Read Online Taking Care Of Leah by Charlotte Howard - Free Book Online

seeing her?
    The smile disappeared. She hadn’t considered the fact that she might not be the only woman he was seeing. They’d spent a night together, but bumping into each other at The Mall had been pure coincidence as far as she was concerned. He had become uncomfortable when she’d talked about Kyle. Perhaps it was because he knew he was the same sort of man.
    She shoved the intruding thoughts to one side and concentrated on her breathing and the feel of her pulse. After a while, she glanced to the house. The sun had begun its descent, shattering the sky with streaks of orange and red, casting the building in an eerie glow. Uneasiness settled in her veins.
    Leah fidgeted in her seat. He’d taken the keys with him, leaving her with only her thoughts, which were ruining her mood more than it already was. Taking a deep breath, she forced herself out of the car.
    With a clenched fist, she knocked on the front door. Jerry opened and Leah’s heart sank.
    In this light, he was more handsome than she’d given him credit for. The solid lines of his jaw had been freshly shaven, and his dirty blond hair had been styled into a pompadour, adding to his height.
    “Hi.” He grinned and crossed his arms over his chest, exaggerating his biceps and pecs, which bulged beneath the white T-shirt he wore and skewed the black motto emblazoned across the front.
    “Hi,” Leah returned, and tried to peer past him.
    “Let her in already,” Ty called from the shadows. Jerry stepped to the side and gave her a mock bow. Ty stepped closer to them. “Do you want a drink? I’ve completely lost my phone.”
    “I’m fine,” Leah said, hugging herself and following Ty through to the kitchen. He mumbled something about finding his mobile and jogged down the hall as Jerry entered the room. Leah pressed her lips together and surveyed the room, looking everywhere but at him.
    Jerry stood in the doorway with a smirk on his lips, watching her. “Sorry about last night,” he said.
    “Oh, that’s okay.” She tried to dismiss him.
    “Ty says I was an utter bastard.”
    “Alcohol does that to some people.”
    “I guess. Sure you don’t want a drink?”
    “Honestly, I’m fine. He probably won’t be long and then we’ll be out of your hair.”
    Jerry shrugged. “It’s his house.”
    “You going out?” she asked after a brief silence.
    “Dunno yet.” He slunk into the chair opposite her. “So how long have you known Ty?” he asked, raising an eyebrow and one corner of his lips.
    “Umm…” She looked around the room, taking in every clean inch. “I started working at the school in September, so ten months, I guess.”
    “He said there was a sexy new teacher there.” Jerry winked and Leah felt her skin begin to crawl. “How well do you know him?”
    Leah narrowed her eyes and scrutinized his intentions. “Not very,” she said, treading lightly around the words.
    “Yeah, that figures. Not many tend to stick around once they get to know the real him.” He laughed as if he’d told her some corny joke, but Leah hadn’t gotten the punch line. “Mind you,” he said, still chuckling to himself, “he doesn’t usually do more than one-night stands, so I guess you must be different.”
    “Yeah, I guess so.” Leah pushed herself away from the table. She walked out of the kitchen, so desperate to get away from him that she didn’t see Ty and bumped into his chest. Her fingertips curled into the soft cotton of his top, and she took delight in the heat that he radiated, the reassurance of a safe place nestled beneath her touch.
    “You okay?” he asked, kissing the top of her head and wrapping a protective arm around her.
    She nodded and smiled, looking up at him with wide eyes. “Just wondering what was taking you so long.” She let her palms slip down his body until they rested on his backside.
    “Sure?” he asked, throwing a glance at Jerry. Linking his hands in hers, he brought them down to their sides. “I found my