The muscles along his arm flexed beneath her touch. "It doesn't affect me in any way other than how it affects my children. Pam and I were over a long time ago. The divorce was only a formality."
He didn't want to discuss Pam, especially now. Zach fingered one of those spiraling curls.
"Jules, let's talk about something else."
"We can't pretend she's not back."
"I'm not saying we should." The three-minute wait suddenly promised to stretch into at least an hour.
Okay, so Julia would need a slower pace to relax, thanks to Pam's surprise return. He could handle that, even found the revised plan for seducing Julia had definite merits.
Through the windshield, his tarp-covered Harley loomed, offering the perfect way to romance his free-spirited wife.
Zach bolted from the car, calling over the roof to Julia. "Wait right there. Don't go inside yet."
He unlocked the kitchen door, ducking into the darkened kitchen. The television droned from the next room. "Shel," he called, tugging his leather jacket off the coat tree by the door, "everything going okay?"
A rustling sounded from the family room just before Shelby shuffled into the kitchen.
Rumpled and bleary-eyed, she shoved a hand through her mussed dark hair.
"Everything's cool, Colonel. Patrick took a bottle at about nine, but went right back to sleep." She pulled the nursery monitor from her pocket, Patrick's steady sighs filled the silent kitchen. "Hear?"
"Good. Julia and I will be gone for another couple of hours," at least, "if you've got everything under control here."
"No rush."
He started to back out the door, then hesitated. "How about after I pick you up from practice tomorrow, we grab a burger? Just you and me."
When she didn't respond, he stepped farther into the kitchen.
"Sure," Shelby answered quickly. "A burger is cool. Now go have fun with Julia. She deserves a break."
Maybe the stability of the past few months had steadied Shelby enough to withstand her mother's return after all. God, he hoped so.
"Thanks, Shel." Zach pulled the door shut again and faced Julia.
Sweet Jesus, she looked good silhouetted by the moonlight. He loped down the steps to his shrouded motorcycle without taking his eyes off Julia for a second.
One tug and he swept the black tarp from the Harley Electra Glide, unveiling the bike like a lover. "Wanna go for a ride?"
Julia was tempted—by more than the bike. And the lean, gleaming lines of the motorcycle were pretty darn enticing.
Her respect for Zach's restraint a month ago upped another notch. Saying no when her body so very much wanted to scream yes could well drive her nuts. How had her plan to start him talking gone so astray? But convincing him to open up wouldn't be any easier inside with Shelby still awake.
Maybe a ride on the Harley wasn't such a bad idea after all. Shelby would be asleep by the time they returned. They could sit outside on the glider, away from the temptation of an inviting bed.
Meanwhile, she could indulge herself in an hour on that incredible motorcycle with her arms wrapped around Zach's even more incredible chest. "Give me five minutes to run inside and change."
"Uh-uh. Stay just like you are." He dangled the leather jacket from one finger. "Put this on."
The unconventional image of the two of them in formal clothes on the motorcycle appealed to every boundary-pushing bone in her body. "You do know how to roll out the Texas-sized enticement, Colonel."
He held open the jacket while she slid her arms inside, even though she didn't need it on the temperate Southern night. February could bring temps ranging from the twenties to the fifties. Lucky for her, tonight the fifties had won. The jacket and Zach's back would lend more than enough warmth.
Zach pulled on a helmet and passed her another. He straddled the bike and brought it roaring to life. The man sure could stoke her fantasies. For the rest of her life, she would carry the memory of him on that vintage Harley— sharp creased uniform, gleaming medals and a hundred percent man, all on display for her eyes only.
She perched on the bike behind him, adjusting and tucking her dress around her legs, her arms around his chest. Enveloped in leather and the lingering musk of Zach's scent, she swallowed, twice, and still her mouth dried right up.