Just One Kiss by Susan Mallery Page A

to be a woman?”
    The tension in his face eased. He gave a raw laugh. “No. Because of my past. What I’ve done and seen. It’s complicated.”
    She wanted to argue with him. To say it was simple. So simple they should take off all their clothes and just get to it. But advice from friends suddenly popped into her head. Something along the lines of when a guy tells you he’s flawed, it’s important to listen.
    A man admitting he had never been faithful or that he wasn’t interested in a commitment was probably telling the truth. So when Justice said things were complicated, she should pay attention.
    “Is there someone else?” she asked.
    “No.”
    “Are you playing me?”
    He touched her cheek. “No. I give you my word.”
    “It’s because you didn’t come back before now, right? This is about why you stayed away?”
    She saw the truth in his eyes and took a step back.
    “Okay,” she said slowly. “Tell me now. Why didn’t you? Why was it okay to see Ford and not me?”
    “Because I can’t hurt Ford.”
    “And you can hurt me.” She raised her chin as she spoke, determined to be strong.
    “I don’t want to.” He seemed to struggle for words. “Dammit, Patience, I know what’s right and I can’t resist...”
    Her? Them? Sex? This was not the best time for him to be unable to finish a sentence. She waited, hoping he would say more. Maybe admit she’d haunted him. Because she would love to be thought of as the kind of woman who haunted a man rather than one who wore fun T-shirts and did hair.
    He cupped her cheeks and lightly kissed her mouth. “Complications. Come on. I’ll buy you a cup of coffee at you-know-where.”
    She should probably refuse. Walk away and pretend none of this had ever happened. She had enough going on in her life without dealing with Justice. But she couldn’t seem to summon the strength to resist.
    “I may want a couple of pumps of mocha in mine,” she told him.
    “I think I can handle that.”
    * * *
     
    J USTICE STARED AT the spreadsheet on his computer screen. Felicia had done her usual excellent job of sorting through the numbers and breaking them down into relevant relationships. If she went into a little too much detail, it was a small price to pay.
    He was about to read the income projections when he heard a knock on the door.
    He rose and crossed the living area of the suite at Ronan’s Lodge. Eventually he would have to get an apartment or rent a house, but for now, the hotel suited his needs.
    He opened the door, prepared to tell housekeeping that he didn’t need any more towels. But instead he found himself staring at a ten-year-old girl.
    “Hi,” she said. “I’m Lillie McGraw. Patience’s daughter.”
    “I remember.”
    Lillie had obviously come from school. She had a backpack over one shoulder and a book in her hand. She gave him a tentative smile.
    “Can I talk to you?”
    “Sure.” He grabbed his room key and stepped into the hallway. “Let’s go down to the lobby. I’ll buy you a soda.”
    She smiled. “That would be nice. Thank you.”
    They took the elevator down to the spacious lobby. Justice settled Lillie on a sofa in the corner.
    “What would you like?” he asked, glancing toward the coffee cart in the lobby.
    Lillie shook her head. “I’m okay. I’d like to just talk, if that’s okay.”
    “Of course it is.”
    Her eyes were the same brown as her mother’s. He could see a lot of Patience in her, as well as a few features he didn’t recognize. Her father’s influence. Patience had said things hadn’t gone well, but hadn’t provided any details.
    He took one of the club chairs across from the sofa. “How did you know where I was staying?”
    Lillie smiled. “There aren’t that many hotels in town and when Grandma was talking about you the other night she said you weren’t a B-and-B kind of guy.” She paused. “That’s a bed-and-breakfast. We have a couple here in town.”
    “I saw.”
    Lillie leaned forward and