"Anyway, apart from my lack of culinary interest, my grandfather isn't impressed by what he calls my 'foolish risk taking.' According to him, I've wasted my education and most of my life. I'm not interested in spending a week listening to him lecture me again about breaking another bone."

"Another?" Maya raised a brow. "Do you do this often?"

He grinned at her. "I've had more than my share, I guess. And that means I'm used to taking care of myself."

"Which means you're going home alone tomorrow." Reaching out, she put her hand over his. "Sawyer, that's dangerous."

But as soon as she touched him, Maya knew she was one the one in danger. He slowly shifted his hand so his was on top, twining their fingers together and using his thumb to rub light patterns against her skin. "I like living dangerously," he said softly, the hint of accent more pronounced. "Are you going to tell on me?"

Maya tried to work up some measure of firmness - difficult to do with her focus on the warm rhythmic slide of his skin against hers. "I should. What if you need something?"

He smiled, slow and easy. "I'll ask for it. What about you?"

"I - what about me?" she stumbled a little over her words.

"Aren't you bringing Joey home in a few days?"

"Ah, Joey." Get it together, she told herself. How ridiculous was she, with him in bed and her, a homeless single mom, and all she could think about was the last time they were together and the way he'd kissed her. Don't go there.

"Joey's coming home on Friday," she said. "And before you ask, yes it's a little overwhelming considering I don't even have the rattrap, as you call it, to bring him home to. I went there this afternoon. It's even more of a mess now, if you can believe that. It'll take weeks to make it livable now."

"Bulldozing and starting over would be quicker," he muttered under his breath, but loud enough that Maya caught the words.

For a few moments, neither of them said anything. Sawyer seemed to be distracted by his thoughts, his fingers still making absent patterns over hers, making it hard for Maya to focus on anything else. "You know," he said finally, "my house isn't a disaster."

She saw where he was headed even before he said it. "Sawyer - "

"Before you say no, at least think about it. We can help each other out. I apparently need a babysitter - " He grimaced over the word. " - to make sure my headache doesn't get worse and that I slap ice on my shoulder periodically. And you need a place to stay for a while. I've got a spare room I never use so you're not forcing me onto the couch. Actually, you'd be doing me a favor."

"Right," Maya interrupted. "And you expect me to believe that?"

"Sure," he said, looking straight at her without even a blink of guile. "With you there, I won't have to endure the grandparents, and Cort'll get off my case. And you'll have time to find a better place for Joey."

"I don't think you think there's any better place for Joey," Maya muttered. But she stopped herself from making the automatic refusal on her lips. What he proposed started to sound reasonable to her, which was scary.

On the other hand, she could just imagine the reaction from his family and friends if she and Joey moved in with him. And then there was the little problem of living in such close proximity to Sawyer. That seemed more impossible than anything. He couldn't even get close without her feeling like a hormonal teenager and right now, that was just wrong.

Still, what other options did she have? She wanted to be with Joey and that would be difficult at best in a hotel room. It could take weeks to find an apartment.

And she could be of help to Sawyer, maybe make amends for him falling through her parents' floor. No matter what he said, he obviously was going to need someone with him for a week or so at least and she had skills that could help him with the pain and recovery. Maybe it could work. . .

She looked up from her internal argument with herself to find Sawyer watching her, a triumphant expression in his eyes.

"So, what do you say?" he asked, looking smug as if he already knew the answer. "Are we going to be roommates, you and me and Joey?"

"Sawyer - " Maya hesitated, then nodded, giving him his victory. "Okay, but only for a while. This is very temporary, just until you're back on your feet and I find a place to live."

"Temporary, right," he said, still smiling. "Got it."

From the book "Sawyer's Special Delivery"
By Nicole Foster
Silhouette Special Edition
August 2005
ISBN 0373247036
Copyright © August 2005
by Danette Thompson and Annette Chartier
® and TM are trademarks of the publisher.
The edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S. A.
For more romance information surf to: http://www.eHarlequin.com

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