Worth the Fall (The McKinney Brothers, #1)(38)

Her phone rang as she carried a load to her bedroom. Of course Angie would call to check on her. She hit the button. “Yes, Mom, I made it home.”

“Is that what you’re calling me now?”

Her bags fell to the bathroom floor and she froze at the sound of Matt’s voice.

“I guess you made it home.”

She tried desperately to still the fluttering inside her enough to answer. “I did. Yes. Make it home.” The disjointed thoughts pouring from her head and out her mouth sounded like Tarzan. Me in bathroom. Matt on phone.

“The kids make the trip okay?”

His voice sounded deeper over the phone, and so close. If she closed her eyes and blocked out the post-vacation disaster all over the floor, she was right back at the beach. Back with this man she never thought she’d talk to again.

“Uh, yeah. They were fine. I’m sorry I didn’t call. I started unloading the car and…I forgot.” And she’d never thought in a million years he actually meant for her to call him when he’d made the passing comment. They’d said goodbye. That was supposed to be the end.

“You sound tired.”

She was, but this wasn’t tired. This was her having no idea what to say. “I’m fine.”

His soft laugh blew through the phone line, brushing over her body like his gentle touch. “Good night, Abby. I’ll call you tomorrow.”

He hung up before she even had a chance to reply.

What? Wait! He’d call her tomorrow?

No! her heart screamed. You said this would be over! You said there’d be no risk!

There wasn’t. There wouldn’t be.

By eight o’clock the kids were in bed and she was on her third load of laundry. She stretched to reach the bottom of the washer, not easy with a pregnant belly. Her cell rang again and her heart knocked out an irregular beat at the thought it could be Matt. Just like Pavlov’s dog. Stupid.

“Hello?”

“Would it kill you to pick up the phone and call me?”

Shoot. “Sorry, Ang, I’m a bad friend.” Calling people, reaching out, did not come naturally.

“Why do you sound out of breath?”

Uh, because I thought you might be someone else? “I’m not.”

“Hmm.” Angie sounded skeptical. “Are you feeling okay? How was the trip?”

“I’m fine and the trip was good. Three movies and we were home.”

“Thank God for DVD players. Joe and I would never go anywhere without that. How our parents ever took us on vacation is beyond me. My dad with his swiping hand.” Angie laughed, then must have noticed the silence on Abby’s end. “Shoot. Sorry, girl.”

Angie didn’t know the details, but she knew Abby had lost her parents and been in the system. “Don’t worry about it. I know what you mean.”

“So, how was your goodbye with the hottie? You two exchange numbers? Please tell me you hooked up.”

Angie didn’t wait for her to answer. “What am I thinking? Of course you didn’t hook up, but I’m sure he’ll call. Just give him a few days.” Angie waited for a response. “Abby?”

She wasn’t about to tell Angie about the kiss, but she couldn’t lie completely. “Actually he already did. Call, that is.”

“Ha! I knew it. I knew he had the look.”

Abby envisioned the look her friend was referring to: the intense brown-eyed look of desire right before he’d kissed her.

“Tell me how right I was. I’ve had a shitty day with jelly and gum in the hair, and there’s a Tonka truck in the toilet that will remain there until Joe gets off third shift.”

“Sorry I can’t make your day. We were friends. He was just making sure I got home okay.” Responsibility over. “He’s a nice guy. Of course he’d call. Even if he wanted to…whatever, which I don’t…he can’t. He’s got important soldier stuff to get back to.”

“Abby, soldiers do have famil—”

“Stop.” Abby refused to give the idea a chance to take root. “Don’t even say it. I’m not getting involved with him. Or anyone.”

“I think you already are.”

“Angie, please. You know I’m not and you know I can’t.”

“Because you’re afraid to get close to people?”

“No, because I’m happy with my life the way it is.” Because being alone greatly reduced the risk of being left.

Angie huffed. “Well, someday that strategy might cause you to lose something really great. And I still say you already are.”

There were screams in the background and Angie said a quick goodbye before Abby could say Am not.

—

Matt’s foul mood had worsened with every mile he’d put between himself and the beach. Between himself and Abby.

Go home. Get some perspective. That’d been his plan until his lips had touched hers and all rational thought had fled. Her taste, her soft mouth, her body beneath his hands, had been hotter than any reality he’d ever known. Slender arms tight around his neck. Her fingers digging into his shoulders. Hot little body pressed against his. Mind-blowing.

Your mind was blown before the kiss. True enough. He’d been blown since the second he’d met her.