Chapter 11
The lawn mower in the Young’s garage started as Amy finished the dinner dishes. Curious, she watched out the window, hoping to catch a glimpse of Ben. Tonight, he mowed Debbie’s lawn first.
Baffled, she made a mental note to make a payment on her car repair as soon as she got paid. A repair she hadn’t received a bill for. She needed to talk to Ben about that.
Amy bathed Kallie earlier than usual, and when Ben mowed his parent’s yard, she took Kallie out to the back patio, hoping her actions didn’t look calculated. They watched Ben, enjoying the scent of fresh-cut grass.
Each time he drove the lawn mower in their direction, Kallie bounced up and down, excitedly waving at him. And each time, Amy hung onto Kallie to keep her from falling off the swing.
Ben smiled and returned the wave, again and again.
By the time he finished mowing, the sun was setting. It was past Kallie’s bedtime, but Amy lingered, enjoying what promised to be a beautiful sunset. She’d drop by the garage tomorrow to discuss her repair bill with Ben.
A few minutes later, she looked up in surprise as he stepped out of the house.
“Mind if I join you?” he asked, settling into a nearby wicker chair.
Amy’s pulse kicked up a notch. Glad he’d chosen to sit in the chair rather than on the swing with her, she smiled at him. “Not at all. I think it’s going to be a beautiful sunset.”
He grinned at Kallie, who smiled back, then hid her face against Amy’s chest.
“How’s the toe?”
“A little better each day. And I didn’t cause a single accident while driving today.”
Ben chuckled. “Good.”
They made small talk for a few minutes before lapsing into a comfortable silence. Despite her desire to discuss the bill for her car repair, she decided to wait. She had a feeling Ben would argue with her about it, and she didn’t want to disturb the tranquility of the sunset. Besides, every time she opened her mouth around him, she said something she regretted.
They watched the golden rays streaking through the scattered clouds turn from pink to a fiery red, then deeper still, until streaks of crimson lit the sky. Finally, the colors faded, and darkness fell.
Amy shivered. The sun had taken its warmth with it. The weight of Kallie’s sleeping body lay heavy on her arm.
“Would you like me to carry her to her bed for you?” Ben’s low voice broke the silence as he rose from his chair.
“I can do it, but thanks for offering.”
“You’re likely to wake her up with your uneven gait.” He nodded to her booted-foot.
“Good point.”
Ben bent over her, his gaze locking with hers. He sucked in a sharp breath and straightened.
Reading his hesitation as discomfort with the forced proximity to her, Amy lifted Kallie’s limp body away from her own, so Ben could get his arms under her.
Once he’d taken Kallie, he couldn’t seem to step away fast enough. He followed her into her bedroom where she lifted Kallie’s blanket from the playpen and laid it over the edge before stepping aside. Ben laid Kallie down and covered her. He stood upright and turned directly into Amy.
They stood frozen, mere inches apart, Ben’s breath caressing her cheek. His body radiated warmth, and his heady, masculine scent, mixed with fresh-mowed grass, teased her nose. His eyes filled with an intense emotion she couldn’t read in the dim light.
Her gaze dropped to his parted lips, and an insane urge to kiss him raced through her.
Without warning, Ben closed the gap between them and encircled his arms around her waist, his strong hands pulling her against his chest. A small groan escaped him as he pressed his lips to hers.
Stunned by the sudden flood of desire that swept over her, Amy yielded to the pressure of his kiss. The soft tickling sensation of his beard against her face heightened the rush of desire flowing through her. Amy’s pulse raced, and a warmth ignited in her chest, spreading outward.
The pressure of his mouth against hers increased, and a sigh escaped as her lips parted, allowing him to deepen the kiss. Her mouth moved with his, simultaneously giving and taking. She wrapped her arms around his neck, needing to pull him closer, if that was possible.
Then she caught herself.What am I doing?
