CHAPTER ONE
BACK WHEN HE’D been twelve years old, Jesse Baker had lived the cushy life. He’d played most sports, even excelled at a few. His dad helped coach and always encouraged him. His mom coddled, set boundaries and loved unconditionally.
They were both watchful with high expectations. Always positive, supportive, attentive.
Never absent, never negligent.
He’d had his own room, a comfy bed, music and games, and he’d never had to ask for the necessities, like food or clothes or school supplies.
Now, at twenty-seven, his folks were still indulgent and very involved in his life, but not in any intrusive way. Occasional phone calls, visits, big holidays together... Never, not once, had he doubted their love.
It wasn’t that he’d taken them for granted, but he’d never before realized just how lucky he was to have them. Now, though, seeing the sullen boy sitting on the curb, it hit him in a big way.
Leaving his surprise on the passenger seat, Jesse got out of his truck and closed the door quietly, but still drew the boy’s attention. Through a mop of messy blond hair, Kevin squinted up at him. Jesse saw a few bruises, swollen eyes and a lot of attitude resting on rawboned shoulders a little too wide for his frame. He was tall for a twelve-year-old boy, his joints prominent, especially given his slight weight.
He had yet to fill out, but when he did, he’d be a good-looking kid. If he’d smile.
Jesse planned to work on that.
“Hey.” Walking closer, he wondered where Tonya might be. “Your aunt around?”
“Inside on the phone.” He watched Jesse with wary uncertainty, trying to shore up the boulder-sized chip on his shoulder while hovering on the brink of crumbling.
Heart hurting, Jesse stopped beside him. For more than a month he’d been chasing Tonya, determined to have her in his bed. Maybe more. But sex first.
Only Tonya had resisted for reasons he hadn’t understood—until it became painfully obvious. She liked him, of that Jesse had no doubt. She wanted him too, although she’d never admitted it.
But she had big responsibilities that made her reservations more than reasonable.
When Jesse didn’t walk on, Kevin scooted back and came to his feet. Though his jeans rode low on his hips, they were still too short, his shirt too worn.
Blue eyes expressed a world weariness that no kid should ever possess.
“How are you holding up?” Jesse finally asked.
Mouth firming, eyes narrowing, the kid hunched his shoulders, turned and shuffled off without answering.
Now what? Jesse wondered. How far would the boy go? He hadn’t meant to chase him off, but hell, he’d never dealt with a situation like this before.
Tonya saved him by opening the door and stepping out. “Kevin,” she said pleasantly, as if he hadn’t been leaving. “It’s time for lunch.”
Kevin stood there a minute, his lanky body stiff, his skinny shoulders rolled forward, until finally he turned back and headed across the lawn to the front door. He didn’t look at either of them, and he said nothing as he went in past Tonya.
Stepping out and letting the door close behind her, she waited until Jesse had reached her. Her forced smile of welcome didn’t quite reach her beautiful blue eyes.
Feeling beyond inadequate, Jesse asked quietly, “How are you doing?” He wanted to touch her, to tell her he intended to help, but damn, she didn’t look any more receptive than Kevin had.
Last week she’d learned that her sister had died in a DWI. High, out of control, an absentee mother. The police had found Kevin at home alone. Apparently not an unusual occurrence.
Now Tonya had custody, and a whole lot of emotional complications to sort out.
Did she expect Jesse to bail? Probably.
He had a pretty good clue that it was issues with her sister that had kept her closed off from him, the reason she’d built so many walls around her heart.
“I’m doing okay,” she said, clearly lying. “There’s an incredible amount of paperwork and reorganizing and...so many things I can’t even figure out yet, especially with school right around the corner. But we’re getting there, little by little.”
She looked overwhelmed, and no wonder. Jesse glanced back at the truck, saw all was quiet and decided to give it a few more minutes.
Leaning against the side of the house, he said, “Go over it with me. Maybe I can help.”
“Jesse,” she remonstrated. “You don’t need to do this.”
Since meeting her he’d become all too familiar with that apologetic yet dismissive tone. She liked him, enjoyed his company—unless he got too involved. Then she put on the emotional brakes and placed a whole lot of physical space between them.
Now that he knew why, he’d stop making it so easy on her. Whether she admitted it or not, she needed him, and that made a big difference.
Quirking one brow, he asked, “This?”
She avoided his gaze. “Hanging around.” Keeping her voice low, she explained, “It’s not you. You’re...terrific.”
Drily, he muttered, “Gee, thanks.”
She forged on. “But I know what you want and I can’t—”
“What?” He crossed his arms over his chest, more than a little curious. “What is it you think I want?”
Long blond hair cascaded down her back when she lifted her chin. Damn, she was a knockout, no two ways about it. Independent, smart, compassionate—and pretty clueless when it came to him.
It’d be his pleasure to straighten out her misconceptions.
She glanced inside to ensure Kevin wasn’t within hearing range, then met his stare. “Sex.”
No reason to deny it. “Sex would be great.”
Her lips softened, and her blue eyes went dark. “Jesse—”
“But if that’s all I wanted,” he told her gently, “I could get that without you.”
The sensual heat cleared away, replaced with an overdose of attitude. “Then maybe you should—”
Crowding into her personal space, Jesse kissed her. Soft, warm and so incredibly hot. Even though he kept it light, barely there, it affected him.
Because this was Tonya. Because he hadn’t yet had her.
Because he liked and admired her and, hell yes, he wanted her. Bad.
From the first moment he’d laid eyes on her, he’d been physically attracted. With every minute after that he’d grown to like her more.
He’d already realized that what they had between them was special. Now he just needed her to understand. But she’d had so much dumped on her that he had to put the revving engines on idle, go slower, ease her into things.
And even thinking that made him tense with lust.
“Fact is, I want you, Tonya, and that’s not the same thing as just wanting to get laid.”
Nervous fingers touched her mouth. It took her a second before she whispered, “All the reasons I couldn’t before—”
“Are more valid than ever, I know.” He smoothed back her silky-soft hair. “You were trying to help your sister?”