“If it’s about bringing back that horrible wife of yours, you bet your fanny it’s about you.”
Lane fought the urge to bang his head on the Porsche’s hood. “It really doesn’t matter—”
“I know she got rid of your baby.”
As those dark eyes stared up at him, he cursed again. “Miss Aurora. Don’t do this. Leave it. There are so many other things worth worrying about.”
All she did was cock that eyebrow.
Lane sank down on his haunches. God, he loved her face, every crease and crinkle, each curve and all the straightaways. And he loved how she was as lady-like as they came, but strong as a man.
She and Lizzie were so alike.
“There are some things that aren’t worth knowing, ma’am.”
“And others you shouldn’t keep to yourself.”
For some reason, he found himself dropping his eyes, as if he had done something he should be ashamed of. “She’s pregnant, Miss Aurora. It’s not mine.”
“Whose is it,” she demanded.
The rest of the story was communicated silently—and the funny thing was, she didn’t seem totally shocked.
“Are you sure?” she asked in a low tone.
“That’s what she said. And when I confronted him? It was in his face.”
Miss Aurora stared straight ahead, her brow furrowed so low, he could no longer see her eyes. “God will punish him.”
“I wouldn’t hold your breath for that.” He rose up and offered her his hand. “It’s getting hot out here. Come on.”
Miss Aurora looked back into his eyes. “I love you.”
It was her way of apologizing for what she knew they had all been through with their father. Not just this Chantal ugliness, but those decades of what had gone before, back when they were children.
“You know,” he said, “I’ve never thanked you. For all those years of being there, I never … you held us together, me especially. You were always there for me. You are always there for me.”
“God gave me that sacred job when he crossed my life with y’all’s.”
“I love you, Momma,” he choked out. “Forever.”
FORTY-ONE
The sound of the chainsaw in Lizzie’s hands was so loud, she didn’t hear the car approach. And it wasn’t until she let up on the gas and the thing’s engine fell to a mutter that a very sexy male voice announced she was no longer alone:
“You are the hottest woman I have ever seen.”
Twisting around and looking down, she found Lane leaning back against his Porsche, arms crossed, feet planted, expression intense.
From her vantage point on the mangled roof of her Yaris, she lifted the chainsaw over her head and pumped it a couple of times. “Hear me roar.”
“Hear me beg.”
She had to laugh as she jumped off to the ground. “I’ve made some good progress, don’t you think—”
Lane cut her off by putting his mouth on hers, the kiss getting so hot, so fast, that he ended up bending her nearly backward. When he finally let up a little, they were both panting.
“So … hi,” he said.
“Did you, by any chance, miss me?”
“Every second.” He straightened them up. “God, I love y—I love the way you handle that chainsaw.”
It was impossible not to catch his slip—and she had to stumble in her own mind as an instinct to float out an ILY struck her as well.
Lane covered up the awkwardness with aplomb, however. “So I really did bring dinner. Takeout from the club. I got you that salad you hopefully still like, and a crap load of tenderloin—you know, just in case we need it to recover.”
“From what,” she drawled as she put her chainsaw down.
“Oh, you know what.” Except then he frowned. “Unless you’re … you know, sore from last night.”
Lizzie shook her head. “No.”
“Pity.”
“Excuse me?”
Coming in close, his mouth lingered on hers and he licked at her lips. “I was thinking I could kiss it and make it better.”
“You can do that anyway.”
As he pivoted her around and eased her against his car, she felt her heart start to soar—and figured, what the hell, she might as well let herself go. A tree had killed her car, her front yard was a mess, and there was a small forest of limbs down all over her property … but Lane was here, and he’d remembered she liked that Cobb salad, and damn it, he was the best kisser on the planet.
Tomorrow, she would put her game head back on. Tomorrow, she would remember to watch herself—
Lane eased back. “Tell me, how do you feel about sex in the open air?”
She nodded over at the three cows who were standing by her porch. “I think our audience is going to double when my farmer buddy discovers those nice ladies have gone exploring again.”
“Then we’re heading into the house right now before I go insane.”
“Far be it from me to stand between you and mental stability.”
He’d even brought an overnight bag, she thought as they carried everything in.
“So I have news,” he said as he closed her front door.
“What’s that?”