Just One Kiss by Carla Cassidy

sigh of relief as she scooped up Nate in her arms, then deposited him on his bottom on the floor of the deck. She opened the box of pizza, tore off the crust from a piece and handed it to him.
    With Nate happily occupied, she sat down at the table next to Jack and opened his beer for him. “Bottle or glass?” she asked.
    He eyed her dryly. “Do you really think I’m a glass kind of guy?” She handed him the bottle.
    For the next few minutes they didn’t speak, but rather concerned themselves with devouring the pizza. The only sounds were the distant rhythmic splash of waves meeting shore and an occasional cry from a bird overhead.
    Jack felt himself relaxing inch by inch, gaining distance from the emotional past he’d momentarily fallen into.
    The pizza was warm, the beer cold and at the moment nothing on his body ached or hurt.
    â€œHave you lived here long?” Marissa asked as she finished her second piece of pizza, breaking the silence that had fallen between them.
    â€œMy parents bought the place when I was nine, and we spent every summer here. It always felt like home more than any other place we lived. I moved here permanently almost eight years ago.”
    â€œHave you always been a private investigator?” she asked.
    â€œNo. I was a cop for five years, then five years ago I quit the force and hung out my shingle as a private eye.”
    She eyed him curiously. “What made you decide to do that?”
    He frowned and stared out at the rolling waves in the distance. “I just felt like it.” His tone was more harsh than he’d intended. But he didn’t apologize. There were some things that, as far as he was concerned, were off-limits. And his past was one of them.
    â€œI guess I’d better get back to those reports,” she said as she stood. “I apologize for intruding on your privacy.”
    Jack frowned. Her apology made him feel small and fractious. “No, I apologize. I’m just not accustomed to sharing small talk with a woman. Sharing little pieces often leads to familiarity, and familiarity often leads to complications that don’t interest me.”
    Marissa stared at him for a long moment, then threw back her head and laughed. “I don’t believe it,” she exclaimed. “You’re actually afraid that somehow I’ll fall for you.” She laughed again, an incredulous edge to her laughter.
    â€œI don’t see what’s so damned funny,” Jack answered indignantly.
    She stepped close to him and placed a hand on his arm. “Trust me, Jack. You have nothing toworry about. You are nothing like the man I intend to fall in love with. At this point, I’m not even sure I like you very much.” Still laughing, she picked up Nathaniel and left the deck.
    Jack stared after her, wondering why it irritated him that a woman he hadn’t even known two days ago was so certain she could never, ever fall for him.

Chapter Four
    M arissa did her best to concentrate on typing the reports, but her gaze kept shifting from the reports to Jack, who sat on the sofa staring into space.
    Evening had fallen, and when he’d come in from the deck he’d turned on the interior lights to ward off the approaching darkness. Despite the illumination, the shadows of evening seemed to have taken up residence on Jack’s features.
    She wondered if he were in pain, and for the hundredth time guilt soared through her. She couldn’t believe how fast her son had managed to take out a grown man.
    The guilty party had cooperated by falling sound asleep in the middle of the living-room floor. As Nathaniel slept, he snored faintly, the sound indicating his sleep was peaceful and deep.
    It was hard for Marissa to believe how easily her son had taken to Jack. Nathaniel didn’t seem to be a bit bothered by Jack’s gruff voice or deep scowls.
    Marissa frowned and focused once again on the last report she was trying to