I took a breath and reminded myself that I was forty-two, not seventeen. Still, I didn’t glance at Calder as I carefully addressed the girls. “Go on up and get into your pajamas. Both of you. I’ll be up in a moment to say good night. Charlotte, you let your sister sleep tonight.”
“I’m gonna dream about a snow fort. Hint, hint.” Charlotte gave me a kiss on the cheek on her way up the stairs after Madeline.
“Guess you’ve got your project for tomorrow.” Calder stretched on the couch, arms over his head, emphasizing his big body and all those muscles.
“Yeah. They keep me busy. Happy but busy.” I was tempted to ask Calder if he wanted to help with the snow fort idea. But he’d likely be gone as soon as the roads were safe, and getting any more involved with him was foolhardy.
Even friendship with Calder seemed unlikely, and as I tucked the girls in, I told myself that I didn’t need anything else in my life. I had the two most important things in the universe counting on me. Kisses hot enough to melt my snow boots were not part of the plan.
However, as I descended the stairs, my pulse sped up, lust wanting nothing to do with all my lectures. And damn, Calder looked good leaning back on the couch, legs up, head tipped back as he smiled at something in the story book I’d left behind. Catching him unaware like this made him look more boyish, and there was vulnerability there that made my chest hurt.
Perhaps my protectiveness was sparked by his earlier story, but I’d heard plenty of sad tales over my years in practice and never been tempted to kiss the other person. Or to do battle on their behalf, go fight some decades-old dragon so they could rest easier at night.
“I had a great idea.” Calder looked up when I reached the last step, usual impish grin firmly back in place.
“Oh?” My stomach quivered. Had to be dread because no way was I hoping for some lewd suggestion. Liar. Skin heating, I made my way to the chair by the woodstove, very carefully not sitting next to Calder.
“We should play pool. Test out my repair job.” Pointing toward the hallway, he gave me a crooked smile, one I wasn’t entirely sure I trusted.
“You want to play pool? Now?”
“Well, it’s that or talk you into coming over here on the couch with me, but I figured my chances of making out would go up if you were more certain they were asleep.” Moving his legs, he patted the space next to him.
Yup. I definitely didn’t trust that grin. “Calder...”
“I know, I know. You didn’t mean to kiss me. But you did.” He shrugged like accidental kissing was something people wandered into all the time. “And the way I see it, there’s no reason you can’t do it again. Tomorrow I’ll be out of your hair and you can go back to being Doctor Responsible Parent, but maybe tonight you can have a little fun for yourself.”
“That would not be prudent.” I licked my suddenly parched lips. Fun. He’d used that term earlier. Did I even remember what R-rated fun was like?
“Probably not, but it sure would be memorable.” He waggled his eyebrows at me, all silly, and that lightness made him infinitely more appealing, that much harder to turn down.
I stood before I could let my growing temptation win. There might be something to his logic, but I wasn’t quite ready to let myself agree with him. “I’m going to go make a fire in the game room.”
Grabbing the walking stick, Calder hobbled after me. “So, pool first. And then...”
“Pool only.” I headed right for the woodstove and busied myself with starting a fire. “And no, you’re not playing me for articles of clothing or something ridiculous.”
“Felix. You wound me.” Calder put his hand on his heart, as dramatic as one of the kids. “Strip pool is strictly an after-midnight enterprise.”
“Don’t make me poke you with the cue,” I said as I retrieved one for each of us.
“Oh, you can poke me...”
“You don’t give up easy, do you?” I peered closer at him, trying to see a shadow of that bullied kid. He’d showed amazing tenacity in his story. The navy was lucky to have someone with his sort of perseverance and resilience.
“Nope.” Laughing, he grabbed the chalk. “Giving up wouldn’t have gotten me through basic training and sub school and making chief.”
“Why did you pick the submarine force? That’s all volunteer, right?” Like with cooking, we worked together without needing a lot of negotiation. He passed me the chalk, then waited while I racked the balls, leaning against the table. I hoped his foot wasn’t hurting too badly, but chances were high that he wouldn’t own up to the pain if it meant missing out on a game.
“Yup. You have to volunteer and then get picked. A good percentage of the personnel who raise their hands never make it through the training. It’s intense. And my dad served on submarines. I wanted to prove that I could do it too. Wasn’t going to let anyone tell me I was too tall or that I’d wash out of sub school.” The defiance in his voice said there was another story there, one that had likely added even more mettle to his steel-plated spine.
“You had something to prove.”
“Guess so. I know my limits though.” He gave a harsh laugh before I indicated that he should go first. Balls clattered across the table. “I don’t have the sort of math brain you need for being a nuke. Instead, I picked logistics as my duty rate because I’ve always been good at making stuff happen, working out details, facilitating deals. Less math, more people skills.”
“You’d be a good salesperson.” I took my turn, shots less aggressive than Calder’s, but still racking up some points.
“Nice job.” His appreciative gaze made warmth pool low in my gut. Damn, I wanted him. “And that’s what my mom’s always saying. She likes to joke that I could sell ice in a blizzard. She’s not wrong.”
“And you’re so humble.” I made the joke simply for the pleasure of hearing him laugh.
“Hey, it serves me well in cards too. People who don’t know me tend to think I’m a nice-but-dumb jock.” He frowned as he lined up another shot, deftly sending a ball into the corner pocket. “They don’t see my victory coming.”
“Like Tim?” I probably shouldn’t have brought my snake of an ex up, as all day we’d both avoided talking about Calder’s possible claim on the cabin. And he didn’t need my frustration at the whole situation.
“Like Tim. He thought he had a win in the bag, but I showed him.” Pausing to stare me down, Calder pursed his mouth. Maybe I wasn’t the only frustrated one.
“Good for you.” My voice came out too clipped to defuse the growing tension between us.