Page 32 of Serenity Harbor

Not to mention that he knew he wouldn’t want to stop with just a kiss—and anything more was completely impossible with his brother sleeping upstairs.

All those reasons made sense yet somehow didn’t make it any easier for him to break the connection and force himself to take a long drink of water. Katrina Bailey wasn’t for him, and he had to burn that reminder into his mind, no matter how tough.

“When will the adoption be finalized?” he asked, hoping that might distract both of them from this awareness that seethed and sizzled like rain on a sun-warmed sidewalk.

She blinked a little, as if disoriented by the sudden question. “I wish I knew,” she finally said. “International adoptions are much more difficult than they used to be, for many good reasons. The Hague Adoption Convention has tightened rules in most countries. I’ve been jumping through hoop after hoop for weeks because of the complicated circumstances—mainly, as you said, I’m a single woman trying to adopt a child with special needs and take her out of the country. I also don’t have a permanent home and I went on sabbatical when I left for South America, with no guarantee I can return to it, although I’ve had promises from the school district.”

She sighed. “All of that puts me at a huge disadvantage. Gabriela has serious medical needs that will require expensive therapies and treatments when we return here. The process of obtaining approval through the Colombian national adoption agency has been difficult enough—and that’s not factoring in the process to legally travel with her to the United States.”

From his own experience with his brother, he knew how complicated guardianship issues could be. He couldn’t imagine trying to navigate that process between two countries.

“That’s why you agreed to take the job helping me with Milo, even though you came home to be with your family.”

Color rose on her features. “My savings are starting to run out. I’d been working in Colombia while I was there, but English teachers in small villages don’t earn that much. What you’re paying is a huge buffer.”

For a moment, he was tempted to tell her he would make up any difference between what she had in savings and what she needed to complete the adoption. It would be easy enough for him to do, but he had a feeling she wouldn’t welcome that blanket offer, no matter how well-intentioned it might be. Perhaps he could figure out a creative way to give her some kind of adoption bonus.

“Who’s taking care of her while you’re here?”

“She’s been in the same orphanage since she was born, and the nuns who run it adore her. Apparently her mother was a very young girl herself in a tough situation and couldn’t handle the extra responsibilities of a child with disabilities. The nuns are very kind to her and do their best to give her extra attention, but the orphanage is crowded and there are other children who need them, too. I’ve Skyped with her twice since I’ve been home. I wish I could do it every day, but the sisters are too busy to arrange it more often.”

“Does she understand why you came back to the States?”

“Oh, yes. I showed her pictures of Wyn and Cade. She knows I’m here for a wedding. She thought for a minute it was my own wedding and that she’d have a father, too, when the adoption was final.” Her blush intensified. “Sorry. I’m talking your leg off. And look, you’ve worked your way through dinner and dessert.”

He hadn’t even realized he’d cleared everything off his plate, even the slice of chocolate cake she had unearthed from the refrigerator. Now he wiped his mouth with his napkin and set it beside the plate. “That was truly delicious. Thank you again.”

Her smile was sweeter than the cake. “You’re welcome.”

“If you want the truth, I enjoyed the company even more than the food.” He spoke before he really thought through his words.

In reaction, she looked first startled, then amused. “Are you flirting with me, Bowie Callahan?”

“No. That was completely sincere.”

“Good. Because I wouldn’t want you to waste either of our time. I’m only home for a few more weeks, and I have absolutely no intention of wasting any of that precious time with a go-nowhere fling.”

Though he had been thinking roughly the same thing about ten minutes earlier, he didn’t like hearing her make such a stark declaration.

“I can guarantee you this,” he said, unable to resist. “If we had a fling, you would not consider a moment of it wasted.”

She gazed at him, pupils dilating slightly for a moment before laughter rippled out of her. “Full of ourselves, are we?”

Her laughter was infectious, and he couldn’t help joining in.

“Just stating a fact,” he drawled.

Her laughter faded into a sigh. “I wish I could take you up on that, Bowie, I really do. A year ago, I would have been on you so fast your head would spin.”

He had to swallow down a moan at the image her words conjured.

“Is that right?”

“Are you kidding? Eligible men aren’t exactly thick on the ground in Haven Point. You are eligible, aren’t you? No wife or girlfriend hidden away back in California?”

Who had time for a wife or a girlfriend? He had been too busy trying to prove he wasn’t the punk self-taught hacker who had lied his way into MIT. “None. I have enough complications in my life right now, suddenly being forced to become guardian of a younger brother I didn’t know about a month ago. I can promise there’s no wife or girlfriend waiting to come creeping out of the woodwork, too.”

“That’s something, at least.” She gave a smile he wanted to think held a shadow of regret. “My point is, a year ago a great-looking single guy like you moving in would have been the most exciting thing to happen around here in forever. Trust me. I would have camped out on your doorstep until you noticed me. But I’m not the same woman I was then. My priorities have changed.”

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