Free Perfect Timing by Brenda Jackson

Earlier when he’d seen her, her features had been flushed from motion sickness. But now it was obvious that she was feeling better. Her face had a healthy glow. Her chocolate-brown features were clear, radiant, sculpted perfectly, and more beautiful than ever before. Maxine Chandler had grown up to be quite a looker.
    Gone was the long, wavy hair that used to fan her shoulders. Her hair was cut short in a style that boasted sass and sophistication. And over the years her slender hips had filled out with nice womanly curves. He drew in a deep, steadying breath. His attraction to her was stronger than it had ever been before. He thought that was strange since ten years had passed since they had spent any time together. And during those ten years he had met and dated countless other women, but he’d never had to get a firm grip on himself or his emotions for any of them. As far as he was concerned, they were easy come, easy lay, easy go. Therefore, nothing could have prepared him for the emotions that were spiraling through him now. Emotions he’d thought a glass of brandy would straighten out. He hadn’t been tormented with thoughts of Maxi for a good five years now. At least not since Mr. Thompson had written to tell him that Maxi had gotten engaged. Evidently something had happened since she was still using her maiden name and there wasn’t a wedding band on her finger. Had she gotten a divorce?
    He hoped not. In his opinion she was a woman who should be happily married. All she had ever talked about during those six weeks when they weren’t working on the project was getting married and having babies. At the time he had thought that she deserved a man who could give her everything she wanted. A man who was solid, tender, loving, and respectable. Everything that he wasn’t. That stark, cold realization was one of the reasons he’d known he had to leave Savannah. Not only to pursue his dreams but to put as much distance between him and the one woman he’d always wanted and could not claim as his.
    Finally closing the door behind him he entered the cabin. He took a tentative step toward her then stopped at what he considered was a safe distance between them. He couldn’t allow what he’d felt upon opening the door and seeing her get next to him. However, as much as he wanted to deny the possibility, as much as he resented the fact, it seemed that fate had intervened and they were in trouble.
    Deep trouble .
    He decided the best way to deal with it was to make her aware of that fact as well.
    â€œWe have a problem, Maxi,” he murmured finally.

CHAPTER NINE
    M axi’s chest rose and fell with each labored breath as she met Christopher’s unwavering gaze. Inwardly, she told herself that her attraction to him wasn’t such a big deal. After all, she had lusted after him during her entire senior year of high school, probably even before then, but he’d never paid her any attention. However, what she couldn’t dismiss was her sudden feeling of vulnerability. To be this attracted to a man you hadn’t seen in over ten years couldn’t be normal. And to make matters worse, she couldn’t ever think of a time with Jason that he’d made her feel this tense to the point where she ached with an emptiness she hadn’t known existed. As far as her encounter with Dr. Reginald Tanner, and any other men she’d dated since Jason’s death, whatever attraction she’d felt for them didn’t compare to the attraction she was feeling now for Christopher.
    Several seconds ticked by before she realized she hadn’t given Christopher a response to his statement. Wrinkling her brow, “What’s the problem?” she asked in a voice that didn’t even sound like her own.
    Christopher paused before saying anything when he sensed her uneasiness and nervousness. For a quick moment he wondered if he had been wrong about her. Had she been putting