Soldier on Her Doorstep by Soraya Lane

elaborated.
    â€œShe’s not exactly a hard kid to be around.”
    Lisa knew that. When Lilly was happy and talking she’d draw anyone in with her smile and chatter. These last few months it had been like having a nervous, tiny shadow of her daughter—a sliver of the fun little girl Lilly used to be. Her father had been away for a lot of her young life, but she had loved every minute with him when he’d been home, and had lived and breathed the excitement of having him return home one day for good once his term was over.
    Now this stranger, this soldier, had turned up, and it was like Lilly’s inner dragon had started to breathe fire within her again. Lisa couldn’t thank him enough for that.
    She stood and watched as Alex made his way inside. He might not say a lot, but when he did his words counted.

CHAPTER SEVEN
    â€œA LL I’m saying is that it’s hard to meet someone who’ll take on a woman and a child,” Marj said calmly.
    â€œGreat—thanks, Mom.” Lisa scowled at the phone. “So you’re likening me to used goods?” She scribbled down the final ingredient in a recipe and dropped her pen. Having her mother on speakerphone was not helping.
    â€œHoney, you know I don’t mean that,” Marj protested.
    Did she?
    â€œI’m just saying that he must be a good man.”
    â€œMom! For the last time, there is nothing— nothing —going on between me and Alex,” Lisa said through gritted teeth.
    â€œWell, what I’m saying is maybe you should give the guy a chance,” Marj said.
    Would it be so bad, moving on from William? Lisa heard a shuffle of feet and hit the hand control. She didn’t want anyone else hearing this conversation. And she didn’t want to discuss moving on. She still loved William. Period. What she felt for Alex was just attraction. A natural reaction for a lonely woman with a handsome man nearby.
    â€œHoney?”
    â€œMom, I appreciate the support—I do. But I just need a little more time.” She sighed.
    She could feel his presence. Sure enough, within a handful of seconds Alex appeared in the living room.
    â€œI’ve got to go. I’ll come by soon.” She hung up the phone. “Hi,” she greeted him a little nervously.
    He raised a hand in a casual wave. “Hey.”
    She tried not to let him see she was rattled.
    â€œI didn’t mean to interrupt you,” he said, when she didn’t say anything more.
    â€œDon’t be silly. It was just my mother. And I told you—the door is always open,” she said in a rush.
    He nodded. “She keeps a close eye on you, huh?”
    â€œMore like she’s nosy. Her and Anna,” she muttered. But she sensed he didn’t really want to talk about her family. Well, that was fine. Neither did she.
    â€œI’m about to head into town to run some errands,” she told him.
    Something crossed Alex’s face that she couldn’t put her finger on. Then his expression changed.
    She waited.
    â€œWould you…ah…like me to drive you?” he asked tentatively.
    Lisa smiled. She’d love the company. “Sure—that’d be great.” She watched as his face softened, like he hadn’t known how she was going to react to his offer. “Let me grab a few things and we’ll go.”
    â€œAm I okay like this?”
    He looked down at his attire. She followed his eyes. What about him wasn’t okay? Long legs clad in faded jeans. Tanned feet poking out below. Bronzed forearms hanging loosely from a fitted black T-shirt. Her gaze reached his handsome face and went down his gorgeous body again before she finally managed to wrench it away.
    It was just an attraction. A natural reaction to a good-looking, fit, healthy male. It would pass , she told herself fervently.
    â€œYou look good. Add a pair of shoes and you’ll be good to go,” she said.
    He wriggled his toes. She