‘‘I’d appreciate it. I’m dealing with the car on Monday, but until then . . .’’ She lifted her shoulders and saw with one last glance that she had nothing left to do. Still, she eyed every nook and corner as she walked through the house to the front door.

‘‘How are you getting to work?’’ Ethan demanded when they were in his truck.

‘‘Julie’s taking me. Shiney’s taking me home himself.’’ She cleared her throat. ‘‘When I explained what happened the other night he was upset. Not mad at me, but really upset it had happened. He was set to skin Steve, but under the circumstances—they had a boy, by the way. Eight and a half pounds. They’re calling him Jeremy.’’

‘‘I heard,’’ was Ethan’s only comment

Now she drew a bolstering breath. ‘‘About what happened, Ethan, I mean afterward—’’

‘‘I’ve got something to say about that.’’ He’d worked it out carefully, word by word. ‘‘I shouldn’t have been mad at you. You were scared and I spent more time yelling at you than making sure you were all right.’’

‘‘I knew you weren’t really mad at me. It was just—’’

‘‘I’ve got to finish this,’’ he said, but waited until he’d turned into her driveway. ‘‘I had no business touching you that way. I’d promised myself I never would.’’

‘‘I wanted you to.’’

Though the quiet words caused his stomach to clench, he shook his head. ‘‘It’s not going to happen again. I’ve got reasons, Grace, good ones. You don’t know, and you wouldn’t understand.’’

‘‘I can’t understand if you don’t tell me what they are.’’

He wasn’t going to tell her what he’d done, or what had been done to him. And what he was afraid still lurked inside him ready to spring out if he didn’t keep that cage locked. ‘‘They’re my reasons.’’ He shifted to look at her because it was only right to say what he had to say facing her. ‘‘I could have hurt you, and I nearly did. That’s not going to happen again.’’

‘‘I’m not afraid of you.’’ She reached out to touch, to stroke his cheek, but he grabbed her hand and held her off.

‘‘You’re never going to have to be. You matter to me.’’ He gave her hand a quick squeeze, then released it. ‘‘You always have.’’

‘‘I’m not a child anymore, and I won’t break if you touch me. I want you to touch me.’’

Full, shapely, unpainted lips. Phillip’s words echoed in his head. And now Ethan knew, God help him, exactly how tasty they were. ‘‘I know you think you do, and that’s why we’re going to try to forget that the other night happened.’’