Her Sexiest Mistake

She straightened in immediate defense mode. 'Me? Why?'

'Mike thinks I tend to put people in my life that need fixing. People that don't want to be fixed. Himself included.'

Mia connected the dots and felt a frown gather. 'Well, he's right there. I don't want to be fixed, so don't even try.'

He lifted his hands as if in surrender. 'Wouldn't even think of it.'

'Because we're just… you know. Releasing steam.'

'Right.' He nodded sagely. 'Nothing else. Not friendship, or affection, or more.'

Her breath caught, jammed in her throat. 'Well, maybe a little bit of that.'

Leaning over, he pulled off her mirrored sunglasses.

'Hey,' she protested.

'The sun is down. Your retinas are no longer in danger.'

But what about her heart?

'That's the first time you've admitted we're more than bed partners. I wanted to see your eyes.'

Her stomach jangled. 'I said 'little' bit more. You heard that part, right?'

He laughed softly. 'Were you always like this? So independent? So… closed off?'

'You think I'm closed off?'

'Definitely not in bed. But out of it, yeah.'

She stared at him, then looked away, where the waves hit the beach with a rhythm that soothed. 'I have not been plied with enough alcohol for this.'

Without missing a beat, Kevin lifted a hand, gestured to the waitress for another beer.

When she brought it, Mia took a long sip and said, 'I have no idea why my guard is always down around you.'

He smiled, looking quite pleased with himself. 'I've worn you down.'

'This isn't funny. I don't like to think about my past, about where I came from.'

'Why?'

'Because it reminds me that I was once nothing. Less than nothing. It makes me feel vulnerable, like in a blink of fate I could find myself there again.'

'Seems to me, Mia, we make our own fate. You've certainly made yours. You know exactly who you are. No one can take that from you.'

But she didn't know. Not that she could admit that. 'I'm sorry.' She pushed away the beer. 'I lied. I'm not ready to do this, not even with all the alcohol in the joint.'

Accepting this with his usual easy grace, he easily moved the conversation on, in no time enthralling her with the antics of his students, whether it be climbing out the windows or their fondness for the burners in the back of the classroom.

'Tell me it wasn't Adam,' she said of his mysterious pot smoker.

Kevin shot her a long look.

'Shit. Why couldn't it be someone nice and sweet lusting after Hope?'

'She's smart, she'll figure him out. There's also another kid who likes her. The one I told you about, Cole.'

'Terrific.'

'Cole's a good guy'

He spoke quietly and from the heart. The kids meant a lot to him, all of them, she could tell. 'I bet you're amazing at what you do,' she said softly.

'The best,' he agreed and made her laugh. He did that a lot, she noted, and they continued to talk over ice cream, where she discovered he'd gone to UCLA as well.

'I went to junior college first,' he said. 'And then into UCLA poorer than dirt.'

'I've been poorer than dirt,' she said without thinking and then stared at him. 'There I go again. What is it about you that makes my mouth run?'

He just smiled and let her think about it. Afterward he paid for the bill even though she reached for it, and then took her hand to walk through the restaurant. She excused herself to go to the restroom, and when she came out, saw him waiting for her in the reception area, which had gotten crowded. He had his back to her and was talking to a tall, willowy, gorgeous blonde. The same one who'd been at the teen center, the one who'd practically screamed old money. As Mia moved closer she heard the woman say, 'I've changed my wicked ways. I won't leave claw marks this time, promise.'

Whoa.

'Beth.' Kevin let out a low laugh and shoved a hand through his hair, a gesture Mia recognized as discomfort. 'I can't.'

'What is it, another woman? Who could be more important than your ex-wife?'

Mia absorbed that with a little shock of jealousy, which was not only stupid, but made no sense. The ex. The one he'd married when he was eighteen. The one who'd broken his heart.

'The thing is,' Kevin said. 'There's an ex in ex-wife for a reason.'

'Damn it,' Blond Woman said. 'Don't give me that. We were kids and I was stupid. I want another shot at you.'

Mia would have given anything to see Kevin's face. Did he want another chance, too?

And what would she do if he did?

She didn't realize she was holding her breath until Kevin shook his head. 'Beth-'

'Don't tell me no.'

'I know the word is foreign to you, I know. But no. There's someone else.'

'Ditch her.'

'Yeah.' Kevin laughed roughly. 'Can't do that.'

'Why not? You in love or something?'

At that, Mia laughed to herself. Love. Yeah, right. As if he'd fall in love with her.

But Kevin didn't laugh. 'Actually,' he said, his back still to Mia, 'I don't know yet.'

Mia gasped and Kevin whipped around to face her and if Mia had thought she couldn't breathe before, she was really screwed now. 'I… have to go,' she said brilliantly.

Mia.' He grimaced. 'I-'

'No. Listen, I really have to go.'

'I think it was the L-word,' Beth told Kevin with a tsk. 'She lost all her color at that, did you notice?'

'I-I'm sorry.' Mia couldn't draw air into her taxed lungs. 'I really have to go.'

'Yeah, that's the classic kiss-off,' Beth said to Kevin helpfully.

'If you could just zip it for a minute,' he said.

Beth shrugged. 'Sure. I'll meet you in the bar when she's done dumping you.'

Kevin ignored her and looked at Mia again, who swallowed hard.

'I'm not the falling-in-love sort of woman,' she whispered. 'I don't even get close enough to have this conversation. I don't even like to repeat.'

'You repeated me.'

'I know, I just don't know why.'

'Don't you?'

'Look, I'm not good at sharing myself. In fact, I don't share at all. I think I missed that day in kindergarten.'

'So what now then?' he asked. 'Are you freaking out and walking away?'

'Oh, I'm freaking out.' She put a hand to her racing heart, looked at her legs. 'But I don't appear to be walking away.'