She resisted. For two seconds. “I’ve dated, too. Nothing serious,” she added, echoing him.
“Why not? You’re a catch.”
Frankie hesitated. She couldn’t tell him she’d been too busy working and raising their daughters to give much thought to dating. Or that most single men weren’t interested in a ready-made family.
“Lately, I’ve been busy trying to get my catering business off the ground.”
“Nice pat answer. What’s the real reason?”
Okay. He asked for it. “It’s been hard for me to trust anyone again after you.”
“Would it make a difference if I told you I wasn’t the guy for you at the time, and that I was trying for a clean break? Much as I loved you, and I did, I couldn’t bring myself to settle down and have that family you wanted.”
“And now you’re different?”
“Yes, I am.” His confidence returned. “You can trust me.”
She wasn’t entirely swayed. But he had gone out on a limb to admit the truth to her, and that took courage.
“I have a short shift at the café. Come by my house tonight. Seven thirty.”
His eyes sparked. “To talk business?”
“No.”
“Now I’m intrigued.”
She felt suddenly uncomfortable. “We’d better get back. My shift starts soon.”
At the entrance to the café, he took her hand again. Only rather than hold it, he brought her palm to his cheek. The bristles of his day-old beard tickled her skin. “I meant what I said about staying. Give me a reason, Frankie, and I’m here for good.”
She could do that, give him a reason. And throw him for a heck of a loop in the process.
“We’ll talk more tonight.” Her hand fell away from his face. “Goodbye, Spence.” Hurrying inside, she quickly changed into her uniform, her fumbling fingers struggling with the zipper.
She didn’t have much time. For all she knew, Eddie or someone else had already mentioned her girls, and Spence was biding his time, waiting for her to confess or to call her out on her unforgivable lie.
Just breathe. In and out.
Frankie stopped in the doorway and fought to slow her racing heart. The moment she’d been dreading for years had at long last arrived. No amount of panicking would delay it.
* * *
IT HAD TAKEN every ounce of Spence’s willpower not to follow Frankie inside the café earlier. He’d told her he wanted to stay in Mustang Valley, which in his mind amounted to admitting he still cared. Her response had been to stare blankly at him, and then suggest they get back.
Okay, he was man enough to admit that stung. Then again, she hadn’t given him the boot. And she’d invited him to her house. He’d been contemplating the endless possibilities for hours.
Contrary to what he’d implied, his buddy Eddie had divulged very little about Frankie. Not that Spence had asked. He hadn’t wanted to appear interested, which, of course, he was.
The house he pulled up in front of was in the new residential section of Mustang Valley, built less than a mile from the park and center of town. With its stucco siding and Santa Fe styling, he thought the home exactly the type Frankie would have picked. Someday, when she finally had that family she wanted. But now?
While far from huge, it did seem a lot for one person, especially with its spacious backyard and modest horse setup. That part struck Spence as odd, seeing as Frankie wasn’t much into horses and livestock like the rest of her family, other than as a spectator. But, then again, most people in Mustang Valley owned horses, and most houses came with a horse setup.
Solar lights lined the walkway to Frankie’s front door, casting slanted ovals of gold on the desert landscaping and reminding Spence of the late hour. Seven thirty? He pondered the reasoning behind Frankie’s request as he knocked on her front door.
His pulse beat faster, revealing his anxiety. She answered quickly, making him think she’d been watching out the window. As the door swung open, he took in the sight of her, and his throat promptly went dry.
“You look great.” So much for playing it cool. “Seriously, Frankie.”
She gave him a once-over but, unlike him, managed to refrain from blurting the first thing to pop into her head.
“Come on in.”
He stepped over the threshold and was instantly assaulted by a pair of friendly dogs, one a Lab mix and the other a yappy terrier. Both sniffed his pant legs and boots. Apparently, he passed inspection, for they quickly moved away, tails wagging and tongues lolling.
“I see you’re still collecting strays.” Spence bent and gave each dog an ear scratching. “Where are the cats?”
“Cat,” Frankie clarified. “And she’s around somewhere.”
She had a tender heart and was always rescuing one needy animal or another. Also, apparently, long-lost half sisters.
On quick inspection, he saw the living room was decorated with a few items he remembered from her dad’s house. The oil painting hanging over the couch. The pine side table her grandfather had made. A braided rug beneath the table. Various pictures of little girls hung in a pattern on the wall. She and her sisters as children, Spence guessed.
“You have a nice place.”
“We—I like it.”
He followed her inside, quite enjoying the view. She paused and turned. He enjoyed this view even better.
Capri pants emphasized her shapely calves. Bare feet exposed red toenails. A gold chain circled her slim neck, the engraved disk nestled in her generous cleavage. A second gold chain circled her right ankle. Tiny crinkles that appeared at the corners of her eyes when she smiled had him falling for her all over again.
“Frankie.” Unable to help himself, he reached for her. “I’ve missed you.”
“Spence—”
He didn’t give her time to finish and pulled her against him, aligning the body parts that mattered the most. “I’ve been waiting for this since I saw you in that ugly uniform yesterday.” He dipped his head.
“Ugly—?”
He cut her off again, this time with a kiss. Her spine stiffened, and she resisted him. For a moment. And while not exactly surrendering, she did relax and let his mouth move over hers in a familiar pattern he’d dreamed about for four straight years.
Fire instantly flared inside him, the one only she could ignite. His hold on her tightened as he wrapped an arm around her waist and increased the pressure of his mouth, urging her lips to part. When they did, and he tasted her, the fire raged until it nearly consumed him.
The next instant, it died when she extracted herself from his embrace. “Not now,” she said in a low voice, and stepped away, establishing a safe distance between them.
“All right.”
Had he really just answered her with complete composure? She’d left him shaken, both because of the intensity of their kiss—incredibly potent even after all this time—and her unnerving calm. How could her world not be spinning? His was, wildly out of control.
Then again, she’d said, “Not now.” She hadn’t said, “Not ever again.” Spence wasn’t one to split hairs, but in his mind, there was a big difference.
“Have a seat.” She gestured toward the couch.
“Thanks.” He thought he detected a slight shakiness in her raised arm. Maybe she wasn’t immune to him, after