Only Skin Deep Read Online Free PDF Page A

she didn’t want anyone thinking that she was a “kept” woman or something equally archaic.
    The thought brought a smile to his lips as he sauntered up the well-tended walk to Lauren’s front door. He couldn’t imagine anyone believing the conservative Ms. Hewett capable of such debauchery. After the wedding reception last Thursday, Travis had spent a little time thinking about that spontaneous kiss Lauren had given him. He’d finally come to the conclusion that he had greatly overestimated its impact. It was easy enough to blame his reaction on the fact that he had deprived himself of female company for too long. Having been taken by surprise, his testosterone had simply kicked into overdrive. He wouldn’t let himself be so easily ambushed today.
    When Lauren met him at the door, he couldn’t havebeen more startled than had she greeted him wearing absolutely nothing at all. Mouth open, he stared at her in confusion.
    â€œWhat did you do different?” he blurted out with uncharacteristic lack of tact.
    He wondered if she’d booked an appointment on one of those extreme makeover television shows. Surely a pair of pants couldn’t make such an amazing change. The smile she gave him was nothing short of dazzling and made him feel somehow taller simply for having shown up on her doorstep.
    â€œI cut my hair,” she said simply enough. “Do you like it?”
    â€œAs a rule, I don’t like short hair on women,” he admitted honestly enough.
    Nevertheless, Travis certainly found hers a tremendous improvement. He was struck by an urge to run his fingers though it and see if it really was as soft and shiny as it looked. Watching the corners of her lips turn from a smile to a frown, he realized too late that he had hurt her feelings. He hadn’t meant to. His mother had raised him better than to insult a lady, and he hastened to remedy his blunder.
    â€œIt looks nice on you, though. In fact you look great.”
    Glad he didn’t have to lie, he wondered if a haircut and new clothes could really transform this shy wallflower into a blossoming Cinderella. Finding no fairy godmother hovering in the near vicinity, Travis reminded himself that he was the last person in the world to question what a woman did to herself. His ex-wife hadmade it clear that any decision involving her own body was entirely the woman’s prerogative.
    Including whether or not she wanted to carry his baby….
    Jaclyn wasn’t one to strap herself to an endless pile of dirty diapers, or run after some ungrateful “rug rat.” Never mind the fact that she’d claimed to be on birth control when she wasn’t. Or that she’d used her pregnancy to force a proposal out of him in the first place. Or that she’d ultimately terminated it without his consent.
    Travis had never felt so helpless in his whole life. Nor so angry.
    Or hurt.
    The memory of that tragic day swamped him. To this day, he had to turn away whenever he saw a father and son playing catch in the park. Or a dad teaching his “little princess” how to ride a bike. Or a happy young couple playing peek-a-boo with an infant. Sucked in by dark waters passing under the bridge of time, Travis tried to shake off his murky thoughts while waiting for Lauren to lock her front door behind her.
    â€œNot many people around here bother with that,” he observed.
    â€œI know, but nowadays you have to be careful about who you trust.”
    Travis couldn’t agree with her more. Reminding himself that sometimes monsters wore pretty, deceptive faces, he redoubled his efforts to give his heart the same consideration Lauren gave her mother’s house. Such conscientiousness boded well for her reliability as arenter, but considering the isolation of his cabin, he assured her that such wariness would be completely un-warranted “out in the boonies.”
    A gentle breeze carried the delicate scent of her