you and then some. But let’s be realistic, Red. It’s probably not gonna happen tonight.”
Silence.
“Having second thoughts about getting mixed up with a single mother who’s rarely alone?”
“Nope. I’m thinkin’ we’re gonna hafta get creative to carve out our own alone time.” He kissed a path to her ear. “Tomorrow’s a school day, and the bus picks Hayden up out front, right?”
“Yes. No. Umm. Maybe.”
“Which is it?”
“Shit, I don’t know. Yes, tomorrow is a school day. And God, I cannot think straight when you whisper in my ear, Kane McKay. You could recite the constitutional amendments and I’d get turned on.”
Kane smiled against her temple. “And the senior bus picks your dad up…early?”
“Uh-huh.”
“So let’s plan on spending tomorrow—the whole day—alone together, in bed.”
She leaned back to look at him. “That’d be perfect. But I have to work. I’ve already missed—”
“Too bad. Doc Monroe said you needed a minimum of five days recovery time. Tomorrow is the fifth day. Doctor’s orders are doctor’s orders, sugar. And it’s my job to make sure they’re followed to the letter.”
After a brief pause, Ginger giggled.
Giggled.
The brilliant, sexy, headstrong bombshell with too many responsibilities and too little personal time…actually giggled like a girl.
That’s when Kane knew he was done for.
He smashed his mouth to hers, kissing her with the passion that he could finally unleash tomorrow.
She matched his every tongue tangling, lip gliding, teeth nipping move, adding a few of her own, until he was dizzy with lust. Why did he have the strangest urge to break out into song like some cheesy romantic comedy hero?
Hero. Right. He was far from being a hero, but it looked as if he was about to get the girl of his dreams—for one day, anyway.
Kane eased back from the reckless kiss, pressing his forehead to hers.
“Is it tomorrow yet?” she murmured.
He chuckled, pleased as punch that she was just as anxious. “No. But as soon as everybody’s up, I’m gonna need to go outside and work off this extra energy. Got a wood pile that needs split or something?”
“Was your use of the word ‘wood’ intentional?”
“Smartass.”
“You need help chopping your wood?” She snickered.
“No. I’ve got plenty of experience, even if it’s been one-handed experience recently.”
Ginger nuzzled his neck. “Care to elaborate on that ‘recently’ time frame?”
“Sure. Not since the night you goaded me into kissin’ you.”
She froze.
“Surprised?”
“Completely.”
Kane whispered, “Your turn.”
“I haven’t had any wood in my shed since I moved here.”
Simultaneously, they tilted their heads back and stared at one another. Then simultaneously, they grinned.
“Red, we are so gonna combust as soon as I see them bus taillights turnin’ onto the highway tomorrow mornin’.”
“I can’t wait.”
At 5 a.m. Kane rolled out of bed and shoveled. Again.
At 6 a.m. Kane showered. Shaved. Trimmed his mustache and goatee. Did a little manscaping.
At 6:30 a.m. the coffee finished brewing.
At 6:35 a.m. he heard Ginger’s door open. She woke Hayden. Then her father. Then she entered the kitchen.
Okay. He’d half hoped she’d slink in wearing the silky green robe he’d seen hanging on the back of her bedroom door. But no. She wore black yoga pants that hugged her every mouth-watering curve and an old T-shirt that barely skimmed her navel.
Hello gorgeous.
But she wouldn’t look at him. She poured herself a cup of coffee. Knocked it back and poured another.
“Ginger? You okay?”
She whirled on him and growled, “No. Don’t touch me. Don’t talk to me. Don’t even look at me.”
Shit. Had she changed her mind? “Why not?”
“Because if you do, I will jump you and ride you like a pony, right f**king here, right f**king now, on my dirty kitchen linoleum.”
Whoa. Guess she hadn’t changed her mind.
Heh heh.
Grinning, Kane held up his hands in mock surrender. “I’ll just umm…watch The Weather Channel or something.”
“You do that.”
If Hayden or Dash noticed her edginess, they didn’t mention it. She packed Hayden’s lunch. He bundled the boy up and sent him out to wait for the school bus.
One down; one to go.
Dash seemed to be dragging his wheels. Even after the senior bus pulled into the driveway and honked. He slowly put on his coat. Buttoned it. Double-checking each button.
At one point Kane swore he caught a knowing, ornery smirk on the man’s face.
Dash wrapped his scarf around his neck, then rewrapped it. He settled his Elmer Fudd hat with the earflaps on his head. Tugged on his gloves with his teeth. Took them off and tried it again.
Finally.
But the man bundled up and ready for a trip to Siberia, simply waited at the door.
“Do they usually come in and get you?” Kane asked.
“No.”
Pause.
“Need me to help you out to the van, Dash?”
“A little eager to get rid of me this morning, McKay?”
Dammit. “Nope. I thought you might be worried the ramp is icy. I shoveled it, so you don’t have to worry about careening out of control.”
The horn honked again.
Dash stayed put.
Now Kane was really starting to sweat. What if the bus left? He could drive Dash into town in the van, although that’d eat up some time, but that’d still leave him and Ginger…
“Later,” Dash said and Kane scrambled to hold the door open while Dash rolled out.
8:37 a.m. Dash was on the bus’s loading platform and the driver opened the door to load Dash’s wheelchair into the bus.
8:40 a.m. the bus started backing down the driveway.
8:41 a.m. the senior bus disappeared down the highway.
8:42 a.m. Kane locked the front door.
At 8:42 and sixteen seconds Kane stood at the foot of Ginger’s bed.
The sexy vixen had draped the green robe across her body. “They’re gone?” she asked.
“They’re gone.”
“For sure?”
“For positive.”
“Then strip.”
Kane raised an eyebrow. “Excuse me?”