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The way his voice came out all low and quiet...it had a reverberation to it. A sexy vibration that made my skin hot and made me think of kissing. “We did. Linc recognized you right away.”

His eyes flicked to the water where Linc was presently kicking up enough water to soak the dock. “Nice to know I made an impression.”

“Understatement. He hasn’t stopped talking about his ‘new friend Chris.’” Linc hadn’t attached himself to anyone—kid or adult—like this...ever. And it made me wonder what kind of magic surrounded Chris Kaine to entrance us both so completely.

His gaze moved to me and he turned in his chair. “Is that why you said you weren’t single? Because you’re protecting him?”

Relief washed over me. I was so worried I would need to explain the delicate emotions of an eight year old and why I kept my dating life (or lack there of) separate. “Yes.”

“Have I fucked things up already?”

“No.” I tried not to get too excited by the unsaid implications of his statement.He likes me too.

“I shoved my way into your life. I fully understand if you want to shove me back out.”

“Chris.” I waited for his worried gaze to return to mine. “You are our next door neighbor. He was going to meet you at some point and I have no doubts you would have been friendly, whether I was involved or not.”

He half smiled at that. “He reminds me of me.”

“He better not be flirting with girls behind my back.”

Chris barked out a laugh and slapped his knee. “I was a particularly girl crazy kid, but that isn’t what I mean. He’s friendly and enjoys talking and fishing and telling stories.”

Oh.“Well then yes, you two are very alike.”

His eyes danced again and his smile returned. “And for the record, I was only ever a flirt with you.”

Now I knew he was lying. But I didn’t challenge him. Mostly because I liked being the center of his attention as well as the idea that I might be his current subject of flirtation. He tangled his fingers with mine.

“Liv?”

“Yeah?” I stared at our hands, touching but not, the electricity surging up my arm.

“I don’t have a crush on you anymore.”

My heart fell. “Oh?”

He shook his head. “No. My five year old crush was a shadow of what I’m feeling right now. It crushes that old crush.”

“So you don’t have a crush on me?”

“Nope.” He curled his fingers around mine, completing the circuit. “My maleness is attracted to your femaleness. In ways that a crush simply cannot compete.”

Maleness.Chris was definitely very male. Masculine. Strong and sexy and...I needed to concentrate. “So what you’re saying is?”

“I want to be more than next door neighbors.”

Suddenly I found that breathing was rather difficult.

“Is that so?” I liked the way he made something so honest and intimate a little bit funny.

“To clarify, I am very attracted to you physicallyandmentally. I know we don’t really know each other, not really, but so far I’ve learned that you are kind—who else would stop a fellow boater? You’re neighborly and you have a great kid, which speaks volumes about you. I’d like, very much, to get to know a lot more about you.”

Linc popped up out of the water, lining up shells on our little beach area. He remained solidly focused on his collection, ignoring us completely.

“I’d like to get to know you as well. But in front of Linc we need to be neighbors. Until we decide if we actually like each other.”

The corner of his lip twitched like he was both amused and victorious. “Deal.” Then he removed his hand from mine and called over to my son. “What you got there?”