Hearing her describe their insane attraction with those words almost did him in.“Never.Not like this.”
“What makes this different?”
“Damned if I know,” he said with a laugh, “but it’s been unlike anything else from the minute you strolled?—”
She pinched his lips.
Laughing, he twisted free of her grip to add, “Onto the scene.”
“That strolling thing is going to get you in trouble.”
“Oh goody.What does trouble involve?”
“You really are shameless.”
“Not usually.You bring out my shameless side.”
“I’m trying to understand how this is even possible.”
“Some things justare, or so I’ve heard.I’ve never experienced anything like this either.”
“Denny asked me today if I’d heard from you.”
“What did you say?”
“I believe my exact words were, ‘You could say I’ve heard from him.’”
“Which of course left him with more questions than answers.”
“He doesn’t need to know everything.”
“No, he certainly does not.”
“He… He told me again that you’re not a wife-and-kids kind of guy.”
Julian winced at the vulnerable tone of her voice as she said that.“I’m not.”
“But here you are with a single mom…”
“You noticed that, huh?”
“Haha, yes, I noticed.And I noticed that you’re great with my kids.All they’ve talked about since we went to Ojai is when we can go back to see the gochas and when they might see their new friend Mr.Julian again.”
“They asked about me?”
“A hundred times today alone.”
His heart suddenly felt too big for his chest.“That’s so cute.”
“You made a big impression.”
“Wow.”
“Can I say something that has no place in a brand-new situationship, or whatever you want to call this?”
“You can say anything you want to me any time you want.”
“I’m not sure I can be seriously involved with a man who has a no-wife-and-kids policy.”
