Chapter 9
Chapter
Nine
Lana sensed Sly checking her out as she led him upstairs. Her whole body hummed, but then, she’d been humming since he’d pulled her into his arms.
Oh, what a kiss. The man was an expert at it. He was also a skilled lover. But Lana wasn’t going to think about that. At the top of the stairs, they started down the hall.
“It’s bigger up here than it appears from outside,” he said.
“That’s one reason why I bought this place—there’s so much space. There are two bedrooms up here and a small sunroom at the end of the hall that I use as a home office.”
He nodded. “This must be your bedroom,” he said as they passed the door.
“Yes.” Amy and Sheila had commented that Sly always stayed the night at their places, never his. Was he imagining a night here with her? Her cheeks warmed, and she knew she was blushing. “This is the nursery.”
Sly stepped into the room, his eyes on the ocean-themed mural she’d sketched out on the wall. “You never said you were a talented artist.”
“I wouldn’t exactly call myself talented.”
“You are, and this is pretty cool.”
“Thanks.” Lana admired her work, proud of the friendly sea creatures that were still only half-painted. “It’s turning out really well. The other day I found some peel-off decals of whales and porpoises to put on the ceiling, over the crib.”
“Cool idea. Whoever ends up here will be one lucky kid.” The words were a balm to her heart. “I hope so. I really want a child.” Feeling suddenly vulnerable, she lowered her gaze to the carpet.
“What’s wrong?” When she didn’t reply, he tipped up her chin. “Lana?”
His eyes were filled with concern, and her anxieties poured out. “I wish I knew who Sophie was going to choose. I’ve been trying to get together with her again, but I haven’t had any luck. We did talk once, but she prefers to text. She says she still hasn’t decided between me and the Andersons.”
Lana was scared to death about that. “Say a little prayer that she chooses me.”
“Will do. Why don’t you invite her over to show her what you’re doing here? This nursery could tip the scales in your favor. Plus, she’d get a chance to check out the neighborhood and your house.”
“That’s not a bad idea.”
“I understand how important this is to you,” he went on. “Sophie said she wanted to see me again. If it helps, I’ll come over when she’s here.”
“You’d do that for me?” Lana wanted to melt.
He actually blushed. Her heart expanded. She liked him a lot. Too much. “I’m not sure about that, Sly.”
“What am I gonna do with you, Lana?”
He touched her cheek. Fighting the urge to sink against him again, she ducked out of his reach. “We can’t do this,” she said.
“What’s between you and me has nothing to do with my lawsuit.”
“We both know it does. But it’s more than that. We don’t want the same things.” Except physically. Lana had never ached for a man the way she did for Sly.
As if he’d read her mind, he laughed softly. “Say what you will. You can’t fight chemistry like ours. I’ll give you my number. You call if you want me to be here when Sophie comes.”
That sounded safe enough. “Okay.”
They headed downstairs. Sly shared his number on her phone. Then he grabbed his jacket and shrugged into it, his shoulders impossibly broad. “I’ll let myself out.”
Before she had a chance to reply, he was gone.
Mondays were always hectic at the daycare, but today had been crazy busy.
Lana had scheduled meetings with four different sets of parents and their kids, all of whom were interested in the daycare.
If that wasn’t enough, Brittany, the full-time employee, had called in sick, leaving Lana and Jasmine, her part-time assistant, to deal with the usual Monday chaos.
Naturally, this was the day the guinea pig escaped. Jayden, a rambunctious four-year-old, had been so intent on catching the frightened animal that he’d wet his pants. And he didn’t have a change of clothes. Then Valerie, almost four, had vomited all over herself, which had upset all the kids.
Lana couldn’t ever remember being this tired.
All she wanted was to go home, put up her feet and relax.
Unfortunately, she’d worked on the nursery over the weekend instead of picking up groceries.
It was either live on fast food, which wasn’t a bad idea once or twice but not for the entire week, buy groceries, or starve.
That was how she ended up pushing a cart through Sterling Foods during the dinner hour.
To her surprise, for once the busy grocery store was quiet. With any luck, she’d zip in and zip out and be home in no time. Eager to get the job done, she wheeled her cart toward the produce at warp speed.
Until she rounded the corner and spotted Sly. Abruptly she stopped. He was loading a huge sack of potatoes into his cart. A clean denim shirt hugged his broad shoulders, faded jeans showcased his long, powerful legs, and those cowboy boots... He looked good. Really good.
Two days ago, he’d kissed her senseless. The sight of him now brought it all back—the feel of his strong arms around her, his solid chest against her breasts, his warm, soft mouth on hers...
Her lips tingled and every nerve in her body began to hum. She was about to move away and find a different aisle when he spotted her. A slow smile spread across his face, and her heart tumbled over in her chest.
“Sly...hi.” Mustering a smile, she wheeled slowly toward him.
“I was just thinking about you,” he said.
He was? “I didn’t expect to find you here. I mean, it’s the dinner hour, and isn’t this a super busy time of year for ranchers?”
“You wouldn’t believe how busy. But my housekeeper’s husband sprained his back yesterday, and she’s taking a few days off to take care of him.
Monday happens to be her grocery day, and a man’s got to eat, so here I am.
” He spread his hands. “She made a list of what to buy—a long list. I didn’t have a chance to shop until now. ”
“I’m usually here on Saturdays,” Lana said. “But you know how I spent that.”
“I sure do.” He was close enough that she could see the silver flecks in his eyes aglow with heat.
Her whole body reacted, aching for what it wanted. She cleared her throat. “I was talking about the mural. I worked on it Saturday night and all day Sunday until I left for dinner at my parents’.”
“Did you finish it?”
“There are a few little touch-ups left, but it’s basically done.” She was pleased with the results. “I’m going to call Sophie tonight and invite her over.”
“Excellent plan. Call if you need me.”
Sly tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, as if it was the most natural thing in the world. As if they were together. The humming in Lana’s body increased.
She barely registered his words. She was too lost in his heated gaze, the familiar scent of his spicy aftershave, the warm caress of his fingers.
His eyelids dropped to half-mast, and she thought he was going to kiss her. Yes!
Her body screamed for her to step into his arms. But voices warned her that a mother and a young child were approaching.
Stepping away from Sly, she snatched a head of lettuce from a nearby display. “I’ll, uh, keep you posted,” she said, as she pivoted the cart around and hurried away.