She darted a nervous glance past him to the living room beyond.
“Your aunt and Ashley are outside with Anna P.,” he said. “We’re all alone.”
Mimicking his pose, she crossed her arms over her chest and frowned at him, even as a flush crawled up her neck. Looking at all that embarrassed color only improved his mood. An hour before, he’d nearly dropped Anna P. when he’d walked into the kitchen and got his first glimpse of Ashley’s cousin, but the instant horror written all over “Lissie’s” face had eased his.
Her obvious discomfort told him his task was going to be easy. In order to do what he planned—what he owed Simon—and take care of Ashley and Anna P. for the rest of his life, he had to ensure that the events of the night before would stay out in the dark desert and never come back to haunt him.
But the woman across the room got in the first word.
“I think I should tell you…” she started, and the blush on her face deepened, turning her fair skin a clear pink. Even her full lips took on more color. “I want you to know…”
It was clear she wanted to leave last night behind, too, so there was no point in prolonging her misery or postponing his move. He stepped into the awkward silence she couldn’t seem to fill. “I’m not sure I caught your name when we were introduced before lunch. Felicity, is it? And I’m Michael Magee, though most people just call me Magee.”
She blinked. The eyes that had been dark pools the night before, he realized, were really a deep, bottomless blue. Thanks to a nothing nose, small chin, and short, feathery haircut, the big eyes and pouty mouth dominated her face.
“Magee?” she said, as if trying the word out.
He nodded. “Magee.”
Her gaze stayed trained on his. “And I’m—”
“Felicity,” he supplied. “It’s good to meet you.”
Then she nodded, too, and just like that, he thought with relief, they’d agreed to pretend the night before had never happened. It was the easiest way to play it.
“Well, then, it’s good to meet you, too.” She strode forward and held out her hand.
Without thinking, he shook it. Damn him.
Because for moments more than was necessary, her fingers clung to his. He gripped back, only able to hold on as an unexpected, electric jolt of lust buzzed through his body. Their eyes met, and Magee took a screamer of a fall into that bottomless blue.
“Magee? Felicity?” Ashley’s voice floated toward the kitchen.
He jerked his hand back, his elbow slamming into the kitchen wall. “Shit!” The shooting pain at least gave him something else to think about as Ashley entered the kitchen, a drowsy Anna P. half-asleep in her arms.
For her part, Felicity had retreated to the sink and shoved her hand into the sudsy water as if trying to wash away his touch. “Did you need something, Ash?”
“I was hoping you two were getting to know each other better,” she said, smoothing her hand down the little girl’s back.
“We were just getting to that getting-to-know-each-other part, weren’t we, Magee?” Her expression unreadable, Felicity turned toward him. “I understand you were a friend of Simon’s. Are you a climber, too?”
“I was.” At the thought, an ache in his ankles joined the throb at his elbow, but he managed to match her polite tone. “Simon and I were climbing partners the last several years.”
“Ah.” Knowledge sparked in her eyes and her voice slowed with speculation. “I had a long dinner with Simon once. I think he told me about you.”
Magee stifled a groan. Simon had been famous for telling the best stories about other people at their worst. “But now you,” he interjected hastily. “What is it you do? Something in television, right?”
“GetTV. I host a couple of their bestselling shows. You’ve probably heard of my All That’s Cool Afternoons?” When he didn’t respond, her eyes widened. “ Girl Stuff Saturday Mornings?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know GetTV.”
He
“Your aunt and Ashley are outside with Anna P.,” he said. “We’re all alone.”
Mimicking his pose, she crossed her arms over her chest and frowned at him, even as a flush crawled up her neck. Looking at all that embarrassed color only improved his mood. An hour before, he’d nearly dropped Anna P. when he’d walked into the kitchen and got his first glimpse of Ashley’s cousin, but the instant horror written all over “Lissie’s” face had eased his.
Her obvious discomfort told him his task was going to be easy. In order to do what he planned—what he owed Simon—and take care of Ashley and Anna P. for the rest of his life, he had to ensure that the events of the night before would stay out in the dark desert and never come back to haunt him.
But the woman across the room got in the first word.
“I think I should tell you…” she started, and the blush on her face deepened, turning her fair skin a clear pink. Even her full lips took on more color. “I want you to know…”
It was clear she wanted to leave last night behind, too, so there was no point in prolonging her misery or postponing his move. He stepped into the awkward silence she couldn’t seem to fill. “I’m not sure I caught your name when we were introduced before lunch. Felicity, is it? And I’m Michael Magee, though most people just call me Magee.”
She blinked. The eyes that had been dark pools the night before, he realized, were really a deep, bottomless blue. Thanks to a nothing nose, small chin, and short, feathery haircut, the big eyes and pouty mouth dominated her face.
“Magee?” she said, as if trying the word out.
He nodded. “Magee.”
Her gaze stayed trained on his. “And I’m—”
“Felicity,” he supplied. “It’s good to meet you.”
Then she nodded, too, and just like that, he thought with relief, they’d agreed to pretend the night before had never happened. It was the easiest way to play it.
“Well, then, it’s good to meet you, too.” She strode forward and held out her hand.
Without thinking, he shook it. Damn him.
Because for moments more than was necessary, her fingers clung to his. He gripped back, only able to hold on as an unexpected, electric jolt of lust buzzed through his body. Their eyes met, and Magee took a screamer of a fall into that bottomless blue.
“Magee? Felicity?” Ashley’s voice floated toward the kitchen.
He jerked his hand back, his elbow slamming into the kitchen wall. “Shit!” The shooting pain at least gave him something else to think about as Ashley entered the kitchen, a drowsy Anna P. half-asleep in her arms.
For her part, Felicity had retreated to the sink and shoved her hand into the sudsy water as if trying to wash away his touch. “Did you need something, Ash?”
“I was hoping you two were getting to know each other better,” she said, smoothing her hand down the little girl’s back.
“We were just getting to that getting-to-know-each-other part, weren’t we, Magee?” Her expression unreadable, Felicity turned toward him. “I understand you were a friend of Simon’s. Are you a climber, too?”
“I was.” At the thought, an ache in his ankles joined the throb at his elbow, but he managed to match her polite tone. “Simon and I were climbing partners the last several years.”
“Ah.” Knowledge sparked in her eyes and her voice slowed with speculation. “I had a long dinner with Simon once. I think he told me about you.”
Magee stifled a groan. Simon had been famous for telling the best stories about other people at their worst. “But now you,” he interjected hastily. “What is it you do? Something in television, right?”
“GetTV. I host a couple of their bestselling shows. You’ve probably heard of my All That’s Cool Afternoons?” When he didn’t respond, her eyes widened. “ Girl Stuff Saturday Mornings?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know GetTV.”
He
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