Marriage by Mistake

dropped his gaze to pluck up his own carrot peel. "Ah, now I wonder who that worthless fellow could be?" Despite his faint blush, Troy was grinning again when he lifted his eyes to meet Dean's.
    Dean frowned. Despite the grin, he could swear Troy was embarrassed.
    "Yes, we know Dean will be working," Kelly spoke up. Her smile was wry. "We've gotten to know you that well, anyway."
    Dean looked at his wife. She smiled back at him with too much innocence, meanwhile crunching down on another lettuce leaf.
    Troy coughed, hiding a smile.
    Apparently indifferent to this byplay, Robby interjected, "I liked the park. We could do that again."
    "The park?" So that's where Kelly had taken the kid. Maggie hadn't mentioned specifics.
    "Basketball." Robby gestured a hook shot. "Those guys were all right."
    "Normal children," Kelly murmured, not quite under her breath. "Living in normal houses."
    Troy did his best to suppress another cough, or perhaps it was a snicker. In any event, Robby went on, enthusiastic. "And Kelly, she's got quite a jump shot. You should have seen her, Dean. Whammo! She knocked their eyes out."
    Dean could well imagine she'd done exactly that. He frowned meaningfully at Kelly. "It sounds like you two had quite a day together."
    "Yup." Robby nodded vigorously. "We did."
    But Dean kept his gaze on Kelly. She was supposed to have used her 'good judgment.' She was supposed to have listened to him, dammit, and left the boy alone.
    Kelly had the gall to smile sweetly. "You shoulda been there."
    "Indeed, I think I should have been." He sent her another killing glance, but she remained complacent.
    "Maybe next time," she said, as if there would ever be such a thing. "Hey, we bought watermelon for dessert." She smiled directly at Dean. "Want some?"
    Despite his acute annoyance with her, a bolt of heat shot through him. Want some of what ? His body posed the question, lascivious, before his brain caught up. She was talking about watermelon.
    "No?" Kelly queried.
    "No," Dean replied, then added a reluctant, "Thank you." He pushed up from his chair. "I would appreciate a few minutes of your time, Kelly, when you've finished dinner. I'll be in the study."
    "Sure, Dean." She plucked up another leaf of lettuce. "I have nothing but time these days."
    ~~~
    Kelly knew Dean was furious. She also knew she hadn't done anything wrong, or at least not much wrong. How could it be wrong to give Robby some much-needed attention, to get him out of the house and playing with other boys? Nevertheless, she dawdled at the outdoor table as long as she possibly could. She waited until the watermelon had been eaten to the green. She waited until Robby, himself, decided it was time for a bath. She was waiting for Troy to leave, too, but instead he arched a brow and leaned over the wrought iron table.
    "You aren't afraid of him, are you?"
    Kelly shot him a glare. "Who, me? Afraid?"
    Troy's smile broadened.
    Kelly crushed her teeth together. "I think it's you who's afraid of him."
    "Oh, absolutely." Troy had no problem confessing. "I was afraid of Dean even before I had to attend the same school with him and live up to—or fail to live up to—his example." He laughed. "And it's only gotten worse as I sink lower and lower to my true level."
    Troy was smiling, but his little laugh hadn't sounded happy. Kelly suddenly wondered what might be going on at Troy's "true level." Before she could ask, he laughed again, in a tone more like his carefree self.

"But recently I've been able to relax." He grinned. "Seeing that Dean's got you in his sights, instead."
    Kelly went from worried about Troy to scowling at him. "For heaven's sake, Dean doesn't have anybody 'in his sights.'"
    "No? A few minutes ago I could swear I saw his finger on the trigger." Troy was still grinning as he got up from his chair. "Have fun."
    Huh. Kelly remained at the patio table as Troy walked away. She didn't believe Dean had his finger on the trigger, or at least she wasn't afraid of that. She was afraid because the mere sight of Dean coming out to the patio had...stirred her so. She'd felt her heart beating and her lungs struggling for air. Sexual, again.
    It made no sense. The man had been avoiding her, he looked down on her, but that didn't seem to matter. Her body kept acting like he was the tender, loving friend she'd made beside a casino slot machine. No, worse than that. Her body acted like this fellow would do just as well as the other—if not better.
    The sun was