by Marilyn Lee
Before he could respond, the back door swung open and Ria ran into the room.
Annalise sighed. Now she’d never know how he would have responded.
“What are you two doing in here alone?” Ria demanded, her wide gaze moving from Annalise to her father, and back to Annalise.
“Washing dishes,” she said. “What else would we have been doing?”
“Oh.” Ria sounded disappointed. “Is that all? I thought maybe you two were kissing or something.”
Annalise stared at her in amazement. “You thought we were kissing? Why would you think that? We’ve just met.”
Ria seemed surprised by the question. “Because women like kissing Daddy. Especially Taylor. Daddy’s very nice and very good–looking too. Don’t you think so?”
“That’s enough of that, Maria,” Reed said, firmly.
Annalise grinned into his embarrassed face before turning to look at Ria. “As a matter of fact, I think your daddy is absolutely gorgeous.”
Ria looked smug. “She likes you Daddy.”
“What woman wouldn’t like your handsome daddy?” She smiled at Ria, nodded in Reed’s direction, and left the two of them alone in the kitchen.
She went out onto the back porch. Both Deb and RP looked at her so expectedly that she sighed. Apparently, they’d thought the same thing as Ria. “Look, you two, Reed and I were washing and drying dishes. Nothing else.”
RP looked disappointed, but Deb contrived to look surprised. “Why, Annie, what are you talking about? Of course, we know that’s all you two were doing. Didn’t we, RP?”
“No,” he said so promptly that Annalise couldn’t help smiling. “We thought maybe Annie and Daddy were—”
“We didn’t think any such thing!” Deb interrupted.
Annalise laughed easily and was still laughing when Reed and Ria joined them on the porch a few moments later.
“They weren’t kissing at all.” Ria sounded disappointed as she sank onto her father’s knee.
“Of course they weren’t,” Deb said quickly, blushing. “Why do you talk as if we thought anything as ridiculous as that?”
Annalise looked at Ria, wondering if she would give the game away as had RP. But Ria, it seemed was more of a team player. “I guess I wasn’t thinking clearly.”
“It was a ridiculous idea,” Reed said, sounding cool and annoyed. “You all seem to be forgetting Taylor.”
“But Daddy, Taylor is—” Ria began.
It seemed Reed had reached the end of his tolerance. “But nothing, Maria,” he said in a no nonsense voice. “Your Aunt Deb and RP already know all they need to know about Taylor and Annalise couldn’t possibly be interested in hearing anything else about her.”
As he spoke, his blue gaze met Annalise’s. Just for a moment, she was tempted to contradict him, but the tightening of his lips and narrowing of his eyes changed her mind.
“Your too gorgeous dad is right, Ria. I couldn’t care or less about his Taylor,” she said lightly and was amused to see that her comment appeared to annoy him.
“Why don’t we talk about something else?” Deb suggested after casting lightning quick glances at Annalise and Reed.
“Yes, let’s,” she said and heard Reed’s soft, relieved sigh. It was a little frightening how delighted she felt just because she’d said something to please him.
She needed to put lots of distance between them, fast. She would leave in the morning. Deb would understand and Reed would probably go down on his knees in heartfelt thanksgiving.
Chapter Three
“Me and RP like Annie a lot, Daddy. We think she’s nice and pretty too. Do you think she’s pretty?”
Reed kissed Ria’s cheek and straightened. “Ria, you know I’m seeing Taylor. That doesn’t leave any room for me to be interested in any other woman.”
“But Annie’s so much nicer than Taylor, Daddy. And she can cook, clean, and she’s pretty and funny. Don’t you think she’s pretty?”
He thought of her slow, sweet smile, her smooth dark skin, and beautiful brown gaze. “That’s not the point.”
“Isn’t she pretty?”
“Yes,” he admitted. “But lots of other women are pretty, Ria.”
“I know, but she knows just what to say to make RP laugh. Really laugh, Daddy. Taylor can’t do that.”
She was right. Not that it changed anything. He dated one woman at a time. Although he and Taylor hadn’t discussed marriage, he was ready to think about remarriage again. Who better to think about it with than the woman he’d been seeing exclusively for nearly a year?
He touched Ria’s cheek. “Taylor is very fond of you and RP, Ria. You know that.”
Ria blinked up at him. “No, I don’t. I know she likes you, Daddy, but I don’t know if she likes me and RP much. And maybe we don’t like her either.”
Her words shocked him. “What? Of course, she likes you and you like her. Don’t you, honey?”
She shrugged, looking up at him. “I guess she’s okay.”
“Just okay?”
She nodded firmly. “Just okay.”
A month earlier, the four of them had spent the day at the park and Ria and RP seemed to enjoy being with Taylor. Only one thing had changed since then. They’d met Annalise. Once she’d left, he was confident Ria and RP would forget her and gravitate toward Taylor again. “It’s time to say your prayers and go to sleep, honey.”
“Okay.”
He listened while she said her prayers, noticing that just as RP had done, she mentioned Annalise, but not Taylor.
She smiled up at him. “Good night, Daddy.”
He bent to kiss her. “Good night. I love you, sweetie.”
She threw her arms around his neck. “I love you too, Daddy.”
Reed was annoyed to find Annalise waiting in the dimly lit hallway when he emerged from Ria’s room. She was the last person he wanted to see. Just one day in his house and she’d managed to make him blush like a silly teenager. Worse, she’d ingratiated herself into Ria and RP’s affections at Taylor’s expense.
“No need to look like that, RP Senior,” she said, clearly amused. “I have good news for you.”
“Oh?” He tried not to show his annoyance. After all, she had gone out of her way to help. She deserved a little courtesy.
“Since things seem pretty under control here, I’ve decided to head home early tomorrow morning.”
“Oh. Thank God!” He let out a relieved breath. He saw her eyes widen in surprise and her lips part in amazement and realized he’d spoken aloud. He stared at her in horror. “Oh, man! I didn’t mean that the way it must have sounded.”
“Now that I find hard to believe, RP Senior. I think you meant exactly what you said.” She flashed him a blank stare and started away.
Part of him wanted to let her go and hope he was seeing her for the last time, but another part wouldn’t allow it. He followed her. “Annalise! Please give me a moment of your time.” Quickly closing the distance between them, he touched her arm. She swung around. The hurt look he saw in her dark eyes dismayed him.
“Let me guess. You can’t wait. You want me to go now. Tonight. Am I right?”
Way to go, Reed. She comes to help out and you send her home on the verge of tears. “No, you’re not right! I don’t want you to go at all!”
Reed paused, aware that he meant what he’d just said. Why didn’t he want her to go? That way lay trouble. He knew he shouldn’t, but something deep inside wanted her to stay.
“I don’t want you to go at all,” he repeated. “And certainly not like this. You’ve misunderstood me. I—”
She stepped away from him, shaking her head. Although she smiled, he sensed she was still hurt. “I understand you perfectly. For some reason that only you and the good Lord understand, you seem to view me as some sort of threat. To what I’m not sure.”
He sighed. He supposed he owed her some sort of explanation. “Please don’t misunderstand. I really appreciate your kindness and gen
erosity in coming to help out.”
She nodded. “Sure you do. But? Let’s have the but.”
“There isn’t any. It’s just that...Ria and RP’s relationship with Taylor is...at a...delicate stage.”
“Translated I suppose that means they don’t like each other.”
“It doesn’t mean any such thing,” he denied. “It just means that it’s not a good time for them to be...falling in love with you. Surely you can understand that.”
“Look, I didn’t ask and I didn’t try to make anyone fall in love with me. I came because Deb asked me to. Sorry if it’s inconvenient for you to have your kids like me.”
She made him sound like an idiot. “Look, Annalise, I didn’t mean it like that. I simply meant—”
She waved a hand to silence him. “Oh, I know what you meant. You want me to leave.”
“That’s not true.”
“Oh yes, it is. So please don’t bother trying to deny it. Besides, it’s okay because I’m leaving. But not tonight. If that displeases you, too bad.”
“Annalise—”
“There’s really no need to say anything else,” she said, giving him a long, cool stare. “I think we understand each other perfectly.”
He doubted that but he saw no point in arguing with her. He shrugged.
“Good night.”
Reed watched her walk away feeling certain that nothing he could say would make her believe that he really didn’t want her to go. He turned and walked to his bedroom.
Staring at his reflection, he tried to recall the last time a woman other than Maria had stirred his emotions and interest so quickly and thoroughly. Taylor certainly hadn’t. Neither had any other woman. Since he was all but committed to Taylor, he needed as much distance between him and Annalise Lewis as possible.
Annalise woke with a pounding heart, her ears were subjected to a series of lusty yells just before Ria and RP burst into her bedroom.
“See! I told you she was still here!” RP cried triumphantly.
Annalise took several deep breathes to slow her heartbeat before she glanced at the bedside clock. She saw with amazement that it was four a.m.
“Ria! RP! What’s wrong?”
“Ria said you’d gone, Annie, but I knew you wouldn’t leave without saying goodbye,” RP said.
To her surprised delight, he charged across the room, hopped onto her bed, and flung his thin arms around her neck. “I’m so glad you’re not gone!”
She hugged him back, wondering how to tell him that she had planned to do just that. Over his shoulder, she looked at Ria, who stood by the door, watching with wide, weary looking eyes.
She smiled at Ria before taking an arm from RP to hold it invitingly out to her. After a long moment, Ria started across the room, climbed slowly onto the bed, then pressed against her.
“I’m glad too, but I heard you tell Daddy last night that you were going.” She pulled away and looked up into Annalise’s face. “But you don’t have to go, Annie. He didn’t mean it when he said ‘Thank God.’ Honest he didn’t.”
RP pulled away until he too was looking up at her. “Who didn’t mean it?”
“Daddy,” Ria told him. She turned back to face Annalise. “He doesn’t really want you to go. Honest, he doesn’t.”
Annalise looked down into the two pair of eyes filled with despair. Her resolve dissipated. Reed had a valid point about Ria and RP needing to bond with Taylor instead of her. She needed to just get out of the way and leave the four of them to live happily ever after. Doing so would be so much easier if only she didn’t feel she was where she’d always wanted to be—with a man who had captured her attention and heart from the moment she set eyes on him.
She sent up a silent prayer. Help me do the right thing, Lord.
“Annie? Are you listening?”
She blinked and gave her attention to Ria. “Yes. And you know what? I’ve decided to stay after all.”
RP’s face lit up. “Forever and ever?”
“No, honey,” she said gently. “For a day or two.”
“Only that long?”
She brushed the soft blond hair off his forehead. “Oh, honey, don’t look like that. We’ll have fun while I’m here.”
“But what about when you’re gone? Then what?”
“Then we’ll just trust in the Lord to make everything right. Okay?”
“But how can it be right if you’re gone?” RP asked, his blue eyes troubled.
She kissed his forehead. “Because no matter who’s with you or who’s gone, the Lord’s always there for you. He won’t ever leave. You can always count on him.”
“Good because I asked him not to ever let you go away, Annie.”
“Oh…RP, that’s not possible.”
“Yes it is so don’t worry, Annie.”
“And be happy, Annie!”
She fell back against the bed under the combined weight of Ria and RP’s. They then covered her face with kisses. Sighing happily, she kissed them back.
She was in full control until RP pulled away and smiled at her. “I hope you never leave because I love you so much, Annie!”
Then her eyes watered and emotion made speaking difficult. She just held them both so tightly that after a moment they started to squirm in protest.
“There won’t be much of us to love back if you keep squeezing the life out of us,” Ria complained, but she pressed several kisses against Annalise’s cheeks.
“You’re right. Sorry.” She released them. “But that’s just about the nicest thing anyone’s ever said to me.”
“That’s because Ria and me are really nice,” RP said earnestly. “You’ll love us once you get to know us.”
She pressed a kiss against his forehead. “Oh, honey, I know I will. But right now it’s very late and I’m tired. How about you two beat it and let me go back to sleep for an hour or two?”
“You won’t leave while we’re sleeping?” RP asked, looking and sounding anxious.
“No, honey. I won’t.” At least not unless Reed insisted she left.
“Promise?”
“Ah…yes. Promise.”
They went, after several kisses and hugs. She sank back against her pillow. Poor old RP Senior was going to be very disappointed when he woke in a few hours and found her still in residence. Too bad.
Reed woke feeling tired. After checking to make sure Ria and RP were still asleep, he headed for the kitchen. He needed a cup of coffee. Then maybe he could figure out how he was going to make amends to Annalise. Would a bouquet of flowers get the job done?
The thought of her thinking badly of him, disturbed him. He hesitated outside the closed kitchen door, his nostrils filled with the aroma of brewing coffee. The chances of Deb rising early on a Saturday morning were slim to none. Annalise must have started the percolator before she left. That made him feel worse than he had the night before.
Sighing, he pushed the kitchen door open. His eyes widened and he was aware of an undeniable warmth spreading through him at the sight of Annalise standing in the kitchen. A riot of emotions washed over him. Surprise. Relief. Pleasure. Dismay. Delight. Delight. And more delight.
“You’re still here.”
She nodded, her eyes twinkling. “‘Fraid so. Must be a bit of a shock for you, huh?”
“No. Yes.” He hurried into the kitchen, anxious to make amends. “Wait. Don’t jump to conclusions and misunderstand me again. I’m glad you’re still here. I was just wondering how I could make amends for last night’s misunderstanding.”
She laughed, shaking her head. “Oh, give it up, RP Senior. I did not misunderstand you. I heard what you said and I know what you meant. You were glad when you thought I was going. Please don’t insult me by trying to deny it.”
“Okay. I was glad,” he conceded, reluctantly, “but only for a moment. And not for the reason you’re thinking.”
“And just how would you know what I’m thinking? Am I an open book to you, RP Senior?”
H
e wished! Then maybe he’d know how to deal with her; how to handle the mixed emotions she inspired in him. “No. Let me explain.”
She smiled and crossed her arms, looking as if she had all the time in the world to listen to his explanation. “Oh. Well. Hey. Please. By all means explain.”
She was enjoying this far more than necessary. “I’ve just never met anyone like you. I don’t know how to...what to make of you.”
“What is it about me that you find so hard to understand, RP Senior?” she asked, leaning back against the counter and staring at him with those incredible eyes. “I’m very ordinary. As you can see.”
If it was one thing she was not, it was ordinary; not with those eyes, that breathtaking smile, and all that glorious dark skin and long hair. Not to mention the figure she seemed intent on hiding under yet another pair of baggy sweats. Of course he wasn’t about to admit how much she disturbed him.
“I wish you’d stop calling me RP Senior,” he said, stalling for time.
“Fine. I’ll call you, Reed. Occasionally. Maybe…depending on my mood. Now you were saying, Reed?”
He sighed. “I’m not used to having women ask me out,” he said reluctantly. “So I overreacted.”
“That I find hard to bel—wait. What do you mean you’re not used to women asking you out?” Pushing herself away from the counter, she banged the carton of eggs she’d taken from the refrigerator onto the counter. “Get this straight once and for all buddy: I did not ask you out!”
“Of course you didn’t,” he agreed quickly.
She stared at him, as if daring him to laugh or smile. When he did neither, she broke several eggs into a bowl with a force and carelessness that left him thinking they’d be lucky not to find themselves eating pieces of shells.
“And anyway, you’re wrong if you think that explains anything,” she fumed.
He sighed again, poured himself a cup of black coffee, and sat at the table. “I’m afraid that Taylor wouldn’t understand about you,” he finally admitted.
“There’s nothing about me for her to understand.” She turned to stare at him, her gaze cool. “Just because I said you’re good looking, doesn’t mean you should assume—”
