With a sigh, she opened the door.
“I saw the lights on back here and took a chance you were in the kitchen,” he said. “I didn’t want you to have to make your way through the whole house to the front.”
Drat him for being so thoughtful and kind sometimes. And for making Jeff’s pretentious attempts to look young and hip seem so ridiculous in contrast to Riley’s completely natural deliciousness.
She wished again that she were that sexy, wanton woman who could fling open the door and jump into his arms without any regard to the consequences. Not that she would do that. Despite their few heated kisses, Riley was only a friend, right?
Still, a girl appreciated choices.
“Come in,” she finally said and held the door open farther. After an awkward sort of pause, he walked past her into the kitchen, bringing the scents of the May evening, of sage and pine and loamy dirt.
He looked at the solitary slice of cake on the table. “I’m interrupting your dessert.”
“Right. Yes. My dessert. That’s exactly what it is.” She wasn’t about to admit the cake comprised the totality of her nutritional intake for the evening.
“I’m sorry. This won’t take long. I just came to apologize.”
She said nothing, not sure if she was ready to forgive that easily. He had made her feel small and pathetic and she wasn’t sure she could get past that to act as if nothing had happened.
“I’m an ass.”
Since his words still stung, she wasn’t about to disagree. “I can see where that might be a problem for you, generally speaking.”
He smiled a little, although his eyes were still dark with regret.
“I’m sorry, Claire. What I said before, completely uncalled for. I don’t see you that way.”
“You must or you wouldn’t have said it.”
“I think I’d like to see you that way,” he admitted. “It would be...safer to help me keep some distance.”
“Why?”
He didn’t answer her and electricity suddenly crackled in the air. She found her gaze on his mouth again and quickly jerked it away, but not before a couple of wild fantasies flashed into her head, the two of them tangled together, his mouth exploring her skin....
Right. No. They were friends. She wasn’t going to wade into those dangerous waters.
“It’s a pretty evening,” he said abruptly. “Feel like getting out? I thought we could take a walk, if you’re up to it.”
She should say no, return to her backup plan of cake and a shower. But the night was lovely and the idea of a solitary evening had lost most of its appeal. Riley’s presence seemed to have blown away her exhaustion like cottonwood puffs on the breeze.
“Sure. Okay. A walk would be nice,” she said quickly before she could let common sense change her mind.
“It’s cooling down now that the sun is setting. Do you want a jacket?”
“Probably.”
“I’ll get it for you. Just point me in the right direction.”
She had a half-dozen lovely sweaters she couldn’t wear over the cast without stretching out their left sleeves irreparably, so her buttery-soft apricot pashmina would have to do.
“I’ve been using a wrap. I think I left it hanging over the back of one of the chairs in the living room.”
He found it quickly and returned to the kitchen. “Now the wheelchair.”
“I can walk, if you have the patience to wait for me.”
“I don’t mind pushing. I was thinking we could walk over to Sweet Laurel Falls. That’s probably a bit too far for you to handle on your sticks here.”
She hated the wheelchair, but he was right. She could maybe make it to the end of the street and back, but that was probably her limit before she lost feeling in her arms.
“Okay,” she finally said with reluctance.
“What about Chester? Where’s the leash?”
At the magic word, Chester let out a single deep bark and his morose expression lifted a fraction of a degree. Riley grabbed down Chester’s retractable leash and hooked it onto his collar. The dog gave a snuffle of approval and did a little stubby-legged sidestep of excitement.
Next, Riley wheeled in the chair from the family room where she’d left it and carried it down the stairs. Claire followed him on the crutches, but after watching her unwieldy efforts, he shook his head, scooped her into his arms and let the crutches fall away with a clatter as he started down the steps.
“Riley,” she exclaimed, feeling heat soak her cheeks. “Completely not necessary. I can walk.”
“Humor me.” His arms tightened around her and she tried not to notice that sexy afternoon shadow on his features or the enticing scent of him, musky and male. She wished again that she could be light and foolish, could kiss him right here on her back porch.