A Man Like Mike by Sami Lee Page B

of his tea, gave an expressive grimace, and put the cup back on the counter. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
    “Aren’t you afraid it might obligate you? That I might get used to your help and ask you to stay?”
    He scrutinised her face, his own expression unreadable. “Is that what you’re afraid of—getting used to having me around?”
    Her attempt to wrest the attack position from him so swiftly thwarted, Eve felt a moment of panic. Was it possible? Was she already beginning to lean on him?
    No. It wasn’t possible in so short a time, not when she had spent her whole life relying only on herself and, in moments of necessity, Jacinta. With her best friend gone now, there was only her, and now she had more to do than care for herself. She had to care for Bailey.
    It had been hard, harder than anything she had ever done, and the road ahead looked longer and more unpredictable than she cared to think about; but with Mike here, already things had changed. Already the knowledge that Bailey was with family when she went to work, instead of at a childcare centre, set her mind at ease. Knowing that Mike was here to take care of the home front had given her more comfort than she ever should have accepted.
    She said, as much to reassure herself as to answer Mike’s question, “I wouldn’t be that stupid.”
    His jaw set in a hard line. “I may not be my brother, Eve, but I can be relied on to help when help is needed.”
    She knew that was true, at least for now, but Mike’s track record didn’t exactly speak to his stability, and he’d given no assurances that he planned to give up his fancy-free lifestyle. She couldn’t afford to forget that, ultimately, she was in this thing with Bailey alone.
    To appease Mike, and because it was the truth and he deserved to have it acknowledged, Eve said, “I know. I haven’t thanked you for your…” she couldn’t say help “…being here the past few days. It has been a big … relief.”
    Slowly, a smile spread across his face. His eyes danced green in the dim light. “That must have nearly killed you.”
    Not nearly as much as that devastating smile of his. She found herself returning it. “You’ll never know how much.”
    He stood and rounded the counter. Eve tensed as he approached. He might have brushed against her if she hadn’t shrunk back against the counter. He gave no sign that he had noticed her reaction, moving past her to tip his barely tasted cup of tea down the sink.
    She forced lightness into her tone. “I thought you said you were willing to try anything once.”
    He turned and saw she had indicated his unwanted chamomile tea. “I said I’d try it, I never promised I’d like it.”
    Why did that comment make her anxious, nervous? Was it the comment or the deep timbre of his voice, the way he was looking at her with that soft smile in his eyes? Most likely, it was the fact that he had turned back toward her, was now standing mere inches away, all that exposed male flesh so close she could touch it … if she wanted to.
    Oh, she wanted to.
    But she wasn’t about to take up doing crazy things now. Mike was not something new she wanted to try. A woman who had never even played with matches didn’t suddenly take up pyrotechnics.
    For a moment, she thought he would take the decision out of her hands. He stepped forward, so close his pant leg brushed against the hem of her robe. The cotton material suddenly seemed a barrier much too thin to ward off Mike’s sizzling energy. Eve’s breath caught in her throat. Trapped between his imposing length and the kitchen counter, she didn’t dare move.
    He brought a hand up to touch her hair. He rubbed a wayward strand between this thumb and forefinger. “I like your hair down. You have the most amazing red hair I’ve ever seen.”
    Eve felt his words hit her like a belt of straight scotch, warming her from the inside out. Disorienting her and making her weak. Her voice sounded strangled when she demanded,