“Mary Ann?” her dad prompted. “Please. Tell me how you’re feeling. Tell me what you thought when I—”

The doorbell rang, saving him from finishing and her from having to form a reply. Heart dancing wildly, she popped to her feet. Riley. He was here. “I’ll get it,” she said in a rush.

“Mary Ann.”

But she was already racing from the kitchen to the front door. The moment that thick cherry wood swung open, Riley visible through the netted screen, her stomach calmed completely.

He smiled his bad boy smile, half wicked, half really wicked. “Hey.”

“Hey.” Yep. Sexy. He had dark hair and light green eyes. He was tall, with the body of a dedicated, can’t-be-sacked football player having an affair with weights. His shoulders were broad, his stomach roped. Tragically, she couldn’t see those mouth-watering ropes under his black T-shirt. His jeans bagged a little on his strong legs, and he wore boots caked with dirt.

Wait. Had she just given him a total body scan? Yep. Cheeks heating, she brought her gaze back to his face. Clearly, he was trying not to laugh.

“Do you approve?” he asked.

The heat intensified. “Yes. But I wasn’t done,” she added. He wasn’t beautiful in a male model kind of way, but he was ruggedly appealing, with a slightly crooked nose—probably from being broken so many times—and a strong jaw. And she had once kissed him, right on those gorgeous lips.

When will we kiss again?

She was ready. More than ready. That was the most fun her tongue had ever had.

He opened his mouth to say something, then snapped it closed. Footsteps echoed behind her, and she turned. Her dad approached, her backpack dangling from his arm. She closed the distance between them, claimed the pack and stood on her tiptoes, kissing his cheek before she could talk herself out it.