Kenny tried to return his attention to his computer, but what he saw instead of the screen was Bailey. He would like to take her to the dinner. As long as they were both clear on the rules.
* * *
BAILEY WATCHED KENNY carefully tighten her daughter’s skates. There was something so sweet and sexy about a big guy helping a little girl, she thought. Those large hands and those little skates. Not that this was anything but friends getting together, she reminded herself. Kenny was a good guy. Good enough to warn her that he wasn’t interested in her romantically.
For a brief moment, she allowed herself to fantasize about telling him she didn’t need the romance. That an hour or two in his bed was all the holiday cheer she needed. But as fun as that sounded, she knew it was completely unrealistic. She’d only been with one man in her life. And that was her husband...after the wedding. She was old-fashioned.
As much as she might miss the things a man could do to her body, she couldn’t do those things lightly. She might not have to be married the second time around, but she knew she would have to be in love. And falling for Kenny would be an emotional disaster.
So she would simply enjoy the sight of him kneeling on the ice while Chloe tried to stand on the slippery surface, all the while balanced on a blade.
Her daughter hung on to his hands as she got her balance. Bailey finished with her own skates and stood. She wobbled a bit, then found her center of gravity and moved toward Chloe.
Her daughter stared at her. “Mommy, you can skate!”
“Sort of. It’s been a while, but it’s coming back.”
She moved to Chloe’s side and held out her hand. “Let’s try moving. It’s easier than standing still.”
Kenny stood. He, of course, had no problem skating. He moved with a grace and sureness that she admired. At the same time she wondered what it must have been like to be so physically gifted. Not that she would ever know.
He was on Chloe’s other side. Her daughter took his hand and together the three of them started across the ice.
The rink had been set up at the far end of the resort’s parking lot. There was a canvas structure with sides that could be rolled up when the weather was cold enough—like tonight. The temperature had to be in the twenties. They could see their breath and the stars overhead. So far it had been cold, but they hadn’t gotten snow.
“Try bending your knees a little,” Kenny was saying. “It’ll help you balance. If you start to fall, don’t wave your arms. Get closer to the ground. Lowering your center of gravity will help keep you balanced.”
When they both stared at him, he shrugged. “I used to have Rollerblades. I can’t help it. I’m good at stuff like this.”
Chloe pulled free of their hands. “I want to try it on my own.”
She moved her legs and skated a little away from them. She was surprisingly steady. Either Kenny’s athletic prowess was rubbing off, or Chloe had inherited her skill from Will.
The three of them made a few turns around the rink. There were other families out, along with teenagers on dates and younger kids in groups. Chloe caught sight of a couple of her friends and asked if she could skate with them.
“Sure,” Bailey told her. “Just don’t leave the rink.”
“I won’t,” Chloe called over her shoulder as she hurried away.
Kenny sighed heavily. “They grow up so fast.”
Bailey laughed. “They do.”
He tucked her arm into the crook of his arm, which meant they were skating close together. She told herself to go with the moment and not read too much into his actions. He was, after all, basically a nice man.
“I have confirmation on the bedroom set delivery,” she said. “It’s the Monday before the move.”
“That’s good. So she’ll have it for her first night in the new house.”
Bailey nodded. She still couldn’t believe her good fortune—being able to buy her very own house. Whatever else happened to her in her life, she would always have that accomplishment.
“There’s going to be a dinner,” Kenny said abruptly. “With Jack and Larissa and Sam and Dellina.” He looked at her. “I’d like to take you. It’s at Henri’s.”
Bailey stopped and looked at him. Henri’s was a fancy restaurant, at a very nice hotel up on the mountain. Something hot and hopeful bubbled to life inside of her.
“If we could go as friends,” he added carefully.
The bubbles all popped. She forced herself not to let her disappointment show.
She should be grateful, she told herself sternly. Kenny had told her he had issues with her being a single mom and they made sense. He wasn’t playing games or trying to trick her or being anything but friendly, open and honest.
“Dinner sounds like fun,” she said. “I don’t have a thing to wear, but I’ll figure it out.”
“I have a spare jersey.” He winked. “It’ll be really big on you but with a belt and some accessories...”
She swatted at his arm. “Thanks, but no. And for the record, a belt is an accessory.”
“Really? I thought it was just a belt.”
They stared at each other for a second. Tension crackled between them—at least on her side. She doubted he noticed. Although if he did, maybe he would kiss her. Because while she wasn’t up to casual sex, a kiss could be nice. It had been a long time between kisses.
Worried he could read her mind, she quickly turned away. Too quickly, it turned out, as her foot slid out from under her.
She instinctively raised her arms as she tried to find her balance. Kenny reached for her but she was too far away. She staggered a couple of steps, started to fall, then felt a pain in the side of her ankle as she went down.
Her first thought was that the ice was both cold and hard. Her second was that she looked like an idiot. Ankle concerns came in a distant third.
Kenny knelt next to her. “Are you okay? What hurts? Your wrist? Your hip?”
She tried to figure out how to stand without falling again. “I’m okay. I lost my balance.” Probably not in an elegant way, either. She shifted to put her weight on her skates, only to gasp as searing heat ripped through her left ankle. Okay, that wasn’t good at all.
Kenny reached for her foot. “You hurt yourself.”
“Just a little.”
“You winced.”
“I’m wimpy.”
He had her skate off in five seconds and then removed her sock. The skin around her ankle bone seemed a little puffy, but it was a small price to pay for the feel of those strong, large hands touching her.
Kenny had her move her toes, then her whole foot. The sharp pain had faded to something fairly dull.
“I’m pretty sure I can stand,” she said, reaching for her sock.
“Let’s get you to a bench and take it from there.”
He put the sock back on her foot, then stood and reached for her. She shrank away.
“What are you doing?”
“Helping you to your feet.”
She was tall and carrying an extra twenty-five pounds. “I’m okay. I’ll just crawl over.” The bench wasn’t that far away. “I don’t want you to hurt yourself.”
He scowled at her. “I can bench-press over three hundred pounds. I can get you to your feet.”
His tone said he’d been insulted. This probably wasn’t the time to explain she didn’t doubt his strength—that she was more concerned about her own personal bulk. Either way, the ice was really cold and she could see Chloe skating toward them.
“Okay,” she said quietly. “I appreciate the help.”
He bent down and actually picked her up. Like she was as light as a rag doll. Then the man carried her to the bench.
It all happened so fast, she didn’t know what to think. Once second she was on ice, the next she was perched on the bench.
Chloe hurried over. “Mom, what happened?”
“I fell. I’m fine.”
“She sprained her ankle,” Kenny said. “I want you
checked out. We’re going to the hospital. They’ll take an X-ray, just to be sure.” He pulled Chloe close. “Don’t worry, kid. I’ll be with both you every step of the way.”
* * *
ONE X-RAY, a car ride and second trip in Kenny’s arms as he carried her up to her apartment later, Bailey found herself relaxing on her bed. The E.R. doctor had confirmed a mild sprain. Bailey was to take it easy for a couple of days. She had crutches, a compression bandage and instructions to use ice and an anti-inflammatory. The doctor had assured her she wouldn’t need the crutches more than a day or two. He’d also been impressed by Kenny’s skill in wrapping the compression bandage. No doubt the former NFL player had a lot of practice.
Kenny and Chloe disappeared into the kitchen only to return a few minutes later with a tray of hot chocolate and several cookies on a plate.
“We need a snack,” Kenny told her.
Chloe climbed up next to her mother while Kenny sat in the chair by Bailey’s small corner desk. He dwarfed the furniture, which should have looked silly but for some reason she found comforting.
Bailey accepted the mug of hot chocolate and wondered at the improbability of the situation. She’d thought about getting Kenny into her bedroom and it had happened. But somehow this was not the scenario she’d fantasized about.
“Are you feeling okay?” Chloe asked anxiously.
“Honey, I’m fine.” Bailey stroked her daughter’s hair. “I fell and I feel foolish. My ankle will be a lot better by tomorrow.”
“You have to use crutches.”
“Not for long. People get hurt and then they get better.”
Chloe nodded, but didn’t look convinced. Bailey was sure it was harder for her than for most kids. She’d already lost her father—she wouldn’t want to see her mother as vulnerable.
“I’m staying,” Kenny announced.
Bailey blinked at him. “Excuse me?”
“I’m going to sleep on the couch.”
A thrilling thought, but no. “That’s not necessary. I’m mobile.”
“What if you need to get down the stairs in the middle of the night? Your apartment is on the second floor and there’s no elevator. I’m staying.” He shrugged. “You can’t say no. You’re not in a position to throw me out. You can barely walk.” He winked at Chloe. “I can’t see your mom putting me on her shoulder and hauling me down the stairs, can you?”
Chloe giggled.
“So it’s agreed.”
Bailey opened her mouth, then closed it. Unexpected tears burned in her eyes and she knew if she spoke, she would lose control. The last thing she wanted was her daughter to see her cry.
It was Kenny, she thought, smiling and hoping neither of them noticed the sheen of moisture. Actually it was his actions. He was taking care of her and it had been so very long since she’d had a shoulder—however temporary—to lean on.
* * *
WHILE THE SOFA looked comfortable enough, Kenny knew it was going to be a long night. Although he had a nice pillow and plenty of blankets, there was no way he came close to fitting. Even if he didn’t have his feet hanging off the end, he was still not going to get any rest. Mostly because where he wanted to be was in Bailey’s bed, not her living room.
No way, he reminded himself. There were dozens of reasons—the most important of which was in the smaller, second bedroom. Chloe. A bright, sweet kid whom he adored. But at the end of the day, he wasn’t going to start to care about her only to lose her. Only a fool would expect a different outcome.
He punched the pillow a couple of times and closed his eyes. He’d nearly fallen asleep when he heard footsteps in the hallway. They were light and hesitant.
He saw up and turned on the light. Chloe stepped into view.
She had on a long flannel nightgown with pink flowers on it. Her bright red hair was pulled back in a braid and her eyes were huge. As he watched, a single tear slipped down her cheek.
He’d gone home to pick up sweats and a T-shirt to sleep in. He pushed aside the blankets and patted the sofa next to him. She crossed to him, but instead of settling beside him she threw herself at him and began to cry.
Bailey had been emotional earlier, he thought as he instinctively wrapped his arms round Chloe’s skinny body and held her close. A reaction to the accident, but still. Females and tears were a tough combination.
Not knowing what else to do, he let her cry for a few minutes. He rubbed her back and murmured reassuringly. Finally she raised her head and looked at him.
“I had a bad dream about my dad.”
“What was the dream?”
“He was lost and I couldn’t find him.”
He brushed he tears from her cheeks. “Yeah, that’s a bad one. It woke you up, huh?”
She nodded and sniffed.
“Can you keep real quiet for a minute?” he asked.
She nodded.
He picked her up and carried her into her mother’s bedroom. Bailey lay asleep on her bed. Kenny returned to the living room and sat on the sofa with her on his lap.
“You see she’s okay, right?”
Chloe nodded.
He smiled at her. “You’ve had a lot to deal with, munchkin. Moving to a strange town, then losing your dad. You’re about to move into a new house. And while the new house is going to be wonderful, it’s still a change. And sometimes change is upsetting. Even a good one. We like our routines.”
She watched him, her big green eyes focused on his face.
“When your mom fell, you were scared.”
Chloe nodded.
“You know she’s okay, right? That it’s just a sprain and she’s not in danger.” What he wanted to say was Bailey wasn’t going to die, but he didn’t know if that was too much. “Normally you’d be okay with it, but right now it’s harder.”
Another nod, this one a little slower. Some of the worry faded from her eyes. “It’s like when I’m tired and I get cranky when I wouldn’t usually?”
“Yeah. Just like that. There’s a lot going on and then you saw your mom hurt. It scared you. It would scare anyone. I think that’s probably why you had the dream about your dad.”
He touched her nose. “You know your dad loves you. He’s always going to love you. Just because he’s not here, doesn’t mean the love goes away. It’s like the blue sky. Just because you’re not looking doesn’t mean it’s suddenly purple or green.”
She smiled. “Because he’s my forever dad?”
Soft, sweet words that hit him in the gut. Longing so fierce and intense that it stole his breath caught him in a vise grip and didn’t let go.
Because that was what he’d wanted with James and what he still wanted. He was one of those traditional guys who had always assumed he would get married and have kids. Not special dreams, but his all the same.
The problem was after Natalie, he’d been reluctant to trust again. There had been girlfriends, but none of them had truly touched his heart. In fact the first woman to get his attention in that way happened to be the mother of the little girl sitting on his knee.
Chloe slid to the floor and yawned. “Thanks, Kenny. I feel better. I’m going back to bed.”
“I’ll walk you.”
He got her settled, kissed her on the forehead, then retreated to the sofa. But he didn’t bother lying down. He knew he wouldn’t sleep. Not when everything he wanted was so damned close, and yet completely out of reach.
CHAPTER SEVEN
BAILEY WIGGLED INTO her Spanx camisole and smoothed it into place. Tonight was the triple-date dinner at Henri’s with Kenny. Not that they were dating. They were friends joining two other couples, one of whom was married, while the other was engaged. No big deal.
Except thinking about that over and over didn’t seem to be getting the message to the butterflies currently practicing their Nutcracker ballet in her stomach.
She’d been lucky with her sprain. The following morning she hadn’t needed her crutches at all. The swelling had gone down quickly an
d by the second day, there wasn’t much pain. She’d been careful to wear flats for the week so she could save her ankle for tonight.
She pulled her holiday sweater over her head. It was black with stylized bows knit into the pattern. All of the bows were white, except for one red one. She had her faux diamond-stud earrings she’d purchased on sale and a pair of too-high sexy black heels she’d gotten at a clothing exchange.
Bailey studied her reflection in the mirror. She’d done her best with her makeup. Her hair was good—long and thick with a curly wave. She thought she looked nice. But what would Kenny think?
She’d given up on the just-friends thing. She had a crush on him and all the sensible talk in the world wasn’t going to change that. The truth was they would be seeing a lot of each other over the holidays. She would enjoy every minute of that. But come the first of the year, she was going on a Kenny diet. She had a feeling that giving him up was going to be a lot harder than giving up carbs, which happened to be the second of her resolutions for January.
She didn’t have a choice. Not only had he made his feelings extremely clear, but she’d also actually taken the time to do an online search of him the previous night. The results had not been easy to see. While there weren’t many pictures of Kenny with the woman he’d thought of as the mother of his child, there were more than enough of him with beautiful, talented, sexy, thin women. Models and actresses. A couple of athletes and a woman who had founded a successful nonprofit while still in her teens.
If one ignored the beautiful and successful part, he didn’t seem to have a physical type. There were blondes, brunettes and a smattering of redheads. Some were short, some were tall. But not one of them had been curvy. Or plump. Or fighting an extra twenty pounds. There also hadn’t been any executive assistants or schoolteachers or hairstylists. In a word, Kenny didn’t seem to favor normal when it came to the women in his life.
Which made the need to get over him even stronger.
She got her coat and her least sensible handbag, which was still a pretty utilitarian black shoulder bag, and walked into the living room. Chloe was staying with her friend Allison for the night, saving Bailey the cost of a babysitter.
Yours for Christmas Page 6
