Max said, “If you come up for air later, I’ll make you a banana split.”
“That’s tempting.”
“I try.”
Adam wanted to trace his finger down the soft golden cheek and then over the beguiling curves of her mouth.
For her part, Max’s attraction to him was growing as well. “If I don’t see you anymore today, what do you want for breakfast in the morning?” she asked.
“Eggs, bacon, toast.”
“All yours.”
Adam wished she were. The look in her eyes and the tone of her voice made him take a deep mental breath to calm himself. Blame it on his celibacy, blame it on her, blame it on whatever, but he was hard as a rock. “How’s your back?”
“Much better.”
“Where are you sleeping tonight?”
“In the bed I had delivered this afternoon.”
Adam was disappointed, and as if she’d read his mind, she gave him a siren smile. “See you later, Doc.”
With that, she moved to the stairs and headed down to the beach.
Wanting her and not afraid to admit it to himself, Adam watched her for a few moments as she made her descent, then went back inside.
On the way to the basement he saw an angry-looking Kaitlin come in the front door.
She asked, “Where’s Benny?”
“Down on the beach with Max and the dogs.”
“Did he forget I was waiting in the car?”
Adam shrugged. “No idea. Maybe you should ask him.”
“Maybe I will.” And she stomped away.
Adam shook his head. He wondered what her daddy was going to say when he found out Kaitlin was chasing after Benny instead of him. Up to her weave, indeed. Smiling to himself, he moved on.
Max watched the dogs jumping and twisting in the air to retrieve the Frisbees. They were having a good time chasing the ones Benny sailed out over the water and the ones he zoomed down the beach. Max was glad he was here. No way would her back have held up under the stress of the game, and the dogs needed to play.
Benny spun a high one to Ruby who jumped in the air and whirled like a gymnast to catch it.
Max clapped.
Benny grinned and called out, “Good girl, Rube.” Then he shouted, “Here’s one for you, Os!”
Ossie ran under it, then propelled his powerful body up into the air and snatched it down.
The four of them were having such a good time, no one noticed Kaitlin’s presence until she gritted out, “Benny? Weren’t we supposed to be going to dinner?”
He looked her way. “Hey. Yep. Soon as I get done here. Max hurt her back and the dogs need their exercise.”
Kaitlin turned a glare at Max, who shrugged in silent response.
Kaitlin asked, “How much longer are you going to be?”
“Ten, fifteen minutes. If you have something else to do, I understand.”
“I don’t,” and she said it so quickly, Max had to turn away to keep Kaitlin from seeing her smile.
Kaitlin folded her arms impatiently while Benny and the dogs took off for a run.
“They’ll be back in a minute,” Max assured her.
“Whatever.”
Max turned. “What is wrong with you? Your weave too tight, what?”
“This isn’t a weave.”
“Whatever,” Max echoed.
“I see why he divorced you.”
“Little girl, you couldn’t see a Bradley tank on a sunny day.” Chuckling sarcastically, Max started toward the steps, then tossed back over her shoulder, “Have a good time with Benny. And watch out for those tanks.”
Back inside the house, Max cleaned up the kitchen. She loaded the dishwasher and put the leftovers in the fridge. Kaitlin was a silly fool, and if the young woman had a better attitude, she might have warned her about Benny, but since Kaitlin apparently knew all, she wasn’t telling her a damn thing.
Once the dishwasher was running and everything was back in its place, Max went out to see if Benny and the dogs were back. They were. Max collected the dogs, gave Benny a hug of thanks, then he and the disgruntled Kaitlin went on their way.
Seven
After Benny’s black Explorer drove off, Max let the dogs out the front door and left them to
“That’s tempting.”
“I try.”
Adam wanted to trace his finger down the soft golden cheek and then over the beguiling curves of her mouth.
For her part, Max’s attraction to him was growing as well. “If I don’t see you anymore today, what do you want for breakfast in the morning?” she asked.
“Eggs, bacon, toast.”
“All yours.”
Adam wished she were. The look in her eyes and the tone of her voice made him take a deep mental breath to calm himself. Blame it on his celibacy, blame it on her, blame it on whatever, but he was hard as a rock. “How’s your back?”
“Much better.”
“Where are you sleeping tonight?”
“In the bed I had delivered this afternoon.”
Adam was disappointed, and as if she’d read his mind, she gave him a siren smile. “See you later, Doc.”
With that, she moved to the stairs and headed down to the beach.
Wanting her and not afraid to admit it to himself, Adam watched her for a few moments as she made her descent, then went back inside.
On the way to the basement he saw an angry-looking Kaitlin come in the front door.
She asked, “Where’s Benny?”
“Down on the beach with Max and the dogs.”
“Did he forget I was waiting in the car?”
Adam shrugged. “No idea. Maybe you should ask him.”
“Maybe I will.” And she stomped away.
Adam shook his head. He wondered what her daddy was going to say when he found out Kaitlin was chasing after Benny instead of him. Up to her weave, indeed. Smiling to himself, he moved on.
Max watched the dogs jumping and twisting in the air to retrieve the Frisbees. They were having a good time chasing the ones Benny sailed out over the water and the ones he zoomed down the beach. Max was glad he was here. No way would her back have held up under the stress of the game, and the dogs needed to play.
Benny spun a high one to Ruby who jumped in the air and whirled like a gymnast to catch it.
Max clapped.
Benny grinned and called out, “Good girl, Rube.” Then he shouted, “Here’s one for you, Os!”
Ossie ran under it, then propelled his powerful body up into the air and snatched it down.
The four of them were having such a good time, no one noticed Kaitlin’s presence until she gritted out, “Benny? Weren’t we supposed to be going to dinner?”
He looked her way. “Hey. Yep. Soon as I get done here. Max hurt her back and the dogs need their exercise.”
Kaitlin turned a glare at Max, who shrugged in silent response.
Kaitlin asked, “How much longer are you going to be?”
“Ten, fifteen minutes. If you have something else to do, I understand.”
“I don’t,” and she said it so quickly, Max had to turn away to keep Kaitlin from seeing her smile.
Kaitlin folded her arms impatiently while Benny and the dogs took off for a run.
“They’ll be back in a minute,” Max assured her.
“Whatever.”
Max turned. “What is wrong with you? Your weave too tight, what?”
“This isn’t a weave.”
“Whatever,” Max echoed.
“I see why he divorced you.”
“Little girl, you couldn’t see a Bradley tank on a sunny day.” Chuckling sarcastically, Max started toward the steps, then tossed back over her shoulder, “Have a good time with Benny. And watch out for those tanks.”
Back inside the house, Max cleaned up the kitchen. She loaded the dishwasher and put the leftovers in the fridge. Kaitlin was a silly fool, and if the young woman had a better attitude, she might have warned her about Benny, but since Kaitlin apparently knew all, she wasn’t telling her a damn thing.
Once the dishwasher was running and everything was back in its place, Max went out to see if Benny and the dogs were back. They were. Max collected the dogs, gave Benny a hug of thanks, then he and the disgruntled Kaitlin went on their way.
Seven
After Benny’s black Explorer drove off, Max let the dogs out the front door and left them to
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