dry.
âOkay.â Her reply came out in a throaty voice heâd never heard before.
They set off toward his truck, and when Josh tugged free to climb up, Clay felt bereft without the boyâs small hand tucked in his. It was also time to remove his arm from Cateâs shoulder, Clay knew.
But for a man who valued his independence and had avoided commitments for his entire adult life, the oddest thing happened.
He didnât want to let her go.
Â
It was time for more aspirin.
With a slight moan, Cate swung her legs to the floor and peered at her bedside clock. Three in the morning. She had to be back at Clayâs in four and a half hours, and so far sheâd logged no more than two hours of sleep.
Shuffling toward the bathroom, cane in hand and aching all over after her kite-flying caper yesterday, she tried to attribute her sleeplessness to her physical discomfort.
But she knew that was only part of it.
The bulk of the blame rested on Clay.
As she rummaged bleary-eyed through the drawers in the bathroom vanity, she tried to analyze why a man she hadnât even known existed three weeks ago could wreak havoc on her sleep, filling her nights with restless dreams that left her feeling unsettled come morning.
Early on, sheâd attributed her reaction to chemistry. But that didnât quite ring true anymore. Not that the chemistry wasnât there, though. Despite the fact that Clay wasnât the type who usually attracted her, she couldnât dismiss that stomach flutter thing. It happened every time he was around. Nor could she ignore the way her nerve endings tingled whenever he came within three feet of her.
But it was more than chemistry.
For whatever reason, the rootless, commitment-averse engineer who had zero tolerance for religion and came from a dysfunctional family had touched her heart.
She supposed his innate kindness, demonstrated in simple gestures, played a role in her reaction. Like the rubber toys sheâd found propped on the edge of his bathtub. And the Disney night-light heâd installed in the roomâhis roomâwhere the childrenslept. And the way he listened to their prayers at night, despite his own feelings about religion. Emily had told her about that.
His unselfishness touched her, too. He slept on an uncomfortable couch. He brought unfinished work home instead of staying late at the office, toiling on it long after the children went to bed. He never failed to take them to church.
There was a lot to like about Clay.
And if things were differentâ¦
Shaking the aspirin into her palm with more force than necessary, Cate ruthlessly cut off that line of thought. Things werenât different. There was no way anything could ever develop between them, no matter the chemistry. For two very good reasons, she reminded herself, as she downed the aspirin in one gulp and headed back to bed.
First, a man like Clay could have his pick of women. He didnât need to settle for one who was disabled.
Second, even if by some remote chance he was attracted to her, heâd made it clear he had no interest in a serious, committed relationship.
And as far as she was concerned, that was the only kind worth having.
End of story.
Chapter Four
C ate heard Emily crying inside the apartment before she ever reached the landing, a close-to-hysterical wailing that knotted her stomach and set her adrenaline pumping.
Taking the last two steps as quickly as she could given her aches and pains from yesterdayâs fall, Cate crossed the landing, inserted her key in the lock and stepped inside.
Chaos greeted her.
The children were still in their pajamas. Emily was in Clayâs arms, quiveringâand clinging to his neck with such fierceness he could hardly move his head. Josh was huddled into a ball in the corner of the sofa, legs pulled up, tears flowing down his pale, frightened face as he watched the tableau a few steps away.
Clay didnât look much
âOkay.â Her reply came out in a throaty voice heâd never heard before.
They set off toward his truck, and when Josh tugged free to climb up, Clay felt bereft without the boyâs small hand tucked in his. It was also time to remove his arm from Cateâs shoulder, Clay knew.
But for a man who valued his independence and had avoided commitments for his entire adult life, the oddest thing happened.
He didnât want to let her go.
Â
It was time for more aspirin.
With a slight moan, Cate swung her legs to the floor and peered at her bedside clock. Three in the morning. She had to be back at Clayâs in four and a half hours, and so far sheâd logged no more than two hours of sleep.
Shuffling toward the bathroom, cane in hand and aching all over after her kite-flying caper yesterday, she tried to attribute her sleeplessness to her physical discomfort.
But she knew that was only part of it.
The bulk of the blame rested on Clay.
As she rummaged bleary-eyed through the drawers in the bathroom vanity, she tried to analyze why a man she hadnât even known existed three weeks ago could wreak havoc on her sleep, filling her nights with restless dreams that left her feeling unsettled come morning.
Early on, sheâd attributed her reaction to chemistry. But that didnât quite ring true anymore. Not that the chemistry wasnât there, though. Despite the fact that Clay wasnât the type who usually attracted her, she couldnât dismiss that stomach flutter thing. It happened every time he was around. Nor could she ignore the way her nerve endings tingled whenever he came within three feet of her.
But it was more than chemistry.
For whatever reason, the rootless, commitment-averse engineer who had zero tolerance for religion and came from a dysfunctional family had touched her heart.
She supposed his innate kindness, demonstrated in simple gestures, played a role in her reaction. Like the rubber toys sheâd found propped on the edge of his bathtub. And the Disney night-light heâd installed in the roomâhis roomâwhere the childrenslept. And the way he listened to their prayers at night, despite his own feelings about religion. Emily had told her about that.
His unselfishness touched her, too. He slept on an uncomfortable couch. He brought unfinished work home instead of staying late at the office, toiling on it long after the children went to bed. He never failed to take them to church.
There was a lot to like about Clay.
And if things were differentâ¦
Shaking the aspirin into her palm with more force than necessary, Cate ruthlessly cut off that line of thought. Things werenât different. There was no way anything could ever develop between them, no matter the chemistry. For two very good reasons, she reminded herself, as she downed the aspirin in one gulp and headed back to bed.
First, a man like Clay could have his pick of women. He didnât need to settle for one who was disabled.
Second, even if by some remote chance he was attracted to her, heâd made it clear he had no interest in a serious, committed relationship.
And as far as she was concerned, that was the only kind worth having.
End of story.
Chapter Four
C ate heard Emily crying inside the apartment before she ever reached the landing, a close-to-hysterical wailing that knotted her stomach and set her adrenaline pumping.
Taking the last two steps as quickly as she could given her aches and pains from yesterdayâs fall, Cate crossed the landing, inserted her key in the lock and stepped inside.
Chaos greeted her.
The children were still in their pajamas. Emily was in Clayâs arms, quiveringâand clinging to his neck with such fierceness he could hardly move his head. Josh was huddled into a ball in the corner of the sofa, legs pulled up, tears flowing down his pale, frightened face as he watched the tableau a few steps away.
Clay didnât look much
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