Wild and Willing!

Wild and Willing! by Kim Lawrence Page B

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Authors: Kim Lawrence
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her feel slightly drowsy and the motion of the car made her eyelids feel heavy. ‘Your nephew, Jake, looks like you,’ she said brightly. Adam looked tired, she realised with a spasm of guilt. He had enough on his plate without nursemaiding her. The fact she was enjoying it made her guilt stronger.
    ‘You want to make small talk? Fine.’ He shrugged. ‘Jake looks like his father and people used to see the resemblance between us.’
    ‘I thought he’d be younger.’
    ‘He’s almost nineteen—off to university in the autumn. He spent last year back-packing across Europe.’
    ‘He seems very competent.’ Perhaps that too was genetic.
    ‘He’s apt to take too much responsibility on his shoulders.’ This observation brought a worried frown to Adam’s brow.
    ‘That’s only natural, given the circumstances.’
    Adam nodded. He didn’t seem to be aware of the fact that his fingers were running up and down her slim, uninjured calf in slow, circular motions. Anna wished she could be equally oblivious to the casual contact which was sending darts of sensation over her tingling leg.
    ‘He’s young. I don’t want him tied down with responsibility, and Kate is nearly as bad. The twins turn to her as a mother replacement.’ A glance from his heavy-lidded eyes made her revise her opinion—there was nothing unconscious about the light caress of his fingers.
    ‘No doubt Jessica will lift the load from her shoulders,’ Anna observed neutrally. ‘That was the plan, wasn’t it?’ She couldn’t prevent the edge of scepticism from creeping into her tone. She couldn’t put a face tothe name, but the cool, perfectly modulated but strangely featureless voice had remained clearly in her mind.
    ‘Jessica is trying very hard—and the twins can be very trying.’
    ‘They’re gorgeous,’ she said warmly, recalling their cherubic innocence.
    ‘They were like kids themselves starting all over again with the twins,’ Adam recalled. ‘Ben and Tessa.’
    The bleak expression that passed over his features made Anna’s tender heart tighten in her chest. ‘They have you.’
    Adam shot her a startled look. ‘I’m hardly parent material.’
    ‘I’ve already told you once, you have potential. Have you forgotten?’
    ‘I probably haven’t forgotten anything you’ve said to me.’
    She reacted to this unexpected admission with a rush of words. ‘No one’s born a parent; it’s something people learn as they go along. Mum and Dad had given up hope of ever having children when we came along and they coped with the three of us. You’re bound to make mistakes. I just don’t think you should be so hard on yourself,’ she finished lamely.
    What had he been trying to say? Why had he remembered everything she’d said? Could it be the impact she’d made on him wasn’t as superficial as she’d imagined? Get real, Anna, she told herself brutally. The only thing he wants from you is your body! Sometimes being brutal was the only thing that stopped her making a total fool of herself.
    ‘You’re the last person in the world I’d expect such a glowing character reference from,’ he said, looking at her with an odd expression.
    Her eyes slid away from the intent stare. She was very conscious that she’d sounded overly fervent. Sheshrugged. ‘Being a parent is a job for amateurs. Your problem is you’re too much of a perfectionist.’
    ‘Wouldn’t you be daunted by the prospect?’ His words brought her head up with a snap.
    ‘It’s not something I’ve given a lot of thought to,’ she admitted.
    ‘I don’t suppose you give anything much thought.’ The corners of his mouth turned down with disapproval. ‘Take that farrago this afternoon.’
    ‘I’ll have you know a great deal of thought went into that farrago,’ she retorted huffily. ‘Organised chaos requires very careful timing, and a bit of prayer doesn’t go amiss,’ she added with the faintest twinkle in her eyes. ‘I’m very pleased with the way

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