Toys and Baby Wishes by Karen Rose Smith Page A

understand my life.  I have commitments and
I take them all seriously."
    "So do I."  After an uncomfortable pause, he
asked, "Is your career all-important to you?"
    It would be so easy to use that as an excuse, but it
wouldn't be honest.  "I enjoy my work.  But my volunteer work is
important, too."
    "Has that been a problem before?"
    Her volunteer work wasn't the only issue that had been a
problem.  But if Josh couldn't even accept the community activities... 
"Yes, it has.  I've found men consider my meetings unimportant.  And they
are important, Josh, because they make a difference in people's lives."
    Josh pushed a few of Lexa's curls away form her brow.  So
much passion.  So much caring.  Why?  Yes, she was a busy woman and he'd sworn
never again to get involved with someone like that.  But she seemed to know how
to play and have fun, too.  She wasn't all work.
    He wanted to get to know Lexa, to explore the vibrations
humming every time they talked, every time they touched.  "I know what you
do is important.  Look at the difference the senior center has made in Clare's
life.  Did you see her dancing with Jim in there?  I haven't seen her this
happy in years."
    "You do understand."
    He caressed her cheek.  "I do.  So what do you say? 
Want to spend some time together?"  He could feel her hesitancy as much as
the frosty breeze that suddenly blew against his back.  And he knew he couldn't
stampede her.  "What are your plans next weekend?"
    "I'm going to Penn State to see Dani."
    "When will you be back?"
    "Sunday afternoon."
    If he put the power in her hands, maybe she'd understand he
didn't want to box her in.  "Call me when you get back.  Maybe we can go
to dinner or something."
    She still hesitated.
    He tipped her chin up with his knuckle.  "I want to see
you again."
    He leaned forward.  Her stunning brown eyes were wide with
indecision.  Her mouth was slightly parted.  Her soft hair curled enticingly
around her pretty face.  Desire, strong and potent, surged through him.  But he
sensed if he pushed, Lexa would be gone.
    Instead of bending his head and exploring her lips, he
dropped a light kiss on her forehead and backed away.
    She looked confused.  "Josh, if I don't call Sunday,
it's not because I don't like you."
    His brows hiked up.  "It's because..."
    "My life's complicated right now."
    At this moment, he wanted to be one of the complications. 
He'd give her the space she needed...for a while.  But if she didn't call
Sunday, he'd try again.
    ***
    Lexa plopped her overnight case in her bedroom and stared at
the phone by her bed.  Should she call Josh?  Dare she?  Could he possibly want
to get involved with a woman who was going to adopt a baby?  A woman who
couldn't have more children?  Didn't she deserve a chance to find out?
    She looked up his number in the phone book and dialed.
    Josh picked it up immediately.  "Hello?"
    "It's Lexa.  I'm back."  She wished she could see
his face.  Maybe there was nothing special between them.  Maybe he was like
Richard...  "Uh, do you still want to get together?"
    "Get together.  That has a world of
possibilities," he teased.
    Her stomach fluttered.
    "Lexa?  Of course, I want to get together.  Do you have
a back yard?"
    "What?"
    "A back yard.  Do you have one?"
    "Yes.  But why?"
    "Is it big?"
    "It's long and narrow."
    "Great.  I have a toy to try out.  I'll be right
over."
    "Do you know where I live?"
    "I checked Google's yellow pages.  I don't need
directions.  I'll be there in fifteen minutes."
    After Lexa said good-bye, she felt as if she had been caught
in a revolving door.  He had so much energy, seemed to know exactly what he
wanted to do, where he wanted to go.  She remembered him saying, "When I
have five kids..."  Had she made a mistake calling him?
    When Lexa heard a car pull into the driveway to her town
house, she peeked out the window.  She saw Josh looking at something in his
trunk.  She pulled her suede