Raising Kane (Rough Riders #9)(45)

“What?”


“You really don’t have any snow boots?”


“No. Every pair I’ve ever seen are butt-ugly.”


“So are frostbitten toes. They turn black and fall off. Then how would you wear them sexy-assed heels you’re so fond of?”


She waved him off. “I’ll be fine.”


Kane counted to ten. “Give me your keys.”


“Why?”


“Because it’s twenty degrees below zero out there and I want to warm up your car so your damn legs don’t freeze. Plus I need to check your battery.”


“Oh.” She offered him that smile that would’ve gotten her anything. “Thank you. What would I do without you?”


“Maybe the question oughta be—what would you do with me if you had me all the time?”


Before he acted even more like a lovesick fool, asking foolish questions, he stomped outside.


Chapter Eleven


The basement of the community center was absolute chaos.


Over the past two years Ginger had attended plenty of Little Buddies events, so her bout of nerves baffled her.


You know exactly why you’re nervous. Two words: Kane McKay.


She and Kane hadn’t been together in a crowd and she wondered if people who knew them both would notice a difference in their dealings with one another.


Maybe Ginger had been a bit disappointed last night when Kane admitted he was fine sneaking around with her. Part of her wanted that public acknowledgment.


Her gaze was drawn to him like a magnet. His dark head was a contrast to Hayden’s blond one as they bent over the model on the table. Their concentration was absolute. She hung back, content to watch them together.


It’d been a sticky subject when her father had suggested Hayden needed more hiking, hunting, fishing—Wyoming type of outdoor activities to supplement the boy’s tendency to bury his nose in a book.


And it’d pained her dad to be handicapped because he couldn’t share his love of the great outdoors with this only grandson.


Ginger had been skeptical of signing on for the Big Buddies/Little Buddies program. She suspected half the single or divorced ladies in the tri-county area had signed up hoping to snag a husband. It’d given her a sense of relief that many of the volunteers were married men. Fathers whose children had grown up.


Men who wanted to give back to the community by providing a positive example to boys who didn’t have a consistent male influence in their young lives.


She hung back, content to watch them together. But Ginger wasn’t the only one watching Kane. Four mothers hung on the periphery as their sons’ Big Buddies helped with the model cars. None of the other male volunteers garnered the type of interest Kane did. Because he was sexy as sin and single? Partially.


But she suspected the other reason Kane held appeal was because he didn’t appear to be paying attention to any of those hungry-eyed women. An aloof man was a trickier target, and therefore, more prized if obtained.


She supposed it wasn’t really Kane’s fault women flocked to him. He was a striking man, with his dark good looks and easy grin. His Built Ford Tough body was definitely sigh-worthy, as were those stunning blue eyes.


The next thing she knew, that intense blue gaze was directed at her.


A delicious warmth unfurled as Kane studied her from beneath lowered lashes. No one else could tell he was watching her. But Ginger knew. When that secret smile played around the corners of his sinful mouth, the smile indicating he’d been conjuring raunchy sexual images, her mind flashed to last night’s sexcapades.


It’d been easy to let go with Kane. To be the sexual woman she’d forgotten she could be. To hand the reins to him, knowing he wouldn’t abuse her trust. Knowing he was as helpless as she to ignore the passion that exploded between them. Anytime, anyplace.


And this is definitely not the time nor the place to be thinking about sex with Kane McKay.


She forced herself to look away.


“Ginger?”


She spun around and faced Stacy, the director of the program. “Hi! Looks like you’ve got a great turnout.”


“Better than last year, which hopefully means more fundraising profits.” Stacy smiled. “I’m surprised to see you here.”


“Really?”


“You tend to…let Hayden and Kane do their own thing.”


“Is that bad? Is there more I should be doing?”


Stacy patted Ginger’s arm. “No, not at all. In fact, I wish some of the other mothers would follow your lead. Some women have to tag along at every event, and quite frankly, that defeats the purpose of the organization.”


Ginger’s gaze returned to Hayden and Kane. “Can’t you point out the obvious to them?”


“No. We’ve always maintained an ‘open door’ policy for our members. Anyone can come to any event that involves their child.”


“This program has been good for Hayden.”


“Glad to hear it. And between us, consider yourself lucky you ended up with Kane McKay. There are lots of mothers requesting him as their son’s Big Buddy.”