Caught in the Current (Pacific Shores Book 2) by Lynnette Bonner Page A

toward Alyssa but was sitting very patiently and quietly as if she understood the whole scenario. “Do you trust me?”
    Alyssa shrugged.
    Marie bit back a grin even as she saw Reece do the same.
    “Well…” Reece slanted Marie a quick wink before focusing on Alyssa once more. “Do you think I would lie to you?”
    “Lying’s wrong.” Alyssa gave a definitive dip of her head, but she didn’t take her eyes off Tawny.
    Reece nodded. “Yes, it is. And I would never lie to you. Tawny might lick you, but she would never bite you.”
    “Lick me!?” Alyssa leaned back hesitantly. “Why would she lick me?”
    “Well. I guess it’s Tawny’s way of giving kisses. She only kisses people she likes. So what do you think? Do you want to pet her?”
    Alyssa still hesitated.
    Marie was just about to say they should move on and Alyssa could try again another time, but Reece spoke again before she could.
    “How about if you stand right here”—he gestured to the spot between his knees—“and I’ll help you pet her and keep her from licking you?”
    Without hesitation Alyssa slipped off his leg to stand where he’d indicated. But she scooted back as close to Reece’s chest as she could manage before nodding she was ready.
    Marie pressed her lips together and blinked back tears. Partly because of pride that Alyssa was willing to face her fears, but more because she’d never seen her daughter take to a man so quickly before, and it was simply devastating to know she’d ruined her daughter’s chances at ever having such a wonderful father a long time ago by her own stupid choices.
    Not because she didn’t want a guy like him in their lives, but because a guy like him deserved someone who’d served the Lord her whole life and done things right. Waited for marriage. Possessed a little more innocence than she did. Okay, a lot more.
    Tawny held her head perfectly still as Reece helped Alyssa reach her little hand out to pet the soft golden coat. At the first stroke of her palm against fur, Alyssa giggled.
    Reece leaned over her shoulder and peered at her. “See? Fun, huh? I’m proud of you for being so brave!”
    Marie swallowed and wished her estimation of the man wasn’t resprouting so quickly. She glanced around. Where was Dan, anyway? “I’ll just run these pickles into the kitchen. Alyssa, stay with Reece for a minute, okay?”
    A squeal of laughter was all the response Marie got from her daughter as Tawny swiped a tongue toward her face and Reece bumped the dog away with the command to stop. A grin firmly in place, Reece glanced up and gave Marie a nod to let her know they would be fine. He held her gaze for a beat, peering at her over Alyssa’s shoulder, his grin fading into something more intimate.
    Warmth cocooned her like one of the heated throws they’d had at the ski lodge her mother used to take her to.
    She pulled in a slow breath, and it took all her willpower to break eye contact. “I’ll just…” She lifted the bag and spun on one heel.
    As she beat a hasty retreat for the house, she swallowed and fisted one hand. No matter how badly she was tempted to go down that road again, she must resist. For his sake. Maybe he didn’t remember exactly what she’d been like? He certainly didn’t understand what a pariah she would make of him to the church people if he started dating her. And she certainly didn’t need all the drama which would go along with a good man like Reece showing an interest in her.
    Dan was different. He’d been a lot like her. Everyone seemed content to let them have each other. She just wished she felt more for him. But love was a choice, right? She could learn to love him. And he was really good with Alyssa too.
    At the thought of her daughter, Marie was reminded once again that come a week from tomorrow, she needed to have a new babysitter. Dread dropped into her stomach. What was she going to do about that? In the small town of Marinville, there weren’t a whole lot of