Suddenly Sexy by Linda Francis Lee

stopped, looked back
at her, and said, "Are you going to
stand there, or are you coming in?"

"Oh. Well, fine," she replied with a firm nod of her head as she
stepped inside.

But the minute she entered, she knew it was a mistake. She didn't
remember her guesthouse feeling so small. Jesse seemed to fill the
place, all heat and hard muscle, leaving no room for anything but his
presence. Three different types of putters were propped against an
overstuffed chair, while several white balls were scattered on the rug
around an empty, washed soup can that was tilted over on its side. More
than that, however, she couldn't help notice that her teapot and cups
were still sitting on the counter like an embarrassing rebuke.

Fortunately she caught sight of her hair in a decorative mirror,
distracting her. She grimaced at the sight. Her curls looked like a
full head of Medusa snakes.

His gaze, however, drifted lower, touching her everywhere, then he
whistled appreciatively. "Nice legs."

The ankle weights were working!

Though just as quickly she reminded herself that she didn't care. After
only a second more, she remembered why she was
there. "Travis."

That wiped the smile off his too-handsome face.

He turned away from her and went to the tiny refrigerator, pulled out a
beer, and popped the tab.
Just before he took a sip, he hesitated. "Do
you want one?" he asked.

"No, thank you."

"Are you sure? You could use a little loosening up."

"I am plenty loose," she stated stiffly.

Fresh amusement surfaced in his eyes, though fortunately he didn't
comment.

"I'm here about Travis. I think it's a great idea to enroll him in a
summer golf program."

The beer can stopped halfway to his mouth. She could see emotion
trailing across his face. Then it
was gone and he shrugged. "If you
want him to play golf—"

"He wants to play. It's a great solution to keep him busy while I'm at
work and you're doing ... whatever it is you do. That is, unless you
have a problem with golf."

That darkness flared, then he visibly tamped it down. "No problem. Like
I started to say, if he wants to play golf, it's fine with me."

"Earlier I made a call and found out that the country club is in
between sessions. But I've also learned
that there is an afternoon
program in Canutillo on the public course. A van picks kids up right
here at
the corner."

"Just tell me who to write a check out to, and I'll take care of it in
the morning."

"Oh." She had expected an argument. Clearly this man was more than
generous with his money. It was just his emotions he kept to himself.

After a startled second, she handed him the printout.

He glanced over it, and when he finished, she was still there. "Did you
want something else?" he asked.

"No. No. There's nothing else." She started to leave, should have left,
but stopped at the last minute. "Though there is the whole thing about
the grounding."

That broad smile of his reappeared, this time a little sheepish. "I
know. I didn't handle that so well."

"True. Maybe in the morning when you mention the golf, you could say
something about that, too."

He didn't respond.

"Travis needs more from you than money, Jesse. Paying for lessons is a
great gesture, but don't withhold everything else. I'm pretty sure he
wants to play golf to have something in common with you."

He studied her, then finished the beer in one last swallow, crumpled
the can in his fist, and tossed it into the trash. He turned to face
her and she didn't like his expression at all. His midnight eyes
narrowed and he took a step toward her.

"Wow," she said weakly, "two points."

When he didn't stop, she took a step back. "What are you doing, Jesse?"

"I wish to hell I knew."

He pulled his belt from his shorts with a single jerk, the leather
snapping in the hot summer night.

"Ah, I'd say you're ... undressing?"

"Good eye."

"Meaning?"

"You all but said that I withhold everything but money, and I don't
appreciate it."

"Now, Jesse, when I said that, I wasn't trying