It wasn’t easier. It rocked her heart. It could barely be considered a kiss, was over almost before it began. It was nothing more than a quiet brush of lips, an instant of taste and texture. And a whiff of promise that made her long, desperately, impossibly.

In all the years he’d known her, he had never touched his mouth to hers. Now, with just this fleeting sampling, he wondered why he’d waited so long. And worried that the wondering would change everything.

Aubrey clapped her hands in glee, but he barely heard it. Grace’s eyes were on his now, that misty, swimming green, and their faces were close. Close enough that he only had to ease forward a fraction if he wanted to taste again. To linger this time, he thought, as her lips parted on a trembling breath.

‘‘No, me!’’ Aubrey planted her small, soft mouth on her mother’s cheek, then Ethan’s. ‘‘Come play.’’

Grace jerked back like a puppet whose strings had been rudely yanked. The silky pink cloud that had begun to fog her brain evaporated. ‘‘Soon, honey.’’ Moving quickly now, she plucked Aubrey out of Ethan’s arms and set her on her feet. ‘‘Go on and build me a castle for us to live in.’’ She gave Aubrey a gentle pat on the rump and sent her off at a run.

Then she cleared her throat. ‘‘You’re awfully good to her, Ethan. I appreciate it.’’

He decided the best place for his hands, under the circumstances, was his pockets. He wasn’t sure what to do about the itchy feeling in them. ‘‘She’s a sweetheart.’’ Deliberately, he turned to watch Aubrey in her red sandbox.

‘‘And a handful.’’ She needed to get her feet back under her, Grace told herself, and to do what needed to be done next. ‘‘Why don’t we just forget last night, Ethan? I’m sure you meant it all for the best. Reality’s just not always what we’d choose or what we’d like it to be.’’

He turned back slowly, and those quiet eyes of his focused on her face. ‘‘What do you want it to be, Grace?’’

‘‘What I want is for Aubrey to have a home, and a family. I think I’m pretty close to that.’’

He shook his head. ‘‘No, what do you want for Grace?’’

‘‘Besides her?’’ She looked over at her daughter and smiled. ‘‘I don’t even remember anymore. Right now I want my lawn mowed and my vegetables weeded. I appreciate you coming by like this.’’ She turned away and prepared to give the starter cord another yank. ‘‘I’ll be by the house tomorrow.’’

She went very still when his hand closed over hers.

‘‘I’ll cut the grass.’’

‘‘I can do it.’’