts of crazy things like lose herself in the moment.

  However, the loud beep of the microwave signaling Adam was warming a cup of milk before bed intruded and she dropped her hand, unsure whether to be grateful for the reality check or not.

  “This is a great place to bring up kids,” he said, gesturing toward the backyard and she smiled, appreciating his efforts at restoring some sense of normality after their heated moment.

  “Yeah, we love it. The house may be small but the yard more than makes up for it.”

  She glanced around, thrilled he appreciated the garden as much as she did. A wide expanse of lawn punctuated with cricket stumps and a soccer net was bordered by native trees and wildflowers. Throw in the huge trampoline in the far right corner, a tree house to the left and a small veggie patch she’d done from scratch with Adam and it was the perfect outdoor area.

  She’d spent countless hours with Adam out here, weeding in the sunshine while he foraged for bugs, and pruning while he invented elaborate make-believe games in his tree house. The place held nothing but good memories and maybe she’d added to them tonight.

  “What are you thinking?”

  She turned back to him, wondering if he could still read her moods. He’d been a master at it years ago, more in tune with her than her own father.

  “Just remembering all the good times we’ve had here.”

  He stiffened and she knew she’d said the wrong thing the second the words left her mouth.

  Damn it, she’d felt so comfortable being with him, had slipped into their old camaraderie so easily she’d let her guard down and said the first thing that popped into her head. The first thing guaranteed to make him feel bad considering he’d missed out on so much of Adam’s childhood.

  “Flynn, I—”

  “Don’t worry about it. I’m glad Adam’s got such a great mom.” He glanced at his watch. “And speaking of Adam, guess I better say goodnight and hit the road.”

  Silently cursing for inadvertently ruining their evening, she nodded. “Sure, go ahead. Tell Adam I’ll be in shortly.”

  “No worries. Thanks for a great evening.”

  They stood at the same time, gauche and stiff when they’d been close and comfortable a few moments earlier.

  She couldn’t let him leave this way.

  Not when they’d been re-establishing a bond that had been incredible as teenagers and had the potential to develop into much more now.

  He took a step toward the house and she laid a hand on his arm, unprepared for the swift rush of longing coursing through her.

  “Spending time with you like this means a lot to me. I hope you know that.”

  Compassion sparked his eyes for a moment before he dropped an all too brief peck on her lips.

  “Me too,” he said, his poker face inscrutable as he briefly cupped her cheek before disappearing into the house.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Lori pirouetted in front of the floor-length mirror for the fifth time, not quite believing she still fit into her one formal dress that had seen better days. Thankfully, the simple black sheath was a classic and wouldn’t be out of place at the premier.

  After a week of family dinners with Flynn, mainly at his place where he’d cooked for her and Adam, he’d asked her to the opening night of a well-known play.

  A real date.

  Not that either of them had specified it as such but he knew it as well as she did. Tonight, they wouldn’t have Adam acting as an unofficial buffer between them, being the focus of their attention.

  Tonight was all about them.

  Two adults dancing around each other and the promise of what once was?

  The doorbell rang and she cast a final glance in the mirror, poked her tongue out at her reflection and picked up her wrap. She’d been looking forward to this evening all week.

  It had been a long time since Lori the mom and Lori the schoolteacher had taken a back seat to Lori the woman with desires.

  She opened the door, a welcoming smile on her face.

  “Hi there...”

  The rest of her gre
eting died on her lips as she stared at Flynn and tried not to drool.

  Delectable.

  The black tux accentuated his height and broad shoulders while the white shirt set his tan off to perfection. The good-looking young guy he’d been was nothing compared to the devastatingly handsome man standing before her—and he was all hers, at least for tonight.

  He stepped into the doorway and dropped a light kiss on her cheek. “You look beautiful.”

  He picked up her hands and held her at arm’s length, his gaze roving from head to foot and lingering on several areas in between. “Stunning.”

  Heat sizzled her skin beneath his stare, setting her alight as she wondered for a brief moment what it would be like to have no responsibilities and lose herself in this madness.

  Not that she would trade her life with Adam for anything but with Flynn staring at her with obvious desire, she’d love nothing better than to throw caution aside, invite him in and ravish him on the spot.

  “We better go,” she murmured, eager to break his hypnotizing stare before she did something crazy, like drag him inside by the lapels of his jacket and slam the door shut on the world.

  His lips curved into a wicked grin as if he could read her mind. “If you insist.”

  “I do,” she nodded, her shaky voice less than convincing.

  His eyes darkened to pewter as she suddenly realized the implications of those two simple words. Though she’d had many offers to take her dates to the next level over the last few years, no man had inspired her enough to entertain the thought of entering a relationship with the possibility of leading to marriage.

  No, only one man had ever stirred her interest enough to contemplate being tied to one person for life—and he now stood before her.

  Did he feel what she was feeling? If so, he would’ve made some sign, some overture toward her since that kiss they’d shared last week. Instead, he’d behaved like the perfect gentleman, reinforcing how much he enjoyed her company as a friend, as the mother of his child.

  She might’ve settled in the past but not anymore. Though she valued the newfound tentative friendship they’d developed and admired his effort in getting acquainted with Adam, it was time to discover exactly where she stood in the grand scheme of things.

  She’d lived a staid life—and happily done so—raising her son to the best of her abilities. Having Flynn back in her life had never entered her thoughts of the future but now he was here...time to have a little fun.

  * * *

  Flynn struggled not to gape at Lori like the overwhelmed teenager he’d once been.

  As he held the car door open for her, he couldn’t tear his eyes away. He glimpsed a shimmer of silky stocking as she slid into the car, the side split of her dress providing him with a tantalizing view of long, lean leg and all he wanted to do was drag her back inside, peel those stockings off and caress the skin underneath.

  He dragged his gaze away with effort and reminded himself to take things slow as he walked around the back of the car. He couldn’t put his finger on it but there was something different about her tonight, as if she wanted to taunt him, to drive his libido skyrocketing. If so, she was doing a damn fine job of it.

  The simple black dress highlighted her curves—curves that would tempt a saint—while the dark curls cascading around her shoulders begged to be touched. However, it was more than her physical appearance. He’d seen it in her eyes, a glimpse of something akin to mischief bringing out the golden flecks in their hazel depths.

  Though his heart urged him to match her in whatever she had in mind tonight, his common sense warned against it. He had a long way to go to prove himself and he’d be damned if he jeopardized his long-term prospects with her now.

  “Is Jane minding Adam tonight?” He started the car and eased into traffic, eager to grasp at a safe topic to deflect his wayward thoughts when it came to the beautiful woman at his side.

  “Yeah. He’s staying the night.”

  Her long, loaded glance at the first traffic light had him wishing he could too, with her.

  “Must be nice to have some time out.”

  She chuckled, her low, husky laugh making him clench the steering wheel hard so he wouldn’t reach out and haul her over the gearshift and into his lap.

  “A rare treat, believe me.”

  “Being a full time mom must be hard work,” he said, trying to focus on any other topic but the thought of her alone tonight and how much he’d like to remedy that fact.

  “It is, but I love it. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

  Flynn couldn’t hear any censure or judgment in her voice but plagued by insecurities of a newfound dad he wondered if she meant there was no room in their lives for a guy like him.

  “Has Adam enjoyed spending time with me?”

  “Yeah.” She paused, gnawed at her glossed bottom lip. “And he’s not the only one.”

  So much for the theory she didn’t want him around.

  Thankfully the theatre was five minutes from her house because the longer they were cocooned in the intimacy of his car, the harder it was not to turn the damn car around and head back to her place.

  “Careful. Compliments like that might go straight to my head.”

  “I’m counting on it,” she said, turning to face him as he parked the car in front of the theatre, a coy smile curving her lips as his heart thundered in his chest.

  Taking things slow sucked when all he could think about was making this incredible woman his now and forever.

  “You’re in a playful mood tonight.”

  Leaning forward, she placed a hand on his arm in a possessive gesture that thrilled him. “Don’t you remember how much fun it is to play?”

  Struggling to keep his libido under control, he closed the short distance between them to slant a slow, lingering kiss across her tempting lips.

  “I remember,” he said, instant erotic images of their one and only sexual encounter flashing through his head.

  It had been an eon ago and it had blown his mind. What would it be like now to make love to the woman who had once captured his heart?

  “Guess we should go in?”

  “Yeah,” he said, taking great delight in her flushed cheeks and sparkling eyes as he escorted her from the car and into the theatre.

  However, several minutes after they entered the foyer he wasn’t feeling as cocky. Three guys besieged her. They seemed friendly enough, though as Lori introduced them and he smiled politely and shook hands, what he really felt like doing was choking each and every one of them for the way they looked at her.

  “Lori, we should go in now.” He held her lightly beneath the elbow, intending to steer her toward the theatre and away from her band of merry men.

  “Bye, guys.” She waved at her admirers while he silently wished he’d never left town all those years ago.

  “What’d you think of the guys?” she asked, looking up at him from beneath her lashes.

  “They seemed nice enough,” he managed to say, while he kept her moving with an insistent pressure under her elbow. “Why aren’t you with any of them?”

  Her glossy lips curled upwards, her smug smile sending his heart hammering. “Because I’m here with you.”

  “That’s not what I meant and you know it,” he grumbled, a surge of pride she’d chosen to be his date tonight making him walk that little bit taller.

  “They’re friends from school committee.” She laid a hand on his sleeve, her light touch resurrecting memories of last week under the high school gum tree when those same delicate hands had molded to his chest with burning curiosity. “Let’s leave our regrets in the past tonight, okay?”

  “Fine, though are you ready to face the future?”

  With me? Hovered in the air, unsaid, as he willed her to want this as much as he did.

  “Ready, willing, and able,” she said, leaning toward him, her familiar vanilla scent drifting around them in a sensuous cloud.

  She wanted him to kiss
her.

  He could read the signs a mile off and just when his befuddled brain overrode his common sense and he was about to do just that a hand slapped him on the back.

  “Hey, Flynn. Didn’t know you liked a bit of culture.”

  Amazed at how close he’d come to kissing Lori yet again, he glared at Michael, torn between wanting to thank his accountant for interrupting and telling him to shove off and leave them the hell alone.

  “And you look lovely tonight, Lori.”

  “Thanks, Michael. How are you?” Lori stepped back and Flynn missed her closeness. Man, he was definitely losing it.

  “I’m fine, now such a big client has come to town.” Flynn stiffened as Michael sent him a conspiratorial wink Lori didn’t see. “The army, you know.” He clarified and Flynn relaxed slightly.

  “I’m sure Lori isn’t interested in hearing our business,” Flynn said, eager to escape before Michael put his big foot in it. He’d warned him about keeping his secret and Lori was no fool. If Michael accidentally slipped up, she would pick up on it in an instant.

  “Actually, I’d love to hear about it some time. Flynn doesn’t talk about the training center much.”

  Michael waved away her concern. “Not to worry. You know what these soldiers are like: big, strong, silent types who blow into town, create havoc and then go AWOL.”

  Flynn forced a laugh at Michael’s description. However, as he glanced at Lori, she wasn’t laughing. In fact, she’d paled.

  “See you tomorrow.” He glared at the accountant, who got the message this time.

  “Sure. Have fun, you two.” Michael walked away, as Flynn took hold of Lori’s upper arms and turned her to face him.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing,” she mumbled and avoided his eyes, her gaze fixed on the chandelier behind his head.

  He placed a finger under her chin and tilted her head up. “The truth this time.”

  She shook her head, breaking their tenuous contact. “Michael’s right. You’re here but for how long? You haven’t given me any indication you’re planning on sticking around.” Her voice dropped to a murmur. “For Adam’s sake, I need to know.”