She was going to be stubborn, he thought with an inward sigh. Well, she always had been. ‘‘I didn’t say it very well. I get tangled up with words most of the time. I hate to see you working so hard.’’ He paused, patient, when Aubrey came back, demanding a kiss for her bear. ‘‘I worry about you some, that’s all.’’

Grace angled her head. ‘‘Why?’’

‘‘Why?’’ The question threw him. He bent to kiss the stuffed bunny that Aubrey batted against his leg. ‘‘Well, I. . . because.’’

‘‘Because I’m a woman?’’ she suggested. ‘‘Because I’m a single parent? Because my father considers that I smeared the family name by not only having to get married but getting myself divorced?’’

‘‘No.’’ He took a step closer to her, absently kissing the cat that Aubrey held up to him. ‘‘Because I’ve known you more than half my life, and that makes you part of it. And because maybe you’re too stubborn or too proud to see when somebody just wants to see things go a little easier for you.’’

She started to tell him she appreciated that, felt herself begin to soften. Then he ruined it.

‘‘And because I didn’t like seeing men paw at you.’’

‘‘Paw at me?’’ Her back went up; her chin went out. ‘‘Men were not pawing at me, Ethan. And if they do, I know what to do about it.’’

‘‘Don’t get all riled up again.’’ He scratched his chin, struggled not to sigh. He didn’t see the point in arguing with a woman—you could never win. ‘‘I came over here to tell you I was sorry, and so maybe I could—’’

‘‘Kiss!’’ Aubrey demanded and began to climb up his leg.

Instinctively, Ethan pulled her up into his arms and kissed her cheek. ‘‘I was going to say—’’

‘‘No, kiss Mama.’’ Bouncing in his arms, Aubrey pushed at his lips to make them pucker. ‘‘Kiss Mama.’’

‘‘Aubrey!’’ Mortified, Grace reached for her daughter, only to have Aubrey cling to Ethan’s shirt like a small golden burr. ‘‘Leave Ethan be now.’’

Changing tactics, Aubrey laid her head on Ethan’s shoulder and smiled sweetly—one arm clinging like a vine around his neck as Grace tugged at her. ‘‘Kiss Mama,’’ she crooned and batted her eyes at Ethan.

If Grace had laughed instead of looking so embarrassed—and just a little nervous—Ethan thought he could have brushed his lips over her brow and settled the matter. But her cheeks had gone pink—it was so endearing. She wouldn’t meet his eyes, and her breath was unsteady.

He watched her bite her bottom lip and decided he might as well settle the matter another way entirely.

He laid a hand on Grace’s shoulder with Aubrey caught between them. ‘‘This’ll be easier,’’ he murmured and touched his lips lightly to hers.