Free Now and Forever 4, The Renovated Heart by Jean C. Joachim

her grew. Tunney had to use all his willpower
to keep from caressing her soft, silky skin with his thumb.
    He held the door open for her. When she
entered and turned to say goodbye, the moonlight kissed her hair,
making her blonde locks glow. She stood close enough for her
perfume to tease his nostrils. Lily of the Valley? What is her
scent? Her lips, with a fresh coat of light coral lipstick,
were so enticing, forgetting she was married became easy; so easy
to lean down to press his lips gently to hers. Her soft lips
against his, even for a moment, were heaven on Earth. Then he
stepped back as reality crashed into his brain.
    “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that,” he
said, wearing no look of remorse on his face.
    “Don’t worry. Just a kiss between
friends.”
    Her gaze settled on her shoes.
    “I’m not going to get a punch in the nose
when your husband returns, am I?”
    “Johnny’s never been the jealous type.”
    “Good night,” he said, quickly descending
the steps and getting into his car.
    “Thanks for dinner,” she called after
him.
    He waved before shutting the truck door.
    Tunney berated himself. What are you
doing? Five years ago, Susan left you at the altar for her acting
coach…now you’re setting yourself up with another woman who isn’t
available. Who do you think she’ll choose you or her husband…idiot!
This is crazy. I’ve got to stop .
    But he couldn’t get Kit out of his mind.
With her living in his mother’s house there’d be no escaping. Every
time he was near her, his libido kicked into high gear. He ran his
tongue over his bottom lip as he pulled into his driveway. She
kissed me back…I know it. What does that mean? He was on his
way to becoming a home wrecker, and he didn’t like the feeling.
     
    * * * *
     
    Kit climbed the stairs to her bedroom trying
not to think about Tunney’s kiss. She ran her finger over her top
lip, remembering his soft presence there, how good his lips felt. What have I done? I’ve lied to him. Now I have to stay away from
him. He’ll hate me if he finds out the truth. Oh, God.
Tomorrow!
    The tinkle of her cell phone startled her.
She stared at the screen. Sarah, thank God.
    “How’s the renovating coming?”
    “Tunney kissed me tonight,” Kit blurted
out.
    “What?”
    “He took me to dinner. At the door we were
saying goodnight…he kissed me. Then he apologized!”
    “Oh, my. He’s got it bad.” Sarah
chuckled.
    “What am I going to do?”
    “Find a way to enjoy.”
    “How can I? He thinks I’m married.”
    “You’d better find a way to get unmarried,
fast. He sounds interesting.”
    “He is,” she said, climbing the last two
steps to the second floor.
    “Sounds like the renovating is coming
along,” Sarah laughed.
    “What a mess.”
    “You’ll figure it out.”
    “I’m going to bed.”
    “Goodnight, good luck.”
    “Thanks, Sarah.”
    Kit went into her room, changed and slid
into bed after adding a warmer blanket. She fell asleep quickly but
awoke several times during the night wishing ghosts had been her
biggest worry.
     
    * * * *
     
    Two weeks into September. At 29 James
Street
     
    Sarah put down the telephone. School began
calmly in early September. Both children seemed to be adjusting
well to the new school. Until now.
    “Scottie, can you come in here for a minute,
please,” she called, trying to keep the irritation out of her
voice.
    “What, Mom?” Scottie called from his
room.
    “Just come in here.” Irritation broke
through.
    The doorbell rang. Sarah wiped her hands on
her apron as she opened the door to let Jim in. He stepped inside
and kissed her.
    “You look like a storm cloud on the move.
What’s up?” He headed for the kitchen with two bags of groceries
tucked under his arms.
    Scottie joined them in the living room.
Sarah sat him down on the sofa, ignoring Jim. He took the groceries
into the kitchen to put them on the table.
    “I just got a call from your school
principal. You were