Real Men Don't Quit(13)

“Luke’s only here for a short stay,” Helen said rather abruptly. “He’ll be coming back to Goulburn soon.”

Karly sat up. “Oh? He said that, did he?”

“Not in so many words, but I’m sure he will.” Helen lifted her shoulders. “Why should he stay here in someone else’s house when he has a perfectly good home of his own?”

“Why indeed.” Luke appeared out of nowhere and lowered himself into a chair next to Tyler. “There’s no reason except that I want to, and that’s good enough for me.”

“And Mum’s house?” Helen’s mouth twisted bitterly. “I suppose that’s not good enough for you now you’re a world-famous author.”

Instead of answering, Luke rubbed his face wearily.

The tiredness and tension emanating from Luke was palpable to Tyler. She glanced from his fatigued form to his sister, who sat rigid in her chair, her hands fisted and her mouth tight but trembling.

“I’d be very cross with Luke if he suddenly left,” Tyler heard herself saying. “After all, he’s promised to babysit Chloe for me.”

Four pairs of eyes swiveled in her direction. Luke raised his head, his eyes widening with suspicion.

“My regular babysitter came down with shingles,” Tyler continued. “And I can’t find someone suitable at such short notice. But Luke said he’d help me out.” In her sudden urge to help Luke, she’d blurted out the first thing that came to her. Now she had to embroider her story, even as Luke stared at her, his mouth clamped into a tight line, eyebrows drawn into a deep furrow.

“But what about his writing?” Helen asked. “He can’t babysit and write at the same time.”

“It’s only a few hours a couple of times a week.” Tyler waved her hand casually. “Doesn’t sound like much, but it’s a godsend to me. You know how hard it is to find good childcare, especially on short notice.”

The sisters exchanged glances. They couldn’t argue with that statement, Tyler knew. “I hate leaving Chloe with new babysitters,” she continued, warming to her theme. “But you’ve seen her with Luke. He’s so good with kids.” She turned to the man slouched next to her. “Aren’t you, Luke?”

Slowly he pushed himself upright. His eyes were coal black, his face impassive, and she had no idea what he was thinking, whether he was thanking her or cursing her for interfering.

Oh well. Might as well go for broke. She prodded him in the thigh, enjoying the feel of his taut muscle beneath the denim, and made a pretend scowl. “Huh. So you’ve changed your mind, have you? You’re going to let me down?”

He blinked once. “Would I do that?” he slowly replied. “If I said I’d babysit for you, then I will.”

Rosie and Mags nodded. Not even Helen could argue against a promise to babysit, and Tyler knew it. But as Luke continued to scrutinize her, he didn’t seem too grateful to her for rescuing him from a potential argument. Maybe he didn’t appreciate her interfering in family quarrels. Or maybe he was afraid she’d hold him to the babysitting story. Yeah, that’d be right.



When Luke’s visitors were gone, sudden silence descended on the house, but peace remained elusive. He put on some music and tried to read the weekend papers but ended up pacing around until the sun went down. An hour after sunset, he heard a knock at the front door. He opened it and drew in a breath.

“Hey there.” Tyler grinned at him.

She was all dressed up for a night out—short black skirt, black leather boots, and a red see-through blouse with a black camisole underneath. Her fiery hair tumbled down her back in luscious waves, and her lips were cherry red, glossy, and pouty. A small quilted black bag dangled from her shoulders.

Realizing he’d been holding his breath, he slowly exhaled. “What’s up?”

“Nothing. I just popped by to clear up that babysitting thing.”

Between the hem of her skirt and the black boots were several inches of smooth, creamy thigh, and through the filmy material of her top, her skin glowed like opal. The soft light spilling from his house cast a shadow between her breasts, emphasizing her cleavage. Her light perfume smelled of honeysuckle.

“Um?” he muttered, dazed by the sight and scent of her. This was the first time he’d seen her glammed up, and she was dynamite. So much so it almost hurt his eyes to watch her, but he couldn’t look anywhere else.

“Babysitting Chloe for me. I made it up to get your sister off your back.” She stuck her hip out and tilted her head to one side. “I’m reassuring you I won’t hold you to it.”

His attention wandered to her bare thighs again. Those high-heeled boots of hers made her legs seem even longer, raunchier. He swallowed and forced his gaze up. She looked at him with an amused expression. Yep, she knew what she was doing to him, the impudent minx.

He cleared his throat. “I don’t mind helping out with Chloe now and then.”

Her cherry red lips formed an O of astonishment. “You don’t?”

“Yeah, I’m a great babysitter.” Christ, why did he have to impress that on her? A sexy woman in a tiny skirt turned up on his doorstep and he immediately lost all his marbles?

“Oh.” Tyler seemed lost for words. She straightened and toyed with her hair. “Uh, I’ll keep that in mind.” She peered at him again. “Thanks.”

Annoyed with himself, he folded his arms and frowned down at her. “Where’s Chloe now?” The words came out brusquer than he’d intended.

“She’s at home. My aunt Daphne is babysitting tonight.”

“You’re going out?” Dumb question. In that getup, she wasn’t going grocery shopping.

She nodded, her hair gleaming in the light. “Yup. I don’t get out very often, so I’m making the most of it.”

He didn’t like the sound of that. “What’re you going to do?”

“Oh, bit of this and that. Dancing, playing pool, just hanging out.”

Dancing. In that skirt and those killer boots. Playing pool. Bending over and putting that sexy butt on display. Damn, he definitely didn’t like the sound of that. His shoulders tightened along with his voice. “Who with?”

“Some friends. Ally, Nate, a few others.” Her eyes sparkled at him. “Why don’t you come, too? It’s pretty casual, and you’ll have fun.”

He stared at this ravishing dream in front of him. Man, even pulling up weeds with Tyler would be fun. But could he have fun without getting entangled? Sure, a voice in him said, while another warned, Fun doesn’t come free. Tyler was a siren, luring him into dangerous waters. She was every kind of beautiful, but he had to keep his head. The back of his neck grew damp as the push and pull of his conflicting desires knotted his stomach.

“Thanks, but I’ll take a rain check on that,” he said.

“Okay.” A slight frown creased her forehead. Did she seem a little disappointed? “Guess I’d better be going. My ride will be here any moment.”

“How late will you be?” The words left his mouth before he knew it.

A teasing smile replaced her frown. “Are you giving me a curfew?”

Damn runaway mouth. “Do you need one?”

“Don’t worry. I promised Chloe I’d be home by midnight or I’d turn into a pumpkin.” She paused, her smile fading. “And I keep my promises to Chloe. I’ll be home on time, and I won’t have more than a couple of drinks. Scout’s honor,” she added, all earnestness.

Guilt ballooned in him. She didn’t need to justify herself to him. She was a hard-working single mother, and she deserved to have a night out once in a while.

“I’m sure Chloe is in good hands,” he said. “You go out and enjoy yourself.”

“Thanks. Good night.”

Luke stood on his porch and watched her saunter off. He sighed. That skimpy skirt and leather boots would be lingering in his mind all night long.





Chapter Five

Tyler muttered a curse as her saw blade broke in the middle of an intricate cut. Sighing, she removed the damaged blade from the saw frame. It was her own fault; she hadn’t been concentrating on the task. Freeing the square of sterling silver she’d been piercing, she examined her progress and sighed again. She wasn’t making much headway with her jewelry, not after the late night she’d had.

The door to her workshop flew open and Chloe marched in, scowling, red cheeks puffed out. “I need you!”

Tyler pushed a strand of hair back from her aching temple. “What is it, baby?” Her daughter had taken off her dress and was clothed in only her underwear. Her hair was a riot of tangles, and her cheeks were smeared with dirt. “Where are your clothes?”

“Don’t want no clothes. I want you to read me a story.”

Tyler cast a glance at her workbench, where several pieces of sheet metal were waiting to be saw pierced. “I’m busy now. I’ll read you a story later.”

“No!” Chloe stamped her foot. “Now.”

Irritation spurted up in Tyler. “I told you I’d be busy this afternoon,” she said sternly. “I’m sorry, but I can’t play with you now.”