Summer Love: The Best Mistake / Impulse

“Now I’m supposed to say I’m sorry.”

She shook her head. “No, you’re not. I’m not.”

“Good.” The hands that were resting on her shoulders kneaded once, then slipped away into his pockets. “Me neither. I’ve been thinking about doing that since I first saw your feet.”

Her brows rose. Surely she’d heard him wrong. “My what?”

“Your feet. You were standing on the ladder, painting. You weren’t wearing any shoes. You’ve got tremendously sexy feet.”

“Really?” It amazed her that he could tie her into helpless knots one minute, then make her laugh the next. “Thanks. I think.”

“I guess I’d better go.”

“Yeah, you’d better.”

He nodded, started out. This time, when he stopped, she braced, and she yearned. But he simply turned and looked at her. “I’m not going to try to talk you into bed. But I want you there. I figured I should let you know.”

“I appreciate it,” she said in a shaky voice.

When the door closed behind him, she let her weak legs fold and sat down on the couch. What, she asked herself, was she supposed to do now?

Chapter 6

When Coop dragged himself out of bed, it was nearly noon. He stumbled into the shower and nearly drowned himself before both of his eyes opened. Wet and out of sorts, he rubbed himself down, gave a moment’s thought to shaving, then dismissed the idea.

He tugged on gym shorts and a T-shirt before heading directly to the coffeemaker. While it brewed, he opened his front door and let the full power of the sun shock him the rest of the way awake.

They were in the yard, Zoe and Keenan, laughing as mother tried to help son hit fungoes with a plastic bat. The kid wasn’t having much luck, Coop noted. But he was sure having fun. He started to step back inside before either of them spotted him. But the jock in him had him kibitzing.

“He’ll never hit anything standing that way,” Coop called out, and had two pairs of big brown eyes looking up in his direction.

“Hi, Coop. Hi. I’m playing baseball.” Thrilled to have an audience, Keenan waved his bat and nearly caught his mother on the chin.

“Watch it, champ,” she said, and shifted out of range. “Good morning,” she called out. “Want your breakfast?”

“Yeah, maybe.”

Keenan took another pathetic swing and had Coop muttering under his breath. Swung like a girl. Somebody had to show the kid how to hold a bat, didn’t they? he asked himself as he started down.

“You’re choking it too much.”

Zoe’s brows drew together. “The book I got said—”

“Book.” He cursed automatically. Keenan echoed him. “Sorry,” he muttered when Zoe gave him a narrow-eyed look. “Now listen, you learn how to add and subtract from books. You don’t learn baseball. Just like a girl.” He crouched down and adjusted Keenan’s hands.

Zoe had been ready to concede to the expert, but the last statement stopped her. “Excuse me? Are you implying that females can’t play sports?”

“Not what I said. Swing from the shoulders,” he told Keenan. Coop might have been grouchy, but he wasn’t stupid. “There are plenty of terrific female athletes. Keep your eye on the ball, kid.” He kept one hand around Keenan’s and lightly tossed the ball up in the air with the other. The bat connected with a hollow thud.

“I hit it! I hit it really, really hard!”

“Major league stuff.” Coop slid his eyes back up to Zoe’s. “I thought you were making pancakes.”

“I was— I am.” She blew out a breath. “I guess you’re taking over.”

“Well, I don’t know diddly about pancakes, and you don’t know squat about baseball. Why don’t we both do what we know?”

“Like it’s a big deal to hit a stupid ball with a stupid bat,” she muttered as she strode to the back door.