Oh, God, oh, God. Despair flooded her. What had she done? Slamming the door, she threw the dead bolt, as if the twist of an old metal lock could keep her safe from the horror of her own actions.

It was only a kiss, she told herself. A kiss. Big deal. Philip probably wouldn’t even care.

Then why was her heart still pounding, her lips tingling, her insides quivering? There were names for women who did what she’d done.

Tease.

Flirt.

Two-timer.

Those were the good ones. The harsher, cruel names that she wouldn’t even think about nibbled at the edge of her conscience and made her shake with shame.

She covered her face with her hands. It was only a kiss. One he forced upon her. She hadn’t expected it. But she’d reacted, dammit.

Sagging against the inside of the door, she heard the tires of J.D.’s truck squeal and its engine roar, as he drove away.

Thank God.

“Don’t come back,” she whispered, clutching her throat and trying to still her heart. “ You damned bastard, don’t ever come back!”

* * *

But come back he had. Years later. And now, like it or not, he was living in the same house with her. Worse yet, that same ridiculous sexual hunger that she hadn’t felt for years had resurfaced.

And this time she was free.

Chapter Six

Chapter Six

Thank God it’s Saturday, Tiffany thought as she wrote out a list of weekend jobs. She was already on her second load of laundry, waffles were warming in the oven and she’d pulled out her basket of cleaning supplies. Stephen could mow the lawn and wash the car while she tackled the floors and windows. As for her nemesis and newest tenant, he’d left early this morning. Before she’d gotten up, she’d heard J.D.’s Jeep fire up and roll down the drive. She was grateful that, for the next few hours, she didn’t have to face him.

Ever since he’d rented the room upstairs, she hadn’t been able to quit thinking about him. “Stupid woman,” she grumbled, as she heard Christina stirring in her room.

“Mommy?” her daughter called from the upper hallway.

“Down here, sweetheart.” She smiled as she heard footsteps running toward the stairs.

“Someone’s here.”

“What?” she asked just as the doorbell chimed.