Chapter 1

You're doing fine, Kyla. Take quick, light breaths. That's right. Good, good. How do you
feel?"
"Tired."
" know, but hang in there. Go with the !ains now and !ush. That's it. " little harder."
The young wo#an on the deli$ery table ground her teeth while the labor !ain held her in
its fierce gri!. %hen it subsided, she forced her body to rela&. Her face, though flushed and
#ottled, was radiant. "'an you see hi# yet?"
(o sooner were the words out of her #outh than another !ain sei)ed her. *he !ushed
with all her #ight.
"(ow can," the doctor said. "Gi$e #e one #ore !ush...there...here we are. "ll right+"
he e&clai#ed when the new life sli!!ed into his waiting hands.
"%hat is it?"
"" boy. ,eautiful. Hea$y son of a gun, too."
""nd he's got great lungs," the obstetric nurse said, bea#ing down on Kyla.
"" boy," she #ur#ured, !leased. *he let the blessed lethargy steal o$er her and sank
back onto the table. "-et #e see hi#. s he all right?"
"He's !erfect," the doctor reassured her as he held u! the squir#ing, crying baby boy
where his#other could see hi#.
Tears stung Kyla's eyes when she saw her son for the first ti#e. ""aron. That's what we're
na#ing hi#. "aron .owers *troud." /or a #o#ent she was allowed the !ri$ilege of holding
hi# on her chest. 0#otion welled inside her.
"He's a boy his daddy can be !roud of," the nurse said. *he lifted the baby fro# Kyla's
weak ar#s, wra!!ed hi# in a soft blanket and carried hi# across the roo# to be weighed.
The doctor was attending Kyla, though it had been an easy, routine birth.
"How soon before you can notify your husband?" the doctor asked.
"1y !arents are standing by outside. 2ad's !ro#ised to send 3ichard a telegra#."
He's nine !ounds three ounces," the nurse called out fro# across the roo#.
The obstetrician !eeled off his glo$es and took Kyla's li#! hand. "'ll go out now and
break the news so he can get that telegra# on its way. %here did you say 3ichard was
stationed?"
"'airo," Kyla re!lied absently. *he was watching "aron kick angrily as he was
foot!rinted. He was beautiful. 3ichard would be so !roud of hi#.
'onsidering that "aron had been born at dusk, she s!ent a reasonably !eaceful night.
They brought hi# to her twice during the night, though her #ilk hadn't started and he wasn't
hungry yet. The !leasure of holding his war# little body against hers was i##ense. They
co##unicated on a le$el that was unlike any other she had e&!erienced.
*he studied hi#, turning o$er his tiny hands and e&a#ining his !al#s when she could
!ry o!en the fingers he stubbornly ke!t clenched in a fist. 0ach toe, each fine strand of hair
on his head, his ears, were in$estigated and found to be !erfect.
"Your daddy and lo$e you $ery #uch," she whis!ered drowsily as she relinquished
hi# to a nurse.
Hos!ital sounds.squeaky laundry carts, rattling breakfast trays, clanking equi!#ent
dollies.roused her early. *he was in the #iddle of a huge yawn and a lu&uriant stretch when
her !arents entered her !ri$ate roo#.
"Good #orning," she said ha!!ily. "'# sur!rised you're here instead of at the nursery
window with your noses !ressed against the glass. ,ut then they don't o!en the curtain."
*he broke off when she noted their haggard e&!ressions. "s so#ething wrong?"
'lif and1eg .owers glanced at each other.1eg gri!!ed the handle of her !urse so tightly
that her knuckles turned white. 'lif looked as though he'd 4ust swallowed bad5tasting
#edicine.
"1o#? 2ad? %hat's ha!!ened? 6h, #y God+ The baby? "aron? There's so#ething
wrong with "aron?" Kyla threw off the co$ers with flailing ar#s and !u#!ing legs,
un#indful of the !inching soreness between her thighs, intent only on racing down the
hos!ital corridor to the nursery.
1eg .owers rushed to her daughter's bedside and restrained her. "(o. The baby's fine.
He's fine. !ro#ise."
Kyla's eyes wildly searched those of her !arents. "Then what's wrong?" *he was on the
$erge of !anic and her $oice was shrill. Her !arents rarely got ruffled. /or the# to be so
SANDRA BROWN
ABOVE AND BEYOND
Synopsis
The letters Kyla sent to her husband, *ergeant 3ichard *troud, stationed a world away,
s!oke of a lo$e that stretched across the ocean and held the young cou!le together. ,ut
when tragedy ended their #arriage too soon, Kyla was left a widow with a newborn son.
"nd 3ichard left behind only a #etal bo& filled with his wife's declarations of lo$e.
Tre$or 3ule had been 3ichard's best friend. 3eturning ho#e fro# #ilitary duty, he
carried with hi# the letters Kyla had sent. "nd with each one he read, he fell #ore in
lo$e with the gentle, !assionate wo#an who had !enned the#. (ow he needs to con$ince
Kyla of his feelings, and that they both ha$e the right to be ha!!y. ,ut Tre$or is
harboring a secret, one with the !ower to destroy the lo$e he is trying so hard to !rotect...
"I'm in love with yo! "yla#"
*he turned her back on hi#. "*to! saying that. .lease."
He #o$ed behind her. *he felt hi# there e$en before he !laced his hands on her
shoulders. His war#th cre!t o$er her back the way the sun glides o$er the beach at dawn.
"%hat are you afraid of, Kyla? "re you afraid of what you 're feeling? "
"'# not feeling anything."
"You're feeling so#ething." He #o$ed her hair aside and trailed his finger fro# one side
of her na!e to the other. "You kissed #e back."
"t didn't #ean anything."
"2idn't it?"
"6nly that hadn't been kissed in a long ti#e."
""nd it felt good?"
"Yes . . . no . . . !lease. can't talk about this with you."
"t felt good to #e, Kyla. *o da#n good.
"nd right."
Chapter 1
You're doing fine, Kyla. Take quick, light breaths. That's right. Good, good. How do you
feel?"
"Tired."
" know, but hang in there. Go with the !ains now and !ush. That's it. " little harder."
The young wo#an on the deli$ery table ground her teeth while the labor !ain held her in
its fierce gri!. %hen it subsided, she forced her body to rela&. Her face, though flushed and
#ottled, was radiant. "'an you see hi# yet?"
(o sooner were the words out of her #outh than another !ain sei)ed her. *he !ushed
with all her #ight.
"(ow can," the doctor said. "Gi$e #e one #ore !ush...there...here we are. "ll right+"
he e&clai#ed when the new life sli!!ed into his waiting hands.
"%hat is it?"
"" boy. ,eautiful. Hea$y son of a gun, too."
""nd he's got great lungs," the obstetric nurse said, bea#ing down on Kyla.
"" boy," she #ur#ured, !leased. *he let the blessed lethargy steal o$er her and sank
back onto the table. "-et #e see hi#. s he all right?"
"He's !erfect," the doctor reassured her as he held u! the squir#ing, crying baby boy
where his#other could see hi#.
Tears stung Kyla's eyes when she saw her son for the first ti#e. ""aron. That's what we're
na#ing hi#. "aron .owers *troud." /or a #o#ent she was allowed the !ri$ilege of holding
hi# on her chest. 0#otion welled inside her.
"He's a boy his daddy can be !roud of," the nurse said. *he lifted the baby fro# Kyla's
weak ar#s, wra!!ed hi# in a soft blanket and carried hi# across the roo# to be weighed.
The doctor was attending Kyla, though it had been an easy, routine birth.
"How soon before you can notify your husband?" the doctor asked.
"1y !arents are standing by outside. 2ad's !ro#ised to send 3ichard a telegra#."
"He's nine !ounds three ounces," the nurse called out fro# across the roo#.
The obstetrician !eeled off his glo$es and took Kyla's li#! hand. "'ll go out now and
break the news so he can get that telegra# on its way. %here did you say 3ichard was
stationed?"
"'airo," Kyla re!lied absently. *he was watching "aron kick angrily as he was
foot!rinted. He was beautiful. 3ichard would be so !roud of hi#.
'onsidering that "aron had been born at dusk, she s!ent a reasonably !eaceful night.
They brought hi# to her twice during the night, though her #ilk hadn't started and he wasn't
hungry yet. The !leasure of holding his war# little body against hers was i##ense. They
co##unicated on a le$el that was unlike any other she had e&!erienced.
*he studied hi#, turning o$er his tiny hands and e&a#ining his !al#s when she could
!ry o!en the fingers he stubbornly ke!t clenched in a fist. 0ach toe, each fine strand of hair
on his head, his ears, were in$estigated and found to be !erfect.
"Your daddy and lo$e you $ery #uch," she whis!ered drowsily as she relinquished
hi# to a nurse.
Hos!ital sounds.squeaky laundry carts, rattling breakfast trays, clanking equi!#ent
dollies.roused her early. *he was in the #iddle of a huge yawn and a lu&uriant stretch when
her !arents entered her !ri$ate roo#.
"Good #orning," she said ha!!ily. "'# sur!rised you're here instead of at the nursery
window with your noses !ressed against the glass. ,ut then they don't o!en the curtain."
*he broke off when she noted their haggard e&!ressions. "s so#ething wrong?"
'lif and1eg .owers glanced at each other.1eg gri!!ed the handle of her !urse so tightly
that her knuckles turned white. 'lif looked as though he'd 4ust swallowed bad5tasting
#edicine.
"1o#? 2ad? %hat's ha!!ened? 6h, #y God+ The baby? "aron? There's so#ething
wrong with "aron?" Kyla threw off the co$ers with flailing ar#s and !u#!ing legs,
un#indful of the !inching soreness between her thighs, intent only on racing down the
hos!ital corridor to the nursery.
1eg .owers rushed to her daughter's bedside and restrained her. "(o. The baby's fine.
He's fine. !ro#ise."
Kyla's eyes wildly searched those of her !arents. "Then what's wrong?" *he was on the
$erge of !anic and her $oice was shrill. Her !arents rarely got ruffled. /or the# to be so
ob$iously u!set was cause for alar#.
"*weetheart," 'lif .owers said softly, laying a hand on her ar#, "there's so#e distressing
news this #orning." He silently consulted his wife once #ore before saying, "The "#erican
e#bassy in 'airo was bo#bed early this #orning."
" $iolent shudder shi##ied u! through Kyla's sto#ach and chest. Her #outh went dry.
Her eyes forgot how to blink. Her heart thudded to a halt before sluggishly beginning to beat
again. Then, gradually gaining #o#entu# as she assi#ilated what her father had said, it
accelerated to a frightening !ace.
"3ichard?" she asked on a hoarse croak.
"%e don't know."
"Tell me!"
"%e don't know," her father insisted. "0$erything is in chaos, 4ust like the ti#e this
ha!!ened in ,eirut. There's been no official word."
"Turn on the tele$ision."
"Kyla, don't think you should."
Heedless of her father's warning, she snatched the re#ote control fro# the bedside table
and switched on the tele$ision set that was #ounted on the wall o!!osite the bed.
".. .e&tent of the destruction at this !oint is undeter#ined. The .resident is calling this
terrorist bo#bing an outrage, an insult to the !eacekee!ing nations of the world. .ri#e
1inister."
*he changed channels, frantically !unching the buttons on the re#ote control with
tre#bling fingers.
"... costly, though it will !robably be hours, e$en days before the death toll is officially
released. 1arine units ha$e been #obili)ed and, along with 0gy!tian troo!s, are clearing the
rubble looking for sur$i$ors."
The ca#era work on the $ideota!e was substandard and testified to the !ande#oniu#
surrounding the ruins of what had been the building that housed the "#erican e#bassy. The
shots were 4erky and out of focus, rando# and unedited. "Taking credit for this abo#ination
is a terrorist grou! calling itself."
Kyla changed channels again. t was #ore of the sa#e. %hen the $ideo ca#era swe!t
the area and she saw the bodies that had already been reco$ered neatly lined u! on the
ground, she threw down the re#ote control de$ice and co$ered her face with her hands.
"3ichard, 3ichard+"
"2arling, don't gi$e u! ho!e. They think there are sur$i$ors." ,ut 1eg's soothing words
fell on deaf ears. *he clutched her wee!ing daughter's body hard against hers.
"t ha!!ened at dawn 'airo ti#e," 'lif said. "%e were notified 4ust as we were getting u!
this #orning. There's nothing we can do at this !oint but wait. *ooner or later, we're bound
to get word of 3ichard."
t ca#e three days later, deli$ered by a 1arine officer who rang the doorbell of the
.owers's house. Kyla reali)ed the #o#ent she saw the official car !ull u! to the curb that
subconsciously she had been waiting for it. *he wa$ed off her father and went to answer the
door alone.
"1rs. *troud?"
"Yes."
"'# 'a!tain Hawkins and it is #y duty to infor# you..."
",ut, darling, that's wonderful+" Kyla had e&clai#ed. "%hy are you so downcast?
thought you'd be 4ubilant."
"%ell, hell, Kyla, don't want to go off to 0gy!t while you're !regnant," 3ichard had
said.
*he touched his hair. "'ll ad#it don't like it for that reason. ,ut this is an honor. (ot
e$ery 1arine is selected for guard duty at an e#bassy. They chose you because you're the
best. '# $ery !roud."
",ut don't ha$e to do it. could a!!ly."
"This is a chance of a lifeti#e, 3ichard. 2o you think could li$e with #yself if you
turned down this honor on account of #e?"
",ut nothing's #ore i#!ortant than you and the baby."
""nd we'll always be here." *he hugged hi#. "This will be your last tour and it's a
fabulous o!!ortunity that will only co#e around once. (ow you're going and that's final."
" can't lea$e you alone."
"'ll li$e with 1o# and 2ad while you're away. This is their first grandbaby and they'll
dri$e #e cra)y calling and checking on #e. #ight 4ust as well #ake it easy on us all and
#o$e in with the#."
He fra#ed her face between his hands. "You're terrific, you know that?"
"2oes that #ean don't ha$e to worry about you with those #ysterious eastern
wo#en?"
He had !retended to !onder it. "2o you know how to belly dance?"
*he had socked hi# in the tu##y. "That would be a sight to see, with the belly '#
going to ha$e soon."
"Kyla." His $oice was tender as he threaded his fingers through her hair. ""re you
!ositi$e you want #e to do this?"
".ositi$e."
That con$ersation, which had taken !lace se$en #onths earlier, !layed through Kyla's
#ind as she stared at the flag5dra!ed casket. The soulful notes of ta!s were snatched fro# the
lone tru#!et by an unkind winter wind and scattered o$er the ce#etery. The !allbearers, all
1arines, stood rigidly at attention, res!lendent in their dress unifor#s.
3ichard was being interred beside his !arents, who had died within a year of each other
before Kyla e$er #et hi#. " was all alone in the world before #et you," he had told her
once.
"*o was ."
"You ha$e your !arents," he had re#inded her, !er!le&ed.
",ut '$e ne$er belonged to anyone, really belonged, the way do to you."
,ecause they had lo$ed each other so #uch, he had then understood.
His body had been shi!!ed ho#e in a sealed casket that she had been ad$ised not to o!en.
*he didn't ha$e to ask why. "ll that was left of the building in 'airo was a dusty !ile of
twisted stone and steel. *ince the bo#b had e&!loded early in the #orning, #ost of the
di!lo#atic cor!s and clerks had yet to arri$e for work. Those who, like 3ichard and the
other #ilitary !ersonnel, had had a!art#ents in the attached building, had been the $icti#s.
" friend of 'lif .owers had offered to fly the fa#ily to Kansas for the burial. Kyla could
only be away fro#"aron for se$eral hours at a ti#e because of his feeding schedule.
*he flinched when she was handed the "#erican flag, which had been re#o$ed fro# the
coffin and cere#onially folded. The casket looked naked without it. rrationally she
wondered if 3ichard were cold.
6h God+ she thought, her #ind silently screa#ing. have to leave him here. How
would she be able to? How could she turn and walk away and lea$e that fresh gra$e like an
obscene, o!en wound in the ground? How could she get into that !ri$ate !lane and be
whisked back to Te&as as though she were deserting 3ichard in this stark, barren landsca!e
that she suddenly hated with a !assion?
The wind whistled with a keening sound.
*he would and she could because she had no choice. This !art of 3ichard was dead.
,ut a li$ing !art of hi# was waiting for her at ho#e. "aron.
"s the #inister recited the closing !rayer, Kyla offered one of her own. "'ll kee! you
ali$e, 3ichard. swear it. You'll always be ali$e in #y heart. lo$e you. lo$e you. You'll
always be ali$e for "aron and #e because 'll kee! you ali$e."
He was cocooned inside a cotton ball. 6nce in a while the world would intrude on his
cloudlike confine#ent and these were unwelco#e interru!tions. "ll sounds were cla#orous.
The slightest #o$e#ent was like an earth5 quake to his syste#. -ight fro# any source
was !ainful. He wanted no !art of anything outside the !eacefulness of obli$ion.
,ut the intrusions beca#e #ore frequent. 'o#!elled by a force he didn't understand,
finding handholds and footholds in sound and feeling, clinging !recariously to e$ery
sensation that hinted he was still ali$e, he slowly cli#bed u!ward, out of that safe white #ist
to greet the terrifying unknown.
He was lying on his back. He was breathing. His heart was beating. He wasn't certain of
anything else.
"'an you hear #e?"
He tried to turn his head in the direction of the soft $oice, but s!linters of !ain
crisscrossed inside his skull like ricocheting bullets.
""re you awake? 'an you answer #e? "&e you in !ain?"
t took so#e doing, but he #anaged to coa& his tongue to breach his li!s. He tried to wet
the#, but the inside of his #outh was as dry and furry as wool. His face felt odd and he
didn't think he could #o$e his head e$en if the !ain hadn't been se$ere. Tentati$ely he tried
to raise his right hand.
"(o, no, 4ust lie still. You ha$e an 7 in this ar#."
He struggled $aliantly and finally #anaged to !ry his eyes o!en to slits. His lashes,
for#ing a screen across his field of $ision, were #agnified. He could al#ost count the#
indi$idually. /inally they lifted a trifle #ore. "n i#age wa$ered in front of hi# like a
ho$ering
angel. " white unifor#. " wo#an. " ca!. " nurse?
"Hello. How do you feel?"
*tu!id question, lady.
"%here..." He didn't recogni)e the croaking sound as his own $oice.
"You're in a #ilitary hos!ital in%est Ger#any."
%est Ger#any? %est Ger#any? He #ust ha$e been drunker than he thought last night.
This was a hellu$a drea#.
"%e'$e been worried about you. You'$e been in a co#a for three weeks."
" co#a? /or three weeks? #!ossible. -ast night he'd gone out with that colonel's
daughter and they'd hit e$ery night s!ot in 'airo. %hy the hell was this drea# angel telling
hi# he'd been in a co#a in where?...%est Ger#any?
He tried to take in #ore of his surroundings. The roo# looked strange. His $ision was
blurred. *o#ething.
"2on't beco#e distressed if your $ision is fu))y. Your left eye is bandaged," the nurse
said kindly. "-ie still now while go get the doctor. He'll want to know that you're awake."
He didn't hear her lea$e. 6ne instant she was there, the ne&t she had $anished. 1aybe
he had i#agined her. 2rea#s can be bi)arre.
The walls see#ed to sway sickeningly. The ceiling swelled and then receded. t was
ne$er still. The light fro#the single la#! hurt his eyes... eye.
*he had said his left eye was bandaged. %hy? 2isregarding her caution, he raised his
right hand again. t was a Herculean effort. The ta!e holding the 7 needles in !lace !ulled
against the hairs on his ar#. t see#ed to take fore$er for his hand to reach his head and
when it did, he knew the first stirrings of !anic.
1y whole da#n head is co$ered with bandages+ He raised his head off the !illow as far
as he could, which was only an inch or two, and glanced down at his body.
The screa# that echoed through the hall seconds later ca#e straight out of the bowels of
Hell and set the nurse and doctor flying down the corridor and into the roo#.
"'ll hold hi# down while you gi$e hi# a shot," the doctor barked. "He'll tear u!
e$erything we'$e done so far if he kee!s thrashing that way."
The !atient felt the sting of a needle in his right thigh and cried out in indignation and
frustration o$er his inability to s!eak, to #o$e, to fight.
Then darkness closed in around hi# again. *oothing hands lowered hi# back to the
!illow. ,y the ti#e he reached it, $el$et obli$ion had clai#ed hi# again.
He drifted in and out for days...weeks? He had no !oint of reference with which to
#easure ti#e. He began to know when 7 bottles were changed, when his blood !ressure
was being taken, when the tubes and catheters entering or e&iting his body were #onitored.
6nce he recogni)ed the nurse. 6nce he recogni)ed the doctor's $oice. ,ut they #o$ed
around hi# like ghosts, solicitous s!ecters in a soft #isty drea#.
Gradually he began to stay awake for longer !eriods of ti#e. He ca#e to know the
roo#, to know the #achines that bli!!ed and bee!ed out his $ital signs. He was increasingly
aware of his !hysical condition. "nd he knew it was serious.
He was awake when the doctor ca#e through the door, studying a chart in a #etal file.
"%ell, hello," the doctor said when he saw his !atient staring u! at hi#. He went through a
routine checku!, then leaned against the side of the bed. ""re you aware that you're in a
hos!ital and !retty banged u!?"
"%as... ... in an accident?"
"(o, *ergeant 3ule. The "#erican e#bassy in 'airo was bo#bed o$er a #onth ago.
You were one of the few who sur$i$ed the blast. "fter you were dug out of the rubble you
were flown here.%hen you're well enough, you'll be shi!!ed ho#e."
"%hat's... wrong with #e?"
" flicker of a s#ile touched the doctor's #outh. "t would be easier to say what's right."
He rubbed his chin. "%ant it straight?"
"n al#ost i#!erce!tible nod encouraged hi# to !roceed in a blunt, no5nonsense
#anner. "The left side of your body was crushed by a falling concrete wall. (early e$ery
da#n bone you'$e got on that side was broken, if not #angled. %e'$e set what we could. The
rest," he !aused to draw in a dee! breath, "well that will take so#e doing by the s!ecialists
back ho#e. You're in for a long haul, #y friend. would say eight #onths at least, though
twice that long would be a #ore accurate guess. *e$eral o!erations. 1onths of !hysical
thera!y."
The #isery reflected on the bandaged face was al#ost too !oignant to witness, e$en for
the doctor who had earned his stri!es on the battlefields of 7ietna#.
" % i l l . . . b e . . . ? "
"Your !rognosis at this !oint is anybody's guess. " lot of it will be u! to you. *heer gut
deter#ination. How badly do you want to walk again?"
" want to run," the 1arine said gri#ly.
The doctor ca#e close to laughing. "Good. ,ut for right now, your 4ob is to get stronger so
we can begin !atching you u!."
The doctor !atted hi# lightly on the right shoulder and turned to go. "2oc?" The
#edical #an turned at the hoarse sound. "1y eye?"
The doctor looked down at his !atient sy#!athetically. "'# sorry, *ergeant 3ule. %e
couldn't sa$e it."
The doctor's stride was brisk and businesslike as he strode fro# the roo#, and belied
the tight lu#! in his throat. The #ost eloquent sign of des!air he'd e$er seen was that single
tear trickling down a gaunt, darkly be5whiskered cheek.
George 3ule was allowed to see his son the ne&t day. He ca#e to the bedside and clas!ed
Tre$or's right hand. *lowly he lowered hi#self into a nearby chair. Tre$or ne$er
re#e#bered
seeing his father cry, not e$en when his #other had died se$eral years earlier. (ow, the
attorney fro# .hiladel!hia, who struck terror in the heart of any lying witness, we!t
bitterly.
" #ust look worse than thought," Tre$or said with a trace of wry hu#or.' '*hocked?''
The elder 3ule !ulled hi#self together. He'd been cautioned by the #edical staff to
a!!ear o!ti#istic. "(o, '# not shocked. beat you here by se$eral hours and saw you when
you first arri$ed. t #ight not feel like it, but you'$e co#e a long way since then."
"Then #ust ha$e been bad because feel like hell now."
"They would only let #e see you once a day while you were in the co#a. Then since
you ca#e out of it, they wouldn't let #e see you at all. You're going to be fine, son, fine. '$e
already been talking to doctors in the *tates, ortho!edic surgeons who."
"2o so#ething for #e, 2ad."
""nything, anything."
The last ti#e Tre$or had seen his father they hadn't been on $ery good ter#s. f Tre$or
hadn't been so !reoccu!ied with other thoughts now, he would ha$e noted his father's
drastic change of attitude toward hi#.
"'heck the casualty list. *ee if *ergeant 3ichard *troud #ade it."
"*on, you shouldn't be worrying."
"%ill you do it?" Tre$or groaned, already !hysically ta&ed by his father's $isit.
"Yes, of course will," George rushed to say when he saw his son's an&iety. "*troud,
you say?"
"Yes. 3ichard *troud."
"/riend of yours?"
"Yes. "nd ho!e to God he didn't die. f he died, it's #y fault."
"How could it be your fault, Tre$or?"
",ecause the last thing re#e#ber is falling aslee! in his bunk."
".sst+ *troud? You awake, buddy?"
" a# now," ca#e the gru#bled re!ly. "8ee), *#ooch, it's three o'clock. "re you
drunk?"
"How 'bout a drink?"
3ichard *troud sat u! in his bunk and shook off slee!. "1ust ha$e been a hellu$a
weekend !ass."
..s wonderful. 0$er had an orgas#?"
*troud laughed. "You're drunk all right. Here, let #e hel! you with your !ants."
""n orgas#, an orgas#. think had three las' night. 6r was it four?"
"/our? That's a record e$en for you, isn't it?"
" wobbly finger was !ointed at the end of *troud's nose. "(ow shee, *chtroud. You're
always thinkin' the worscht of #e. was talking about the drink. "n 6rgas#. Has $odka
and liqueur and... "re #y !ants off yet?"
"They will be if you'll lift your feet u!."
"6o!s+" Tre$or 3ule fell o$er onto *troud's bunk, dragging the other #an with hi#. "2o
you know ,ecky?" he asked with a goosey s#ile.
" thought her na#e was ,renda," *troud said, disentangling their li#bs.
"6h, yeah. 'o#e to think of it, think it is ,renda, think. Great legs." He winked
lewdly as *troud hel!ed hi#with his shirt. "*trong thighs. Know what #ean?"
*troud chuckled and shook his head. "Yeah, know what you #ean. "nd don't think
'olonel 2aniels would a!!reciate you talking about his daughter's strong thighs."
" think lo$e her." Tre$or said the words with the seriousness only a drunk can con4ure.
The a$owal was !unctuated with a #oist belch.
"*ure you do. -ast week you lo$ed the brunette secretary on the third floor. "nd the week
before that it was the blond ". re!orter. (ow co#e on, *#ooch, let's get you to your own
bunk."
He !ut his ar#s under Tre$or's and tried to hea$e hi# u!, but the other #an was
deadweight and only grinned u! at hi# sa!!ily. "'$e got a better idea," *troud said when
Tre$or couldn't be budged. "%hy don't you 4ust stay in #y bunk tonight?''
/or an answer, Tre$or fell backward onto the !illow. *troud felt his way across the dark
roo# to Tre$or's bunk. He settled down to go back to slee!.
"(ighty5night."
He raised his head to see Tre$or waggling his fingers at hi# like a di#wit. -aughing,
*troud said, "(ighty5night."
,efore either of the# woke u!, the terrorists struck.
Tre$or's reco$ery was harder than he antici!ated.and he had antici!ated that it would
be a li$ing hell.
He was in the hos!ital in %est Ger#any for another #onth before he was trans!orted
ho#e. The e&!ert doctors who e&a#ined hi# went away gri#ly shaking their heads. The left
side of his body was a #ess.
"/i& it," Tre$or said tersely. "2o what you can. 'll do the rest. ,ut you can bank on
this. 'll walk out of here."
He had had nurses read hi# news!a!er accounts of the e#bassy bo#bing. He went
through stages of disbelief, then des!air, then anger. The anger was healthy. t ga$e hi# the
strength he needed to fight the !ain, to o$erco#e the trau#a of one o!eration after another,
to withstand the grueling hours of !hysical thera!y.
6nce his #edical discharge was official, he let his 1arine haircut grow out long. He
had told the nurse who ca#e in to sha$e hi# e$ery #orning to lea$e his #ustache. He
refused to be fitted with a !rosthesis for his eye.
" think it looks... dashing," was the o!inion of one nurse. There were se$eral clustered
around his bed as a doctor fitted hi# with a black eye !atch. Half the nursing staff was in
lo$e with hi#. His e&tensi$e in4uries hadn't detracted fro# his brawny build. Greatly
ad#ired and discussed at the nurses' station were his ruggedly handso#e face, long li#bs,
wide chest and narrow hi!s. "t goes with your wa$y black hair." "%hen you lea$e here,
you'll ha$e to fight the wo#en off with a stick."
"%ith #y cane, you #ean," Tre$or re#arked, studying the eye !atch in the hand #irror
so#eone had !assed to hi#.
"2on't gi$e u! yet," the doctor said encouragingly. "%e'$e only 4ust started."
He knew of seasonal changes only by the landsca!e through his hos!ital roo# window.
The days bled into each other. He ke!t track of ti#e by kee!ing a calendar on his bedside
table and 4otting down at least one entry on it each day.
6ne afternoon an orderly, who occasionally ca#e in to !lay !oker with hi# after his
shift, du#!ed a duffel bag onto the chair near the bed.
"%hat's that?"
""ll the stuff they could sal$age fro# your roo# in 'airo," the orderly told hi#. "Your
dad thought you #ight want to sift through it and see if there was anything worth sa$ing."
There wasn't. ,ut one thing caught his attention. "Hand #e that #etal bo& !lease."
t was an unre#arkable green square bo& with a hinged to!. The co#bination lock had
only one nu#ber. 1iraculously he re#e#bered it. He turned the lock and, when it ca#e
o!en, raised the lid.
"%hat's all that?" The orderly was !eering at the contents o$er Tre$or's shoulder.
"-ooks like a !ile of letters."
Tre$or felt a constriction in his chest. t squee)ed his throat as well, so #uch that he
could barely say, "That's e&actly what it is."
He hadn't re#e#bered the# till now, but suddenly he recalled that afternoon with stark
clarity.
"Hey, *#ooch?"
"Hiya, *troud. %hat can do for you?" "You know that #etal bo& you kee! your
!oker stakes in?"
"%hat about it?"
"%ould you #ind if !ut these in there for safekee!ing?" 0#barrassed, *troud held u!
a stack of letters, bound with a rubber band.
"H##. "re those fro# that wife who kee!s you as chaste as a #onk?"
"Yeah," he ad#itted bashfully. " didn't think she could write."
"Huh?"
" didn't know angels did such #undane things," Tre$or teased, !oking his friend in
the ribs.
"(ot you, too, !lease. The guys are ribbing #e about sa$ing her letters, but like to
read the# se$eral ti#es."
"1ushy?" Tre$or's green eyes twinkled #ischie$ously.
"(ot really. 8ust !ersonal. %hat about the bo&?"
"6kay, sure, lock the# away. "ll you ha$e to do to o!en it is turn the lock to four."
"/our? Thanks, *#ooch."
He caught *troud's ar# as he turned away. "*ure they're not #ushy?"
*troud grinned. "%ell, a little #ushy."
They had gone out for a beer and that was the last Tre$or had thought of *troud's
letters fro# his wife. 9ntil now.
He sla##ed the lid down, feeling as guilty as if he had watched the# #aking lo$e
through their bedroo# window. "Throw the rest of that 4unk away," he said irritably.
"You kee!in' the bo& with the letters?" the orderly asked.
"Yeah, '# kee!ing it."
He didn't know why he did. t !robably had so#ething to do with his guilt o$er being
ali$e when *troud had died while slee!ing in his bunk. He told hi#self a #illion ti#es
through that afternoon's hand and ar# e&ercises that he wasn't going to $iolate a dead #an's
!ri$acy by reading letters fro# his wife.
,ut when night fell, when the hall was e#!tied of $isitors, when the last of the #edication
had been dis!ensed, when the nurses had taken u! their !osts at their station, Tre$or lifted
the bo& fro# the bedside table and set it on his chest.
He was lonely. t was dark. He had sle!t alone for #ore nights than he cared to count. t
had co#e as a tre#endous relief to hi# to feel his body res!ond e$ery ti#e the orderly
sneaked hi# the #onthly issues of Playboy and Penthouse. That !art of hi# wasn't i#!aired.
He needed a wo#an. t wasn't that he couldn't ha$e one. He knew that if he ga$e any of
se$eral nurses acertain look, they would ha$e been #ore than willing to acco##odate hi#.
,ut he had had about all the #elodra#a in his life that he could handle. Hos!ital gossi!
being what it was, it would be foolhardy to beco#e ro#antically entangled, es!ecially when
what he wanted and needed had little or nothing to do with ro#ance.
Yet he yearned for a wo#an's touch. " wo#an's $oice. There was no satisfaction to be
deri$ed fro# looking through the #aga)ines on this night like so #any others. Those
wo#en, with their $olu!tuous bodies and abundant hair and affected s#iles were as
twodi#ensional as the slick !ages they were !rinted on.
The co#!oser of the letters was real.
The lid to the #etal bo& o!ened without a sound, but the !a!er rustled when he touched
the letters. He yanked his hand back. Then, cursing hi#self for a fool, he !icked u! the letter
on the to! of the stack.
There were twenty5se$en in all. He sorted the# and !ut the# in chronological order.
%hen all the busywork.designed to delay the co##ission of what he su!!osed was a
grie$ous sin.was finished, he o!ened the first en$elo!e, took out the !lain !astel sheet,
and began to read.
Chapter $
*e!t. :
1y darling 3ichard,
t's only been weeks, but it see#s like years since you left. 1issing you has beco#e a
sickness. n stead of getting better each day, grow worse.1y i#agination !lays cruel tricks.
often think see you, es!ecially in a crowd. 1y heart begins to beat fast with e&cite#ent.
Then go through the wrenching reali)ation that so#eone only re#inded #e of you.
*e!t. ;<
2earest 3ichard,
drea#ed about you last night and woke u!
'rying.
*e!t. ;=
1y darling,
/orgi$e #e yesterday's letter. was blue.
6ct. >
2earest 3ichard,
felt the baby #o$e today+ 6h, darling, can't tell you what a thrilling e&!erience that
was. "t first it was only a fluttering. held #y breath, standing $ery still. Then he ? know
it's a boy@ #o$ed again, #uch stronger. laughed. cried. 1o# and 2ad ca#e running.
They couldn't feel the #o$e#ents because they are slight, but so#ehow know you could.
f you were here, touching #e, know you could. lo$e you. *o #uch.
6ct. ><
... and your e&cursion to the !yra#ids sounds wonderful. '# 4ealous. 1o# and went
to (orth.ark yesterday and did so#e sho!!ing. f anything, the traffic in 2allas is getting
worse. was so tired by the ti#e we got ho#e, could barely cli#b the stairs and 2ad
brought #e su!!er on a tray. ,ut we had a !roducti$e day. won't ha$e to buy clothes for the
baby until he's si&+
%e all laughed o$er your story about the consul's wife. 2oes she really dress that way?
"nd about your friend *#ooch, *T"Y "%"Y/361H1+ He doesn't sound like a $ery
good influence on a #arried #an with a !regnant wife.
Thanksgi$ing 2ay
.. .and want you here so badly. went to a #o$ie with ,abs last night. should ha$e
know better. t was se&y, stea#y actually. "nd now want you+ '# cli#bing the walls. /or
sha#e+ (ice !regnant ladies aren't su!!osed to feel like se& kittens, are they? ,ut it's cold
and rainy and think, gi$en the chance, could e$en lure you away fro# the football ga#es
on
tele$ision today.
2ec. >;1y lo$e,
got your letter yesterday and laughed out loud. *o you want #e to stay away fro#
,abs? You'$e got a deal if you'll end your friendshi! with *#ooch. He sounds like the kind
of #an detest. Thinks he's God's gift to wo#en, doesn't he? 0$en though you say he's as
handso#e as the de$il, know wouldn't like hi#.
2ec. >A1y dearest,
The days are short, but they see# endless. 1y s!irits are down. wish could ha$e sle!t
through 'hrist#as. 0$erywhere look !eo!le are celebrating, s#iling, sharing the season
with those they lo$e. feel like an alien in a world #ade u! of cou!les only. %here are you?
can tell 1o# and 2ad are worried about #e because '$e been so de!ressed. They'$e done
their best to cheer #e, but #iss you so terribly that nothing they do works. The !ackages
you sent are under the tree. 2ad s!lurged and got a (oble fir this year, #y fa$orite. ho!e
you recei$ed your !resents in ti#e. would trade all the !resents '$e e$er gotten and will
get on future 'hrist#ases for one of your kisses. 6ne of those long, slow kisses that fulfills
and tantali)es. 6h, 3ichard, lo$e you. 1erry 'hrist#as, darling.
8an.;;
... but '# #uch better now that the holidays are o$er and we'$e !assed the halfway !oint
of your year away.
t grows increasingly unco#fortable to slee!. The baby is going to be a fullback, you'll
be glad to know. 6r #aybe a !lacekicker. ,ut in any e$ent, in about twenty5two years the
'owboys will be recuiting hi# for sure+ ,y the way, what do you think of "aron as a na#e?
f
it's a boy, of course.%hich it had better be since '$e co#e u! e#!ty on girls' na#es so far.
You would go wild for #y breasts. They're huge+ 9nfortunately the rest of #e #atches
the#. didn't reali)e the baby would #ake such a drastic change in the#. 0$en the ni!!les
ha$e grown larger. '# !re!aring the# to breast5feed. ?That naughty ,abs says she wishes
she had that good an e&cuse. *he's so bad+@ wish you were here to hel! out on the !ro4ect.
?'o#e to think of it, '# !retty bad #yself.@
,ut can't think of anything #ore wonderful than nursing our baby... "aron.
8an. ><
... and it was the #ost horrible drea# '$e e$er had. woke u! sweating. won't eat
any #ore chili before the baby co#es+
%as *#ooch along on that weekend tri! to "le&andria you wrote #e about? You didn't
#ention hi# and think that was an intentional o$ersight. f you ha$e done so#ething
indiscreet, if you ha$e a real lech for a belly dancer, don't confess it to #e. feel like a
water buffalo and cried yesterday because was so fat...at the sa#e ti#e was stuffing down
a banana s!lit that ,abs assured #e would cheer #e u!. ?Three scoo!s of chocolate
al#ond+@ *o#eti#es des!air that 'll ne$er see you again, 3ichard.%ill you e$er hold
#e? %ill e$er feel you inside #e again? *o#e ti#es think you aren't real, that you're
so#e one wonderful that drea#ed u!. need you, darling. need to know that you
lo$e #e. "s lo$e you... with all #y heart..
"You're being released ne&t week?"
Tre$or turned away fro# the window. "Yeah. /inally."
"That's great, son," George 3ule said earnestly. "You look as good as new."
"(ot quite."
There was no bitterness in Tre$or's tone. 6$er the !ast thirteen #onths, he had co#e to
reali)e how fortunate he'd been. His strolls through the wards of the hos!ital had con$inced
hi# of that. He could ha$e been confined to a wheelchair for the rest of his life, like so #any
he saw in !hysical thera!y.
He could walk, with a slight li#!, but he could walk. He had e$en gotten accusto#ed to
the eye !atch, so that he wasn't bu#!ing into furniture any longer. t was true what was said
about the body's ability to co#!ensate for the loss of one of its #e#bers. He could barely
re#e#ber what it was like to ha$e both eyes.
"They want #e to co#e back e$ery week on an out!atient basis for !hysical thera!y, but
said no," he told his father. " think this is as good as 'll get. can do the e&ercises #yself."
"%hat do you !lan to do now?" George 3ule asked his son hesitantly.
Tre$or's choice of career had been a bone of contention since his graduation fro#
Har$ard. His 4oining the 1arines had been an act of rebellion against his father, who had
wanted Tre$or to beco#e a lawyer like hi#self and had refused to listen to his son's own
!lans.
"%hat always !lanned to do, 2ad. ,e a builder."
" see." 3ule's disa!!oint#ent was a!!arent, but he squelched it. He had al#ost lost his
son. Tre$or's close brush with death had scared the indo#itable George 3ule. He didn't want
to lose Tre$or in another way now. He had no doubt that he would if he tried to direct
Tre$or's future. "%here? How do you !lan to start?"
"Te&as."
"Texas!" t #ight 4ust as well ha$e been another !lanet.
Tre$or laughed. "You'$e heard of the building boo# in the *unbelt states. That's where
the action is now. There's still land waiting to be de$elo!ed. '$e chosen a s#all town near
2allas. 'handler. t's a boo#ing co##unity and intend to ca!itali)e on its growth."
"You'll need a bankroll."
"'$e got back !ay fro# the 1arines co#ing."
"That's hardly enough to go into business."
Tre$or looked at his father steadily. "How #uch would a law degree fro# Har$ard
ha$e cost you, 2ad?"
George 3ule nodded. "You'$e got it." He stuck out his hand and Tre$or gri!!ed it
fir#ly and shook it.
"Thanks."
/or the first ti#e in Tre$or's #e#ory, he was e#braced by his father and hugged tight.
-ater that night, after he had !acked his things, Tre$or stretched out on the hos!ital bed
for the last ti#e. ,ut he was too e&cited to slee!. He had been gi$en a second chance at
life. His first shot at it hadn't a#ounted to #uch. ,ut this new one, which would start
to#orrow, would. (o #ore angry wasted years. (ow he had a #ission.
He reached for the green #etal bo&. t was ne$er far fro# his hand. The letters were
worn at the creases, frayed around the edges. He knew all twenty5se$en letters by heart. ,ut
he deri$ed !leasure fro# looking at the swirls and cur$es of her fe#inine handwriting. He
selected one, and it wasn't a rando# choice.
. ..end your friendship with Smooch. e sounds like the kind of man ! detest. Thinks he"s
#od"s gift to women, doesn"t he$ %ven though you say he"s as handsome as the devil, ! know
! wouldn"t like him
Tre$or folded the letter carefully and re!laced it in its en$elo!e. He didn't go to slee! for
a long ti#e.
*he was beautiful.
He had seen her #any ti#es in the !ast few weeks. ,ut ne$er this close. (e$er for this
long. t was a lu&ury to be able to study her.
n a thousand years he would ne$er be able to describe the color of her hair. ",lond"
wasn't sufficient because of those burnished streaks threaded through it. ,ut she wasn't a true
redhead. "*trawberry blond" connoted sweetness to the !oint of insi!idity. "nd there was
nothing insi!id about Kyla *troud. *he radiated energy and light like a sunbea#.
That indescribable hair was !ulled back into a casual !onytail. The ends of it were curly,
as were the strands that had esca!ed it to fra#e her face.
"nd what a face. Heart5sha!ed. %ith a dainty chin. ,rows that arched o$er wide5set
eyes. " s#ooth, high, intelligent forehead. " co#!le&ion that #ade his #outh water for a
taste. 'heeks naturally tinted the color of ri!e !eaches.
*he had on casual tan slacks, a stri!ed cotton shirt with the slee$es rolled u! to her
elbows and a cardigan tied around her neck. Her figure was neat and tri#. .erfectly
!ro!ortioned.
*he was... well... !erfect.
He liked the way she talked to the child, as though he was understanding e$ery word she
said. "nd !erha!s he was, because when she s#iled, so did the robust toddler. They see#ed
i#!er$ious to the hea$y foot traffic in the #all, unaffected by the *aturday afternoon crowd
that was !atroni)ing the sho!s and food stands.
t was at one of those concessions that she had bought the ice5crea# cone. %ith
#iraculous agility she had held the ice5crea# cone in one hand while she !ushed the baby
stroller through the crowd to a bench. *he had assisted the little boy, though he hadn't needed
#uch encourage#ent to cli#b out.
(ow, they were seated on a bench and the child was destroying the ice5crea# cone while
his #other alternately laughed with delight and ad#onished hi# for #aking such a !ig of
hi#self. Her right hand go$erned the cone, while her left deftly wielded a na!kin.
%hen the cone and na!kin had both been #utilated to a soggy #ess, she s!oke sternly
to the child, then left the bench to throw the refuse away in the nearest trash can.
The instant her back was turned, the toddler slid off the bench and hit the floor of the
#all running. "s fast as his short, sturdy legs could carry hi#, he headed for the s!arkling
fountain that gushed toward the skylit ceiling. *urrounding the fountain was a !ool about
two feet dee!.
3efle&i$ely Tre$or !ushed hi#self away fro# the wall where he had been indolently
!ro!!ed on one shoulder while he watched the#. He risked taking his eyes off the child for a
few seconds to see Kyla turn away fro# the trash can and notice that the boy was gone. 0$en
fro# that distance he read in her e&!ression the instantaneous !anic only a #other whose
child is #issing can register.
%ithout thinking, Tre$or began wea$ing his way through the crowd toward the
fountain. The boy was now cli#bing onto the low wall surrounding it and reaching toward
the bubbling water.
"6h, God," Tre$or #ur#ured as he !ushed aside a #an with a !i!e. He increased the
length of his stride and !icked u! his !ace. ,ut he wasn't fast enough. He watched the child
go o$er the wall and into the water.
*e$eral bystanders noticed, but Tre$or was the first to reach the fountain. He swung his
right leg o$er the wall, ste!!ed into the !ool, caught the boy under the ar#s and scoo!ed
hi# out of the water.
""aron+" Kyla was frantically !ushing her way through the crowd.
"aron, s!uttering water, looked curiously at the #an holding hi#. %ith a!!arent
a!!ro$al of his rescuer, the boy s#iled, re$ealing two neat rows of baby teeth, and said
so#ething that could ha$e been "water."
*loshing water, Tre$or ste!!ed out of the fountain. The bystanders fanned out to gi$e hi#
roo#.
"s he all right?"
"%hat ha!!ened?"
"%here's his #other?"
"%asn't anybody watching hi#?"
"*o#e !arents 4ust let their kids run wild."
"0&cuse #e, e&cuse #e." Kyla finally elbowed her way through the gathering onlookers.
""aron, "aron+" *he lifted her son out of Tre$or's ar#s and clutched hi# to her chest,
squee)ing hard, regardless of his wet clothes. "6h, #y baby. "re you okay? You scared
1o##y. 6h, God."
The #o#ent "aron sensed his #other's distress, his ad$enture turned into a trau#a. His
lower li! began to tre#ble, his eyes filled with tears and his face cru#!led. 6!ening his
#outh wide, he began to wail.
"He's hurt+ s he hurt?" Kyla said frantically.
"'o#e on, let's #o$e o$er here. .lease, folks, let us through. He's okay, 4ust scared."
Kyla was $aguely aware of a large #an beside her. *he felt his hand between her shoulder
blades, !ro!elling her through the crowd toward an out5of5the5way bench. *he was so busy
e&a#ining "aron for !ossible in4uries that the #an went unnoticed until she was seated on
the bench. /inally, hugging a crying "aron to her, she looked u! at hi#.
t took a long ti#e for her eyes to reach his face, so her first i#!ression of hi# was that
he was $ery tall. *he wasn't quite !re!ared for the cur$ing #ustache, #uch less the black
!atch o$er his left eye, and caught her gas! 4ust in ti#e. "Thank you."
The large #an sat down ne&t to her. " think he's all right. Your reaction frightened
hi#."
*he whi!!ed her head around, showing hi# that her chin wasn't only dainty. t could be
stubborn when she was challenged. %hen she saw that he wasn't being critical, she s#iled
with chagrin. " guess you're right. o$erreacted."
"aron's crying was beginning to subside. *he held hi# away fro# her and wi!ed the
tears off his ruddy, round cheeks. "You scared #e half to death, "aron *troud," she scolded.
Then looking at the #an again, she said, "6ne #inute he was there, the ne&t he wasn't."
*he had brown eyes. 7el$ety, dark5brown eyes that he felt hi#self sinking into.
"He #o$ed like greased lightning." %hen she tilted her head, ob$iously !u))led, he
e&!lained. " had been watching hi# eat his ice5crea# cone."
"6h." t didn't occur to her to ask why they had attracted his attention in the first !lace.
*he was wondering what had ha!!ened to his eye. t was a sha#e he had lost it because the
one that looked back at her was green, dee!ly green, beautifully green, surrounded by s!iky
black lashes.
t ga)ed back at her like a steady e#erald fla#e. *elf5conscious at ha$ing been caught
staring, she looked away. t was then that she noticed his wet 4eans and boots. "You went into
the fountain?"
He laughed, glancing down at his legs. His 4eans were wet fro# his knees down. He
rolled his foot back on the heel of his wet boot. " guess did. don't re#e#ber it. was
thinking about "aron."
"How did you know his na#e?"
Tre$or's heart did a so#ersault. "9h, heard you call hi# that when you reached for
hi#."
*he nodded. "'# sorry you got wet."
"t'll dry."
",ut those look like e&!ensi$e boots."
"They're not as $aluable as "aron." He chucked the boy under the chin. "aron had the
slee$e of his #other's cardigan in his #outh, gnawing away. 1echanically, she lifted it away
fro# hi# and s#oothed it back down o$er her chest.
"6h, #y gosh+" she e&clai#ed. "s though to reinforce what she'd 4ust reali)ed.that
they were both soaking wet."aron snee)ed.
"You're wet," Tre$or said.
He was staring down at her front in a way that #ade Kyla feel hot rather than chilled.
*he surged to her feet. "Thank you again. Goodbye." Holding "aron in front of her like a
shield, she rushed toward the nearest e&it.
"%ait+"
"%hy?"
""ren't you forgetting so#ething?"
"%hat?"
"Your !urse for one thing. "nd "aron's stroller. They're still o$er there by the icecrea#
stand."
/eeling like a colossal fool, she shook her head, laughing shakily. "'# still."
"9!set. can i#agine. -et #e get the# for you."
"You'$e done enough."
"(o !roble#."
He was walking away fro# her before she could offer another !rotest. *urre!titiously
she glanced down at her chest to see if she was indecently e&!osing herself and was only
slightly relie$ed to see that her e&!osure wouldn't get her arrested.
Hastily she glanced back u! at the #an's retreating figure. t was then that she noticed his
li#!. t was al#ost undetectable, but he definitely fa$ored his left side. He #ust ha$e been
in a terrible accident to ha$e lost his eye and !artially cri!!led his entire left side.
,ut e$en the li#! didn't ha#!er the lithe way he #o$ed. /or such a large #an, he was
graceful and had the oiled gait of an athlete. "nd the build. ,road shoulders and narrow
hi!s. His hair was #idnight5black, wa$y and long enough to co$er the to!s of his ears and
curl o$er his collar. Kyla noticed that the wo#en he !assed took a second look. (one see#ed
!ut off by the eye !atch. n fact, it contributed to his a!!eal, which was rakish and a tad
disre!utable. Yet, #asculine as he was, he see#ed indifferent to slinging the stra! of her
!urse o$er his shoulder and !ushing the baby stroller through the #all back toward where she
stood waiting with "aron.
"Thank you again," she said, a$oiding "aron's swinging fist, which was ai#ed for her
earring. *he reached for her !urse. Tre$or slid the stra! down his ar#, u! hers, and !atted it
into !lace on her shoulder.
*he's so dainty, he thought.
He's so tall, she thought.
*he leaned down and tried to seat "aron in the stroller, but he was ha$ing none of it. His
stout little body went as stiff as a board and she couldn't forcibly bend his legs. He began to
!rotest strenuously.
"He's getting tired," she said by way of e&!lanation, e#barrassed that her child was
beha$ing in such an undisci!lined way. They were attracting attention again, and those
!assersby new on the scene were staring curiously at the sodden child, da#! #other and the
#an with the wet 4eans.
"%hy don't you carry "aron and let #e !ush the stroller out to your car?"
*he straightened, lifting "aron with her. " can't let you do that. '$e incon$enienced you
enough."
He s#iled. His teeth were $ery straight and $ery white behind his $ery se&y #ustache.
"t's no incon$enience."
"%ell..." she hedged.
The #an #ade Kyla ner$ous. %hy, she couldn't e&actly say. He had beha$ed with
enough courtesy to earn hi# a ,oy *cout badge. He hadn't looked at her suggesti$ely. 1ore
than likely he thought she had a husband out !laying golf or at ho#e working in the yard.
*till, she was aware that he was aware of her wet blouse, and e$en though he couldn't
actually see anything the suggestion was there, and that #ade her 4ittery.
"'o#e on. -et's go before "aron beco#es #ore than the two of us can handle.''
The boy was beco#ing hea$ier in her ar#s with e$ery !assing second and his
fractiousness was increasing. He was squir#ing discontentedly, because he was no doubt as
unco#fortable as she in his wet clothes. ""ll right," she said, !ushing back a wayward strand
of hair that had #et with the flying fist she had tried to dodge. " would a!!reciate that."
"6ut this way?" Tre$or asked, nodding toward the e&it.
*he looked uneasy. "(o, actually, '# !arked on the other side of .enney's."
He could ha$e asked why, if she was !arked on the other side of .enney's, she had headed
toward this e&it as though the de$il were after her 4ust a few #inutes ago, but in true
gentle#anly fashion he said nothing and, after waiting for her to !recede hi#, steered the
e#!ty stroller toward the de!art#ent store at the other end of the #all.
"1y na#e is Tre$or, by the way. Tre$or 3ule." Holding his breath, he watched her face
for signs of recognition and when none were forthco#ing, he felt a tightness in his chest
rela&.
"'# Kyla *troud."
".leased to #eet you." He cocked his head toward "aron, who had sto!!ed crying now
that he was in #otion again. ""nd "aron, of course."
*#iles like his should be outlawed, Kyla thought. t was ha)ardous to the fe#ale
!o!ulation. His a!!eal crossed generational barriers. *he saw a gaggle of teens o!enly flirt
with hi# as they walked !ast. .lenty of grand#others turned their heads. t didn't #atter
whether a wo#an was acco#!anied by another #an or not, they all noticed Tre$or 3ule.
He wasn't classically handso#e. There was nothing !retty about his face. t was lined.
Twin groo$es e&tended fro# the edges of his nostrils down to bracket his #outh and wide
#ustache. Kyla wondered how they could be so dee!ly engra$ed there. .ain fro# his
debilitating accident? He couldn't be any older than his early thirties. (ot #uch older than
3ichard would be.
3ichard. "t the thought of hi# that fa#iliar !ang shot through her. f he were ali$e, he
would be walking by her side. *he wouldn't need the assistance of a stranger. The first
anni$ersary of his death had !assed.
"ccording to all the books on the sub4ect, that was a land#ark and she should be
getting o$er the loss by now. ,ut not a day went by that she didn't think of 3ichard,
usually at a #o#ent when she least e&!ected it. -ike now. "nd she was glad. *he had
$owed to kee! her husband ali$e both for her sake and for "aron's. (ursing #e#ories of
3ichard day by day ke!t hi# a $ital !art of her life.
"How old is "aron?" Tre$or asked suddenly.
"8ust o$er fifteen #onths."
"He's hefty, isn't he? don't know #uch about babies."
"Yes, he's hefty," Kyla said, laughing and shifting hi# fro# one ar# to the other. ",ut
his daddy was #uscular."
"%as?"
%hy had she left that gate o!en? *he hadn't intended to. "He died," she said without
elaboration.
"'# sorry."
"nd he #eant it. 6r did he?
Tre$or had waited for this day for #onths. "fter he left the hos!ital, he had #arked
ti#e, waiting until the ti#e was right. He was an&ious to get his business started, but e$en
with his father's unabashed string5!ulling, there had been a #illion and one tedious details to
see to. The hours he had s!ent coo!ed u! in offices see#ed endless to a #an who had #onths
of his life to catch u! on. There had also been hours s!ent outdoors shirtless, so he would
lose his sickly hos!ital !allor.
2uring it all, he had i#agined his first #eeting with Kyla a hundred ti#es, asking hi#self
where it would ha!!en, what she would look like, what he would say.
He hadn't set out to #eet her that day. ,ut it was ha!!ening+ He was li$ing it. "nd ha$ing
seen her, he honestly couldn't say whether he regretted slee!ing in 3ichard *troud's bunk
that fateful night or not. 6ut of sheer selfishness, he was e&tre#ely glad to be ali$e at the
#o#ent.
"'# afraid we still ha$e quite a walk," Kyla said a!ologetically as he held the door o!en
for her.
" don't #ind."
The !arking lot was a good indicator of the crowd inside the #all.1otorists 4ust arri$ing
were fighting o$er !arking s!aces as they beca#e a$ailable.
""re you fro# around here, 1r. 3ule?" Kyla asked con$ersationally as they entered the
#elee.
"'all #e Tre$or. (o, '# not. #o$ed here about a #onth ago."
"%hat brought you to 'handler?"
You.
"Greed."
*tartled by his answer, she looked u! at hi#. ".ardon?"
" strand of hair blew across her li!s. His heart ski!!ed a beat, 4ust thinking about
#o$ing aside that strand of s!un gold and kissing her li!s. *he had the #ost kissable #outh
he'd e$er seen. "'# a builder," he said a trifle too loudly after clearing his throat. " want to
be a !art of the e&!ansion going on around here."
1aybe he should ha$e bought a few nights with a wo#an before #eeting Kyla. 1aybe
he should ha$e culti$ated so#e casual relationshi!s based solely on se&. 1aybe he shouldn't
ha$e sub4ected hi#self to abstention.
"6h, see.%ell, that's #y car." *he !ointed out a !ale blue station wagon.
".etal .ushers?" he asked, reading the stenciled logo on the side !anel.
"1y friend and ha$e a flower sho!."
/ifty5two ninety5eight ,allard .arkway. He knew e&actly where it was, the colors in
the stri!ed awnings o$er the !aned windows, and what the hours of o!eration were. ""
flower sho!, hey? *ounds interesting."
He waited while she secured "aron in his car seat and hel!ed her !ut the colla!sible
stroller into the back seat. " can't thank you enough, 1r. uh, Tre$or. You'$e been awfully
kind."
"2on't thank #e. en4oyed it. 0$erything but seeing "aron go o$er that wall into the
water."
Kyla shuddered. " don't e$en want to think about that." *he looked at hi# for a long
#o#ent. There see#ed to be no graceful way to lea$e. How did she say thank you and
goodbye to a stranger who had sa$ed her child's life? "%ell, goodbye," she said, feeling
awkward and ha$ing absolutely nothing to do with her hands.
"Goodbye."
*he slid behind the steering wheel and closed the door. He ste!!ed back, wa$ed and
walked away. Kyla turned the key. The car #ade a hateful grinding sound, but the engine
didn't catch. *he !u#!ed the gas !edal and tried again. %rrra, wrrra, wrrra. "gain and
again. ,ut the car didn't start. *he #uttered so#ething her #other would be horrified to hear
co#ing fro# her daughter's #outh. 6r, #ore likely, her #other didn't e$en know that word.
".roble#?" Tre$or 3ule had s!oken through the window on the dri$er's side. His hands
were braced on his bent knees.
*he rolled down the window. "t doesn't want to start."
"*ounds like your battery has gone dead."
*tubbornly she tried again, se$eral ti#es. /inally ad#itting defeat, she twisted the key
off and flo!!ed back against the seat. "aron was fussing in his car seat, flailing all four li#bs
against the confine#ent. This was turning out to be a heck of a *aturday.
"'an hel!?" Tre$or asked after a #o#ent.
"'ll 4ust go back into the #all and call #y dad. He'll co#e !ick us u! and send so#eone
out to look at the car."
" ha$e a better idea.%hy don't dri$e the two of you ho#e?"
*he stared at hi# #utely, then looked away. " !rickle of fear chased u! her s!ine. *he
didn't know this #an. He could be anybody. How did she know he hadn't rigged her car not
to start, then befriended her in the #all and...
*to! it, Kyla. That's cra)y. He couldn't ha$e orchestrated "aron's fall into the fountain.
*till, she had better sense than to get into a car and go anywhere with a total stranger.
"(o thank you, 1r. 3ule, 'll #anage."
The refusal ca#e out sounding brusquer than she had intended, but she couldn't let
herself feel charitable toward a !ossible abductor. *he re$ersed the energy5draining !rocess
she had gone through only #inutes before, unbuckling "aron and lifting hi# out of the car,
!icking u! her !urse, rolling u! the window and locking the car door. *he struck out in the
direction fro# which they had 4ust co#e.
" don't want to detain you, 1r. 3ule," she said as he fell into ste! beside her.
"t will be no trouble for #e to take you anywhere you want to go."
"(o thanks."
""re you sure? t would be #uch."
"(o thank you+"
"s it this da#n thing?" He flung his hand u! toward his left eye. " know it
auto#atically #akes #e sus!ect, but swear '# not so#eone you need to be frightened
of."
Kyla ca#e to a sudden halt and turned to face hi#. &h, 'ord. (ow he !robably thought
she had a !re4udice against handica!!ed citi)ens. "'# not afraid of you."
The tension in his face was gradually re!laced by an engaging grin. "%ell, you should
be. You can't trust strangers these days." They laughed softly. 9n#indful of the traffic
they were blocking, he took a ste! closer and looked down at her earnestly. "'# only trying
to hel! by offering you a ride."
*he felt like an idiot. "ny #an who would ruin a four5hundred5dollar !air of boots to
fish a little boy out of a fountain wouldn't be inclined to kidna!, kill or #ai#. ""ll right," she
conceded softly.
"Good."
The !atience of the dri$er waiting to !ull out of the s!ace finally ga$e out and he
honked his horn. They started walking.
"%here's your car?"'
Tre$or indicated the direction with a hitch of his chin. ""bout an acre and a half fro#
here," he said, laughing. "%hy don't you let #e carry "aron?"
%ith only a trace of reluctance, Kyla handed her son o$er to hi#. "aron s#acked hi#
on the cheek with the !al# of his chubby hand. He see#ed to be not at all wary of the tall,
dark, handso#e #an with the !atch o$er his left eye, the char# of a #edicine show barker
and a s#ile that could do an iceberg serious da#age.
Chapter %
He a!ologi)ed for dri$ing her in a !icku! truck.
" didn't know 'd be dri$ing you this afternoon, or would ha$e left the truck at ho#e
and brought #y car."
He unlocked and o!ened the door with his right hand while still holding "aron in his left
ar#. "s soon as Kyla was situated in the cab of the truck, he !assed "aron to her, setting
hi# in her la!.
Tre$or's ar# brushed against her breasts. *he !retended not to notice. *o did he. "t
least he closed the door quickly. They !retended it hadn't ha!!ened, but she knew he #ust be
thinking about that fleeting touch 4ust as she was.
"t's war# in here," he re#arked as he slid behind the steering wheel and started the
#otor. "The sun's been shining in."
"t feels good. %e're still da#!."
*he could ha$e bitten her tongue for #entioning that. He glanced down at her chest,
swiftly and guiltily. *he was glad that "aron still !ro$ided her with a shield.
They fell into an awkward silence as he negotiated the traffic through the !arking lot.
6nce he looked toward her and s#iled a!ologetically for the delay. *he s#iled back and
wondered if the te!id grin looked as sickly as it felt. %hy couldn't she think of anything to
say?
%hen he !ulled u! to the e&it ra#!, he turned his head. *he could feel hi# looking at her,
but she concentrated on s#oothing down "aron's soft brown hair.
%hy was he staring at her like that? "nd #aybe she should ha$e asked that he
!lease turn on the air conditioner. t was beco#ing unco#fortably war# inside the truck.
6r was it her own te#!erature that was rising?
" ha$e to ask you so#ething," he said softly.
Her heart lurched.
"re you ga#e?
%hat should we do with the kid?
"re you !rotected?
Your !lace or #ine?
The !ossibilities #arched through her head. *he dreaded hearing any of the#. 9! until
now he had been so nice. *he should ha$e known it wouldn't be that easy. (o #an !icks u!
a wo#an, get her into his car, does her a fa$or and e&!ects nothing in return.
Kee!ing her eyes trained on the cowlick on the crown of "aron's head she said, "%hat?"
"%hich way?"
" ner$ous laugh of relief esca!ed her li!s on a gust of breath. "6h, '# sorry. To the
right."
He s#iled disar#ingly and followed the directions she now su!!lied without being
!ro#!ted. e must think !"m a real ninny, Kyla thought. He's 4ust a nice #an who is !laying
the good *a#aritan to a widow with a baby. (othing #ore.
He #ight ha$e suited the role better if he hadn't been quite so handso#e, quite so...
#anly. His hands for instance. -arge, strong, tan. %hen he reached for the dial on the radio
she saw that his nails were bluntly tri##ed. The back of his hand and knuckles were
s!rinkled with dark hair, sun5bleached on the ti!s.
He #o$ed his right foot fro# accelerator to brake. Kyla noticed the su!!le contraction and
stretching of long thigh #uscles.
His la!, too, attracted her attention.
"Hot?"
"%hat?"
""re you hot?"
Her face was fla#ing. Her insides were afire. Had he caught her staring at... that? "Yes,
a little." He ad4usted the ther#ostat and cool air began to whis!er through the cab. ,ut fro#
that #o#ent, she ke!t her eyes away fro# hi#.
'lif and 1eg .owers had li$ed in the sa#e house since Kyla was born. %hen they
!urchased it, it had been in a fashionable !art of town. ,ut the town's industrial e&!ansion
and its increased i#!ortance as a co##uter's alternati$e to li$ing in 2allas had changed
their neighborhood. t was no longer fashionable.
The houses, once attracti$e and well #aintained, now belonged to owners who didn't
take #uch !ride in the#. -ike fru#!y #atrons who had resigned the#sel$es to #iddle age,
the houses looked unke#!t, the yards un5groo#ed.
The only e&ce!tion on the block was the .owers's !ro!erty. The dee! front !orch was
bordered by a white wrought5iron railing, which 'lif had !ainstakingly re!ainted the
!re$ious su##er. The shrubbery had been !runed to #ake roo# for new growth. /lowers
bloo#ed in well5tended beds.
"s Tre$or's truck turned onto the street, a s!rinkler was $igorously watering one half of
the yard. The grass on the other side of the center sidewalk leading u! to the front !orch was
glistening in the late afternoon sunlight, ha$ing already been watered.
"That's it," Kyla said, !ointing out the house for hi#.
Tre$or's foot was already on the brake. He knew which house she li$ed in. n the !ast
#onth he'd dri$en by it often enough to know what days their garbage was collected.
Kyla hadn't noticed his fa#iliarity with the neighborhood because she was inwardly
groaning. " fa#iliar car was !arked in the dri$eway. ,abs. "s if #aking e&!lanations to her
!arents wasn't going to be difficult enough, she would ha$e ,abs and her $i$id i#agination
to contend with. 1aybe she could 4ust ho! out and thank Tre$or without further ado.
1aybe he would dri$e off before anyone saw hi#.
(o such luck.
Tre$or had no sooner !ulled the !icku! to a sto! at the curb than the front door o!ened
and her father ca#e out. He looked at the truck curiously as he bent down to turn off the
water faucet and cut off the s!rinkler. He looked e$en #ore curious when he recogni)ed
Kyla and "aron sitting on the far side of the cab.
"That's #y dad," Kyla said, as 'lif .owers ca#e a#bling down the front walk. /or
reasons she couldn't e&!lain she felt ner$ous and shy.
Tre$or !ushed o!en his door. "Hi," he said with a friendly air as he ste!!ed out of the
truck. "'$e got so#e !assengers who say they belong here." 'lif .owers a!!eared
du#bstruck.
Kyla already had her door o!en by the ti#e Tre$or ca#e around to her side. ",etter hand
"aron to #e. t's a long ste! down for you." 3eluctantly she let hi# lift "aron off her la!.
"s though he'd been doing it for years, he caught "aron under the botto# and anchored
the boy against his chest. %ith his free hand, he hel!ed Kyla down. He ke!t his hand beneath
her elbow as they rounded the truck to face her !u))led father.
"Hi, 2ad."
"%here's your car? s so#ething wrong?"
"(o, nothing's wrong, but it wasn't the #ost une$entful tri! to the #all '$e e$er had,"
she said ruefully. *he wondered how she could take her son out of Tre$or's ar#s without
creating an awkward situation. *he didn't want to risk touching hi# again. %hich was
ridiculous because he was !erfectly har#less.
"%hat's going on? 'lif? Kyla?"
The $oice belonged to 1eg .owers, who was 4ust then !ushing her way through the front
screen door. Her !leasant face wore an e&!ression of concern. ,ehind her was ,abs. Kyla
didn't e$en want to conte#!late what ,ab's s!eculati$e e&!ression con$eyed.
1eg rushed down the front ste!s and took the sidewalk at a trot. Her eyes were #o$ing
back and forth between Kyla and the tall, dark5haired stranger who was holding her
grandson.
"1o#, 2ad, this is 1r. 3ule. Tre$or 3ule."
"*ir, #a'a#," Tre$or res!onded !olitely and shifted "aron to his left ar# to shake hands
with 'lif .owers.
""nd that's #y friend and business !artner, ,abs -ogan," Kyla added.
"Hello, 1s. -ogan."
,abs's eyes danced o$er Tre$or a!!reciati$ely. "Hi.%here did she find you?"
,abs wasn't acquainted with tact. *he didn't know how to e&ercise restraint. *he blurted
out !recisely what the .owerses were thinking, but didn't ha$e the gu#!tion or lack of
#anners to ask.
"He sort of found us," Kyla said.
"%here's your car?" 'lif re!eated.
"*till at the #all."
" think the battery has run down, sir," Tre$or added !olitely for 'lif's benefit.
"1r. 3ule offered us a ride ho#e."
"How chi$alrous," ,abs said. Her eyes were still busy with their ins!ection of Tre$or.
"%hat did1rs. 3ule think about that?"
Kyla was going to kill her+ "s soon as she had an o!55!ortunity, she was going to kill
her with her bare hands+
Tre$or only s#iled as he bent down to set "aron on the ground. (or#ally "aron would
ha$e taken off at a run. ,ut as soon as his feet #ade contact with the sidewalk, he began to
whine. His chubby hands clutched at Tre$or's da#! !ant legs. ,ending down again,
Tre$or lifted hi# back into his ar#s and !atted his botto#. 'ontentedly "aron snuggled
against hi#.
"'# sorry," Kyla #ur#ured, e#barrassed that her son had for#ed such an attach#ent
so quickly. "'ll take hi# now so you can get on your way."
"t's all right," Tre$or assured her with a soft s#ile.
/or an instant, as their ga)es locked, it was as though they were alone. They
#o#entarily forgot that they had an a$id audience of three.
"The baby's clothes are wet,"1eg $entured #eekly.
"6h, yes," Kyla said, shaking herself out of the brief trance. "He fell into the
fountain."
The .owerses were i##ediately alar#ed. ,abs was #erely #ore curious. "%as this
before or after the battery ran down?" she asked, a#used.
",efore. Tre$or reached in and !ulled hi# out. 2on't worry, 1o#, "aron was okay.
8ust wet."
"How did it ha!!en?"
" was feeding hi# an ice crea#." Kyla ga$e the# a condensed rundown of the sequence
of e$ents. "%hen looked around, "aron was gone, but a crowd had encircled the fountain.
1r. 3ule was standing there with a dri!!ing "aron in his ar#s."
"You 4u#!ed in the fountain and fished "aron out?" ,abs asked Tre$or, nodding
toward the deni# that was ob$iously still da#! below the knees.
"Yeah."
"H##," ,abs !urred, looking at Kyla in a knowing way that #ade Kyla want to sla! her.
'lif and 1eg were busy thanking Tre$or for his quick action and co##ending hi# for
his kindness to Kyla and "aron. (one of the# saw the #outhed con$ersation going on
between the two friends.
"He's yu##y."
"*hut u!."
"Your blouse is wet."
Kyla i##ediately ducked her head and saw that indeed the da#! #aterial of her shirt
was still clinging to her breasts and outlining the lacy brassiere.
Her eyes swung u! in ti#e to catch Tre$or looking at her. His ga)e had followed hers
down. t i##ediately s!rang back u! to her face. "ll this ha!!ened 4ust as 1eg, who had
been e&!ounding on how quickly a toddler could get out of sight and into #ischief,
concluded with, "%hy don't you co#e in and ha$e a cu! of coffee with us,1r. 3ule?"
"(o+"
Kyla's cheeks turned a war# !ink when she reali)ed she had $oiced aloud the word that
had shot through her #ind. *he wet her li!s. " #ean, we'$e ke!t 1r. 3ule too long as it is."
*he reached for "aron and $irtually yanked the boy out of Tre$or's ar#s. "Thank you again.
You'$e been $ery hel!ful, and a!!reciate the ride ho#e." (ow !lease lea$e+ she finished
silently.
"t was #y !leasure." He !inched "aron's chin. ",ye, *cout. (ice to #eet you," he said,
nodding his head toward the others.%ith a lean5hi!!ed saunter, only slightly hindered by his
li#!, he turned and walked back to his truck.%ith a final wa$e, he dro$e off.
*elf5consciously, Kyla faced her !arents and ,abs, who were staring at her e&!ectantly.
"'$e got to get "aron out of these wet clothes." *he wedged !ast the#, but they troo!ed after
her and were surrounding her by the ti#e she reached the wide, s!acious entrance hall.
"Tell us+" ,abs de#anded.
*he had been Kyla's best friend since grade school. Her #other had died when they were
in 4unior high. *ince then her father often worked double shifts at a #anufacturing !lant in
2allas. Through the secondary school years, ,abs had s!ent as #uch ti#e under the
.owerses' roof as she had under her own. *he considered herself !art of the fa#ily and so
did they.
"Tell you what?"
""bout hi#+ %hat gi$es?"
"(othing." Kyla headed for the kitchen, ostensibly to get "aron a drink of 4uice. *he
!laced hi# in his high chair and o!ened the refrigerator. Her !arents and ,abs crowded
around her.
"2id he really 4u#! into the fountain to rescue "aron?" 1eg asked, #o$ing aside only
when Kyla reached around her for a glass.
"2on't #ake it sound so heroic, 1o#. He didn't di$e into shark5infested waters. t's a
shallow fountain, and "aron couldn't ha$e been in the water for #ore than a few seconds."
*he couldn't belie$e she was #aking light of the incident now. 6nly an hour ago, she
was thinking that "aron could ha$e drowned had it not been for Tre$or 3ule's quick
refle&es.
"%hat about the car?" her father asked. "How did he know about the car?"
"%ell, he, uh, had walked out with #e."
""ll the way to your car?''
"Yes. ,ecause "aron was crying and was still shaken."
"He $olunteered to do that?" ,abs asked.
"Yes," Kyla said tightly.
"H##."
"%ill you sto! saying, 'H##'? You're not #aking a diagnosis. "nd wish all three of
you would sto! looking at #e like '$e got the lowdown on a 4uicy !iece of gossi!. He's 4ust a
#an, all right? " #ale !erson who was kind enough to offer his hel!. Honestly," she said
with e&as!eration, "you're acting like hungry cats who'$e tra!!ed the last #ouse in town.''
"He didn't ha$e to dri$e you ho#e," 1eg said.
"He was being nice."
"He li#!s. %onder what ha!!ened to hi#," 'lif #used.
"t's none of our business. %e'll ne$er see hi# again. "nd, 2ad, you'd better call
so#eone at the garage and ha$e #y car taken care of. 2o you need any hel! with su!!er,
1o#?"
They recogni)ed her tone. t was the cli!!ed, terse one she had started using se$eral
#onths ago to let the# know that she was officially out of #ourning for 3ichard. %ith that
brusque inflection she had indicated to the# that they didn't need to walk on eggshells
around her any#ore or s!eak in hushed tones as though they were still at the funeral. t
clearly stated that she would brook no #ore coddling. They knew by that tone when to back
off, and now was the ti#e.
"(o, dear, thank you," 1eg said, declining her offer. "You take "aron u!stairs and
change hi#.%e're only ha$ing sandwiches and can #anage. "re you staying, ,abs?"
"(ot tonight, thanks. ha$e a date."
Kyla left the kitchen and carried "aron u!stairs. ,abs followed her. " thought you had a
date," Kyla said crossly as she carried "aron into the s!are bedroo# that had been con$erted
into a nursery for hi#.
"'$e got ti#e."
""nybody know? 6r is this a new one?"
"%on't work, Ky," ,abs said, !lo!!ing down in the rocking chair and crossing her legs
ndian fashion.
"%hat won't work?" Kyla asked nonchalantly as she unsna!!ed "aron's sus!enders and
took his shorts off.
"Trying to a$oid the sub4ect of your tall, dark and handso#e hunk."
"He's not my... anything.''
"2o you think he's #arried?"
"How should know? ,esides what difference does it #ake?"
"You #ean you'd get in$ol$ed with a #arried #an?"
",abs+" Kyla e&clai#ed, whirling around. "'# not getting 'in$ol$ed' with
anybody. He offered #e a ride ho#e, for .ete's sake. %hat kind of day did we ha$e at the
sho!?"
"/air to #iddling. don't think he's #arried," ,abs went on doggedly. "He wasn't
wearing a wedding band."
"That doesn't #ean anything."
" know. ,ut he didn't ha$e that #arried look, you know?"
"(o. don't know. didn't look at hi# that closely."
"%ell did. "ll si& feet three or so inches of hi#. "nd s!eaking of inches, did you
notice the way he filled out the front of those 4eans?"
"*to! it+" ,abs had touched a ner$e and Kyla ke!t her back to her friend because she
didn't want her to see the telltale stain on her cheeks. "You're terrible."
"%hat did you think of the eye !atch?"
" didn't think anything of it."
,abs shi$ered. " think it's wildly se&y. %ith that !ositi$ely wicked #ustache it #akes
hi# look like a highway#an or so#ething."
"%ildly, wicked? You'$e been reading too #any historical ro#ances."
""nd that single blue eye."
"t's green." The #o#ent the words left her #outh, she knew she had incri#inated
herself. Ho!ing that ,abs had #issed the sli!, she cautiously glanced o$er her shoulder.
,abs's s#ile was angelic, but there was !ure de$ilry in her eyes. "Thought you said you
didn't look at hi# that closely," she taunted.
"%ill you go ho#e?" Kyla !ulled "aron, now naked, into her ar#s. "'# going to gi$e
"aron a bath because he's going to bed as soon as he's had his dinner. You'$e got a date.
"nd..." *he drew in a dee! breath. " don't want to talk about 1r. 3ule any#ore. don't
e$en want to think about hi#."
",et he's thinking about you," ,abs said, unfolding her legs and co#ing to her feet. *he
wasn't !erturbed byKyla's crankiness.
"2on't be ridiculous.%hy should he gi$e #e a second thought?"
",ecause he see#ed da#ned reluctant to lea$e. f you hadn't acted like you'd 4ust sat
on a tack when your #other offered hi# a cu! of coffee, 'll bet he would ha$e acce!ted her
in$itation as an e&cuse to stay. (nd he noticed your wet blouse 4ust like did."
"He did not+" Kyla cried indignantly.
"6h, yes, he did. ,ye."
,efore Kyla could offer another !rotest ,abs was on her way downstairs. Through dinner
the .owerses were 4ust as curious about the #an who had "rescued" as 1eg see#ed
deter#ined to call it.Kyla and "aron. Their questions weren't as e&!licit as ,abs's, nor as
se&ually oriented, but they were 4ust as !ointed.
%hen she could stand their subtle qui))ing no longer, Kyla stood u! and said, " wish
had 4ust called a cab. didn't know one #an could cause such a co##otion. %e'll ne$er see
hi# again. (ow good night+"
*he carried "aron u!stairs and !ut hi# to bed. n her own bedroo#, she tried to read,
but she ke!t thinking about Tre$or 3ule. "(o wonder, with e$erybody talking about hi# all
e$ening," she gru#bled, sla##ing her book closed.
"(o #atter what ,abs says, he wasn't looking at #y wet blouse," she a$erred as she !ulled
it off. "He wasn't+" she #uttered again as she took off her brassiere.
,ut the thought that he might ha$e been ke!t her awake for a long ti#e.
" don't belie$e it," ,abs said suddenly, #aking the front5!orch swing rock erratically
as she sat u! fro# her lounging !osition.
"2on't belie$e what?" Kyla asked around a yawn. *he was stretched out in one of the
chairs on the !orch. Her head was resting on the back and her eyes were closed. t was a
war#, sunny *unday afternoon and she was feeling la)y and lu&uriously indolent.
"t's him."
Kyla o!ened one eye and saw who# ,abs was referring to, then her other eye !o!!ed
o!en as well. Tre$or 3ule was braking a car in front of her house.
"%hat'd tell you?" ,abs said. "He's co#e back for another look."
"f you say anything to e#barrass #e, 'll #urder you," Kyla threatened her friend. *he
s#iled wanly at Tre$or as he #ade his way u! the sidewalk to the front !orch. "Hi."
"Hi," the wo#en chorused.
He ga$e ,abs a cursory glance before his ga)e horned in on Kyla. *he beca#e shyly
aware of her shorts and bare feet. Her sandals had been kicked aside, but to retrie$e the#
now would ha$e called #ore attention to how casually and co#fortably she was dressed.
" was worried about your car, but see you got it back all right." He indicated the
station wagon !arked in the dri$eway.
"Yes. 2ad called the garage he !atroni)es. He #et the #echanic on the #all !arking lot
and they charged #y battery. The car started, but 'll !robably ha$e to get a new battery."
"That would be a good idea. 2id you go with hi#?"
"(o."
"How did he locate it in the sea of cars that was out there yesterday?"
*he laughed. "t was the only one with .etal .ushers !ainted on the side."
His rich laughter echoed softly off the !orch's co$ering. "%ell '# glad you got it back
okay."
"1e, too."
(er$ously Kyla hooked a strand of hair behind her ear, wondering if it looked like it had
been styled with an eggbeater.
Tre$or's own ner$ous reaction to the cessation of con$ersation was to slide his hands into
the back !ockets of his 4eans, stretching the cloth tight across his narrow hi!s. Kyla wished
she couldn't re#e#ber what ,abs had said about his build. ,ut she did re#e#ber and it left
her #ind wide o!en for unladylike s!eculation.
/or her own !art, ,abs could ha$e throttled Kyla for acting like such a si#!. *he took
#atters into her own hands. "%on't you sit down, Tre$or? %ould you like so#ething to
drink?"
"9h, no," he said, swiftly re#o$ing his hands fro# his !ockets. "n fact, ca#e by
ho!ing could talk Kyla and "aron into going for an ice crea# with #e. know he likes ice
crea#."
Kyla o!ened her #outh to refuse his in$itation, but ,abs !i!ed u!, "(ow isn't that a
sha#e? "aron's taking his na!." Then her blue eyes o!ened wide with sudden ins!iration.
",ut you could go, Kyla."
/lustered, Kyla sta##ered, " don't."
""# interru!ting anything?" Tre$or looked at ,abs inquiringly.
"6h, don't worry about #e," ,abs said laughing. " don't li$e here, but '# not co#!any
who has to be entertained. Kyla and are old friends. %hy, her folks !ractically raised #e.
%e'$e been working on our tans this afternoon. You see, there's this !art of their roof 4ust
outside Kyla's bedroo# where we can sunbathe in total !ri$acy." *he winked audaciously.
"f you get#y#eaning."
He did. He wasn't stu!id. "nd when it ca#e to !laying these kinds of word ga#es, he
could #ake e$en the flirtatious ,abs look like an a#ateur. Hell, he had in$ented so#e of the
ga#es. He could ha$e leaned down, included the# both in a suggesti$e s#ile and glibly
deli$ered a do)en witty, leading innuendos on the sub4ect of nude sunbathing. ,ut the s#ile
on Kyla's face was so strained that he didn't !ursue the sub4ect.
",ut it got too hot," ,abs went on. "*o we ca#e in and showered and now we're 4ust
rela&ing here in the shade. n fact, was about to dro! off to slee!, so there's no reason for
Kyla not to go."
Tre$or #et her ga)e and s#iled. "%ould you like to?"
"(o, ."
"Kyla, who's... 6h, 1r. 3ule," her father said fro# behind the screen door. He !ushed
it o!en and ca#e out in stocking feet, wearing only his old5fashioned undershirt o$er his
trousers.
"Hello, sir." Tre$or shook his hand !olitely. " ho!e didn't disturb a na!."
"(o, no," 'lif lied. " wasn't finished with the *unday !a!er yet. think 'll bring it out
here on the !orch."
"Tre$or ca#e by to take Kyla out for an ice crea#. %asn't that nice of hi#?" ,abs
#ade the announce#ent with a broad s#ile, as though so#e #onu#ental decision had been
reached and signed into law.
"Yes, it was," 'lif agreed.
",ut don't think 'd better go because "aron."
"He'll be fine. He and your #other are still aslee!. 4ust checked on hi#. Go on. t would
do you good to get away for a s!ell."
Kyla couldn't re#e#ber when she had last been allowed to co#!lete a sentence. *he
could ha$e gladly strangled all three of the#, her father for being so acco##odating,
,labber#outh ,abs, and Tre$or 3ule for !utting her in this co#!ro#ising !osition in the
first !lace. ""ll right, 'll 4ust go in and change." *he bounded out of her chair and headed
for the front door.
"You don't need to change." ,abs s!oke with the authority of a drill sergeant. *he knew
what Kyla would do. *he would go u!stairs and wake u! "aron and use hi# as an e&cuse not
to go.
%ell she wasn't going to get by with that trick. *he was a widow, granted. ,ut she was a
young, $ibrant widow, and ,abs intended to see that Kyla didn't retreat any further into her
shell.
Tre$or 3ule was the first #an bra$e enough to !ursue Kyla des!ite the cold shoulder she
had gi$en hi#. %hether Kyla wanted her to or not, ,abs was #aking it her business to see
that he didn't get discouraged, take his losses and go away. Her inflection softened as she
asked, "2oes she need to change, Tre$or? You're not going any!lace where she would need
to dress u!, are you?"
"Hardly. Kyla?"
There was such a co#!elling tone to the way he s!oke her na#e that she couldn't find a
!olite #eans of turning hi# down. " guess could go," she said, ner$ously tugging on the
he# of her shorts. "f we're not gone too long." *he returned to her chair and !ut on her
sandals. "fter shooting ,abs a $eno#ous look, she ca#e to her feet again. " guess '#
ready."
Tre$or !laced his hand under her elbow and they left the !orch. "2on't rush back. Take
your ti#e," 'lif called after the#. "%e'll watch the baby."
"Ha$e fun," ,abs said, wa$ing gaily.
1ortified, Kyla slid into the front seat. *he fought a co#!ulsion to hide her face behind
her hand as Tre$or got in and started the car. "s soon as they turned the corner at the end of
the block, he sur!rised her by !ulling the car to the curb. He !ut the auto#atic gear into
".ark" and, laying his right ar# on the back of the front seat, turned to face her.
"-ook, know they e#barrassed you back there, but don't want you to be. 6kay?"
There was a hint of a s#ile at the corners of his #outh. *he ducked her head and let go of
a short, s#all laugh. " was e#barrassed."
" know. '# sorry."
"t was nothing you did. They acted like they wanted to hog5tie you before you ran
away."
" take it you ha$en't dated #uch since your husband's death."
" ha$en't dated at all. "nd don't want to."
Tre$or took the news like a sur!rise right hook under his chin. He turned forward and
conte#!lated the hood of the car through the windshield. 6n the one hand he was thrilled
to know that she hadn't been seeing other #en. 6n the other hand, she was s!elling out the
ground rules right off the bat and see#ed in no rush to alter the#. ,ut she was in his car,
right? He had gotten this far, right?
Kyla was thinking that !erha!s she had been blunt to the !oint of rudeness and was 4ust on
the $erge of offering an a!ology when he turned his head and said, "(ot e$en to go for ice
crea#?" He took her s!ontaneous laugh as consent and engaged the gears of the car again.
",esides, eating ice crea# is kind of like drinking."
"How's that?"
"t's no fun if you do it alone."
He dro$e through 'handler's streets, which should ha$e been fa#iliar to her, but which
he see#ed to know #ore about than she did. " bought this tract of land."
"That's where the !ost office used to be before it #o$ed into that new sho!!ing center."
"That's what hear. "nyway, '# building a s#all office co#!le& on this lot. 7ery nice.
There'll be a central courtyard with !lants and fountains. ho!e it'll attract the
!rofessionals.doctors, lawyers.you know."
"'$e bid on that !iece of land but don't think 'll get it," he said of other !ro!erty
as they cruised !ast. "There'll be a new su!er#arket o$er there."
",ut it's a cow !asture+"
He laughed. "Gi$e it a year. understand there will be a #o$ie theater co#!le&, too."
He see#ed to ha$e inside infor#ation on what was going on in a town she had li$ed in
all her life. %hat's #ore he see#ed to be one of the #o$ers and shakers who were #aking it
all ha!!en.
"1aybe ,abs and should consider #o$ing .etal .ushers to a new location."
"(o, you're fine where you are."
*he looked at hi# quickly. "How do you know where we are?"
" dro$e !ast your sho! today before !icked you u!," he said easily after a slight !ause.
" was curious about any store called .etal .ushers. How long ha$e you been in business?"
""l#ost a year. *i& #onths after 3ichard died... that was #y husband." dly she !leated
the he# of her shorts between her fingers. ""nyway, when ,abs and were growing u!, we
lo$ed the #o$ie )y *air 'ady and had always said we were going to work in a flower sho!
like 0li)a 2oolittle wanted to. *o, when found #yself at loose ends, ,abs started hounding
#e about it. *he was unha!!y with her 4ob at the ti#e. 1y !arents thought it was a good
idea. needed so#ething to do with #y life and an in$est#ent for "aron's future. *o..." she
said, drawing out the word, "we !ooled our resources and before knew it, was co5owner of
a flower sho!."
""nd has it been good for you?"
"*o far, $ery good. The other florist in town has dated ideas and no i#agination. %e're
closing in on hi#," she said with a#ischie$ous s#ile that Tre$or would ha$e gi$en hea$en
and earth at that #o#ent to taste. He had been aware of e$ery !leat she had !ressed into the
cotton shorts against her s#ooth, lotion5crea#y, flower5scented, suntanned thigh.
To his su!re#e irritation he had to de$ote his attention to his dri$ing. He had dri$en off
the #ain highway into a lane that hadn't yet been !a$ed. t was rough.
"2o you know about an ice5crea# !arlor don't?" Kyla asked.
He s#iled broadly and winked. "1aybe '# 4ust carrying you off into the woods." Her
s#ile faltered and he laughed. 3eaching o$er, he !atted her knee. "3ela&." !"m touching her
knee. )y skin against hers. #od! +ut don"t press your luck. ,emove your hand. -ow,
,ule, now. "'# building this house on s!ec. *o#e of the car!enters are working today for
o$erti#e wages and want to #ake sure '# getting #y #oney's worth out of the#. 2o you
#ind sto!!ing for a few #inutes?"
(o, she didn't #ind. ,ut "rela&"? #!ossible. (ot when she could still feel the
i#!rint of his hand burning into the skin of her bare knee.
Chapter &
The lane wound through a forest of !ine, oak and !ecan. "t the end of it stood a house
currently under construction. 0$en at this stage of co#!letion Kyla could see that the
structure would be conte#!orary and i#!ressi$e. The lot slo!ed through the woods to a
shallow creek.
"This is beautiful, Tre$or," she e&clai#ed, not e$en noticing how easily his na#e had
co#e to her li!s.
,ut he noticed and s#iled at her as he brought the car to a sto!. "2o you like it?"
"The lot is beautiful."
"'o#e on, let #e show you around."
" don't think should get out." *he was self5conscious of her ski#!y outfit and the
curious work#en, who, without e&ce!tion, had sus!ended their labors when the car dro$e
into the clearing.
"'# the boss around here," Tre$or said, sho$ing o!en his door. "f say you should get
out, you should get out."
The sun s!read heat o$er her bare legs. " war# bree)e caressed the#. ,ut she wasn't
nearly as conscious of the ele#ents as she was of the stares directed toward her as Tre$or
!rodded her forward o$er the rough ground and around !iles of building #aterials toward
the house. They !icked their way carefully. "fter one dark frown fro# Tre$or, the building
acti$ity was resu#ed. Ha##ers rang out. " bu)) saw shrilled. " drill whirred.
"'areful of nails," he cautioned. 6ne of his hands was curled around her elbow. The
other was riding the s#all of her back. %hen they had cleared #ost of the obstacles, he
regretfully re#o$ed his hands. "The front door will be here. was thinking of so#ething
with etched glass."
"How lo$ely."
"You'll ste! into an entry with a tall ceiling. *kylighted."
" like skylights."
"Yeah?" 6ne of her letters had told hi# so. ... and went in. !t was .ust the kind of
house !"ve always dreamed about. /ontemporary. !t was surrounded by trees and had a
skylight.
" saw a house like this once and lo$ed it."
"%atch your ste!." Taking her hand chi$alrously, Tre$or led her down to the ne&t
le$el. "This is the li$ing roo#. 7ery infor#al. " fire!lace on that wall. The dining roo# is
through there. Kitchen is that way." He !ointed out the floor !lan and Kyla tried to i#agine
what it would be like when the walls were u!. 'oncentrating on the house ke!t her #ind off
how s#all her hand felt in his.
"'an you ste! through here?" "
*ure," she said, grateful for the o!!ortunity to re#o$e her hand fro# his.
,ut it didn't turn out that way, because he ke!t her hand fir#ly tucked into his as they
squee)ed through a #a)e of two5by5fours. "This is the #aster bedroo#. 6f course, before
too long you won't be able to walk through the walls. You'll ha$e to use the hallways."
"t see#s a sha#e to enclose it."
The rooms were so open and airy, you could get the feeling that you lived outside.
"0&actly what thought. (early e$ery hallway has one wall of floor5to5ceiling windows
so you won't get that closed5in feeling."
2a!!led sunlight angled in through the o$erhead bea#s to shadow and highlight his face.
The light found each iridescent streak in his black hair. His dark #ustache s!read wide o$er a
lower li! so sensual that it bordered on being !outy.
Kyla withdrew her hand fro# his and 4ust barely resisted the urge to wring it with her
other. 'asual as his touch had see#ed, she didn't think it was casual at all. t 4ust wasn't
!ossible for a #an to ha$e a face and body like Tre$or 3ule's and not be a lady5killer. *he
could well i#agine any nu#ber of fe#ale hearts dangling fro# his belt like tro!hies. The
sooner he knew she wasn't in the chase, the better.
"%hat goes there?" she asked, !utting s!ace between the#.
""nother fire!lace."
"You're kidding+"
"(o, why?"
*he had always !ictured her drea# house as ha$ing a fire!lace in the #aster bedroo#,
but so#ething cautioned her about telling that to Tre$or. "(othing. think ha$ing a
fire!lace in here sounds wonderful."
""nd ro#antic."
*he glanced away. " su!!ose so."
"1r. 3ule?" 6ne of the car!enters had 4oined the#, but u! until that instant had gone
unnoticed. "0&cuse #e, but as long as you're here, could ask you a question? t's about that
breakfast nook."
"*ure.%e'll be right with you." They retraced their footste!s through the fra#ework of the
house into the area of the kitchen.
"6$er here in this infor#al dining area, you said you wanted a window. %hich wall did
you want the window on?" the car!enter asked.
'rossing his ar#s o$er his chest, Tre$or !i$oted on his boot heels to face Kyla. "*ince
you see# to ha$e an instinct for these things, which wall should we !ut the window on?"
" don't know anything about building."
"'# #erely asking for your o!inion."
"%ell," she said hesitantly, "let's see. That's south, right? "nd that's east?"
"Ye!," the car!enter confir#ed.
*he conte#!lated the layout for a #o#ent then said, "%hy not both?" "t their !u))led
e&!ressions she rushed on, "'ould they #eet in the corner? 1aybe ha$e one of those
angled roofs that are #ade of glass? Then it would be like eating outdoors surrounded by
trees."
The car!enter was scratching his head ske!tically. "'$e seen those !refab sunroo#s.
reckon one #ight work."
Tre$or, sold on the idea, cla!!ed the car!enter on the back. "'onsult with the architect
to#orrow and let #e know. lo$e the idea." He turned to Kyla. "Thanks+"
*he felt her cheeks growing war# beneath his !raise. "'# sure the architect won't be
too ha!!y with #e for s!oiling his house !lans."
"The architect has to worry about !leasing #e."
They ste!!ed out into the o!en again and began #aking their way to the !arked car. "
think the house is going to be s!ectacular," Kyla said honestly. " wonder who'll end u!
li$ing in it."
"(e$er can tell. 1aybe you and "aron."
*he stu#bled o$er a discarded sack of concrete #i&. Tre$or's ar# shot out, encircled
her waist and secured her against his chest before she could blink.
"'areful there. "re you all right?" *he was fine e&ce!t for a sudden breathlessness, a
tingling sensation along her e&!osed skin and a curling war#th in her #iddle. *he had
forgotten how wonderful it felt to be held in a #an's ar#s. The scents associated with
#asculinity.sha$ing soa!, cologne, sweat.filled her head. *he had #issed those distincti$e
s#ells. He was hard and lean and strong. His breath was war# as it fanned against her cheek
when he bent o$er her solicitously.
"'# f5fine," she sta##ered and !ushed herself away.
"*ure?"
"Yes. 'lu#sy, that's all."
The near fall had caused a stra! on her sandal to beco#e loose. *he bent down to
read4ust it and when she did, one of the workers whistled. *he s!rang back u! and whi!!ed
her head around. "ll of the# were bent industriously o$er their tasks. "nd all of the#
looked too innocent not to be guilty.
*he glanced u! at Tre$or, who s#iled shee!ishly and said with a shrug, "*o they'$e got
terrific taste. 3eady?"
,y all #eans she was ready to get away fro# there. *he had gone on this outing to
a!!ease ,abs and her father. t shouldn't ha$e lasted longer than half an hour. How long did
it take to dri$e to the ice5crea# !arlor and buy two cones?
,ut they had dri$en all o$er town before co#ing here. *he had no business being on a
work site with hi#, offering hi# her o!inions on the house he was building. %hat had she
been thinking of?
"You'd better take #e ho#e," she said as soon as he guided the car into the bu#!y lane.
""aron will be waking u! soon."
" !ro#ised you an ice crea#."
"That doesn't #atter.''
"t does to #e."
"nd that, it see#ed, was that. "t least if the rigid way he held his 4aw was any
indication. Kyla got a gli#!se of another Tre$or 3ule then. He #ight be affable enough to
4u#! into a fountain and lift a little boy out. He #ight be good5natured enough to !ush a
baby stroller through a crowded #all on a *aturday afternoon. He #ight be kind enough to
see that a stranded wo#an got ho#e safely. ,ut he also had a !urely #ale stubborn streak.
That sheer #ale do#inance was slightly inti#idating and $aguely unsettling to the wo#an
sitting ne&t to hi# in the air5conditioned car.
The car was another contradiction. *he would ha$e e&!ected hi# to dri$e so#ething
!owerful, #ean, low, sleek and !robably i#!orted. nstead he was dri$ing an ail5"#erican,
conser$ati$e, #iddle5class fa#ily car with a full5si)e back seat that would acco##odate
"aron's car seat.
Good -ord+ %hat had #ade her think that?
"%hat's your fa$orite?"
*he 4u#!ed, startled by his sudden question and her last thought. ''1y fa$orite what?''
"ce crea#. 1ine's chocolate al#ond."
"1ine, too+"
He grinned at her. "*eriously?"
"%hen it co#es to #y chocolate al#ond ice crea#, '# dead serious."
6n this first su##ery *unday afternoon of the season, the ice5crea# !arlor was !acked
with !eo!le. Tre$or seated Kyla on a high stool near the windows, then !atiently stood in
line.
*he had asked for a single di!B he brought her a double. "'ll ne$er eat all this," she said,
licking at the sinfully rich ice crea#.
"Gi$e it your best shot. -et's go outside to the ga)ebo. You're cold."
The air5conditioning in the ice5crea# store had been turned u! high and Kyla had goose
bu#!s on her bare ar#s and legs. *he didn't know whether to be i#!ressed by his
attenti$eness or disconcerted that he was so aware of her body as to notice her chills.
"s they went through the door on their way outside, a fa#ily of fi$e ca#e in. " little girl
about si& said, "2addy, what's that thing on that #an's eye?"
The #ortified !arents hustled the children inside and in frantic whis!ers ad#onished
the# not to stare.
"'# sorry," Tre$or #u#bled.
Kyla was at a loss for words. *he was e#barrassed for hi# and for the !arents. *he
certainly didn't bla#e the children who were naturally curious and didn't #ean to be cruel.
"2oes it bother you to be seen with#e?" His $oice was self5defensi$ely harsh.
"(o," she cried, turning to face hi#.
" know the !atch !uts so#e !eo!le off."
""nd attracts others." He looked at her in sur!rise. *he e&!lained. ",abs said it #akes
you look like a highway#an."
He shook his head, laughing. "" highway#an, huh?" Then his s#ile faded. "6ne who
frightens children."
""aron wasn't frightened," she !ointed out quietly.
"(o, he wasn't, was he?" His tense !osture began to rela&. "'# sorry if you were
e#barrassed by what the little girl said."
" wasn't. t's 4ust that know situations like that #ust be awkward for you."
"'# getting used to the#." He licked at his cone, then ran his tongue along his u!!er li!
beneath his #ustache. Kyla couldn't hel! but wonder what that felt like. *ilky or scratchy?
"*o#eti#es e$en forget what look like to other !eo!le. -ike today. !ulled on a !air of
shorts, then changed #y #ind and !ut on these 4eans."
"%hy?"
He laughed. "f you think this da#n thing is scary, you ought to see #y left leg. didn't
want to re!ulse you."
"2on't be silly.%ear shorts around #e anyti#e you want to."
His s#ile beca#e reflecti$e as he ga)ed dee!ly into her eyes. "'ll re#e#ber that," he said
in a low, stirring $oice.
0amn! 2id he think she was hinting that they would be seeing each other again? To alter
the course of the con$ersation she asked, "%ere you in an accident?"
"*ort of."
"nother blunder. 6b$iously talking about the cause of his disabilities #ade hi#
unco#fortable and that to!ic was closed. *he searched for so#ething they could talk about
and ca#e u! e#!ty. %hat did they ha$e in co##on but a hectic half hour at a sho!!ing
#all?
Tre$or didn't see# to notice their lack of co##on ground as he led her into a latticed
ga)ebo that !ro$ided shade fro# the new su##er sun. They sat down on the bench ringing
it and fell to eating their ice5crea# cones.
",etter?" he asked after a long silence, nodding down toward her ar#. "Your goose
bu#!s are gone."
"1uch better." f she broke out in goose bu#!s now it would be because his thigh was
resting $ery near hers on the bench. 6ccasionally she could feel the brush of soft deni#
against her leg.
"You're wearing another !air of boots," she re#arked. Her teeth crunched into her
sugar cone.
He glanced down at his feet, which were indeed shod with another !air of li)ard boots.
Ha$ing grown u! in Te&as, Kyla knew they hadn't co#e chea!. "'$e ne$er owned a !air of
cowboy boots until recently. (ow '# con$inced #ay ne$er wear anything else."
The ice5crea# !arlor was situated in a row of sho!s and boutiques. The de$elo!er of the
sho!!ing center, who, as Tre$or had told Kyla earlier, was one of the cle$erest around, had
created a !arklike setting in the o!en5air #all. %illow trees bowed toward a #an5#ade,
rocklined
brook as though !aying ho#age to the waterfowl that swa# there. Hal$ed whiskey
barrels o$erflowed with bloo#ing flowers. t was a !astoral !lace for sitting in the grass,
wading in the water, walking hand in hand with so#eone s!ecial.
Kyla noticed that another cou!le had co#e to stand near the ga)ebo. 6b$iously the two
young !eo!le were so absorbed with each other that they didn't see Tre$or and herself
sitting in the shadows of the interior. *!eaking in soft whis!ers, his ar#s around her waist,
hers locked behind his head, their #iddles nudging !layfully, they nu))led in the uni$ersal
#anner of all lo$ers.
"You ob$iously didn't grow u! in this !art of the country." Kyla cleared her throat
uneasily, wondering if Tre$or had seen the other cou!le. %hen he took a long ti#e
res!onding to her leading state#ent, she glanced u! at hi#. He was staring at the young #an
and wo#an through the slats of the ga)ebo.
/eeling her eyes on hi#, he swi$eled his head around guiltily. "9h, no. .hiladel!hia.
went to school in the (ortheast."
The #an's hand was now stru##ing on the wo#an's ar#, sliding the backs of his
fingers fro# her elbow to her shoulder. Then he loosely closed his hand around her neck.
"That's why you don't ha$e an accent," Kyla said.
The young #an kissed the wo#an lightly, a soft !ecking kiss.
" guess so."
The wo#an angled her head back and said so#ething that #ade her lo$er laugh softly.
"2o you ha$e a fa#ily?" Kyla's $oice was light and breathy, as though it was her neck
that hungry #ale li!s were nibbling.
"/a#ily?" Tre$or re!eated dully. "6h, fa#ily. Yes, #y dad. He's a lawyer."
The #an's #outh nudged aside the wo#an's collar and disa!!eared between the folds of
fabric. 3efle&i$ely Tre$or raked his #ustache with the ti! of his tongue.
"That's all? 8ust your dad?"
The wo#an #ade a soft sound and #o$ed one of her hands to the #an's chest. Her
thu#b languidly stroked the $icinity of his ni!!le.
*quir#ing on the bench, Tre$or coughed. "That's all. 1y #other died se$eral years
ago. (o brothers or sisters."
The lo$ers kissed. n earnest this ti#e. There was a tilting of heads. " caressing of
tongues. "r#s and legs #o$ed si#ultaneously to bring two yearning bodies together. Thighs
ad4usted the#sel$es to interlock. Groans of !leasure and #ur#urs of arousal were carried
on the whi#sical wind that danced in and out and around the ga)ebo.
The #uscled thigh that was now !ressed tightly against Kyla's on the bench, bunched
and went hard. "-ick it."
"t the ras!y co##and, Kyla's eyes flew u! to #eet a fierce green stare. "%hat?"
"-ick it. Cuick. ,efore it dri!s." -i!s !arted, eyes gla)ed, she stared back at hi#
#utely. "Your ice crea#."
That roused her and she i##ediately 4u#!ed back. "6h+" The #elting ice crea#
was running o$er her fingers.
Tre$or stood u! abru!tly, a !ained e&!ression on his face. ""re you finished with it?"
*he glanced down at the re#ains of the ice5crea# cone and was a#a)ed to find that she
had squee)ed it to a !ul!. "s though it were a #urder wea!on she'd been caught holding, she
!ractically threw it at hi#. "Yes, '# done."
(o #atter how hard her #ind willed, her heart would not slow down. Her #outh was dry.
-ord, what she would gi$e for one good dee! breath. 6&ygen, that's what she needed to
ward off this $ertigo that had first hit her when he #entioned her and "aron's li$ing in the
house he was building.
Tre$or carried their trash to the rece!tacle near the doorway of the ga)ebo. Kyla stood,
though her knees were wobbly, and followed hi#. He was stunned by how lo$ely she looked
fra#ed in the o!ening.
*unlight struck her hair and set it afla#e as it swirled around her face. Her !arted li!s
were red and #oist. *he squinted against the sun, and long curly lashes crinkled around
$el$ety brown eyes.
"Tre$or? s so#ething wrong?"
"(o," he re!lied huskily. " was 4ust thinking about you sunbathing on the roof."
'olor, hot and $i$id, rose out of Kyla's halter and s!read u! o$er her throat and onto her
cheeks. *he said nothing. ,ut his face see#ed to ha$e #agneti)ed her eyes. *he couldn't look
away. "That #ust be a sight worth seeing."
*he swallowed. "Yes. ,abs has a terrific figure."
He waited an inter#inable a#ount of ti#e before he said softly, " wasn't thinking
about ,abs."
%hen they !ulled u! in front of the house, Kyla knew there was a !air of eyes at each
window. *he wished she could bolt fro# the car and race for the front door, but she knew
that
a gentle#an like Tre$or wouldn't allow that. He ca#e around to her side and held the door
for her, offering her his hand as she cli#bed out. *he !retended not to see it. *he couldn't
bring herself to touch hi#.
6n the !orch, she faced hi# awkwardly. *he hadn't been able to #eet his ga)e since he
had#entioned what she looked like sunbathing. "Thank you, Tre$or. had a nice ti#e."
How insi!id can you get, Kyla? He !robably can't wait to get away, she was thinking.
had to go and get horny and #ake that co##ent about her sunbathing. That !robably
ruined e$erything, he was thinking.
"*o did ." The new boots suddenly felt too tight for his feet and he shifted fro# one to
the other. "%ell, goodbye, Kyla."
"Goodbye."
*he turned toward the front door and nearly collided with her #other, who was
stu#bling o$er her own feet in her haste to get to the !orch. "6h, #y goodness," 1eg said,
flustered. "1r. 3ule, how nice to see you again."
Her sur!rise o$er catching the# together was as !hony as a three5dollar bill. Tre$or
knew it and Kyla knew he knew it, and she wanted to sink into a dee! hole and ne$er ha$e to
co#e out again.
"Hello, 1rs. .owers," he said.
" 4ust #ade so#e sandwiches and le#onade. %e thought we'd eat in the backyard on
the !icnic table.%hy don't you 4oin us?"
Te#!ted, Tre$or glanced at Kyla. Her s#ile was strained. (o, better not, he thought.
He'd !ushed 4ust about as far as he could for one day. f he hadn't said what he had about the
sunbathing. ,ut he had. %ell, da#n it, she had looked good enough to eat standing there in
the sunshine, and he had had to endure watching while she #ade eating a da#ned ice5crea#
cone look like an erotic e&ercise. 6h, hell, the da#age was already done.
Hating the necessity of it, he declined 1eg's in$itation. "That sounds great, but '$e got
so#e work waiting for #e."
1eg's an&ious s#ile colla!sed. "%hat a sha#e.%ell, another ti#e."
"'d be delighted." He s#iled at the# both, then lo!ed down the front !orch ste!s and
down the sidewalk to his car. "s soon as he had dri$en out of sight, the front door disgorged
,abs and 'lif.
"%ell, how was it?" ,abs asked. "2id he ask you out?"
"%ill you see hi# again?"
"2id he ask !er#ission to call?"
"6h, for hea$en's sake+" Kyla e&clai#ed cantankerously. " wish all of you would grow
u! and lea$e #e alone." *he stor#ed !ast the# and went through the front door in a huff.
,ut who was she #ad at? Tre$or? Her well5#eaning !arents? ,abs? 6r herself?
,ecause she was 4ust the slightest bit sorry Tre$or hadn't acce!ted her #other's in$itation.
"(o, no, "aron," Kyla re!eated for the hundredth ti#e. "2on't touch the flowers."
They were in the back roo# of .etal .ushers. 1eg, who sat with "aron when Kyla
worked, had needed to go to the dentist. 'lif hadn't returned fro# an errand in ti#e, so she
had dro!!ed "aron off at the flower sho! saying she wouldn't be long.
Kyla was kee!ing an eye on hi# while she did the #onth's accounting. %hen they had
di$ided the labor of running the sho!, ,abs had $olunteered to kee! it o!en and actually
deal with the custo#ers if Kyla would do all the ordering, billing and accounting. ,abs
lo$ed !eo!le but was a disaster at figures. The bookkee!ing tasks ke!t Kyla's hours fle&ible,
which was essential since she had a child to care for.
"s she ran another ta!e through the adding #achine, Kyla was $aguely aware of the
tinkling sound of the bell o$er their front door. *he didn't !ay any attention to it until ,abs
called out, "6h, Kyla?"
"H##?" she res!onded absently, 4otting down the su# of her tally.
"You ha$e a custo#er."
"" cus."
The question died on her li!s as Tre$or 3ule ste!!ed through the swinging lou$ered
door that se!arated the sho! !ro!er fro# its back roo#.
"Hi."
,abs was standing behind hi#, grinning like a 'heshire cat. " thought you #ight want to
deal with this custo#er !ersonally."
Kyla's eyes threatened her friend with annihilation. *unday e$ening had been torture.
They had eaten su!!er in the backyard on the !icnic table under the trees. The old table's
!aint
was blistered and !eeling because it had been in the backyard for as long as Kyla could
re#e#ber. *he and ,abs used to dra!e it with blankets and !lay "tent" under it.
""ren't you going to tell us anything$" ,abs had asked around a #outhful of 1eg's
fa#ous baked beans.
"There's nothing to tell," Kyla had said. ""nd would the three of you sto! staring at
#e? 1y nose is not going to start growing like .inocchio's."
"You can lie by o#ission," ,abs intoned. " don't think it's $ery s!orting of you to kee!
us in the dark."
Kyla laid her fork on her !late, stared down at it while she slowly counted to ten, then
raised her head. ""ll right. He dro$e #e into the woods, !arked, tore off all #y clothes and
we #ade wild, !assionate lo$e in the back seat of his car. %e were both like wild beasts,
consu#ed by s!ontaneous lust and licentiousness."
Kyla was the only one s#iling when she finished her tale. "That's not $ery funny," 1eg
said stiffly. "/or #onths we'$e been telling you you're too young and !retty to seal yourself
off fro# life. %e'$e encouraged you to start seeing #en. 1r. 3ule is the first one you
ha$en't run fro#.%e're only e&cited for you."
Kyla sighed wearily. "That's #y !oint, 1o#. There's nothing to be e&cited about. had
a husband. His na#e was 3ichard *troud. He'll re#ain #y husband until die. 'll ne$er fall
in lo$e again, ne$er lo$e anyone but 3ichard, and a# not looking for so#eone to lo$e that
way again."
"-o$e, lo$e, lo$e," ,abs cried in e&as!eration. "2o you always ha$e to bring love into
it?%hy not 4ust go out for kicks? Ha$e so#e fun. You don't ha$e to lo$e a guy to en4oy hi#."
"1aybe you don't, but do. "nd you know da#n good and well, ,abs, that #en don't
take out wo#en 'for kicks' without e&!ecting the# to 4u#! into bed with the# for a !ayoff.
'# sorry, 1o#, 2ad," she said to the# when their faces !aled, "but that's the way it is
these days. (ow, don't want to hear another word about Tre$or 3ule or any other #an.
'# not in the #arket for one. s that clear?"
They had honored her request and changed the sub4ect, though she could tell that Tre$or
3ule was far fro# being a dead issue. "ll day 1onday her !arents had lea!ed toward the
tele!hone each ti#e it rang. t was the sa#e at work with ,abs. Kyla was relie$ed that none
of the callers had been the one they ob$iously e&!ected.
3elie$ed, but a trifle disa!!ointed, too. He could ha$e at least tried to reach her and
gi$en her the satisfaction of saying she didn't want to see hi# again. 2es!ite her best
intentions, her thoughts often strayed back to hi#.
(ow, seeing hi# filling the doorway to the back roo# #ade her insides turn to #ush. "
dull roaring sound, not unlike the ocean, was rushing through her head. "Hello, Tre$or."
*o#e s#art ad$ertising e&ecuti$e should hire hi# to #odel 4eans, she thought. He wore
the# so well. His chest and u!!er ar#s filled out the cotton shirt to !erfection. His hair was
agreeably #ussed by the wind. The !atch o$er his eye ga$e hi# the dangerous air of a
#ercenary, a #an who li$ed 4ust beyond the !ale, a #an to be wary of. 0&tre#ely wary of.
,elying his #acho i#age, Tre$or crouched down to s!eak to "aron, who was standing in
front of the large refrigerated cabinet that stored the flowers they used in their arrange#ents.
"Hiya, *cout." The boy was ha!!ily sla!!ing his hands against the cold glass. Tre$or !atted
hi# on the botto# and "aron gurgled a ha!!y sound by way of greeting. He flashed their
une&!ected $isitor a slobbery, toothy grin. ,
"'$e got work to do. 0&cuse #e," ,abs said and disa!!eared.
/or no good reason Kyla stood u! behind her desk. Then, when Tre$or also stood u!,
she sat back down. f she could ha$e found it within herself to see the hu#or in their
seesawing, she would ha$e laughed.
"You look nice," he said.
*he glanced down at her si#!le dress. t was the color of cha#!agne, a color she knew
she wore well. ,ut it was nothing s!ecial and she wondered why he had e$en co##ented on
it. Then she re#e#bered that he'd ne$er seen her dressed u!. "Thank you." %as she
su!!osed to tell hi# he looked nice, too? ,ut he didn't look nice. He looked... se&y. *he
certainly wasn't going to tell hi# that because she had an idea he already knew.
"t s#ells good in here."
*he forced her hands, which were gri!!ing her ball!oint !en, to rela&. "That's one of
the benefits of working in a flower sho!. t always s#ells good."
" thought it #ight be you. Your !erfu#e."
The ball!oint !en was strangled again. *he tore her eyes away fro# Tre$or's face and
ha!!ened to catch sight of "aron. "(o, "aron." *he ca#e out of her chair and rounded
the desk hurriedly in an atte#!t to sa$e the carnations. They were standing in a bucket of
water, waiting to be used in an arrange#ent that had been ordered that #orning. Kneeling
down, she turned her #eddleso#e son away fro# the allure of the flowers and tried to
distract hi# with his toys. "Here, !lay with .ooh ,ear."
%hen she stood u! again, she found herself as close to Tre$or as his shadow. *he
ste!!ed back quickly. "He's into e$erything." " ner$ous hand fluttered u! to the gold chain
around her neck, which see#ed to ha$e ca!tured Tre$or's interest. 'ount 2racula had ne$er
studied a neck so intently.
"2o you always kee! "aron here while you're working?"
"(o." *he e&!lained about her #other's dental a!!oint#ent. "t that #o#ent she
couldn't ha$e said whether she wished her #other would return and sa$e her fro# being
alone with Tre$or. ?,abs certainly was no hel!.@ 6r whether she would rather her #other
ne$er know about his $isit to the sho!.
,ut whywas she herself#aking such a big deal of it? He was 4ust another custo#er. "'an
hel! you with anything?"
"6h, yeah," he said, 4erking his attention back to the business at hand. " need to order a
corsage."
" see."
*e$eral thoughts tu#bled through her head. 9!!er#ost was who# the corsage was for.
ThenD f that's all he wanted, why hadn't he !laced the order with ,abs out front? ThenD 6h
-ord, #aybe he hadn't wanted to see her at all. Had ,abs ushered hi# back here to see her
when all he had intended to do was gi$e .etal .ushers his business?
"'ll, uh, let's see, yes, here's an order !ad." *he yanked u! the tablet and held her !en o$er
it. *he filled in his na#e at the to!. "%hat did you ha$e in #ind?"
"'# not sure. %hat do you suggest?" He #o$ed u! behind her as she bent o$er the desk.
*he felt his legs brush against her skirt and #adly thought about a /rench #o$ie ,abs had
dragged her to a few #onths ago. *he closed her eyes for a #o#ent until the !ornogra!hic
i#age was banished.
2rawing a ragged breath, she asked, "%hat's the occasion?"
"" banquet. *e#ifor#al."
%hat banquet?%here?%ho# was the corsage for? "" banquet. "ll right."
" like orchids," he said.
"6rchids?"
"Yeah. Those big, fluffy ones.%hite ones."
1ou"ll never guess what ! found in a keepsake box the other day. That first orchid corsage
you gave me for the /hi &mega spring dance. ,emember$ That"s when ! fell in love both
with you and +ow +ells.
Kyla looked at Tre$or with sur!rise. ",ow ,ells?"
".ardon?"
",ow ,ells. That's what you described. t's a cattleya hybrid." %hen he said nothing,
she elaborated. "They're $ery !retty. They ha$e large white ruffled !etals and a dee! golden
throat." He was watching her li!s as they for#ed each word. Kyla wondered how, in only a
#atter of seconds, "throat" had beco#e the #ost !ro$ocati$e word in the 0nglish language.
"That's e&actly what had in #ind."
"... ha$e to order the# fro# 2allas. %hen did you need the corsage?" %hy was he
looking at her as though he were about to #ake her his lunch and why was she allowing it?
"*aturday night." He took a ste! closer.
"(o !roble#," she said briskly, alar#ed by how quiet it had beco#e in the shrinking
roo# and how close they were standing. *he could delineate each hair in his thick #ustache.
*he bent back o$er the desk. "6ne flower or two?"
"Two."
"They're e&!ensi$e."
"That's okay. 2on't scri#! on it."
"%hat ti#e do you want to !ick it u!?"
"2o you deli$er?"
"Yes."
"Then !lease deli$er it *aturday afternoon."
"The address?"
"Two twenty5three 0ast *tratton."
The ball!oint !en fell fro# fingers suddenly gone boneless. t rolled across the desk
and dro!!ed off the edge. Kyla turned around and ga)ed u! into the dark, handso#e face
bending o$er hers. "That's #y address."
"%ill you go to the banquet with #e?"
*!eechless, she stared at hi# and began shaking her head e$en before she found her
$oice. "(o, no can't."
"t wouldn't be a date," he said in a rush. "t's a banquet for bankers and other
!otential lenders. " grou! of us de$elo!ers ha$e !ut together a $ideota!e !resentation on
business o!!ortunities in the co##unity."
''%hat does that ha$e to do with #e?''
"You'$e li$ed here all your life. '# still a stranger in town. 'd like ha$ing you there to
introduce #e around."
f Kyla was e$er certain of one thing, it was that Tre$or 3ule didn't need anyone to
introduce hi# around. 6ne s#ile like the one he was bestowing on her now and !eo!le,
es!ecially wo#en, would flock to hi#. His grin was of the stuff that sold e$erything fro#
tooth!aste to brandy. %hen se& a!!eal had been doled out, Tre$or 3ule had gone through
the line at least twice. He had charis#a. He was the kind of #an who attracted #en and
wo#en alike. 0$eryone would want to be his friend.
"(o, Tre$or, '# sorry, but can't."
f he had !osed no threat, then #aybe she would ha$e acce!ted. ,ut he was too
attracti$e. "ll she needed to do to start ru#ors flying was to be seen in the co#!any of the
newest eligible bachelor in 'handler. ,y *unday #orning her #other's friends would be
talking wedding.
He #ade a s#all regretful sound and rubbed the back of his neck. " ne$er thought 'd
ha$e to resort to this to get a date with a beautiful wo#an, but '# des!erate."
"3esort to what?"
He looked at her ca4olingly fro# beneath his brows. The green eye was twinkling. "You
owe #e a fa$or."
"2o either of you clai# this little hoodlu#?"
"s one, they turned toward the door to see a $e&ed ,abs holding "aron in her ar#s. He
had three droo!ing carnations clutched in one tight, #oist fist. He had left a trail of wilted
flowers fro# the back roo# into the sho!. The ste#s had dri!!ed water onto the floor. "aron
was wa$ing at the# with another battered blosso#.
"6h gosh, ,abs, '# sorry." Kyla rushed forward and took "aron out of ,ab's ar#s.
"That's all right. He only destroyed about ten dollars worth of carnations, not to #ention
the $ase he was stuffing his .ooh ,ear into. You #ust ha$e been awfully busy in here." Her
blue eyes were teasing as they bounced between Tre$or and Kyla.
"%e were, uh...1r. 3ule was ordering a, uh, so#e flowers."
,abs ga$e the# both a knowing glance before s#iling benignly and lea$ing the# alone
again.
"%ell?" Tre$or said. ""bout *aturday night."
" don't know." Kyla and "aron were battling o$er !ossession of the carnations because
she was afraid he was going to eat the# and she didn't know if they were !oisonous or not.
%hen he finally lost that skir#ish, he reached for her earring.
How could she wrestle with hi# and #ake a decision like this? *he should coolly refuse
Tre$or's in$itation, no #atter how char#ingly it had been e&tended. *he had ne$er written
u! an order for flowers she was to recei$e before. "nd that #uch char# co#ing fro# a #an
she hardly knew was disturbing.
+ut, she did owe hi# a fa$or, and if he considered this a business occasion...
"t wouldn't be a date?" she asked tentati$ely.
"(o."
",ecause wouldn't want you to get the wrong idea."
" understand."
" #ean, '# a widow and don't date."
"You'$e already told #e that."
*he had, hadn't she? *o why was she babbling on about it? f she #ade too #uch out of it,
he would think she was !rotesting too #uch. ""ll right, 'll go."
"Great. 'll see you *aturday about se$en. "nd don't forget the corsage."
"You still want #e to #ake it?"
"*ure. Goodbye, "aron." He cuffed the boy under the chin. "*ee you *aturday night,
Kyla."
*econds after he had gone through the swinging door, ,abs !ushed it o!en. " '*ee you
*aturday night, Kyla.' s that what he said?"
"Yes. '# going to a banquet with hi#."
"That's wonderful," ,abs said, cla!!ing her hands together. ''%hat'll you wear?''
" won't wear anything." %hen ,abs's #outh for#ed a s#all o, Kyla sighed resignedly.
" #ean, it doesn't #atter what wear because it's not really a date."
"6h sure."
"t's not. t's a business affair and he asked #e to go with hi# to introduce hi#
around."
"9h.huh."
"He did+"
"9h5huh."
"t's not a date."
"9h5huh."
"He said so hi#self. t's not a date."
Chapter '
t certainly felt like a date.
Kyla didn't re#e#ber being this 4ittery getting dressed for her first car date, her senior
!ro# or her wedding. *he didn't want to think about her wedding or 3ichard. ,ut not
thinking about the# only i#!lied that this "date" with Tre$or 3ule #eant so#ething, which
she $owed re!eatedly that it didn't.
*till, she was clu#sy as she tried to a!!ly her #akeu!. (othing went right. *he had to do
one eyelid three ti#es. "aron, who see#ed to ha$e grown an e&tra !air of hands, was into
e$erything. Her #other and father ke!t !o!!ing into her roo#, a!!rising her of the ti#e,
the current weather conditions, asking questions, offering assistance and generally #aking
!ests of the#sel$es.
Thankfully, ,abs had a "hea$y date," so Kyla was s!ared her interference. ,abs had
insisted that Kyla buy a new dress for the occasion when all the while Kyla had insisted that
it wasn't an "occasion."
Kyla's e$entual ca!itulation only resulted in another argu#ent, o$er which dress she
should buy. ,abs had gone on the sho!!ing e&!edition without in$itation.
" like this yellow dress," Kyla said. ,abs had #i#ed gagging herself by !oking her inde&
finger into her o!en #outh. "7ery eloquent," Kyla had said sarcastically.
.lacing her hands on her sha!ely hi!s, ,abs asked, "%ould you rather look like 1ata
Hari or -ittle 1ary *unshine?"
"'d rather look like #e."
''Try on the black one again.''
"t's too... too..."
"0&actly," ,abs had said, sho$ing the gar#ent at Kyla i#!atiently. "t's terrific and it is
you. 3ight?" she de#anded of the inti#idated sales clerk who was cowering against the
dressing roo# wall.
"3ight."
Kyla had left the store with the black dress, knowing instincti$ely that she was #aking a
#istake. The yellow would ha$e been #uch #ore suited to her. The black dress was too
so!histicated. Tre$or would think... God knows what he would think.
Her !re$ious worries were co#!ounded as she )i!!ed u! the back of the cocktail dress and
caught her reflection in the #irror. The silk clung and swirled 4ust where it was required to.
,lack co#!le#ented her co#!le&ion, es!ecially since she had already enhanced it with
!astel
blushers and frosted eye shadows, and li! gloss the color of !each sorbet. Her hair was soft
and
shiny and had about it a look of artful disarray. *he had left it to curl softly on her shoulders,
swee!ing one side back and holding it abo$e her ear with a decorati$e co#b. "t the base of
her
throat lay a single strand of !earls. .earl studs adorned her ears.
Hearing the doorbell downstairs, she reached for the orchid corsage and hastily !inned it
to her dress. *he !ricked herself with the !ins and was glad that "aron, who !arroted
e$erything these days, wasn't in the roo# to hear her soft curses.
The corsage had brought on another argu#ent between herself and ,abs as recently as
that afternoon. "t's four5thirty and you ha$en't #ade that corsage Tre$or ordered."
"'# not going to," Kyla had re!lied.
"The hell you're not. '$e already sent hi# a bill."
"You what?"
"He's a custo#er, Kyla. He ordered a corsage and billed hi# for it. (ow we owe hi#
an orchid corsage."
'asting her s#iling friend a stor#y look, Kyla #ade u! the corsage.
"%on't do," ,abs said, sur!er$ising o$er Kyla's shoulder. "He asked for two flowers."
"How do you know?"
" o$erheard. "nd he said not to scri#! either, so !ut so#e #ore of that lacy stuff
behind it."
"2id you ea$esdro! on the entire con$ersation?"
"*ure. "t least think did. 2id either of you say anything you're asha#ed of?"
"6f course not," Kyla said heatedly.
"Then why are you getting so bent out of sha!e?"
(ow, as Kyla #ade one last ins!ection of herself in the #irror, she had to ad#it that it all
went together wellD the black silk dress, the !earls, the hothouse flowers.
"nd that was 4ust what she felt like, a hothouse flower who had been cultured and
!rotected and was about to be thrust into the ele#ents for the first ti#e.
*uch qual#s were 4u$enile. *he knew they were. ,ut knowing they were 4u$enile and
shaking the# off were two different things. *he had been #arried. *he was a #other. ,ut she
felt like an old5world, con$ent5bred ingenue about to #eet her first #an.
"This is ridiculous," she told herself in e&as!eration as she yanked u! the s#all black
beaded e$ening bag and switched out the light. "This isn't e$en a date." *he re !eated that
to herself, in cadence to her tre!id footste!s down the stairs.
Tre$or was standing in the entrance hall holding "aron in his ar#s. He was bouncing the
boy u! and down as he con$ersed with1eg and 'lif.
"...should be finished in about two weeks." He swung his dark head around when he
reali)ed that so#ething on the staircase had ca!tured the .owerses' attention.
6nly an act of will ke!t Kyla's feet fro# faltering on the ne&t ste! as Tre$or looked u! at
her. *he forced herself to descend cal#ly. 9nfortunately she had no such control o$er her
heartbeat.
"Hello, Tre$or."
"Hi."
"aron was !lucking at Tre$or's #ustache, but he see#ed not to notice. His ga)e was
fi&ed on Kyla. *he was ha$ing 4ust as hard a ti#e kee!ing her eyes off hi#. He was
gorgeous.
His suit was charcoal5gray, so dark that it al#ost looked black. The cris! white shirt only
intensified the color of his hair and the de!th of his tan. The correct sil$er and black stri!ed
tie would ha$e looked ordinary on any other #an, but Kyla reali)ed then that Tre$or was by
no #eans ordinary. He was ne$er going to be. .erha!s his distinction lay in the e$er5!resent
eye !atch, which was so fa#iliar now, so #uch a !art of his face, that she didn't see it as
so#ething a!art.
"The orchids are beautiful."
"Yes," she said breathlessly. *he touched the corsage lightly, self5consciously, where it
re!osed on her breast. "Thank you. 2o you like the#?"
"2o you?"
"7ery #uch."
"Good."
Think of something else to say, you idiot, she ordered herself.
"aron ca#e to her rescue. He chose that #o#ent to take one of those un!redictable di$es
that toddlers often take fro# one !air of ar#s to another. %ithout warning, he lunged
toward her and she barely had ti#e to get her ar#s u! before he landed against her with a
solid thud.
,ut Tre$or, whose rela&ed ar#s tensed around the child i##ediately, hadn't quite let go
of "aron yet. *o his right ar# beca#e tra!!ed between "aron and Kyla's breasts. "s she
gradually got a better gri! on "aron, Tre$or withdrew his ar#. There ensued a few #o#ents
of awkwardness, which e$eryone tried to co$er with loud chatter.
"Here, gi$e #e the baby," 1eg said.
"You two had better be going or you'll be late," 'lif said.
""re you ready?" Tre$or asked.
"Yes. think ha$e e$erything. Good night, "aron."
"%e'll get "aron to bed, so there's no rush about co#ing ho#e early," 1eg said.
"2ri$e carefully. You'$e got !lenty of ti#e," 'lif called to the# as they went down the
walk.
Kyla was grinding her teeth. "nyone would think this was her first date. *he wouldn't
ha$e been sur!rised if 'lif had !osed the# in the hall while 1eg went searching for the
ca#era.
Tre$or ste!!ed around her to o!en the car door. He didn't touch her and she was
grateful. "ll too well she was re#e#bering the feel of his hard ar# #o$ing across her
breasts. t had left a tide of heat in its wake.
6nce he was behind the wheel, he said, " know this isn't a date, but a# allowed to
tell you how !retty you look?"
His atte#!t at hu#or !ut her at ease so#ewhat and she glanced o$er at hi#. "Yes, and
thank you."
"You're welco#e."
He reached for the dials of the radio and turned to an easy5listening #usic station. His
suit coat slee$e slid u!. His shirt cuff was starched and stiff and had been skew ered with a
cuff link that had a s#ooth square of ebony fi&ed in a tri# gold setting.
He had i#!eccable taste.
" ha$en't talked to you since Tuesday. How was your week?"
",usy," she said, silently thanking hi# for o!ening u! an a$enue of con$ersation. *he
see#ed to ha$e lost all talent for #aking s#all talk. Tre$or hadn't, though, and before she
knew it they had arri$ed at their destination.
The 'handler 'ountry 'lub was only two years old. The landsca!ing was still i##ature,
but the #odern building of nati$e stone couldn't be faulted. *!rinklers out on the dark golf
greens were swishing as Tre$or escorted her u! the foot!ath that connected the !arking lot to
the front door. *he had al#ost, almost, gotten accusto#ed to ha$ing his hand wra!!ed
around her elbow. ,ut she wasn't !re!ared for hi# to slow his stride, lean down close to her
and co#e near to !ressing his face against her neck before standing straight again.
"This ti#e know that fragrance isn't flowers. t's you. "nd you s#ell wonderful."
"Thank you."
The words had been difficult to s!eak for the constriction in her throat. He o$erwhel#ed
her. He was so tall, so !urely #asculine. "round her, he had ne$er acted like anything but a
gentle#an. (onetheless she felt threatened by hi#. (ot afraid, 4ust threatened.
0$ery ti#e he s#iled down at her, as he was doing now, she re#e#bered the discussions
she and ,abs used to ha$e about kissing and how it would feel to kiss a #an with a
#ustache.
Tre$or's dark #ustache was thick, but well groo#ed. t $irtually obliterated his u!!er li!,
while e#!hasi)ing the sha!e of the lower. t cur$ed o$er the co#ers of his #outh as though
caressing it. His teeth shone beneath it, startlingly white. The o$erall effect was disturbingly
sensual.
Kyla tried con$incing herself that her interest in it was !urely casual, a holdo$er fro#
youthful curiosity. ,ut her !owers of !ersuasion see#ed to be taking the night off.
The cocktail !arty !receding the banquet had already started by the ti#e they entered
the roo# o$erlooking the golf course and swi##ing !ool. The laughter5s!iked din al#ost
drowned out the #usic being !ro$ided by the co#bo !laying a !o!ular hit fro# a dais in the
corner.
"%ould you like so#ething to drink?" Tre$or had to bend down and !lace his li!s close
to her ear to be heard o$er the racket.
*he turned, stretched u! and s!oke directly into his ear. "'lub soda and li#e, !lease." He
nodded, s#iled and elbowed his way through the crowd toward the bar, lea$ing behind hi#
the scent of his cologne. Kyla liked it $ery #uch. t was clean and brisk, with an air of
citrus. *he couldn't hel! but notice how well the tailored coat fit his broad shoulders and.
"%hy, Kyla *troud+ told Herbie it was you. t's so good to see you out, dear."
"Hello, 1rs. ,aker, 1r. ,aker."
"How are your folks?"
"They're fine, thanks."
""nd your little boy?"
""aron's a ty!ical toddler." *he laughed softly. ""l#ost #ore than can kee! u!
with."
"Kyla, your drink." *he turned and acce!ted the glass of soda fro# Tre$or. The
sur!rised e&!ressions on the older cou!le's faces were 4ust what she had e&!ected and
dreaded.
"Thank you, Tre$or. 'd like you to #eet 1r. and 1rs. Herb ,aker. 1rs. ,aker taught
#e se$enth grade 0nglish gra##ar and literature. 1r. ,aker has an insurance co#!any.
Tre$or 3ule," she said, !resenting Tre$or to the#.
"3ule, 3ule," 1r. ,aker re!eated as he !u#!ed Tre$or's hand. "*ure, 3ule 0nter!rises+
'$e seen your signs e$erywhere. 'ontractor, aren't you?"
"Yes, sir. '$e 4ust for#ed #y own co#!any."
"'ouldn't ha$e !icked a better !lace to start," ,aker said. "'handler used to be a slee!y
little town. (othing but a cotton gin here for decades. %e're gradually changing all that.
You 4oined the 'ha#ber of 'o##erce last week, didn't you?"
"Yes, sir, did."
"Glad to hear it. '# on the #e#bershi! co##ittee."
%hile this con$ersation had been going on, 1rs. ,aker's eyes had been busily bouncing
between the two of the#. *he couldn't ha$e been #ore ob$iously greedy for infor#ation if
she had had a radar detector growing out of her forehead. "2id the two of you know each
other before$"
+efore e&actly what, Kyla was ne$er to know because Tre$or inter$ened. ".lease e&cuse
us. *o#eone across the roo# is waiting to #eet Kyla. 1rs. ,aker,1r. ,aker."
Tre$or nodded !olitelyB Kyla s#iled $a!idly and let hi# usher her away. " know that
#akes you unco#fortable."
"%hat?"
",eing seen with #e."
"t's not that. t's what e$eryone is thinking that bothers #e," she ad#itted.
"%hat do you think they're thinking?"
"You know, things like, 't's about ti#e the little widow got out in circulation again.' 6r,
't's too soon for her to be out in circulation again.' 1y !arents acted like they had to foist off
the eldest daughter before they could #arry off the other si&."
Tre$or laughed. "t wasn't as bad as all that."
"%asn't it?"
"(o. You're far #ore self5conscious about that than a#."
" wouldn't ha$e bla#ed you if you had turned and run."
",ut didn't. '# still here."
He s!oke with such intensity, that Kyla's uneasiness was far fro# relie$ed. To a$oid
looking at hi#, she ga)ed out o$er the crowded roo#. "(ow feel like !eo!le '$e known
all #y life ha$e beco#e s!ies and gossi!s."
"You can waste a lot of ti#e and energy worrying about what !eo!le are thinking and
saying behind your back."
*he sighed. " know. ,ut this can't be #uch fun for you either. 2on't you get the feeling
that you're a window dressing and e$eryone's staring at you?"
He drew a serious face. "2on't worry about #e. %hat !eo!le think doesn't really bother
#e. don't want you to be unco#fortable. That's the only reason #ind it."
"%e know this isn't actually a date. 4ust wish e$eryone else did."
"*hort of announcing it o$er the #icro!hone, what can do to let the# know this is not
a date?"
/or starters he could re#o$e his hand fro# the s#all of her back. ,ecause they had
reached the other side of the roo# after #aneu$ering through the crowd.and his hand was
still there, a fir#, war# !ressure against the arch of her back.
Then they could dis!el #ore ru#ors by engaging other !eo!le in con$ersation. "s it
was, with the two of the# silhouetted against the sunset beyond the !late glass windows,
with Tre$or's face bending close to hers in serious con$ersation, they #ust surely be gi$ing
e$eryone the i#!ression that what they were saying was !ri$ate and !ersonal. t felt !ri$ate
and !ersonal.
*he #o$ed, ostensibly to take a si! of her drink. "ctually it was to !ut a few safe inches
between the#. Tre$or si!!ed at his own drink, a !ale whiskey.
"%ould it #ake you feel better if told you that you look sensational?" he asked.
*he traced the ri# of her glass with her finger. "(o, don't think so."
"6kay. Then #aybe 'd better not #ention that your dress is a real knockout."
Her eyes slid u! to his face and caught his teasing s#ile. Her own stiff, !lastic, !arty#anners
s#ile beca#e genuine. "Thank you for not #entioning that."
"1aybe we should #igrate toward the dining roo#," he said. "*o#e are already #o$ing
in that direction to locate their table."
6n their way into the dining roo# they were 4oined by a young banker and his wife.
-ynn and Ted Haskell were new to town and therefore didn't know Kyla and her !ast. Tre$or
introduced her #erely as his "friend." *he en4oyed their li$ely con$ersation through the filet
#ignon dinner.
Tre$or was attenti$e to her e$ery need, always #aking certain she had salt, !e!!er,
butter, fresh bread, water, coffee. *he found herself basking in his attention. 1ealti#es with
"aron were #ore like battles. "ttack and retreat. *o#eti#es when she finished, she
couldn't re#e#ber ha$ing eaten because she had snatched bites between #o!!ing u! s!illed
#ilk and wi!ing "aron's dodging #outh.
"2idn't you like the food?" Tre$or asked as the waiter whisked away her e#barrassingly
e#!ty !late.
*he blushed at his teasing and laughed self5de!recatingly. " lo$ed it, #ainly
because got to eat it in !eace. Ha$ing dinner with "aron isn't quite so rela&ing. t was all
could do to kee! #yself fro# cutting your #eat for you. f start !atting your na!kin back
into your la!, try not to notice."
He blinked, startled. Then a slow grin s!read across his rugged face. -eaning closer he
said, "Kyla, if you start !atting #y la! for any reason, '# going to find it da#n near to
i#!ossible not to notice."
*he could easily ha$e died at that #o#ent. n fact she e$en !rayed for a sudden death.
Her cheeks were scalding. Her fingerti!s and toes were throbbing with an influ& of blood.
(e$er had she been so e#barrassed.
"... #eant."
" know what you #eant." Tre$or, sensing her #ortification, squee)ed her hand.
"1ore coffee?"
*he #ade no #ore $erbal blunders and they settled back in their hard chairs for the
!rogra#. ""fter the $ideota!e !resentation, the s!eakers droned on endlessly, e&tolling the
attributes of 'handler in !articular and north central Te&as in general.
",ored?" Tre$or whis!ered, leaning close.
*he had unsuccessfully tried to hide a delicate yawn with her hand. "(o. t's all $ery
interesting."
"You're a terrible liar," he growled close to her ear. *he laughed, ducking her head. "2o
you want to lea$e?"
"(o+" she e&clai#ed, knowing this e$ening was i#!ortant to hi#. He was here to see
and be seen.
E%e can sneak out."
"(o. '# fine. 3eally."
"*ure?"
*he nodded her head.
".ositi$e?"
*he nodded again.
"You're lo$ely, Kyla."
Her head sna!!ed u! and she #et his ga)e, which was co#!elling and hot. " 4ust threw
that in to see if you were !aying attention."
*lowly he !ulled away and sat back in his chair. Kyla swallowed hard and re#o$ed her
ga)e fro# his. *he glanced around an&iously, wondering if anyone had noticed their
whis!ered e&change. *he caught sight of 1rs. ,aker's e&!ectant face and looked away
quickly.
Her eyes landed on the banker and his wife. -ynn's hand was lying on Ted's thigh. He was
idly stroking the back of her hand. Kyla s#iled at such a sweet dis!lay of #arital inti#acy.
The subconscious kind. The kind that ca#e auto#atically. Those de#onstrations that said so
#uch, but that wouldn't e$en be re#e#bered later.
,ichard and ! used to do things like that all the time.
1entally she s!rang erect. That was the first ti#e she had thought of 3ichard in hours.
Guilt !ierced her to the core.%hat was wrong with her?
*he concentrated on hi#, on his face, his s#ile, his funny laugh, until the final s!eaker
concluded his s!eech. Tre$or and she said their good5nights and were a#ong the first to
lea$e.
They barely#ade it to the car before it began to rain.
6nce under way Tre$or asked, "%ould you like to go so#ewhere for dessert?"
"3e#e#ber the cherry cheesecake?"
"6h, yeah." "fter a !ause he said, "'offee?"
" don't think so."
"" drink?"
"(o thank you, Tre$or. should be getting ho#e."
"3ight."
He sounded disa!!ointed. *urely she was #istaken. He #ust be as glad as she that this
e$ening was al#ost o$er.
They said little, which only #ade the ta!!ing of the rain on the roof of the car and the
rhyth#ic clacking of the windshield wi!ers see# louder.
"!!arently he wasn't accusto#ed to dri$ing with both hands on the wheel because he
ke!t his right one in constant #otion while he steered the car with his left. "t first he fiddled
with the radio, turning the $olu#e u!, then seconds later turning it back down.
He reached for the ther#ostat. "'o#fortable?"
"Yes, fine."
His hand was withdrawn, but was no less restless. %ith that fidgeting right hand he
worked loose the knot of his necktie. He raked back his hair. He ad4usted the $olu#e on the
radio one #ore ti#e. /inally he let that hand rest.
6n the seat.
Halfway between the#.
/ro# the corner of her eye, Kyla watched that hand as though it !osed so#e gra$e threat.
%hat if it inched toward her? %ould she say so#ething? %hat if it reached out and
grabbed her? %ould she screa#? %hat if it reached for her own? %ould she allow her
hand to be held?
%hat if it caressed her thigh? %ould she sla! it away?
Her heart was thudding and she felt her !al#s grow slick with #oisture. (e$er had the
house where she li$ed safely with her !arents and baby been such a welco#e sight.
The hand didn't do anything but turn off the key in the ignition after the car had rolled to
a slow sto!. "*it tight," he said, when she reached for the door handle. " ha$e an u#brella."
Turning, he stretched his ar# o$er the seat and reached behind hi# for the u#brella. His coat
ga!ed o!en and Kyla saw the hard #uscles of his chest straining against his shirt.
He got out and !o!!ed the u#brella o!en. He was holding it o$er his head when he
o!ened her door and reached inside to take her hand and lift her out.
How it ha!!ened, she was ne$er quite sure. 1aybe they were crowding beneath the
u#brella in an effort not to get wet. ,ut so#ehow, somehow, when she stood u! on the
sidewalk, she was $ery close to hi#. *o close that their clothes were brushing against each
other.
nstincti$ely, her head tilted back. His face loo#ed close. He was holding the u#brella
with his left hand. %ith his right, he loosely enfolded her neck.
*he felt the tickling brush of his #ustache first, then his li!s, war# and fir#, rubbing
against hers.
&h, #od, that feels good.
*he !ulled back quickly and lowered her head. He re#o$ed his hand fro# her neck. *he
could still feel the i#!rint of each finger, though he had barely touched her and his clas!
could
hardly be classified as such.
The rain !ecked against the silk u#brella and rolled down its slick surface to dri! off
the edge. ,eneath that #eager shelter they stood still and silent... and close.
"'# sorry," Tre$or said after a long #o#ent. "(o kisses allowed on the first date?"
"This isn't a date."
"6h, yeah. 2a#n. kee! forgetting that."
He turned the# toward the front door. 'arefully they #ade their way u! the walkway,
#ade treacherous by the rainfall. (o outside light had been left on to aid the# in reaching
the safety of the !orch.
Tre$or swung the u#brella down and shook it hard.
"Thank you for the e$ening, Tre$or," Kyla said, edging toward the door.
" know we said this wasn't a date." The u#brella was dro!!ed onto the !orch. t #ade a
la)y s!in on the a&is of its handle before co#ing to rest.
"Yes. That's what we said."
"3ight. %e agreed that it wasn't a date, only."
"%hat?"
"'# not !ushing. don't want you to think '# !ushing."
" don't."
",ut..." He took a ste! toward her. "nother. "*ay this was a date."
"Yes?"
"%ould you."
"%ould what?"
His hands ca#e u! to fra#e her face tenderly. Her eyes slid closed. His li!s #et hers
again. ,ut they stayed this ti#e. "nd !ressed. "nd angled until hers !arted. The ti! of his
tongue dared to !enetrate, to #ake fleeting contact with hers, to swee! her #outh once, to
sink dee!ly. Then it withdrew. He lifted his #outh away fro# hers. His hands fell to his
sides.
"Good night, Kyla."
"Good night."
How the words found their way out of her #outh, she couldn't fatho#. "fter watching
hi# retrie$e his u#brella and walk to his car, she auto#atically unlocked the front door and
let herself in.
*he drifted u!stairs, telling herself e$ery ste! of the way that since it hadn't really been a
date, that hadn't really been a kiss either.
,ut her alter ego was saying, "6h, it was a kiss all right. t was a dilly of a kiss. ,abs, at
her wildest, couldn't ha$e i#agined such a kiss. f you looked u! the word 'kiss' in the
dictionary, a descri!tion of what you 4ust e&!erienced beneath Tre$or's #outh would be the
definition."
*he un!inned the orchid corsage and laid it on the dresser. *he carelessly dro!!ed her
!earls a#idst her !erfu#e decanters, when nor#ally she would ha$e stored the# in their
$el$et bo&. The black silk dress was left heedlessly lying on a chair with her underclothes
!iled
ato! it. *he floated toward the bed, naked.for the first ti#e in a long ti#e.
%hen she reached to turn out the la#! on the bedside table, she noticed 3ichard's
!icture.
Then she burst into tears.
Chapter (
You're a da#n fool."
He s!oke softly. His breath fogged the window because the glass had been cooled by the
rain. The roo# behind hi# was dark, so he was s!ared ha$ing to look at his reflection in the
window!ane.
He si!!ed his drink. "" fool, a coward," he sighed, then added, "a liar."
0$ery ti#e he saw her, he was lying by not telling her who he was. He knew what he was
doing was wrong, but he couldn't bring hi#self to say, "'# *#ooch. 3e#e#ber #e? The
guy your husband wrote to you about. The kind of #an you said you detested. 0gotistical.
Thinks he's God's gift to wo#en. 2es!oiler of re!utations. *#ooch." *he had ridiculed hi#
in
her letters and he had deser$ed e$ery re!roachful word. n his !lace her belo$ed husband had
died.
'lenching his teeth and closing his eyes, Tre$or !ressed his forehead against the window.
%hat he was doing was #ani!ulati$e and downright deceitful. There was no way he could
e&cuse hi#self.
"ctually there was an e&cuse, but who would belie$e it? %ho would belie$e that he had
fallen in lo$e with a wo#an he'd ne$er seen #erely by reading her letters? He barely
belie$ed
it hi#self. 'ertainly she would ne$er belie$e it.
*ooner or later he would ha$e to tell her who he was. ,ut when? How? %hen she found
out, what would her reaction be?
#!atiently he turned away fro# the rain5streaked window and sla##ed his highball
glass down on the tacky table. t ca#e with the drab furnished a!art#ent he ho!ed he was
li$ing in only te#!orarily.
He knew what her reaction would be when he told her. /ury. 'onte#!t. Hate. Those
weren't the e#otions he wanted to see burning in her brown eyes when she looked at hi#.
Going into the bedroo#, he stri!!ed. The !ur!le scars that #eandered and crisscrossed
down his left side were no #ore than he deser$ed, he thought with self5loathing. He deser$ed
to be !laced on the rack for not ha$ing identified hi#self to her when they had #et.
,ut would he tell her the ne&t ti#e he saw her?
(o. %hat good was #aking !ro#ises in the dark that he knew he wouldn't kee!? He
wasn't going to tell her. (ot yet. (ot until...
-ying in bed alone, he watched the rain s!latter sil$er !atterns on the windows. He
thought about her. "bout the kiss.
"6h, God, the kiss," he groaned.
*he had such a delectable #outh. %ar# and wet and silky. ,eyond the restraint she had
e&ercised, he knew there lurked a si##ering !assion.
1ou know how !"ve always loved rain. !t"s raining today, one of those relentless, steady
downpours when it looks like the sun has deserted and forgotten us. !"m not en.oying it. !"m
depressed. The raindrops aren"t happy ,sparkling drops that dance as they splash in
puddles. +ut leaden, ominous things that would weigh me down like chain mail if they fell
on me.
!"ve figured out the difference. ,ain is something that must be shared. There"s nothing
co2ier than seeking shelter from the rain with someone you love. +ut there"s nothing
lonelier than having to endure it alone.
"s Tre$or recalled that !articular letter, he laid his hand on his body and #oaned softly.
*till tasting the kiss, he whis!ered to the shadows, "f you were here with #e, Kyla, 'd
share the rain with you. 'd share e$erything."
",ut that's cra)y+"
" don't want to discuss it, ,abs."
",ecause you know you're wrong. ,ecause you know you're 4ust being !igheaded."
"t's not !igheadedness," Kyla a$erred. "t's co##on sense."
They were washing the breakfast dishes. Kyla's friend was as trans!arent as the !lastic
wra! co$ering the lefto$er biscuits. Her early a!!earance for *unday #orning breakfast was
un!recedented. "s soon as she had cleared the back door she had begun grilling Kyla about
her date with Tre$or.
" can't belie$e you won't go out with hi# again."
",elie$e it."
"%hy won't you?"
"That's #y business."
""nd you're #y best friend, so '# #aking it #ine."
Kyla dra!ed the dish towel o$er the rack and turned to face ,abs. "-ea$e it, ,abs. 2on't
you ha$e enough dra#a in your own life to kee! you occu!ied? 1ust you #eddle in #ine?"
*he left the kitchen and headed for the stairs. ,abs was right behind her.
"1y lo$e life doesn't need hel!. Yours is at a crisis !oint."
Kyla halted on the ste! and whirled around. "%e're not talking about a 'lo$e life.' don't
ha$e one."
".recisely #y !oint."
"(nd," Kyla stressed, " don't want one."
""ll right. 2elete 'lo$e' and insert 'se&.' -et's talk about your se& life."
Kyla resu#ed her tri! u!stairs. "That's disgusting."
,abs grabbed her ar# to detain her. "2isgusting? 0isgusting$ *ince when is a healthy
se& life disgusting? You used to ha$e one."
"That's right," Kyla said, yanking her ar# free. "%ith a #an lo$ed, #y husband, who
lo$ed and res!ected #e. That's as it should be." Tears stung her eyes and she dashed u! the
re#aining stairs before ,abs could see the# fall.
The .owerses had already left for *unday school. Kyla was to 4oin the# in ti#e for the
worshi! ser$ice. They had taken "aron with the#.
%hen ,abs entered Kyla's bedroo#, the latter was shrugging off her robe. *he took a
dress fro# her closet and ste!!ed into it. *o#ewhat subdued, ,abs sat down on the edge of
the bed.
"deally that's the way it should be," she acknowledged sulkily. ",ut we're not all that
lucky, Ky.%e take what we can get."
" don't. %hat had was !erfect. don't want anything less."
"%ell, hell, look at hi#+ Tre$or 3ule is 4ust about as !erfect as you can get."
8ust the sound of his na#e caused Kyla's hand to tre#ble as she tried to secure an earring
in her ear. t wasn't taking #uch to rattle her today, not after the tearful night she had s!ent.
*eeing 3ichard's !icture on her bedside table had re#inded her of her betrayal. *he had
$owed to kee! hi# ali$e in her heart. *!ending ti#e with Tre$or 3ule, she had disco$ered,
4eo!ardi)ed her resol$e to hold to that !ledge.
To counter ,abs's argu#ent she said, "How do know he's so !erfect? don't know
anything about hi#. only #et hi# a week ago.''
"You know how good he looks. You know that he's considerate, that he dri$es a nice.if
rather boring.car, that he's a#bitious, that he's kind to senior citi)ens and children, that
he."
""ll right, get the !oint. ,esides the fact that he's good5looking, you could be
describing thirty other #en. don't want to #arry any of the# either."
"%ho said anything about #arriage?" ,abs cried. "'# talking about ha$ing fun. Going
out." *he glanced u! at Kyla slyly, "Going to bed."
The kiss, the kiss, the kiss. 2a#n that inti#ate and e$ocati$e kiss. %hy had she
!er#itted it?%hy couldn't she forget it?%hy had it been so good?
"2on't be silly." *hakily she stuffed tissues into her handbag. "aron in$ariably ca#e out
of the church nursery with sticky hands. " don't e$en think about that any#ore."
"-iar." Kyla's head swi$eled around. "You #ight not consciously think about it, dear
heart, but you think about it. Ky, you can't 4ust cast off your own se&uality because
so#ebody
else dies. You don't dis!ose of it like a !air of socks that don't fit any#ore. t's a !art of you
and you're going to ha$e to co#e to ter#s with it."
" already ha$e."
" don't think so."
"%hat #akes you say that?"
",ecause you'$e !ut on earrings that don't #atch."
ncredulous, Kyla checked the #irror. ,abs was right. "ggra$ated, she began #aking the
switch. "That doesn't !ro$e anything."
,abs ca#e off the bed and a!!roached her friend. " know you lo$ed 3ichard. '# not
trying to talk you into forgetting hi#."
" ne$er will."
" know that," ,abs conceded with her kindest tone of the #orning. ",ut he's dead,
Ky. You're ali$e. "nd being ali$e is not a sin.''
"s though refuting her friend's words, Kyla said, "'# going to be late for church."
"t the front door ,abs caught u! with her. "%ill you or not?"
"%ill what?" Kyla asked as she checked her hair one last ti#e in the foyer #irror.
"Go out with hi# again?"
"(o. 0nd of discussion."
,abs !ointed her finger at Kyla and glared at her with narrowed eyes. "You had a
good ti#e," she accused. "2a#n it, know you did."
Too good a ti#e, Kyle thought. " did hi# a fa$or to !ay back one. (ow we're
e$en. ,esides," she added as she !ushed o!en the screen door, "he !robably won't e$en
ask #e out again."
He did. 6n Thursday of that week. *he hadn't seen or heard fro# hi# until the
tele!hone rang in .etal .ushers. *ince ,abs was busy with a custo#er, Kyla answered.
".etal .ushers."
"Kyla? Hi."
"Hello."
"This is Tre$or."
"s if he needed to identify hi#self. *he had recogni)ed his $oice i##ediately. "t
the sound of it, a delicious weakness had s!illed through her.
"How are you?" she asked, wishing her $oice didn't sound so breathless.
"'# all right. You?"
"/ine. ,usy. '$e hardly had ti#e to think this week. The days ha$e flown by." *he
didn't want hi# to think she had been sitting by the tele!hone waiting for a call fro#
hi#. %hy she felt it was necessary to !lay these courtshi! ga#es, she didn't know.
"How's "aron?"
"'ranky. thinks he's cutting another tooth."
" dee! rich laugh filled her ear before he said, "Then he has a right to be cranky."
*he twisted the tele!hone cord through ner$ous fingers. *hould she thank hi#
again for *aturday night? (o, that would re#ind hi# of their date. "nd of the kiss.
"The reason '# calling..."
"Yes?"
"t's short notice, know, but the Haskells... You re#e#ber Ted and -ynn?"
"*ure."
"%ell they asked #e o$er for dinner to#orrow night. *teaks out on the !atio.
%ould you like to go with #e?"
" don't think can."
"-ynn suggested it," he rushed to say. "%hat #ean is, she asked if 'd like to bring
so#eone and when ; #entioned your na#e, she was glad. *ee#s you two hit it off."
"Yes, we did. liked her $ery #uch. ,ut /riday night is a !roble#. "aron."
"He's in$ited, too. -ynn said they ha$e a wading !ool. *he thought all the kids.
they ha$e two, you know.could !lay in the !ool." He laughed again and Kyla reali)ed
how #uch she was co#ing to like that ru#bling bass sound. "%e know how #uch
"aron likes water."
" don't know, Tre$or."
".lease."
Kyla gnawed the inside of her 4aw in indecision. *hould she acce!t? (o. ,ecause
she didn't want to gi$e hi# the wrong i#!ression. 6n the other hand, how could he
4u#! to the wrong conclusion if her baby was in$ited along? t didn't sound like an
e$ening that would lend itself to ro#ance. "nd wouldn't it be ungracious not to acce!t
the Haskells' in$itation? *he really had liked the friendly cou!le. 6ne could ne$er
culti$ate enough friendshi!s with bankers. "s a businesswo#an, ha$ing this contact
#ight !ro$e to be hel!ful later on. *he and ,abs #ight want to e&!and so#e day and need a
business loan.
Good -ord, who# was she trying to con$ince?
The fact was that she wanted to go if only to !ro$e that last *aturday night, and
es!ecially the kiss, had #eant nothing. Tre$or was new in town and didn't know #any
!eo!le. He wanted her co#!any. That was all it a#ounted to.
,la#e all her #agnified erotic #e#ories of the kiss on ,abs, who had recently been
taking her to #o$ies redolent with skin, sweat and stea#. ,la#e it on the fact that she hadn't
felt the touch of a #an's #outh on hers in al#ost two years.
t hadn't #eant anything. *o why #ake a big deal of it? %hy not 4ust go out and en4oy
the Haskells' hos!itality?
"That sounds like fun, Tre$or. Thank you for in$iting #e... us. "aron and will be
glad to go. %hat ti#e?"
"*e$en o'clock on the dot."
""ctually the digital clock says si& fifty5eight, but we're ready."
Kyla ste!!ed aside and Tre$or walked through the screened front door. ,etween the
ti#es she saw hi#, she forgot 4ust how tall he was. 6r did he only see# so because he was
so #uscular? #!ressi$e bice!s bunched beneath the short slee$es of his white !olo shirt.
The casual tan slacks would ha$e elicited a co##ent about his buns fro# ,abs, had she been
there to see hi#.
""re your folks around?"
"(o. They said to tell you hello. 6n #ost /riday nights they #eet with friends for catfish
and do#inoes. They alternate houses."
"s that the reason you hesitated to acce!t #y in$itation tonight?"
6ne of the#, Kyla thought. " #inor reason. "Yes. ,aby5sitters are hard to co#e by. ,y
the ti#e they're old enough to trust, they're thinking of nothing but boys."
"2id you?"
"%hat? Think of boys? 6f course," she said, throwing her head back and laughing softly.
He liked the way her hair swirled around her shoulders. "%ith a friend like ,abs had no
choice. "ll through high school we were degenerately boy cra)y."
" see you two degenerates ha$e been working on your tans."
The white sundress showed it off. *he had hesitated to wear it because it left her
shoulders and #ost of her back bare, sa$e for a network of stra!s. "fter her shower, she had
s#oothed on a lotion that ga$e her tanned skin a glowing !atina. *he had added to the luster
by dusting her shoulders with a body !owder that had a sheen to it. Her nose and cheekbones
had been dabbed with the !uff, too. %ith her sun5lightened hair, she looked su##ery and
golden.
"n the afternoons," she answered, self5consciously aware of Tre$or's green ga)e
#o$ing o$er her. "There's enough sun left when get ho#e to get in a half hour's worth."
"t looks great." His $oice sounded a bit hoarse. 8ust the way he had sounded before he
kissed her.
*he #o$ed away quickly. ""aron is u!stairs."
"-et #e hel! you bring hi# down."
"2on't bother."
"/our hands are better than two," he said as he followed her u! the stairs. "%here
"aron's concerned, '# not e$en sure that's enough."
%hen they ca#e into the nursery, "aron was standing u! in his crib. "t his first sight of
Tre$or, he !ointed his inde& finger, began to bounce u! and down against the rails of his
baby bed and babbled so#ething that only he could understand.
" think he recogni)es #e," Tre$or said, !leased. He lifted the boy out of the bed and
swung hi# high o$er his head. "Hiya, *cout, Ha$e you been a !ositi$e terror this week?
0aten any #ore carnations?"
t was while he was holding the baby o$er his head that Kyla noticed the scar on
Tre$or's left ar#. t started at his wrist, twisted around his elbow and disa!!eared into
the slee$e of his shirt. %hen Tre$or turned, laughing, to address so#ething to her, he
saw where she was looking.
He sobered instantly. " told you it was ugly."
Her eyes swung u! to his face. "You #ust ha$e suffered terribly."
He shrugged. "(ot so #uch. 3eady?"
He carried "aron while she toted the dia!er bag. He had looked at it dubiously when
she hoisted it onto her shoulder. " know. t looks like we're #o$ing," she said,
laughing, "but '$e learned to go !re!ared and '# sure -ynn will understand."
He hel!ed her secure the house. "%e'll ha$e to transfer "aron's ear seat fro# your
car to #ine," Tre$or re#arked as they ste!!ed off the !orch.
"How far are we going? He can sit in #y la!."
"9h5uh. -et's do this right."
"%ill you at least co#!ro#ise and take #y car?"
"%ill you let #e dri$e?"
*he s#iled u! at hi# and dro!!ed the keys into his free hand. "How's the house
co#ing?"she asked hi# once "aron had been secured in his car seat and they were dri$ing
through the twilit streets.
Tre$or had had to !ush the front seat back to acco##odate his long legs. He dro$e
as he had before, with his left wrist dra!ed idly o$er the steering wheel. 6nly this ti#e
he stretched his right ar# across the back of the front seat. His fingers were close to, but
not quite touching, her left shoulder.
"Great. Your idea about the dining area in the kitchen was terrific. 0$en the
architect liked it and was #iffed that he hadn't thought of it hi#self."
"t's such a lo$ely lot. t would be a sha#e not to en4oy those trees to the ut#ost."
"That's why chose to build there."
... that a ouse without a tree is nothing. !"d rather live in a tree house like the
Swiss *amily ,obinson, than in a palace that was surrounded by nothing but concrete.
Ted and -ynn Haskell had equally effer$escent !ersonalities. Kyla and "aron, o$er
who# they #ade #uch ado, were welco#ed into the noisy chaos of a ha!!y ho#e. (ot
that their house wasn't lo$ely. t was. Kyla e$en felt a #ild en$y for the gracious roo#s
that -ynn led her through on the tour that Kyla had requested.
The cou!le had !roduced two children as handso#e and congenial as the#sel$es.
The eldest, a girl of se$en, bossily took "aron under her wing and ke!t hi# entertained
while the #en su!er$ised the grilling of the steaks out on the !atio. -ynn was
unselfconscious
enough to acce!t Kyla's offer to hel! in the kitchen.
"Tre$or told us that you're a widow."
Kyla's hands !aused as she tore at the iceberg lettuce. Had he been talking about
her? "!!arently -ynn sensed her tension. "'# no gossi!, Kyla. (either is Tre$or.
asked. He told #e, but he didn't elaborate. f it #akes you unco#fortable, we can talk
about so#ething else."
Tre$or couldn't ha$e elaborated because he didn't know the facts about 3ichard's
death. 'urious, that he had ne$er asked. *he glanced at -ynn. "3ichard died the day
after "aron was born."
"1y God," -ynn said, setting down the bowl of !otato salad she'd 4ust taken fro#
the refrigerator. "%hat ha!!ened?"
Kyla related the story. "t hasn't been quite two years yet."
-ynn looked out o$er the !atio where the #en were si!!ing at beers while they
tended both the steaks and the children who were s!lashing in the wading !ool. "s she
watched, "aron bent at the waist and ducked his head into the water. "!!arently he got
#ore than he bargained for. He ca#e u! s!uttering. nstantly Tre$or was kneeling5beside the
!ool, wi!ing the boy's face with a towel and thu#!ing hi# on the back. "Tre$or and "aron
see#ed to ha$e for#ed quite an attach#ent. %hen did you start seeing hi#?"
"6nly a week or so ago. %e're only friends. %hat dressing do you want on the salad?"
%hen Kyla turned around, -ynn was looking at her with an a#used e&!ression. "%hat is
it?"
-ynn laughed. "6nly that if e$erything Ted says about Tre$or 3ule is true, you'd better
be careful."
"%hy? %hat does Ted say?"
"That Tre$or is a#bitious, that he knows no fear, that he's daring in business $entures
and that so far they ha$e all !aid off. n other words, he usually gets what he goes after."
*he s#iled and sent a wicked grin in Kyla's direction. "f the attention he !aid you the other
night at the banquet is any indication, 'd say the #an's after you. 9nless you want to be
caught, you'd better run fast." "fter taking two cans of beer fro# the refrigerator, she !assed
one to Kyla. "'o#e on. think they can use another."
Tre$or had lifted "aron out of the !ool, then had crouched down and !laced hi#
between his knees. He was drying the child briskly with a towel, as though it were so#ething
he did e$ery day. Kyla !o!!ed the to! off the beer and handed it down to hi#.
"'ll take o$er when you want #e to."
Tre$or looked u! at her with a heart5sto!!ing s#ile. He si!!ed the beer and licked the
foa# off his #ustache. "%e're doing fine, but thanks for the beer."
"You're welco#e." /lustered, she turned away in ti#e to see Ted acce!ting his fresh
beer fro# his wife. He said, "Thanks, hon," and swatted her botto#. His hand stayed and
squee)ed her !layfully before falling away. -ynn bent down and !lanted a soft kiss on the
crown of Ted's thinning hair.
Kyla felt a loneliness #ore enco#!assing than any she had e&!erienced before.
"The house is dark," Tre$or co##ented as he dro$e Kyla's car into the dri$eway.
" guess 1o# and 2ad are still out." t was odd that they were out this late. 9sually the
do#ino !arties didn't last #uch !ast ele$en and it was al#ost #idnight. *he strongly
sus!ected that their delay in co#ing ho#e was calculated.
"Ted and should ha$e challenged you and -ynn to a re#atch."
"1en will ne$er beat wo#en at word ga#es."
"How's that?"
"%o#en are #ore intuiti$e than #en."
"%ell, #y intuition is that "aron's beco#e deadweight on your shoulder."
"This ti#e your intuition is right."
"aron, who had fallen aslee! on the Haskells' li$ing roo# sofa, hadn't taken kindly to
being roused for the ride ho#e. To !re$ent a tantru# to ri$al any recorded in history, Tre$or
had broken his own safety rule and let hi# ride in Kyla's la! rather than being stra!!ed into
his car seat.
Tre$or got out of the car and ca#e around to assist Kyla. "s your key in your !urse?"
he asked.
"The side !ocket."
He had found the key by the ti#e they reached the front door. 8uggling the key, her
handbag and the hea$y dia!er bag, he barely #anaged to unlock the door and swing it o!en.
"Thank you, Tre$or. had a good ti#e."
"'ll see you in. wouldn't let you and "aron go into an e#!ty house alone this late at
night."
There see#ed no !oint in arguing, though it #ade her distinctly unco#fortable to ha$e
hi# !recede her through the dark house and u!stairs. He had already switched on the soft
la#! on to! of the bureau by the ti#e Kyla reached "aron's roo#. *he lowered the
slee!ing toddler into the baby bed.
"'an you undress hi# without waking hi# u!?"
" think 'll let hi# slee! in his shirt. '# afraid if he wakes u! fully, he'll think it's ti#e
for breakfast."
Tre$or chuckled as he set the dia!er bag in the rocker near the bed. He watched,
fascinated, as her ca!able fingers #o$ed swiftly to re#o$e "aron's shoes and socks.
%ithout waking hi#, she !eeled down his shorts and !lastic !ants. "uto#atically she
reached for the adhesi$e tabs that held on his dis!osable dia!er. There her hands stilled.
*he beca#e acutely aware of the #an standing beside her. The roo# see#ed to shrink,
lea$ing barely enough roo# for the two of the# beside the baby bed. The at#os!here
beca#e thick with tension. The air was hea$y and unco#fortably war#, al#ost sultry. The
house grew #ore silent.
t was silly. 3idiculous. "aron was a baby, se&ually unde$elo!ed. ,ut the #an standing
ne&t to her was de$elo!ed and she was e#barrassed to re#o$e "aron's dia!er with Tre$or
ho$ering so close. -ooking at a naked #ale child would be an inti#acy between the#, an
inti#acy Kyla couldn't engage in.
"!!arently he noticed that her deft fingers had suddenly beco#e clu#sy and
inefficient, because he cleared his throat loudly and #o$ed away.
/aster than she'd e$er done it in her life, she changed "aron's wet dia!er. 1iraculously,
he didn't wake u!. Tre$or was standing fra#ed in the doorway of the nursery when she
turned around after co$ering "aron with a light blanket and switching out the light.
""ll tucked in?"
"Yes. He had a big night. think 'll get hi# one of those wading !ools."
*he led the way downstairs. There was a tightness in her chest she couldn't account for.
Her sto#ach was fluttering. *he felt an insane i#!ulse to talk loudly so that the encroaching
silence in the dark house wouldn't s#other the#.
6ne of the stairs took Tre$or's weight and groaned in !rotest. He laughed softly and
s!oke in a hushed tone. "You'$e got a squeaky ste!."
"*e$eral, '# afraid." *he sighed as she was re#inded of a !roble# that was ne$er too far
fro# her #ind. "t was #y !arents' drea# to sell this house when 2ad retired. They wanted
to buy one of those fancy #otor ho#es and tra$el all o$er the country."
"%hy didn't they?"
"3ichard was killed." Tre$or said nothing, though she sensed a hesitation in his stride
before he took the ne&t ste! down. " beca#e a liability to the# all o$er again."
"'# sure they don't see it that way."
",ut do." He had sto!!ed following. *he sto!!ed leading and turned around to face
hi#. He was !oised se$eral ste!s abo$e her.
"%hy don't they sell it now?"
"They don't want "aron and #e to li$e alone. ,esides, the #arket for houses in this !art
of town isn't as good as it once was. 9nless the neighborhood is re)oned, '# afraid they
wouldn't #ake #uch by selling."
"This worries you, doesn't it? You don't want the# to feel res!onsible for you."
*he s#iled ruefully. "'# 4ust sorry they aren't able to reali)e their drea# because of
#e."
They looked at each other. *ilence fell like a final curtain. 0$en though Tre$or had
turned on a light in the foyer, the re#ainder of the house was shadowed and dark.
6ne side of his face was lit, the right side. *he could sense the leashed tension in his
body, though they weren't touching. His wa$y black hair cast errant shadows o$er his face.
-ean and dark and intense, he looked like the brooding hero of a Gothic no$el. He
!osed no !hysical threat, but was dangerous 4ust the sa#e.%hat should ha$e been sinister
was
scintillating.
He #ade her tre#ble.
"'ll let you out," she said hastily, breathlessly, and turned away.
*he took only one #ore ste! down the stairs before she felt his fingers in her hair,
reaching, closing into a fist that caught and ca!tured. " s#all whi#!ering sound issued
fro# her throat, but she was hel!less. The fist closed tighter around the handful of hair. t
rotated once, #aking his hold #ore tenacious. Then a steady, unrelenting !ull gradually
drew her head back, back, until she turned on the ste!.
%ith his other ar# he lifted her u! e$en as his head descended. He sta#!ed his #outh
o$er hers, hard and unyielding. He didn't ste! down to bring the# together, but hauled her
u! instead and drew her against hi#.
Her hands #ade futile atte#!ts to !ush hi# away, but his chest was like a brick wall.
Her heart thru##ed, echoing loudly in her head. 6r was that his heart? *he knew nothing
but the !rickle of his #ustache and the fir# !ressure of his li!s against hers.
%hen he angrily lifted his head, she gas!ed, "(o, Tre$or, !lease."
"6!en your #outh."
"(o."
"Kiss #e."
" can't."
"Yes you can."
"(o, !lease."
"%hat are you afraid of?"
"'# not afraid."
"Then kiss #e. You know you want to."
His #outh clai#ed hers once again. This ti#e it brooked no resistance. t slanted and
#o$ed. His li!s !arted. Hers, obeying a will #ore !owerful then her own, res!onded. Then
his tongue was there, seeking and finding hers as it had once before. He tasted her
thoroughly, until they fell a!art gas!ing for breath.
Hotly, he !ressed his o!en #outh against the arch of her throat.
"(o, no," she said, not e$en recogni)ing that !anting $oice as her own.
" can't belie$e '# kissing you."
".lease don't."
""nd that you're kissing #e back."
"(o '# not."
"6h, but you are, lo$e."
His #outh brushed the skin of her throat with light airy kisses, !ausing to !lant heated
ones at its sensiti$e base. "Your skin, oh God, your skin." His hand was caressing her bare
back. His fingers sli!!ed between the stra!s of her dress and !ressed her closer to hi#.
"gainst her sto#ach she could feel what she told herself was his belt buckle.
(onetheless she clung to hi#. "t that #o#ent he was the only reality left in the world.
(ot e$en re#e#bering how they had gotten there, she disco$ered her fingers e#bedded in
the thick strands of his hair. "gain, her #outh was beha$ing wantonly beneath his.
"s it e$en !ossible that you could want #e?"
"Tre$or."
",ecause want you."
"lar#ed, she tore her #outh free of his scalding kisses. "(o, don't e$en think."
He cu!!ed her face between his hands. "(ot 4ust se&, Kyla. want #ore than se&. know
this is sudden, but '$e fallen in lo$e with you."
untsville, (labama
They had bought a house for their fifth wedding anni$ersary, and it was #o$ing day.
The house was a #ess. ,o&es were stacked e$erywhere.
"How could we ha$e accu#ulated so #uch 4unk? 2id you finish cleaning out the attic?"
%hen the accountant's wife got no answer to either question, she turned her head to see
what had her husband so !reoccu!ied. He was looking through a stack of sna!shots,
studying each one intently. "%hat's that, honey?"
"H##? 6h, so#e !ictures took in 'airo."
*he shi$ered and #o$ed toward hi#. 'losing her ar#s around his shoulders fro#
behind, she leaned down and looked at the !ictures o$er his shoulder. "0$ery ti#e think
about how close ca#e to losing you, shudder. How #any days between the ti#e you
went on lea$e and the terrorist bo#bing?"
"Three," he said gri#ly.
"%ho's that with you?" she asked softly, looking down at the !icture he now held. *he
knew he often thought about the #en who had ser$ed on guard duty with hi# at the
e#bassy, es!ecially those who had died.
"The one on the left was 3ichard *troud."
"%as?"
"He didn't #ake it."
""nd the other one?"
Her husband s#iled. "That handso#e de$il is Tre$or 3ule. " Har$ard #an.
2istinguished .hiladel!hia fa#ily. He was a hell5raiser though.%e called hi# *#ooch."
*he laughed. "(o need to ask why. can see where he #ight co#e by his re!utation." ,
"He had a hare# a sultan would en$y."
"2id he sur$i$e?"
"He was rescued, but was se$erely in4ured. don't know if he sur$i$ed it or not."
"%ill you sa$e the !icture?"
"Think should?"
"%as *troud #arried?"
"Yes. %hy?"
"f the !icture isn't that i#!ortant to you, why don't you send it to his widow? *he'd
!robably like to ha$e it. You all look so ha!!y, like you're ha$ing a good ti#e."
"*#ooch had 4ust told one of his fa#ous dirty 4okes." He leaned back and kissed her.
"Good idea. 'll send it to *troud's widow. f can track her down."
He tossed the !icture into the bo& of kee!sakes they would #o$e to their new house.
Chapter )
Sudden$
*udden? s that what he had said? " know this is sudden, but '$e fallen in lo$e with
you." "*udden" hardly ca!tured the earth5shattering essence of the state#ent. The following
#orning, as Kyla thought back on the scene, she still couldn't belie$e he had said that.
*he had thanked hea$en that her !arents had walked through the front door only
heartbeats later. Ha$ing been struck #ute and !araly)ed by what Tre$or had 4ust said, she
had #ade a $aliant effort at con$ersation, e&!laining that they had 4ust gotten in and !ut
"aron to bed, and no, her !arents weren't interru!ting anything.
Tre$or, while being !olite to her !arents, had stared down at her with that single green
eye that #ore than co#!ensated for the lost one. "$oiding his stare as best she could, she
had
escorted hi# to the front door and said a !erfunctory good5night before 'lif and 1eg could
go u!stairs and lea$e her alone with hi# again. 0$en as she closed the door on hi#, he had
stood his ground, staring down at her. t was then that she had $owed ne$er to see hi# again.
(ow, in the light of day, now, with the #e#ory of last night's kiss still burning in her
brain, she re!eated that !ro#ise to herself. " can't, won't, see hi# again."
,ut it wasn't going to be that easy. He called during breakfast.
"Kyla," he said as soon as she answered the !hone, "'# sorry it's so early, but ha$e
to talk to you. -ast night."
" can't talk right now, Tre$or. '# in the #iddle of feeding "aron his breakfast and he's
#aking a #ess of it."
"%ill the two of you ha$e lunch with #e? You and "aron?"
"Thank you anyway, but we can't. 2ad and are going to !aint #y old swing set today."
"%hen? 'll co#e by and hel!."
"(o, no, don't do that," she said hastily. " don't know e&actly when we'll be working on
it and can't let you tie u! your entire day."
" don't #ind. want."
"'$e got to go, Tre$or. Goodbye."
He ca#e by anyway late that afternoon. *he feigned a headache and didn't e$en co#e
downstairs to say hello. Her !arents looked at her disa!!ro$ingly once Tre$or had left, but
they said nothing.
,abs had no such qual#s about offering her o!inion. Kyla had ignored her less than
subtle dis!araging looks and grunts. ,y the end of the week she had beco#e considerably
#ore $ocal. The two friends squared off during a lull in business. "The guy has called here
se$eral ti#es a day for the !ast fi$e days."
"That's his !roble#."
"t's #y !roble#, too. '$e run out of e&cuses as to why you can't co#e to the
tele!hone."
"%ith your i#agination, ,abs, '# sure you'll in$ent others. !f he calls again."
"He will. He's not nearly the coward you are."
Kyla rounded on her. " a# not a coward."
"(o? Then why are you going to so #uch trouble to a$oid hi#? %hat did he do,
so#ething des!icable like try to hold your hand?"
" can do without your sarcas#."
"%ant to know what think?"
"(o."
" think that it was #ore than hand5holding."
Kyla turned away so that ,abs wouldn't see the color flaring in her cheeks. ""s said,
you ha$e a $i$id i#agination."
"6therwise you wouldn't be running so fast and so hard. f Tre$or 3ule hadn't gotten
to you in so#e way, you'd be laughing off his atte#!ts to see you."
"They're not funny."
"That's #y !oint. This is da#ned serious."
"t is not+"
nto that scene, already crackling with tension, ste!!ed the sub4ect of their dis!ute. The
bell o$er the door of .etal .ushers 4angled #usically as Tre$or ca#e in. *i#ultaneously the
two wo#en turned their heads in that direction. He was looking at only one, the one
whose face suddenly lost its high color, the one who ner$ously ran her tongue o$er her lower
li!, the one who clas!ed her hands together at her waist in order to kee! fro# flying a!art.
"0&cuse #e," ,abs said. *he sashayed through the swinging lou$ered doors into the
back roo#, #u#bling so#ething about 1oha##ed and #ountains under her breath.
Kyla stared at the floor that s!anned the distance between the#. 1aybe he had co#e to
order flowers. 1aybe he had co#e to discuss the weather. 1aybe he had co#e for any
reason but the one she dreaded #ost.
His o!ening line instantly dis!elled her ho!es.
"%hy are you a$oiding #e?"
"ll right, he wanted to !lay rough. *he'd be rough. Her head sna!!ed u! !roudly and she
#et his ga)e. "%hy do you think?"
'',ecause of what said last /riday night?"
"Good guess."
"2id it offend you?"
"Tossing the word 'lo$e' around like that is offensi$e."
" wasn't tossing the word around. #eant it."
" find that i#!ossible to belie$e."
"%hy?"
*he stared at hi#, aghast. " 3hy$ ,ecause we had seen each other e&actly four ti#es
before you told#e you lo$ed#e."
"You were kee!ing count?" Teasingly, his #ustache cur$ed abo$e those s!arkling white
teeth into a la)y s#ile.
"6nly because what you said was so outlandish." 2a#n his s#ile and da#n his #ustache
and da#n her sto#ach for doing cartwheels at the sight of the#.
"t ha!!ens that way so#eti#es."
"(ot to #e."
",ut to #e. '# in lo$e with you, Kyla."
*he turned her back on hi# and braced herself against the counterto! with stiff ar#s.
"*to! saying that. .lease."
He #o$ed u! behind her. *he felt hi# there e$en before he !laced his hands on her
shoulders. His war#th cre!t o$er her back the way the sun glides o$er the beach at dawn.
"%hat are you afraid of, Kyla?" . "(othing."
"1e?"
"(o."
""re you afraid of what you're feeling?"
"'# not feeling anything."
"You're feeling so#ething." He #o$ed her hair aside and trailed his fingers fro# one
side of her na!e to the other. "You kissed #e back."
Her head fell forward until her chin was al#ost touching her chest. "t didn't #ean
anything."
"2idn't it?"
"6nly that hadn't been kissed in a long ti#e."
""nd it felt good?"
"Yes... (o... .lease. can't talk about this with you."
"t felt good to #e, Kyla. *o da#n good. "nd right."
*he turned to face hi#, wedging herself between hi# and the counter. ",ut it wasn't
right, Tre$or," she said with e#!hasis.
"Tell #e why."
",ecause lo$e #y husband."
",ut he's dead+"
"n here he isn't+" she cried angrily, laying a hand o$er her heart. "He's ali$e inside #e.
"nd intend to kee! hi# ali$e."
"That's cra)y. t's unnatural."
""nd also no business of yours, 1r. 3ule+"
*he sho$ed hi# aside and #o$ed away. %hen she faced hi# again, her breasts rose and
fell in agitation. ,reathing didn't co#e easily. " ha$en't led you on. '$e been fair. told
you the second day we #et that wasn't looking for a ro#ance. had one. " wonderful lo$e
affair that will last #e the rest of #y life. (othing could to! it and would ne$er settle for
anything less."
#!atiently she dashed the tears out of her eyes with the back of her hand. "n s!ite of
#y #aking that clear to you, you ca#e on to #e. '# sorry if you fancy yourself in lo$e
with #e, but that's so#ething you'll ha$e to co#e to gri!s with. don't want to see you
again, Tre$or. (ew 4ust !lease lea$e #e alone."
His 4aw was rigid. The #uscles along it were fle&ing with anger. ,eneath his #ustache his
li!s had narrowed into a tight, thin line. His hands were balled into fists and ta!!ed his
thighs.
Kyla couldn't tell if he wanted to strike her or kiss her, and didn't know which to fear #ost.
/inally, he !i$oted on his boot heels and strode out the door, letting it sla# closed behind
hi#. The bell o$er the door #ade a terrible racket.
Kyla slu#!ed against the counter, not reali)ing until then 4ust how !hysically ta&ing the
encounter had been. 0$ery #uscle in her body felt as though it had been wrung out like a
dishcloth. There was a terrible !iercing !ain between her eyes.
%hen she had regained a #odicu# of co#!osure, she !ushed herself away fro# the
counter and turned to find ,abs standing in the doorway, her ar#s folded o$er her breasts, a
sour e&!ression on her face.
"2on't say a word," Kyla warned, #eaning it.
" wouldn't think of it," ,abs said airly. "You said all that need be said and quite
brilliantly, thought. "ny other #an would !robably turn tail and flee. ,ut not our 1r. 3ule.
(ot by a long shot."
"2a#n it+"
His foot !unished the brake of his !icku! truck as he whi!!ed it off the road onto the
gra$el shoulder. 3ocks s!rayed out fro# beneath the wheels and clouds of dust engulfed the
truck before it ca#e to a co#!lete sto!. Tre$or sho$ed it into ".ark" and folded his ar#s
o$er the steering wheel. He laid his forehead on his hands.
"%ell, what did you e&!ect?"
Had he really thought that he could walt) into her life and, without too #uch ti#e and
effort, ha$e her fall into his ar#s? nto his bed?
Yes, he ad#itted now. That's what he had subconsciously e&!ected. ,ecause to George
3ule's son things had always co#e easy.
*!orts. -eadershi!. *tudies. .o!ularity.%o#en.
To Tre$or, life had been a banquet s!read out on sil$er !latters. He had e$en successfully
thwarted his father's !lans for his life. He was doing what he had always wanted to do.
0&ce!t
for that setback in 'airo, he had led a char#ed life. 0$en then his good fortune had not
deserted hi#. The bo#bing had left hi# i#!aired, but not totally inca!acitated as it could
ha$e.
3aising his head, Tre$or !ro!!ed his chin on his hands and stared through the dusty
windshield. The north Te&as !lains e&tended to the hori)on in e$ery direction. " barbed wire
fence stretched endlessly.
%as that where his life was going? (owhere?
Kyla's re4ection was a bitter !ill to swallow. %as this gnawing e#!tiness inside his gut
only the reaction of a s!oiled #an to who# life had been abundantly sweet until now? %as
he to be denied the only thing that was truly i#!ortant? %ere the gods #ocking hi#,
laughing at hi# because he had #ade one honorable gesture in his life and was to be denied
the !ri$ilege of carrying it through?
,ut it was #ore than that. Honor and duty had little or nothing to do with his beha$ior
toward Kyla now.
He lo$ed the wo#an.
(o longer was she 4ust words written on sheets of ine&!ensi$e stationery, words that had
filled lonely hours, and alle$iated !ain, and gi$en hi# an anchor to hold on to when things
had looked their bleakest.
*he was a !ersonality. " $oice. " scent. " s#ile.
""nd she still lo$es her husband," he re#inded hi#self gri#ly.
3ichard *troud had been a terrific guy. (ow he was a terrific ghost. "nd ghosts had a
way of #aking the#sel$es #ore terrific than the !erson they had been. 6ne forgot the
faults of those de!arted and re#e#bered only their fine qualities.
,ut 3ichard *troud wasn't his ene#y and he #ustn't think of hi# in those ter#s. 1aybe
he should gi$e u! this whole cra)y idea. *he lo$ed her husband's #e#ory. *he had #ade her
feelings known in !lain, understandable 0nglish.
#ive up while you"re ahead, ol" boy. She doesn"t want you.
Then he re#e#bered the !assion of her kiss, the taste of her #outh, the scent of her hair,
the feel of her skin beneath his hands, and knew he wasn't about to gi$e u!.
"(ot yet." 0ach !recise #otion indicated his resol$e as he engaged the gears of his !icku!
and !ulled it back onto the country road.
He would gi$e her s!ace, breathing roo#, ti#e. *he was entitled to it.
n the #eanti#e, his days would be busy. He had a lot to do. "nd at night, in his bed,
when his body ached for the a!!ease#ent hers !ro#ised, he would content hi#self by
reading
her letters. They were now like her $oice whis!ering her inner#ost secrets to hi# in the dark.
"%hat's all that, 2ad?" Kyla asked as she entered the kitchen.
"This, oh this is nothing," 'lif .owers said quickly and began gathering u! the !a!ers
scattered o$er the table.
"t's something." *he hadn't #issed her father's haste in re#o$ing the docu#ents fro#
her sight, nor the co$ert glance that !assed between her !arents. Their e&!ressions were as
guilty as "aron's when she had caught hi# u!rooting her fa$orite i$y.
.lacing her hands on her hi!s, she said, ""ll right, you two, confess.%hat gi$es?"
"*it down and ha$e a cold drink, why don't you, dear?"1eg suggested.
" don't want a cold drink. want to know what it is the two of you are trying so hard to
hide."
'lif sighed. "%e #ight as well tell her,1eg."
Kyla sat down in a chair across the table fro# her father and folded her ar#s o$er the
la#inated tablecloth. "'# listening."
"The city council was !etitioned for this street to be re5)oned as co##ercial !ro!erty.
%e, your #other and , contested it, but none of the other ho#e owners did. The !etition
!assed in a $ote of the council last night."
Kyla assi#ilated that, for the #o#ent thinking only of what this would #ean to her
!arents' future. "%hy did you contest it? %on't that escalate the $alue of your !ro!erty?"
"%ell, yes, dear, but we don't want to lea$e this house," 1eg said. "(ot that they're
rushing us.%e ha$e a while, but..."
"You don't want to lea$e because of "aron and #e," Kyla said softly, reali)ing the
reason for their secrecy. "%e'll #anage. '$e always told you that."
"%e know, but we ne$er wanted to sell the !lace out fro# under you."
"%ell it see#s that the city council has taken the decision fro# you. '# glad. This is
what you wanted, to sell the house, buy a #otor ho#e and tra$el."
",ut you and "aron."
"'# a grown wo#an, 1o#. "aron is a well5ad4usted child.%e'll get a ho#e of our own.
t will be good for both of us."
",ut we !ro#ised you when 3ichard died that we would ne$er lea$e you alone," 'lif
argued.
Kyla reached out to co$er his hand. " a!!reciate your concern, 2ad. You'$e been
wonderful. ,ut you and 1o# ha$e your own li$es. You'$e earned these years together. You
shouldn't s!end your retire#ent shackled to #e." *he glanced down at the folded docu#ents.
"You'$e already had an offer to buy the !ro!erty, ha$en't you?"
"%ell, yes," 'lif finally ad#itted. ",ut we'$e got eighteen #onths to $acate. %e don't
ha$e to take the first offer that co#es along."
",ut who knows what will ha!!en in eighteen #onths?" Kyla said. "6!!ortunities
like this don't co#e along e$ery day. f this is a fair offer, acce!t it."
"(o," 1eg said, shaking her head stubbornly. "%e !ro#ised you that we wouldn't
desert you."
",ut, 1o#."
"9ntil you and "aron are settled so#e!lace, we won't e$en think about selling this house.
"nd that's final, young lady." 1eg stood u!. The discussion was closed. "2o you want that
cold drink or not?"
*e$eral hours later Kyla lay in bed and stared at the changing !atterns of shadow the
#oonlight cast on the ceiling of her roo#.
*he was worried about her !arents' reluctance to sell the house. The sale would insure
the# financial security for the rest of their li$es. *he didn't want the# to !ut it off until they
were too old and feeble to en4oy their retire#ent.
t was for her sake that they hesitated to 4u#! at this chance. 2idn't they reali)e how
guilty their sacrifice #ade her feel? They had already !ost!oned fulfilling their drea# for
al#ost two years, as a result of 3ichard's death. Granted, she would #iss the#. *he would
be sad to see the old house ra)ed to #ake way for office co#!le&es and filling stations. ,ut
growing !ains always hurt.
t was ti#e she e&!erienced so#e of her own. %hether her !arents sold the house or not,
wasn't it ti#e she #ade a ho#e for "aron and herself? How to con$ince 'lif and 1eg of
that was the !roble#.
%ith a tired sigh, she forced her eyes to close.
"nd it ha!!ened again.
Tre$or 3ule's i#age was !ro4ected onto her eyelids. /or hours each night, until she
finally fell into a frustrated, e&hausted slee!, he haunted her. t was as though he were
co##unicating with her on so#e s!iritual !lane that she had no understanding of. Her
obsession with hi# was irritating and unner$ing.
t had been a #onth since their showdown in .etal .ushers. *he wished she could forget
how angry he had looked then. *he wished e$en harder she could forget how he had looked
last weekwhen she had accidentally crossed !aths with hi#.
t had been during the heat of the day. *he and ,abs were #aking a deli$ery in
downtown 'handler. t had been an order large enough to require both of the#, so 'lif had
$olunteered to watch the sho! while they were gone.
"-ook at that," ,abs had said.
"%hat?" The !otted #u#s had leaked water on Kyla's hands and she was busy shaking
the# dry.
""cross the street. Yu#5#y+"
9sing one da#! hand to shade her eyes fro# the glaring sun, she followed ,abs's ga)e
to the hardware store across the street. Tre$or was ste!!ing off the curb into the street where
his !icku! was !arked. He was carrying a bag of concrete #i& on his shoulder. "s they
watched, he swung it down into the bed of the !icku!. /ro# that distance, one would ne$er
guess he'd been in a terrible accident and had the scars to !ro$e it. He had e&ecuted the
chore with the strength and grace of an 6ly#!ic discus thrower.
,abs s#acked her li!s. "1ay the good -ord strike #e blind if he's not gorgeous."
"2on't."
"Hello, Tre$or+" ,abs sang out.
Gas!ing in outrage and #ortification, Kyla turned her back and o!ened the car door.
*he scra#bled in and sla##ed the door behind her. "'# going to #urder you," she hissed to
,abs through the o!en window.
"f you act like an idiot, '# going to #urder you," ,abs retorted.
Tre$or had s!otted the# instantly and wa$ed. %hile he was waiting for a car to !ass, he
took off the slouchy, straw cowboy hat that was shading his head and wi!ed his !ers!iring
forehead on his rolled5u! slee$e. He started toward the# before the onco#ing car had
co#!letely !assed, e$en going so far as to ste! around its rear. He 4ogged the re#ainder of
the distance across the street.
"Hi."
God was cruel. (o #an should ha$e that #uch se& a!!eal and be left to run around loose,
#aking a ha!less $icti# of any wo#an he #et.
He co#bed his fingers through his thick, black hair, !ushing back the sweat5wa$ed
strands before !ulling the cowboy hat back on. %ith the eye !atch, he looked rakish and
daring and !iratical.
His throat was darkly tanned. "t its base lay a rolled and knotted white bandanna. His
slee$es had been rolled u! so far and so tight that they looked like ro!es encircling the teak
bice!s. The blue work shirt had been left unbuttoned. Kyla en$isioned hi# working shirtless
until it was ti#e to dri$e into town and then !ulling on the shirt in haste. ,ecause of the heat,
he hadn't felt inclined to button it.
n any e$ent, the long shirttails fla!!ed against his thighs, and his chest was left bare,
sa$e for the car!et of dark, da#! curly hair that co$ered it. "nd co$ered it beautifully, fro#
the fan5sha!ed cloud that blanketed the cur$ing #uscles of his breasts and swirled around the
flat ni!!les, to that slender, silky line that di$ided his corrugated sto#ach and e$entually
flared around his na$el. His chest was #agnificent, #arred only by an arcing scar that cur$ed
under his left breast fro# beneath his ar#.
His 4eans had that snug fit and softly faded look that no less than a thousand washings
can gi$e the#. He wasn't wearing a !air of shiny li)ard boots this ti#e, but a !air that had
been abused by seas of #ud. " !air of worn leather work glo$es co$ered his hands and
curled
back o$er his wrist bones.
1ost stirring of all was the wide leather car!enter's belt that was stra!!ed across his lean
hi!s. t rested there like a gunslinger's holster and sy#boli)ed #asculinity 4ust as flagrantly.
The building tools dangled against his tri# thighs, rubbing against the #uscles with e$ery
su!!le #o$e#ent they #ade.
He was a li$ing, breathing fantasy, #asculinity incarnate.
"%hat brings you out? t's hot as the dickens."
,abs laughed. "You're e$en beginning to sound like a Te&an. sn't he, Ky?"
Kyla, inside the sweltering car, sat as rigid and wooden as a #annequin. "Yes, he is."
He braced one forear# on the to! of the car. The shirt ga!ed o!en wider. *o#e of the
s!ringy hairs on his chest were beaded with sweatFHe ducked his head to s!eak to her
directly. "How are you?"
"/ine. You?"
"/ine. "aron?"
"He's fine, too."
"Good."
"You see# to be working hard, Tre$or," ,abs said.
Kyla could tell by her strained tone of $oice that ,abs was irritated with the way the
con$ersation was being conducted. %ell, let her be+ *he was the one who had hailed hi#
o$er like a streetwalker hollering, "Hey, sailor+" -et her chat with hi#.
*he had thought she would be relie$ed when he straightened u! to talk to ,abs. ,ut
his doing so had left her with an unrestricted $iew of his torso. t fascinated her.
*he watched a single bead of sweat for# on the low cur$e of his right breast. t gathered
itself there until it was a full, liquid !earl. Hea$ily it detached itself. *lowly it began to roll
downward. Kyla's eyes followed its undulating descent o$er each rib. t could ha$e gotten
lost
in the soft hair that da!!led his sto#ach, but it had too #uch i#!etus now and continued to
slide o$er the bron)ed skin. "t last, it angled inward toward his na$el and funneled
straight into that hair5whorled di#!le as though it were a chalice fashioned for such a
treasure.
"%on't we, Ky?"
Kyla 4u#!ed. "%hat?" ,abs had asked her so#ething, but she was hel!less to say
what.
" told Tre$or that we'd co#e out to see the house he's building as soon as it was
finished."
"6h, yes, 'd like that," she said $aguely. 0on"t look at him anymore. 4eep your eyes on
the hori2on or the parking meter or anything but him.
3ight now her own body was !ouring !ers!iration, and the #idsu##er heat was only
!artially res!onsible. *he willed ,abs to get in the car and lea$e.
,ut it was Tre$or who said goodbye first. "'$e got to be going. The concrete #an is
waiting on #e. t was great seeing you."
",ye5bye, Tre$or," ,abs said.
"Goodbye, ,abs. Kyla."
",ye," she answered in a thin $oice.
6nly when she knew he had turned his back and was al#ost at his truck, did she raise her
eyes. Then she wished she hadn't. His shirt was !lastered to his skin, stuck there by the
healthy, $irile sweat of a working #an. The clinging cloth accentuated the breadth of his
shoulders. "nd the 4eans were as flattering to his derriere as they were to his front.
(ow, struggling to go to slee! #ore than a week later, she still saw hi# that way. His
slight li#! only accentuated the swaggering walk that ne$er failed to #ake her #outh go
dry.
*ighing resignedly, she turned onto her side and, surrendering to te#!tation, #entally
followed that salty dro! of !ers!iration down his chest again. This ti#e her tongue followed
it
straight into his na$el.
*he woke u! cranky.
Her #ood didn't i#!ro$e when she reached across the coffee!ot on the breakfast table to
answer the !hone.
"Hi, it's Tre$or."
*he glanced quickly at her !arents. The one ti#e they had $entured to ask why Tre$or
didn't co#e around any#ore, she had cut the# short by saying, " told you we were 4ust
friends. He's !robably found a girlfriend." 9nwilling to re$eal the identity of the
caller now, she si#!ly said, "Hello."
" got it finished."
"/inished?"
"The house."
"6h+ 'ongratulations."
"Thanks. %ill you co#e see it?"
Her !arents were looking at her curiously. 1eg #outhed, "%ho is it?" Kyla
!retended not to understand the e&aggerated !anto#i#e.
" don't know if can," she hedged.
"You said you would," he re#inded her.
" know, but '$e been awfully busy."
",efore !ut it on the #arket, 'd like your ad$ice on decorating."
"'# not qualified to gi$e you that kind of ad$ice."
"You're a wo#an, aren't you?"
Yes, she was a wo#an. 6therwise her heart wouldn't be throwing itself against
her ribs as though looking for a #eans of esca!e. 6therwise her thighs wouldn't feel
like #elting wa& and her !al#s wouldn't be sli!!ery and she wouldn't be thinking
about his #outh and her breasts.
" don't know anything about decorating a house like that."
*he saw 1eg's eyes slice to 'lif, saw 'lif''s brows bob u! once then slowly lower.
"%ill you co#e anyway?"
"%hen?"
"This afternoon."
"This is #y *aturday to work." *he and ,abs swa!!ed off *aturdays.
""fter work. 'll !ick you u! when the sho! closes."
Kyla twirled the tele!hone cord, wondering if she dare use "aron as her e&cuse.
Tre$or would only tell her to bring hi# along. "nd her !arents were digesting e$ery
word she said right along with their crunchy granola, so she couldn't use so#ething
in$ol$ing the# as a reason not to go.
%hat did she care how fli#sy her e&cuse was? *he had told hi# in no uncertain
ter#s that she ne$er wanted to see hi# again. He had a ner$e e$en to call and ask.
,ut wouldn't it be rude to turn down this !articular in$itation? *he had seen the
house under construction. t was ob$iously i#!ortant to Tre$or to get it 4ust right. His
career could be riding on the success of this house. .erha!s he did want her o!inion
on suitable decor and that was the e&tent of it. He needed a sounding board, so#eone
whose taste he trusted.
""ll right. 'll see you at si& o'clock."
"Great."
*he was busy in the sho! all day, but the hours see#ed to crawl by. "nd she
stayed hungry. 6r was that sinking feeling inside her dread at the thought of seeing
hi#? 6r e&!ectancy? *he didn't want to know.
"t e&actly si& o'clock, he entered the sho!, looking de$astating in a s!ort shirt
and slacks. He s#elled as though he had recently showered and sha$ed. His hair was
still da#!. t curled around his ears and fell o$er the eye !atch with breath5stealing
a!!eal.
"Got any flowers left to sell?"
*he laughed, relie$ed that he was being friendly and treating this date with the
lightness it deser$ed. "" few."
"3eady?"
"-et #e get #y !urse and turn off the lights in back."
n less than a #inute she was back. He escorted her out and waited for her to
secure the front door. His hand was beneath her elbow as he hel!ed her into his car,
but his touch was i#!ersonal. *o far, so good.
They #ade light, inconsequential con$ersation as he dro$e through the streets of
town, then out into the countryside toward the wooded lot and the new house. He inquired
about her !arents and she told hi# they were well. He asked about "aron and
she filled hi# in on his latest antics. They didn't s!eak of the argu#ent that had taken
!lace o$er a #onth ago.
"6h, #y hea$ens+" she e&clai#ed, when the house ca#e into $iew. " can't belie$e it."
He braked the car in the cur$ed dri$eway that was lined with bo&woods. "-ike it?"
"%hat's not to like?" %ithout waiting for hi# to assist her, she o!ened her door and
ste!!ed out, staring a!!reciati$ely at the house. "You didn't tell #e it was going to ha$e
stained5glass windows on either side of the front door."
"You didn't ask," he re!lied teasingly. "'o#e on inside."
t was like ste!!ing into the !ages of (rchitectural 0igest. The style o$erall was casual.
The house had been designed for co#fort and con$enience, but no a#enity had been s!ared.
The roo#s were s!acious, but had a feeling of war# co)iness about the#.
Kyla ga$e a glad cry when she entered the dining area of the kitchen and saw how well her
idea of the sun roo# had worked. ""nd look, a boiling water ta! in the sink," Tre$or said
!roudly, de#onstrating it. ""nd a built5in refrigerator and free)er."
"t's !erfect, !erfect," Kyla said, s#iling.
"You really like it?"
"t's wonderful+"
"'o#e outside. want to show you the backyard."
3edwood decking e&tended for se$eral yards beyond the house to the lawn, which had
already been landsca!ed. 'lusters of a)alea bushes encircled the trees, which had been
sha!ed and !runed. /lowers of e$ery $ariety bloo#ed in tubs !laced strategically on the
deck.
" fern5bedecked ga)ebo housed a bubbling s!a. n the distance, the creek shone like a sil$er
ribbon threading itself through the leafy trees.
" can't belie$e it, Tre$or," she said in awe. "You'$e done wonders. t's beautiful. %hat
decorating you'$e al ready done is !erfect. You won't ha$e any trouble selling this house."
He took both her hands in his and turned her to face hi#. Kyla was sur!rised. 9! until
that #o#ent he had hardly touched her. He'd been 4ocular and funny as he had led her
through
the roo#s of the house, showing it off with the enthusias# of a ten5year5old with a new bike.
(ow he was staring at her with an intensity that set her !ulse to racing.
"'$e stayed away fro# you, as you asked #e to."
"t was for the best."
He shook his head. " stayed away, but that doesn't #ean that liked it or that didn't
think about you." Kyla swallowed. "Cuite the contrary. think about you all the ti#e."
"Tre$or, !lease, let's not argue."
" don't intend to."
"Then don't say any #ore."
"-et #e finish."%hen he saw that she would grant hi# that, he went on. "You know how
feel about you. 2on't you?"
"You... You said..."
"That lo$e you. "nd #eant it, Kyla."
".lease, don't !ressure #e about it. can't."
"'an't what?"
" can't be in$ol$ed in an affair."
" know. That's why '# asking you to #arry #e."
Chapter *
1ay sit down, !lease?"
His #ustache twitched with a s#ile. "That shocking, huh?" He led her to an oldfashioned
!orch swing si#ilar to the one on the .owers's !orch. t had been attached to the
rafters o$er the deck.
Kyla was too stunned by his !ro!osal to co##ent on the swing. *he'd always had a
fondness for !orch swings. "ny other ti#e she would ha$e re#arked on it. (ow she could
barely co##and her li#bs to #o$e.
Tre$or sat down beside her, but didn't touch her. /or a few #inutes the only sound
between the# was the faint squeak of the chain as the swing rocked gently. 'rickets chir!ed
fro# their hideouts. 'icadas had begun their nightly concerts fro# the dense branches of
the trees. %ords and !hrases flitted through Kyla's head like fireflies, but they blinked and
burned out before she could $ocali)e the#.
" don't know what to say."
"*ay yes."
*he looked at hi# through the gathering dusk. "Tre$or, where did you get the idea that
wanted to #arry you? To #arry anybody?"
" got no such idea. You'$e #ade it clear on se$eral occasions that you aren't in the
#arket for a husband."
"Then why did you ask #e to #arry you?"
",ecause lo$e you and want to be your husband. want to take care of you and "aron,
be a father to hi#."
",ut that's cra)y+"
"%hy?"
",ecause you know that don't lo$e you."
He stared down at his hands, turning the# o$er and studying the# as though seeing
the# for the first ti#e. "Yes, know that," he said finally. "You're still in lo$e with
3ichard."
*he felt co#!elled to touch hi# and shyly laid her hand on his knee. ""re you ho!ing
that 'll change, that lo$e will co#e in ti#e?"
"%ill it?"
*he re#o$ed her hand. "'ll ne$er lo$e any#an the way did 3ichard."
" still want you."
"How can you e$en consider wasting your life that way? %hy would you want to #arry a
wo#an you know doesn't lo$e you and ne$er will?"
"-et#e worry about the whys and wherefores.%ill you#arry #e?"
"You're a $ery attracti$e #an, Tre$or."
He s#iled broadly. "Thanks."
Her e&as!eration showed. "%hat #ean is, si& #onths fro# now, or ne&t week, or
to#orrow, you #ight #eet another wo#an, one who lo$es you."
" won't be looking."
",ut you should be."
"-ook," he said !atiently, "this fictitious wo#an could co#e u! and !inch #e on the ass,
and it wouldn't #atter. '$e found the wo#an want to gi$e #y na#e to."
",ut you barely know #e."
! know you inside out, he thought. ! know that you love porch swings and sky lights and
stained5glass windows and houses surrounded by trees. ! know that in the tenth grade you
went with a boy named 0avid Taylor and the bastard broke your heart. 1ou have a patch of
freckles under your right arm that you consider your birthmark. (nd you"re self5conscious
about your breasts because you think they"re too small. +ut ! think they"re lovely and ! can"t
wait to see them, touch them with my fingertips and tongue, make love to them with my
mouth.
Tre$or cleared his throat and shifted unco#fortably on the swing. " didn't belie$e in
lo$e at first sight either until saw you in the #all that day. thought you were beautiful,
but you were #ore than 4ust a !retty wo#an who caught #y eye. Hiked the way you talked
to "aron. liked the way your hands #o$ed as you tended to hi#." He grinned lo!sidedly.
"f
he hadn't taken a #ind to 4u#! in the fountain, would ha$e de$ised a way to #eet you." He
inched closer to her. "1arry#e, Kyla. -i$e with#e in this house."
"This house+" she e&clai#ed softly. "You built this house with the intention of our
li$ing in it?"
.leased that he had sur!rised her, he asked, "%hy do you think !aid such close
attention to detail?"
,ehind her, beyond the walls of glass that o!ened onto the deck, Kyla could see the
wellarranged
roo#s, roo#s that, had she designed the# herself, couldn't be #ore to her liking.
"%e ha$e an uncanny si#ilarity in taste. t is a lo$ely house, Tre$or, but that hardly
constitutes a good reason to #arry."
"3ight now, it's 4ust a house. want to #ake it a ho#e. /or "aron. /or you. /or us."
*he studied hi# for a #o#ent, shaking her head. "t 4ust doesn't #ake any sense."
"t #akes !erfect sense. want us to be a fa#ily. want to assu#e res!onsibility for you
and "aron."
The idea ca#e fro# nowhere, but struck her with the i#!act of a s!eeding freight train.
He wanted a wife and child. (ow why would a #an with Tre$or's looks and Tre$or's char#,
a #an who could ha$e any wo#an he wanted, be !ro!osing #arriage to a widow with a
child? 9nless he couldn't co#e by the# any other way.
6f course+ "ll of Tre$or's disabilities weren't $isible. %as her #ain attraction that she
didn't and couldn't return his lo$e? 2id he need a wife who would #ake no !hysical
de#ands on hi#? To ha$e a child, did he ha$e to #arry a wo#an who already had one? n a
quaint fashion, was this to be no #ore than a #arriage of con$enience?
"Tre$or," she said hesitantly, "your...%hen you were hurt...?"
"Yes?"
"2id...?"
"2id what?"
"%hat #ean is... "re you... ?"
""# ...? %hat?"
*he took a dee! breath. ""re you ca!able of inti#acy?" *he felt s#all and the world
closed in. t had a stranglehold on her throat. Garnering all her courage, she raised her eyes
to look at hi#.
"You'$e kissed #e, ha$en't you?" he asked in a dee!, throbbing $oice.
"Yes."
"'$e held you."
"Yes."
"'lose."
"Yes."
Her eyes fell away and when she didn't say anything for an inter#inable ti#e he
!rodded, "%ell then?"
*he fiddled with the fringed sash at her waist. " thought #aybe since was a
widow with a child, and if... that... had ha!!ened to you, then..."
He tilted her head u! with his hand beneath her chin. "'# not only ca!able of, but
eager for inti#acy with you." 0ach word sent a $ibrating current through her body that
continued to hu#, like har! strings long after deft fingers had !lucked the#. ""nd 4ust so
there's no #isunderstanding later, 'll tell you right now that this #arriage would carry with
it all that the relationshi! i#!lies. want to be your husband in e$ery sense of the word.
want you in #y bed, Kyla. want to #ake lo$e to you. /requently. 2o you understand?"
*he nodded her head with no #ore will!ower of her own than one hy!noti)ed. (either of
the# e$er re#e#bered how his fingers had co#e to be loosely caging her neck, but both
beca#e conscious of it at the sa#e ti#e. They sat $ery still. His single green eye held hers in
thrall as his face #o$ed closer. The instant she felt the brush of his #ustache against her li!s,
her eyelids closed.
3hat a waste, Kyla thought as his fingers threaded u! through her hair to settle against
her scal!. %hat a sha#e that a kiss like this had to be wasted on a wo#an who didn't and
couldn't lo$e hi#. How regrettable that the li!s that were both fiercely !ossessi$e and gently
!ersuasi$e, enough to cause hers to !art as though they were hungry, couldn't be kissing a
wo#an who could return such !assion.
-ightly she rested her hands on his shoulders in order to kee! fro# tottering off the
rocking swing and the rocking uni$erse. Tre$or's other ar# encircled her waist and drew her
against his chest. " low #asculine growl !urred in his throat as his tongue !enetrated her li!s
and tasted her #outh at will.
Kyla had a difficult ti#e restraining her own low #oans. The silky lash of his tongue #ade
her think how la#entable it was that this kiss wasn't being bestowed on a wo#an who could
a!!reciate it. Then it occurred to her that she was gi$ing e$ery se#blance of a!!reciation.
Her back was arched, !ressing her breasts against his chest. Her hands had wadded the fabric
of his shirt in death gri!s. Her tongue was res!onding to the lo$e !lay of his.
*he broke away, e&!eriencing an alar#ing scarcity of breath. *tanding quickly, she
wondered what ail#ent had befallen her knees. They were tre#bling so badly that they could
hardly su!!ort her. "'$e got to go."
Tre$or was ha$ing a difficult ti#e breathing too, if that ras!ing sound filtering through
his li!s was any indication. ""ll right," he agreed without argu#ent. t took hi# a long ti#e
to stand u!. 6ne swift, forbidden glance down his body #ade a #ockery of her earlier
s!eculation.
7irtually at a run, she went back through the house and waited for hi# at the front door.
Gratefully she sank into the front seat of the car when he held the door for her, not sure when
her legs would colla!se beneath her.
Tre$or didn't atte#!t con$ersation as he dro$e her ho#e. Kyla was relie$ed.
1idsu##er #adness #ight ha$e been res!onsible for his !ro!osal. 1aybe he'd only been
4oking. He could already be regretting that he'd asked her to #arry hi#.
,ut she knew such was not the case when he cut the car's engine at the curb in front of the
.owers's house, turned and laid his ar# on the back of the seat and said, "Kyla?" in a
bloodstirring
tone she couldn't #istake.
t was shocking to disco$er his taste lingering on her li!s when she ner$ously swe!t the#
with her tongue. " don't think it e$en warrants further discussion. You can't be serious about
this."
"Kyla." He waited until she cautiously turned her head and looked at hi#. "'# serious.
2o you think could ha$e kissed you like that if hadn't been serious?"
" don't know," she said with a trace of des!eration.
He chuckled softly, finding that a#using. "'$e kissed #any wo#en, but '$e ne$er
!ro!osed to one. "t least '$e ne$er !ro!osed #arriage. 3est assured that '# serious."
Taking her hand he raised it to his #outh and kissed the !al#. " know '$e taken you by
sur!rise. didn't e&!ect an answer tonight. ,ut !ro#ise #e you'll think about it. Think
about what our getting #arried could #ean to you and "aron. To your !arents. *lee! on
it."
Tre$or 3ule was a dirty fighter, Kyla thought angrily as she checked the digital read5out
on her bedside clock for the u#!teenth ti#e. *he had charted each hour of the long night,
and
he was to bla#e for her slee!lessness.
/or one thing her body refused to rela&. t was restless, alert to e$ery sensual sti#ulant.
Hadn't her bare legs e$er felt bed linens against the# before? f so, why were they sliding
against the sheets as though that were a new indulgence? "nd why was this old cotton
nightgown irritating her breasts? %hy, tonight, were her ni!!les su!ersensiti$e to e$ery
brush of the fabric against the#? %hy did they need soothing? "nd why, e$ery ti#e she
thought of the# being soothed, did she i#agine Tre$or's li!s against the#?
3e!eatedly she swore that these !hysical #anifestations had nothing to do with his
kiss. %as she about to ha$e her !eriod? That could be the cause for the achy !ressure
between her thighs. 'ould she ha$e gotten into !oison i$y? %as that the reason her skin felt
itchy and in need of caressing?
"'# not aroused."
Her body argued with her, saying otherwise.
2a#n hi# for using such sneaky tactics. He knew the right button to !ush. He had
subtly suggested that if she didn't #arry hi#, she was being selfish.
"ll right, she'd !lay de$il's ad$ocate.
t would be good for her !arents. They would feel free to #ake their own !lans,
knowing that she and "aron would be under Tre$or's !rotection.
"nd it would be good for "aron. " growing boy needed a father. 'lif .owers had filled
that role in "aron's life so far, but how long could he kee! !ace with his grandson? %ould
he be healthy and energetic enough to !artici!ate in s!orts with hi# in a few years, take hi#
fishing and ca#!ing, and do all the #yriad, !hysically ta&ing things a father does with his
son?
,ut "aron had a father+ Kyla argued. 3ichard *troud was "aron's father. *he had
sworn to kee! 3ichard ali$e for his son and she was deter#ined to hold to that $ow. t would
take #ore than Tre$or's s#ooth #anner and glib tongue to sway her fro# that.
,esides, a wo#an didn't co##it herself to a #arriage because it would be beneficial to
the !eo!le around her, no #atter how attracti$e the #an was. Granted, Tre$or 3ule was
attracti$e and good husband #aterial. *he was aware of the strides he was taking in the
co##unity. He was constantly being quoted in the business !ages of the news!a!er.
6b$iously he was a #an of integrity, honest in his business dealings and res!ected for his
inno$ati$e ideas for co##ercial growth. .hysically.
(o. t would be better not to think about his !hysical attributes. Her burst of ins!iration
that he could ha$e been e#asculated as a result of his accident had been dis!ro$ed only
#o#ents later.
(o, lea$e his !hysical attraction out of this. Thinking about that tended to cloud her
#ind and color her 4udg#ent. The only way to a!!roach this !roble# was !rag#atically.
That was what she did until dawn, when she finally reached a decision. *he would find a
!lace for "aron and herself to li$e. *he would #o$e fro# this house so that her !arents could
sell it and carry on with their !lans.
1arriage to Tre$or wouldn't be necessary. /inancially she was holding her own. %hen
he was old enough she would see that "aron had a close association with other boys his age
and their fathers. *he didn't need a #an in her life.
Howe$er, she su!!osed she should thank Tre$or for his !ro!osal and for goading her into
#aking decisions that she had !ost!oned since 3ichard's death. The sooner she turned hi#
down, the better.
%hile her !arents were dressing for church the ne&t #orning, she #ade the tele!hone
call. He answered in the #iddle of the first ring. "Hello, Tre$or. ho!e didn't wake you."
"Hardly."
"'$e co#e to a decision. ."
"'ll be right o$er."
He hung u! before she could say another word. 2isgruntled, she re!laced the recei$er.
t would ha$e been easier to turn hi# down o$er the !hone and s!are the# both the
awkwardness of #eeting face to face.
*ince she and "aron were already dressed, she carried hi# and his !lastic beach ball
outside. f she #et Tre$or on the front lawn, this could be o$er and done with before her
!arents knew about it.
Tre$or #ust ha$e been standing by the tele!hone with his car keys in his hand because
he got there in a #atter of #inutes. Kyla was sur!rised to see hi# e#erge fro# his car
wearing a dark suit. His hair glea#ed darkly in the sunlight. He ga$e the large !lastic ball a
ta! with his foot and "aron toddled off to chase it.
"Good #orning," he said.
"Good #orning."
*he was ner$ous. This was going to be #ore difficult than she had thought. %hile she
was trying to concentrate on how ridiculous the idea of #arrying hi# was, her #ind $entured
onto how good5looking he was. *he was re#e#bering the feel of his #ustache against the
!al# of her hand, the way he had of kissing her throat and touching her neck with fingers
that see#ed to know 4ust the right a#ount of !ressure to a!!ly.
"Tre$or," she began, licking her li!s quickly and clas!ing her hands da#!ly together.
"."
The dog see#ed to dro! out of the sky. *uddenly it was 4ust there, dancing around "aron
and ya!!ing loudly. The white !oodle's #o$e#ents were fren)ied, quick and, to the
fifteen#onth5 old, terrifying. %hat to the !oodle were !layful thrusts and !arries, to the child
#ust ha$e see#ed like $icious attacks.
"aron screa#ed, but his screa#s only see#ed to e&cite the dog #ore. t bounced around
the child like a fluffy white dot, its barking as shar! and ra!id as the rat5a5tat of a #achine
gun.
"aron took se$eral stu#bling ste!s forward, seeking esca!e. The dog reared u! on its
hind legs. "aron to!!led o$er backward. Then, as agilely as he could, he scra#bled to
regain his footing and ran blindly toward safety.
6r rather not so blindly. He had a clear choice of who# to run to. ,ut he didn't choose
his #other. The child ran toward the large, strong #an, who bent down to scoo! hi# u! 4ust
as "aron's solid little body barreled into his shins.
The stout little ar#s wra!!ed around Tre$or's neck. "aron buried his tear5streaked face
in the crook between Tre$or's neck and shoulder. Tre$or lowered his head o$er the child's
and rubbed his back soothingly. "There now, *cout. t's all right. You're okay. '$e got you
and '# not about to let anything hurt you. That !u!!y 4ust wanted to !lay with you. 'o#e
on now, you're okay."
The ani#al's owner, a hea$yset #iddle5aged wo#an, ca#e huffing down the sidewalk.
*he grabbed u! the !oodle and swatted hi# on the ru#!. "You naughty thing, you. %hy did
you scare that little boy like that?" Tucking the !oodle under her ar#, she ca#e rushing
toward the#. "s your son all right?" she asked Tre$or.
"He's fine. 8ust frightened." Tre$or continued to rub "aron's back. The boy hadn't
#o$ed. His face was still !ressed against Tre$or, but he had sto!!ed crying.
"'# sorry. let go of his leash and he shot off like a rocket. He wouldn't bite. He only
wanted to !lay."
" think "aron was o$erwhel#ed." Tre$or's large hand co$ered the back of "aron's head
and held it securely against his neck.
"'# so sorry." The wo#an continued on her way down the sidewalk, still ad#onishing
the dog.
Tre$or !atted "aron's back. He nu))led his cheek with his #ustache and kissed his
te#!le. "He'll be okay. think he 4ust."
His words faltered when he noticed Kyla's face. *he was standing close, looking u! at hi#
with an e&!ression that arrested his ga)e and halted his s!eech. Tears were standing in her
eyes. Her li!s were tre#ulous and slightly !arted. *he was looking at hi# as though seeing
hi#,
really seeing hi#, for the first ti#e.
/or long #o#ents, they stared at each other, not e$en aware that the .owerses had
rushed out onto the front !orch to see what the co##otion was about.1eg started down the
ste!s, but 'lif caught her ar# and held her back.
Tre$or, still holding "aron, reached out his left hand and folded it around Kyla's chin.
He #ade a !ass across her lower li! with his thu#b. "You were interru!ted. %hat were you
about to tell #e?"
n that instant, she knew what her answer would be. "aron needed a father. " li$ing
father. 3ichard's #e#ory would be ke!t ali$e, but he wasn't there as a safeguard against
the day5to5day terrors of the world, like energetic !u!!ies.
Tre$or ob$iously cared a great deal for her son. "aron had instincti$ely sought hi# out
for !rotection. He was tender and lo$ing and kind and generous. %here else would she find
a #an willing to take o$er the res!onsibilities of rearing another #an's child, a #an willing to
#arry her knowing she didn't lo$e hi#?
" was about to tell you that 'd be !leased to #arry you. f... if you still want #e to."
"f still want you to?" he re!eated gruffly. "God, yes, still want you to."
He closed the s!ace between the# and with the ar# that wasn't holding her son, e#braced
her. *he didn't know what she had e&!ected. " handshake to seal the bargain? " !re#arital
docu#ent to sign? 'ertainly not the kiss she got. t was a *unday#orning. Theywere
standing
in broad daylight, in full $iew of any neighbor who #ight $enture outside or any #otorist
who ha!!ened to dri$e by.
,ut Tre$or e&ercised no decoru# in kissing her. He tilted his head to one side, aligned his
#outh with hers and kissed her in a greedy, #anly way.
Kyla felt a blow to her #iddle, as though a $el$et fist had socked her. t sent ri!!les of
!leasure throughout her body. 7aguely, in the back of her #ind, she was disa!!ointed that he
was still holding "aron and therefore unable to !ull her against hi# and co#!lete the circuits
of sensation that were !o!!ing and si))ling. 0$erything fe#inine inside her was cra$ing to
be
!ressed against that hard, $irile fra#e. *he wanted to be filled with hi#.
%hen he finally raised his #outh fro# hers, she reeled slightly. His strong ar# was there
to steady her. t turned her around and guided her toward the house, where she saw her
!arents ho$ering on the front !orch. "aron was ha!!ily tugging on a fistful of Tre$or's black
hair. Tre$or was s#iling broadly and e$ery few ste!s he laughed out loud.
"1rs. .owers, 1r. .owers, Kyla has done #e the honor of saying yes to #y #arriage
!ro!osal."
1eg i##ediately burst into tears of gladness. 'lif hurried down the ste!s to !u#!
Tre$or's hand. "That's wonderful. %e're $ery ha!!y. %e're... well, we're ha!!y. %hen?" he
asked his daughter.
"%hen?" Tre$or echoed.
", uh, don't know." (ow that she had #ade the decision, she felt as if she was being
swe!t along by a tidal wa$e. " ha$en't had ti#e to think about it."
"How about ne&t *aturday?" Tre$or suggested. " ca#e dressed to go to church with
you.%e can check it out with the #inister after the ser$ice."
" think that's a lo$ely idea," 1eg said enthusiastically. "Here at the house, of
course."
"Yes, why wait?" 'lif added.
Yes, why? Kyla was asking herself.%hy did she feel like a!!lying the brakes? "cce!ting
Tre$or's #arriage !ro!osal had see#ed like the thing to do 4ust #o#ents ago, but now she
was reali)ing the enor#ity of her decision. This was for real. *he was about to beco#e 1rs.
Tre$or 3ule.%hat would e$eryone think?
,abs left no doubt as to how she took the news. "s was her habit she ca#e o$er for
*unday dinner. Tre$or answered the door when she knocked. 'lif was cranking the free)er
of ho#e#ade ice crea# 1eg had insisted on #aking for dessert in celebration of the
occasion. Kyla was feeding "aron so he could be !ut down for his na! before they ate. 1eg
was s!ooning u! fresh green beans. Tre$or was the only one a$ailable.
,abs stared at hi# in wordless awe as he !ushed the screen door o!en and ste!!ed
aside. "'o#e on in. 0$eryone is in the kitchen."
Kyla hadn't told ,abs that she was going to see Tre$or. ,abs hadn't seen hi# since that
afternoon in town o$er a week ago when Kyla had acted like such a ninny. (ow, where his
car!enter's belt had been stra!!ed, a blue and white gingha# a!ron was tied in a bow. He had
insisted on hel!ing 1eg get lunch ready.
,abs !added into the kitchen behind hi#. (o sooner was she through the door than she
de#anded of Kyla, "%hat's going on here?"
Kyla's eyes swe!t across the other e&!ectant faces, but when no one see#ed inclined to
answer ,abs, the chore fell to her. "Tre$or and are getting #arried."
,abs's wide china5blue eyes found Tre$or. He grinned engagingly. "*ur!rise+"
"You're getting #arried+" ,abs e&clai#ed. %hen he nodded, she clas!ed his face
between her hands and s#acked a hearty kiss directly on his #outh. "*ince you're #arrying
#y best friend think '# entitled to that."
-aughing, Tre$or hugged her around the waist and laid another sound kiss on her #outh.
%hen he released her, he said, " think so, too."
0$eryone laughed, including "aron, who didn't understand anything but the gaiety
going on around hi#. He !ounded his s!oon on the tray of his high chair.
-unch was a 4oyous affair. There was a lot of teasing and talk about the wedding and
#atri#ony in general. Kyla couldn't get accusto#ed to the idea that in less than a week she
would be a bride. (or could she get accusto#ed to the affectionate way Tre$or treated her.
He sat close. He took ad$antage of innu#erable o!!ortunities to touch her. His ar# was
often resting across her shoulders. 'aresses see#ed to co#e as naturally to his fingerti!s as
kisses ca#e to his li!s.
Kyla wasn't annoyed by these de#onstrations of affection. Cuite the contrary. *he
found that she was beginning to look forward to the#. That antici!ation turned to guilt. "s
far as she was concerned, this #arriage was a #arriage of con$enience.%asn't it?
Tre$or s!ent the afternoon with the#. He acquainted the# with his background. "
grew u! in .hiladel!hia. %ent to !re! school, then to Har$ard."
"Your #other is dead?" 1eg asked hi#.
"Yes, she died se$eral years ago. 'll notify #y father about the wedding, but doubt
he'll be able to #ake the tri! on such short notice."
"He's a lawyer?" 'lif asked.
"" $ery successful one. t was a disa!!oint#ent to hi# that didn't want to follow in his
footste!s and #ake the na#e of the fir# "le&ander, 3ule and 3ule."
",ut surely he's !roud of your success in your own field," 'lif said.
Tre$or beca#e reflecti$e. " ho!e so."
,y that e$ening e$eryone in town see#ed to know about their forthco#ing #arriage.
"1rs. ,aker has offered to gi$e you a shower."
Horrified, Kyla turned away fro# the counterto! in the kitchen where she was !re!aring
a tray of sandwiches to take out to the #en, who were sitting on the !orch. "6h, no, 1o#.
don't want any of that folderol. .lease thank anyone who calls to offer, but kindly refuse."
",ut, Kyla, e$eryone's so ha!!y for you."
*he shook her head ada#antly. " don't want any !arties. (othing. .lease. had all that
once and it was lo$ely. This... this #arriage isn't like that."
1eg looked at her with undisguised disa!!oint#ent. "7ery well, dear."
Her !arents, whose heads were in a cloud of ro#anticis#, would ne$er understand her
#oti$es for #arrying Tre$or. *he wasn't certain Tre$or understood the# either.
*he escorted hi# outside after he had bidden her !arents good5night. "s soon as they
ste!!ed through the screen door and into the dee! $iolet shadows of the !orch, he gathered
her in his ar#s and lowered his #outh to hers.
The kiss was inti#ate and e$ocati$e, a #ating of their #ouths. His tongue stroked hers.
His hands slid fro# her back to the front of her waist. They glided u! o$er her ribs and
!ressed her breasts. He #oaned.
"God, don't know how 'll #ake it till *aturday night." His hands fell away. "2o you
know how #uch want to touch you? ,ut can't touch you now. f touch you now, won't
be able to sto! until there's no cloth between us and '# holding you, kissing you, your
#outh, breasts, sto#ach, e$erywhere."
The last word was sighed into her ear. Then his o!en #outh slid fro# 4ust beneath her
4aw to the base of her neck. His #ustache was a !leasure5gi$ing, conscience5ridding,
#e#ory5banishing instru#ent that left her tin gling and war# and #oist. f he had
strengthened the e#brace, she would ha$e allowed it. He didn't.
"Good night, lo$e."
The darkness swallowed hi# u!. -ong after she watched the taillights of his car disa!!ear,
Kyla stood there on the !orch, tre#bling at the thought of their wedding night. *he tried
con$incing herself that the shi$ers !laguing her were caused by dread.
,ut she didn't really think they were.
0$eryone's #ood the following week was festi$e. Her !arents were #ore ani#ated than
she had seen the# since 3ichard's death. t was !lain to see that they adored Tre$or and
trusted hi# to #ake their daughter and grandson ha!!y. ,abs's enthusias# was
uncontainable and by#idweek was wearing thin.
",ut don't need anything like this," Kyla said of the se&y negligee ,abs was holding u!
to her.
"0$ery bride needs so#ething like this. (ot that they last $ery long," she said with a
naughty wink. The i#!lication #ade Kyla's sto#ach feel queasy.
"'$e got !lenty of nightgowns," Kyla ob4ected in a #uffled $oice.
"'$e seen the#. They're wretched. "t least for a honey#oon."
"%e're not taking a honey#oon. (ot right away. %e're #o$ing directly into Tre$or's
house."
" 1our house and you know what #ean about a honey#oon. You don't ha$e to lea$e
town to ha$e one. 6r for that #atter, you don't ha$e to lea$e the bedroo# to ha$e one." *he
laughed gaily. "'$e had se$eral #yself. *o which is it going to be, the !each or the blue?"
" don't care," Kyla said !etulantly, !lo!!ing down on the chaise in the boutique's
dressing roo#. "You're the one who insisted needed a new negligee, you !ick it out."
",oy+" ,abs said in e&as!eration. "%hat's the #atter with you?"
,abs wouldn't belie$e her if she told her, and she wasn't going to tell her. %hen you were
insane, you rarely went around announcing it to your friends. "(othing."
"%ell, you're sure grouchy. can't think of a better way to i#!ro$e your #ood than to
s!end a few days in the sack with Tre$or 3ule."
*he turned to call the salesclerk and #issed Kyla's stark e&!ression. *he wanted to get
caught u! in the s!irit of the occasion but couldn't allow herself to. Getting e&cited about
the wedding would be disloyal to 3ichard. (o one had #entioned his na#e in days. t
see#ed that he had been blotted fro# e$eryone's #ind but hers.
*he clung to his #e#ory #ore tenaciously than e$er, but ine$itably it see#ed to be
sli!!ing fro# her gras!. *he noted these la!ses of #e#ory the #ost when she was with
Tre$or, who was !laying the role of bridegroo# to the hilt.
0$ery e$ening they went sho!!ing for household ite#s. He wanted her in!ut on
e$erything fro# blenders to bolsters. He could ha$e read her #ind and not !icked out
furniture she liked better. Their taste in e$erything coincided. 6ften she felt like 'inderella
ha$ing all her wishes granted at once. He s!ared no e&!ense. "s the interior of the house
began to take sha!e, she felt like !inching herself to #ake sure this wasn't so#e bi)arre
drea#.
That was how she felt the e$ening he led her into the #aster suite to show her the final
!roduct of their co#bined efforts. "They deli$ered the chairs and bed today," he said,
switching on the la#! with the lotus5sha!ed silk la#!shade. " think e$erything ca#e
together real well."
The roo# was lo$ely, out of her drea#s. Her eyes sur$eyed it slowly, and when they
ca#e back full circle to the #an, he was staring at her intently. Her hair was li#ned by the
la#!light and her bodywas cast into silhouette through her soft $oile dress.
"%hat is it?" she asked on a soft breath.
"-et's try out the bed."
*he reacted with a sudden intake of breath, a lurch of her heart, a blinking of her eyes.
He reached for her and within a heartbeat, she found herself lying on the bed with hi#
bending o$er her. Holding her eyes ca!ti$e with his ga)e, his hand drifted down the side of
her neck until it ca#e to rest on her breast and the first button on her bodice. He unbuttoned
it. The second. The third.
*till she couldn't #o$e. (ot e$en when he sli!!ed his hand inside her bodice. Her
breathing accelerated. n$oluntarily her eyes closed.
He wedged his fingers beneath her bra stra! and !ushed it down o$er her shoulder.
2own, down, until the to! cur$e of her breast swelled o$er the lacy cu!.
"God, you're lo$ely." He laid his hand on her and rubbed the gentle cur$e of her breast,
then #o$ed lower to gra)e the res!onsi$e crest.
He sighed her na#e an instant before his #outh clai#ed hers. His kiss wasn't te#!estuous
as she had e&!ected. ,ut infinitely sweet and tender and lo$ing. "s lo$ing as the hand that
continued to fan lightly o$er her ni!!le.
He !ressed his #outh to her ear. " want to be inside you, Kyla. want to feel you
co#ing."
He tra!!ed her gas! behind another dee! kiss. His fingerti!s soothed the flesh that
shrank e$en tighter in res!onse to his bold words.
".lease, lo$e, don't #ake that se&y sound. .lease don't feel this good," he groaned, as his
fingers caressed her breast. "6r won't be able to sto!. "nd want to be your husband the
first ti#e take you."
0&ercising tre#endous control, he refrained fro# other caresses. He restored her clothing
and drew her u! to stand beside the ru#!led bed. *he sagged against hi# weakly.
*#iling into her hair, he returned his hand to co$er her heart. "'ll #ake you ha!!y,
Kyla. swear it."
*he buried her face in his neck, not out of !assion, but des!air. He #ade her body sing.
,ut she couldn't reci!rocate his !ro#ise of ha!!iness or lo$e. ,ecause kee!ing that one
would 4eo!ardi)e the one she had #ade long before she e$er #et Tre$or 3ule, the one she
had #ade to 3ichard the day he died.
Chapter +
,abs filled the house with flowers. 1eg laid out a su#!tuous buffet. The bakery
deli$ered a #ultitiered cake. %hat Kyla had ho!ed would a#ount to no #ore than a
s#all fa#ily gathering with their !astor, began to look $ery#uch like a wedding.
*he fretted o$er it in her bedroo# u!stairs. "0$eryone is #aking too #uch of this." *he
reached for the buttons on the back of her bodice.
"0$eryone should. This is a wedding, for hea$en's sake." ,abs turned her around to
do u! the unreachable buttons.
"" second wedding."
"*o what are you bitching about? *o#e of us ha$e yet to see one."
Kyla stared at ,abs in sur!rise. " didn't think you e$er wanted to get #arried."
,abs looked chagrined at ha$ing said so#ething she wished she could recall. "(ot to
anybody '$e #et so far. ,ut if one 3ichard *troud or Tre$or 3ule ca#e into #y life 'd ro!e
hi# and drag hi# to the altar."
.ro!erly chastised, Kyla ste!!ed into her skirt. "'# sorry, ,abs. know how lucky
'$e.been."
"6h, hell, don't !ay any attention to #e. 'd hardly call it lucky to ha$e a husband killed
by a terrorists' bo#b. '# 4ust 4ealous because not one wonderful #an has lo$ed #e and
you'$e had two gro$eling at your feet."
*he laughed at the #ental !icture ,abs's words !ainted. " doubt Tre$or would e$er
gro$el."
,abs laughed, too. "'o#e to think of it, so do ." *he sighed, "8ee), Kyla, he's such a
stud. ,ut a nice stud and those two qualities rarely go hand in glo$e."
Kyla didn't want to think about the #an who was waiting downstairs for her. 0$ery ti#e
she thought of Tre$or and the night to co#e, she began to quake.
""re you sure this dress is a!!ro!riate?" she asked, changing the sub4ect. " feel like
should wear so#ething si#!ler."
"t's !erfect."
The two5!iece silk design had detailed stitching at the shoulders and on the waistband
of the dirndl skirt. The !ale yellow color and the fabric's icy sheen #ade it look like le#on
sherbet. The only 4ewelry she wore was a !air of !earl earrings.
"2on't you think you should take that off?"
Kyla followed the direction of ,abs's ga)e down to her left hand. "1y wedding ring."
*he hadn't e$en thought of it because it was as #uch a !art of her hand as her finger!rints.
Tears welled in her eyes at the thought of re#o$ing it. t hadn't been off her hand since the
day 3ichard had sli!!ed it onto her finger with a sole#n $ow to lo$e her until death.
*lowly, with a twist and a wrenching tug, she re#o$ed the ring. 3e$erently she laid it on
the $el$et lining of her 4ewelry bo& and closed the lid.
""re you ready?" ,abs asked.
" su!!ose so," Kyla answered shakily. .arting with the wedding ring had been an
e#otional u!hea$al as $iolent as that of lea$ing 3ichard in his gra$e. "ll week she had been
#aking light of this occasion. ,ut she couldn't any longer. *he was about to #arry another
#an. n a #atter of #inutes he, not 3ichard, would be her husband. "Has 2ad already taken
"aron downstairs?"
"You're a bride+ *to! worrying about "aron. *urely your !arents and can handle hi#."
,abs reached into a large square bo& she had carried into the roo# earlier. "Tre$or asked
#e to gi$e this to you before you ca#e down."
t was a bouquet of white orchids, the ,ow ,ells that she lo$ed, garnished with white
rosebuds and clu#!s of baby's breath. "1y -ord," Kyla breathed, taking the la$ish bouquet
fro# ,abs's outstretched hands. "There #ust be."
"" do)en orchids in all. He was $ery s!ecific." Her blue eyes were twinkling. "'# telling
you, Kyla, the #an is a 4ewel, and if you #ake a #ess of this #arriage, 'll snatch hi# u!
without an a!ology or a s#idgen of conscience."
"'ll do #y best to #ake it work," Kyla #ur#ured as she walked da)edly toward the
door.
2ownstairs, ,abs !receded her into the li$ing roo#. Kyla heard the hushed
con$ersation cease. *he took a dee!, ho!efully steadying, breath. 0$eryone was looking at
her when she entered.
1eg had a da#! lace handkerchief !ressed to her cheek, but she was s#iling. 'lif
swallowed a lu#! of e#otion that #ade his "da#'s a!!le slide u! and down. ,abs was
grinning with the ro#antic #ischie$ousness of a wood ny#!h. The Haskells, Ted and -ynn,
were standing together, unusually sole#n.
/inally Kyla looked at Tre$or, who was so handso#e that she went #ushy on the inside.
He was wearing the sa#e dark charcoal suit he had worn to the banquet. This ti#e his shirt
was i$ory. "n i$ory tie with black !instri!es #atched the silk handkerchief folded into his
left breast !ocket.
Tre$or #o$ed toward her, but "aron, who could #o$e like a streak of lightning when
one least e&!ected hi# to, darted forward and reached her first. 1eg and ,abs took
si#ultaneous ste!s forward to !re$ent hi# fro# tearing her stockings or wrinkling her skirt.
,ut Tre$or reached down and !icked the boy u! into his ar#s. "Your #o# looks
beautiful, doesn't she, *cout?" he asked on a husky whis!er when he straightened u!.
"aron babbled so#ething that sounded like "1a#a" re!eated se$eral ti#es, then
stretched forward to s#ear a rough, wet kiss on Kyla's cheek. He see#ed content to re#ain
in Tre$or's ar#s, which was 4ust as well since Kyla didn't know how she could hold her son
and the bouquet of orchids at the sa#e ti#e.
"t see#s like '# always thanking you for flowers."
"2o you like the#?"
"They're beautiful. 6f course, lo$e the#. You were too e&tra$agant."
He shook his head. "This is #y wedding day. You are #y bride. Today nothing is too
good for us, lo$e."
They stared at each other for !onderous #o#ents until "aron began to wiggle within the
gras! of Tre$or's ar#s. Tre$or shook hi#self out of the trance Kyla's a!!earance had
induced and took her ar#. Together they #o$ed farther into the roo# where the others were
grou!ed around the #inister.
"Kyla, Tre$or, this is a ha!!y day," the #inister began.
Though it was the #iddle of the afternoon and sunshine strea#ed in through 1eg's
!olished windows, ,abs had insisted on ha$ing candles. They flickered like winking eyes
fro# e$ery nook and cranny of the roo#, filling it with the heady scent of $anilla. *o#eone
had thought to !ut an albu# of ro#antic instru#entals on the turntable of the stereo.
*urely ,abs had de!leted the in$entory at .etal .ushers because flowers, not li#ited to
white but co$ering the s!ectru# of the rainbow, filled $ases and baskets scattered
throughout the roo#.
The ser$ice was by necessity infor#al. 2uring the recitation of $ows, "aron snee)ed,
s!raying Tre$or's shoulders. "uto#atically Kyla reached for her #other's hanky, blotted the
da#! s!ots on Tre$or's coat and dabbed at "aron's nose. Tre$or s#iled on, fondly. 6nce that
housekee!ing chore had been attended to, the !astor continued. %hen he called for the
bride's ring, Tre$or shifted "aron in his ar# and reached inside his right coat !ocket. Kyla
stared down at her hand as he slid the circlet of dia#onds onto her finger.
Tre$or noticed the !ale band of skin around the base of her finger and, reali)ing what had
caused it, swiftly lifted his ga)e to her face. Her soft look carried with it an a!ology. "n
e&!ression she couldn't deci!her flashed across his features, but was instantly gone. He
!ushed the da))ling ring into !lace on her finger and clas!ed her hand tightly. The awkward
#o#ent !assed with only the two of the# knowing it had occurred at all.
*e$eral #inutes later, the #inister said, "Tre$or, you #ay kiss your bride now."
They faced each other. Kyla's eyes ca#e to rest on the knot of his necktie and see#ed
disinclined to #o$e away. /inally they shyly cli#bed u! his chin, along the sensual #outh
beneath the thick brush of his #ustache, o$er the chiseled !erfection of his nose to #eet that
brilliant green ga)e. *he swallowed ti#idly. Tre$or angled his head and lowered his li!s to
hers. His were !arted, da#! and war# as they !ressed her #outh with a tender, yet
!ossessi$e kiss. %hen he withdrew, he s#iled down into her face, then kissed "aron's cheek.
" lo$e you both." He s!oke softly to Kyla's ears alone and she felt a sudden urge to cry.
,efore she could, she was s!un around and e#braced by her !arents. ,abs #ade a
beeline for Tre$or, taking ad $antage of the o!!ortunity to kiss hi# again. Ted and -ynn
4oined in the e&change of kisses.
To record the day, 'lif got out his ca#era. Kyla s#iled for the lens, but she couldn't
hel! but think about the white !added satin albu# u!stairs in her closet that was filled with
!ictures of another wedding.
"s Kyla filled her !late with food fro# the buffet, Tre$or #o$ed u! beside her. "f
you don't like the ring, 'll get you so#ething else."
" didn't e&!ect it," she said, looking down at the unfa#iliar ring. ",ut like it $ery
#uch." "nd she did. t was si#!le and elegant.
"The dia#onds are fro# #y #other's wedding ring. 2ad sent it to #e last week. The
#ounting was gaudy and didn't look like so#ething you would choose, so had the stones
reset."
"You took your #other's dia#onds and had a ring #ade for #e?" she asked,
flabbergasted.
"*he told #e before she died to gi$e her ring to #y wife."
",ut Tre$or, you should ha$e sa$ed it for." *he broke off when she reali)ed that she
was about to say, "/or a wo#an who lo$es you."
"/or who#?" The back of his hand #ade a resting !lace for her chin and he tilted her
head back slightly. "You are #y one and only wife, Kyla." He bent down and kissed her
lightly before dro!!ing his hand.
"'# sorry didn't ha$e a ring for you." *he couldn't ad#it to hi# that it had ne$er
occurred to her. ndeed she hadn't thought of wedding rings at all until ,abs.God bless
her.had re#inded her to re#o$e hers only #inutes before the cere#ony. " wasn't sure you
would want to wear one. *o#e #en don't."
"%ell, '$e been gi$ing that so#e thought." He !o!!ed an oli$e into his #outh and
chewed it slowly and e&aggeratedly as though !ondering a tre#endously i#!ortant de
cision. " thought #ight want so#ething different. 9ntraditional."
"-ike what?"
"-ike #aybe a gold ring in #y ear."
Her #outh fell o!en and she stared u! at hi#. Then she reali)ed that he was teasing her
and she burst out laughing.
"%hat's the #atter?" he asked, !retending to be offended by her laughter. "2on't you
think a !ierced ear would go well with #y eye !atch?"
"Yes, do," she said honestly. ".ierced ears for #en is the 'in' thing and think you
would wear an earring with !anache."
"%ell then, why the le$ity?"
" was 4ust wondering what the guys on your construction sites would ha$e to say about
it?"
"H##, you're right. 1aybe should reconsider."
They laughed together and when it subsided, he said, "That's a start."
"%hat is?"
" finally #anaged to re#o$e that guarded, tense e&!ression fro# your face and re!lace
it with a genuine, rela&ed s#ile. You actually laughed."
" laugh all the ti#e."
"(ot with #e. want to see you laugh often." He leaned down and added on a
whis!er, "0&ce!t when take off #y clothes."
The thought of that rid her #ind of all laughter. " !ro#ise not to laugh then."
*he could ha$e kissed her father for interru!ting the# at that !oint to take another
!icture. They were !hotogra!hed. They ateB they drank nu#erous glasses of 1eg's !unchB
they said goodbye to the Haskells with a !ro#ise to get together soon.
,abs left for a date. ".oor guy," she told Tre$or and Kyla at the door. "He doesn't
know what he's in for tonight. "ll this wedding senti#ent has !ut #e in a $ery ro#antic
#ood."%ith a seducti$e wink and a 4aunty wa$e, she left.
"1o#, let #e hel! you clean u! this #ess."
"(o, no, no," 1eg said, shooing Kyla out of the kitchen. "You and Tre$or get on
your way."
",ut not all of "aron's things are !acked yet. thought 'd change and." *he fell silent
when she reali)ed the other three were staring back at her as though she'd taken lea$e of her
senses. 6nly Tre$or see#ed faintly a#used. *he had co#e to know that that twitch of his
#ustache usually heralded a grin. "%hat's the #atter?"
"%ell, we, your #other and , 4ust assu#ed that you'd lea$e "aron here for tonight at
least," 'lif said uneasily.
Kyla o!ened her #outh to s!eak, only to find that she had nothing to say. *he closed
her #outh without uttering a word.
"Thank you, 'lif, 1eg," Tre$or said to fill an awkward silence. "%e a!!reciate the
offer. f "aron won't be any trouble we'll lea$e hi# here tonight. To#orrow when we co#e
for hi#we'll bring the !icku!. Kyla still has so#e things to #o$e, don't you, lo$e?"
"Yes," she croaked. "'ll finish !acking and get it all out of your way by to#orrow
e$ening."
*ince the announce#ent of her #arriage to Tre$or, the .owerses had officially sold their
house. Kyla knew that the sooner she #o$ed all her !ossessions out, the sooner the sale
could be closed.
Howe$er, she wasn't thinking about that now. *he was thinking about the night to co#e
when she wouldn't ha$e "aron to act as a buffer between her and her bridegroo#. *he
dragged out their lea$e5taking as long as she could without it being ob$ious.
"1eg knows how to throw a great !arty," Tre$or said once they were alone and on their
way ho#e.
"*he's always been a gracious hostess."
" a!!reciate her efforts."
"*he lo$ed doing it."
" like your dress."
"Thank you."
"*ilk?"
"Yes."
" like the sound it #akes when you #o$e."
"*ound?"
"That secreti$e rustling sound that #akes #e wonder what your body is doing
underneath it."
Her eyes swung quickly to the hori)on. " didn't know it #ade a sound."
"t does. 0ach ti#e you #o$e. find it terribly se&y." He reached across the seat for her
hand and laid it high on his thigh. ""nd e&citing."
Her heart sla##ed against her ribs. ,reathing was difficult. *he tried to concentrate on
how the fabric of his tailored slacks felt against the !al# of her hand, but her brain see#ed
deter#ined to dwell on his e&cite#ent, the e&tent of which she could #easure should she
#o$e her hand u! a scant few inches.
The headlights swe!t across the front of the house as he braked the car to a sto!. "2o you
need the bag tonight?" He had carried a s#all suitcase to the car for her.
"Yes, !lease. t has #akeu! and.... stuff... in it."
"6h, see. *tuff." His grin did nothing for her heart or her lungs, both of which see#ed
to ha$e shut down o!erations for the night. "%ell you can't do without your stuff, can you?"
6n the !orch, he set the suitcase down and unlocked the front door, !ushing it wide.
,efore Kyla could !re!are herself, he swe!t her u! into his ar#s and against his chest.
"%elco#e ho#e, Kyla."
He carried her inside. "s soon as he crossed the threshold, he lowered his head and kissed
her. "nd kissed her again. "nd again. 9ntil soon it was hard to tell where one kiss sto!!ed
and another began.
,oth of his hands were occu!ied. Kyla could ha$e turned her head away and ended the
kisses, but she lacked the will to do so. His #outh was incredibly sweet and war#. *he felt
an
irresistible co#!ulsion to see 4ust how ni#ble his tongue could be. t thrust again and again
into her #outh with a greediness te#!ered only by tenderness.
He rela&ed the ar# beneath her knees but ke!t her anchored to hi# as she slid down
against his body. /inally she was standing toe to toe with hi#. "nd still the kiss went on
uninterru!ted.
%ith his ar#s now free, his hands e&!lored. They slid u! and down her back. *he felt
the !ressure of his !al#s on her botto#, urging her closer to his hard #iddle. 6nce she was
secured there, he #ade $ees of his thu#bs and inde& fingers and bracketed her breasts in the
notches. The $ees closed and o!ened rhyth#ically, gently, causing his thu#bs lightly to
brush the !eaks of her breasts.
*he caught her breath. Tre$or's hands fell away i##ediately, but he didn't retreat. He
folded his ar#s around her !rotecti$ely and !ressed her head against his chest.
"'# about to get carried away," he whis!ered into her hair. "1aking lo$e standing u!
in the entrance hall isn't the way !lanned our wedding night." 'huckling, he !ut s!ace
between the# and looked down into her face. "(ot without closing the front door first."
%hen he turned to do that, Kyla #o$ed as far away fro# hi# as !ossible without
#aking it look like an esca!e. ""re you hungry?" she asked ho!efully. "'ll fi& you
so#ething."
""fter that s!read 1eg had !re!ared?" he asked incredulously. "6ne #ore #arinated
artichoke and 'd ha$e burst. ,ut do ha$e so#e cha#!agne chilling. %ould you like to
change first?"
/irst. /irst. He ke!t dro!!ing in that one5syllable word that i#!lied so #uch to Kyla.
*he knew what was at the cul#ination of all those "firsts."
"'ha#!agne sounds good." 'ould he detect the tre#ors in the corners of her #outh
when she tried to s#ile?
"s he walked into the kitchen, he shrugged off his suit 4acket and worked at the knot of
his necktie. 'asually he tossed both of the# into one of the chairs at the kitchen dining table
as he went by. He unbuttoned the to! three buttons of his shirt and, after uncli!!ing his cuff
links, rolled the cuffs of his slee$es u! to his elbows.
He see#ed !erfectly at ease. Kyla en$ied hi# that nonchalance. *he would dearly lo$e to
sli! out of the new shoes, which had #ade her toes nu#b, but she didn't e$en feel
co#fortable enough with their !ri$acy to do that.
""h, good and cold," he said, swinging the bottle of cha#!agne out of the industrialsi)e
refrigerator. Kyla noticed that the shel$es inside it had already been stocked with food,
including "aron's fa$orites. 2idn't Tre$or e$er forget anything? "%ould you get down the
wineglasses, sweetheart? They're in that cabinet there," he said nodding toward one. " !ut
e$erything u!, but you can rearrange it all if so#ething's not con$enient for you."
"'# sure e$erything is fine," she said woodenly.
*he found the cha#!agne glasses and brought hi# two. *he 4u#!ed when the cork
!o!!ed out of the bottle. -aughing, he !oured the foa#ing wine into the glass. *o#e of it
washed o$er Kyla's hands. *he began laughing, too. The icy effer$escent wine tingled on her
skin as the tiny bubbles burst one by one.
Ha$ing set the glasses on the counterto!, she was shaking the #oisture fro# her hands
when Tre$or ca!tured one and lifted it to his #outh. ""llow #e."
*he watched it. *he watched her finger disa!!ear between his #ustache and lower li!, but
she didn't really belie$e that it was actually ha!!ening until she felt his tongue la$ing the !ad
of
her finger.
*tunned, Kyla was !owerless to do anything but watch as he finished with that finger and
sucked the ne&t one into the silky heat of his #outh. He slid his tongue between the ne&t two
fingers, gathering u! all traces of the s!illed wine. t curled around the beautiful wedding
ring
he had !laced on her finger earlier.
2elicious sensations wound through her. His tongue's deft caresses ne$er $entured
beyond her fingerti!s, but see#ed to touch her e$erywhere, in forbidden !laces. They coa&ed
res!onses fro# her body she had thought were buried with that flag5dra!ed casket in
Kansas.
That #elting sensation in her #iddle. That aching in her breasts that #ade her want to
feel Tre$or's tongue there, doing what he was doing to her fingerti!s. That quickened
res!iration. That !ounding of her heart.
/inally he turned her hand o$er and kissed the !al#, whisking it with his #ustache
before relinquishing it. *he had the i#!ulse to tuck her hand under her ar# as one does
when one has been stung or has !ricked a finger with a !in. 6r did she want to hide that hand
in sha#e because it had been guilty of such erotic res!onses?
"Here's your cha#!agne." Tre$or handed her a glass. "To us." He clinked their glasses
together and they each took a si!. Then he lowered his head and kissed her softly. "Know
what?" he asked while his li!s were still resting against hers.
"%hat?" %hat cologne does he wear? her #ind was asking distractedly. t was as
into&icating as the cha#!agne.
"You taste better than cha#!agne." His tongue swe!t her lower li!. "n fact you taste
better than anything. could #ake a glutton of #yself on you. could indulge until was
sated and drunk on you. "nd still wouldn't ha$e enough. 'd want... one... #ore...
taste." ,etween the words, he !ecked soft kisses. "fter the last word, his #outh stayed and
he sent his tongue dee! into her #outh.
9n#indful of the sloshing, he re#o$ed the wineglass fro# her hand. (one too
steadily, he set hers and his on the counterto! without e$er ha$ing released her fro# his
kiss.
*lowly he raised her ar#s to his shoulders. n$oluntarily they bent at the elbows to
enclose his neck. His hands #et at the s#all of her back. The kiss dee!ened. He inched
forward
until she was sandwiched between hi# and the counter. He rocked his hi!s fro# side to side,
#assaging her softness.
"6h, God," she sighed when he left her #outh to !lant one of those treacherous kisses
on her $ulnerable throat. Her head fell back. Her eyes drifted o!en and she ga)ed at the
ceiling ha)ily as his o!en #outh touched her skin.
%hy was God doing this to her? %hy had he sent such a te#!tation into her life? The
#arriage itself had been a betrayal of 3ichard. *he didn't lo$e this #an, yet she wanted hi#
in a !urely carnal way. t was wrong+ How could she withstand such an inundation of se&ual
!ro$ocation and not sub#it to it?
"%ould you like so#e !ri$acy in the bedroo# before 4oin you?" he asked roughly.
%itlessly, she nodded her head and he released her. -ike a slee!walker she turned and
wended her way to the other side of the house and into the bedroo#. Tre$or, ha$ing followed
her, set her suitcase 4ust inside the door. "'ll be back shortly." The door closed softly behind
hi#.
*he carried the suitcase into the bathroo# and o!ened it. "s though !rogra##ed to do
so, she auto#atically un!acked her cos#etics and toiletries and arranged the# on the
dressing table. %hen she chanced to catch her i#age in the #irror co$ering the wall, she
fro)e.
Her eyes+ %hat had ha!!ened to her eyes? They were aglow, la#bent, li#!id. They
hadn't looked like that since the night she had disco$ered she was in lo$e with 3ichard
*troud.
n lo$e+ Good -ord, yes. That's what she looked like, a wo#an in lo$e.
The thought e&tinguished the light in her eyes i##ediately, e&tinguished it so quickly
that she could later con$ince herself that it hadn't been there at all, that it had been a trick
of the lighting, a !roduct of her i#agination.
n lo$e with Tre$or 3ule? #!ossible. *he hadn't known hi# long enough. *he lo$ed
3ichardD *olely. 0&clusi$ely. There was no roo# in her heart for any other #an.
0$en if she allowed Tre$or the use of her body that night, she wouldn't be betraying
3ichard. t was, after all, 4ust a body, #aterial and i#!er#anent. Her body had nothing to
do with the !ersonality inside it, the heart and soul and #ind of Kyla *troud.
Kyla ,ule, a #alicious i#! re#inded her.
Kyla Stroud, she insisted.
*he would slee! with Tre$or because she had #ade a bargain and she intended to
u!hold her end of it. *he would swa! hi# bedroo# !ri$ileges for the !arenting he would
e&tend to "aron. He would ha$e access to her body, but ne$er, ne$er to her heart. *he had
!ro#ised her heart and lo$e to 3ichard. Tre$or 3ule would ne$er be allowed to $iolate that
co$enant.
*he and ,abs had #o$ed her clothes the night before. Her entire wardrobe, all seasons
included, filled only a fraction of the closet s!ace Tre$or had built into the #aster bedroo#.
"fter a quick shower, she sli!!ed into the negligee she had bought under duress and
brushed her teeth and hair. "l#ost as an afterthought, she a!!lied !erfu#e to the backs of
her ears and the base of her throat.
n the bedroo# she turned down the bed. *he left only one la#! burning. %hen the soft
knock sounded on the door, she whirled around, clas!ing her hands together. "'o#e in,
Tre$or."
He ste!!ed through the door. %hen the soft la#!light fell on hi#, Kyla #o#entarily
regretted that she didn't lo$e hi#. The black !a4a#a botto#s hung low on his hi!s, held there
by a black cord. His chest was #ost i#!ressi$e, shadowed by that cloud of dark hair that
arrowed down !ast his na$el. *he didn't e$en want to think of what that stri!e of hair
!ointed to. The scar that arced beneath his left breast intrigued her as it had before. *he
wanted to touch it, soothe it so#ehow. His feet were bare. There was a network of scars on
his
left foot.
6nly after she had cataloged his body did she raise her eyes to his face. He was staring at
her, a hint of a s#ile hiking u! one corner of his #ustache.
"You're beautiful, Kyla." He #o$ed into the roo# until he was standing an ar#'s length
away.
*he couldn't ha$e guessed how a!!ealing she was to hi# at that #o#ent. This was the
wo#an of the letters, the wo#an who had s!oken to his heart before he e$en #et her. (ow,
she stood before hi#, naked, sa$e for a few scra!s of !each5colored silk and satin. His #ost
erotic fantasy was close enough to touch. *he was breathing, stirring the hair on his chest
with each light e&halation.
The golden glow of the la#! enhanced her s!ectacular coloring. t #ade her hair shine
like co!!er and her skin take on the richness of old satin. He wanted to wra! hi#self u! in
her. Her eyes were $el$ety dark, unusuallywide, incredibly bright.
The nightgown was sheer and curtained her body like a $eil. " ribbon was tied beneath
her breasts, #aking their fullness #ore !ronounced. Her ni!!les were dusky te#!tations
beneath the fil#y fabric. "bo$e the brief bodice, the s#all #ounds of her breasts swelled
crea#y and full.
Her body was cast in shadow against the la#!light. "s his eyes #o$ed down it, his
#anhood grew thick with desire for her. Her waist was incredibly narrow, es!ecially for
so#eone who had carried a child. He was transfi&ed by the shadowy cleft between her
slender
thighs, the heart of all that #ade her a wo#an. He wanted to honor it, cherish it with his
caresses and his #outh.
9nable to sto! hi#self, he e&tended his hand and cu!!ed it o$er that soft delta.
*hifting the #aterial of her gown so that only one layer was between her and his hand, he
!ressed. "You're so war#," he whis!ered fiercely. "*tanding here with you like this, feel
weaker than did after #y accident when couldn't e$en #o$e." His hand drifted u! o$er
her belly to her breast. " want you so #uch it's !ainful."
His finger #o$ed o$er her ni!!le and, when it res!onded beautifully, he #ade a hissing
sound and crushed her against hi#. His #outh co$ered hers and he kissed her with all the
fer$ency burning inside hi#. He fondled her breast lo$ingly as his other ar# closed around
her waist.
Kyla tried to kee! herself indifferent. *he wanted to ste! outside herself and obser$e the
e#brace fro# that $iew!oint. ,ut it was difficult to re#ain !assi$e when the heat of his
body was see!ing into hers, when she throbbed where his fingers had 4ust stroked her. The
!assion he trans#itted deli$ered with it a lassitude that threatened her resol$e not to
!artici!ate with her #ind.
Through the sheer nightgown, she could feel the cris! te&ture of his chest hair, the
erection of his ni!!les. His thighs were hard and straining against hers. His #aleness nestled
in the co$e her body offered it. He was hard and she wanted hi#.
Her body and her #ind waged war. *he struggled to kee! her e#otions intact. ,ut in
doing so, her body unwittingly went as unyielding as her heart.
*uddenly, Tre$or withdrew his #outh fro# hers. The #o$e#ent was so abru!t that her
head sna!!ed back and she fell $icti# to a cold green ga)e.
He gri!!ed her u!!er ar#s and sho$ed her away fro# hi#, holding her at the end of
stiff, strong ar#s fully e&tended. "(o thank you, Kyla."
*he looked at hi# fearfully. He was furious and it showed. His dark brows were !ulled
down low o$er his eyes. His nostrils flared slightly with each breath.
"(o thank you?" she re!eated in a thin $oice. " don't understand."
"-et #e e&!lain it then." He s!oke in a tight $oice she knew he #ust be ha$ing a hard
ti#e kee!ing below a shout. " don't want a sacrificial la#b beneath #e going through the
#otions of #aking lo$e."
The hasty lowering of her eyes was as good as a signed confession. "You're #y husband.
You can de#and."
He laughed harshly. "f only you knew how laughable that was. 2e#anding isn't "quite
#y style, Kyla. certainly don't intend to e&ercise ca$e#an tactics on #y wife+"
He released her so abru!tly that she reeled against the bedside table. "You #ay rela&,"
he said scathingly. "You're safe fro# #e. won't i#!ose #y lust on you tonight. (or will
e$er."
Her eyes sna!!ed u!. "That's right, Kyla," he said silkily, reading her sur!rise. " still
lo$e you, but it's not conditional on whether you go to bed with #e or not. ,ut warn you,"
he said, !ointing a finger at her, "that lo$ing you as do, it will be i#!ossible for you not to
lo$e #e back."
n a heartbeat, he was towering o$er her, his left hand knotted in her hair. %ith his right
ar# he hauled her high against hi# and !ositioned the# so there could be no doubt of his
readiness to take her if he chose to. He !ulled her head back until she was forced to look u!
into his, glowering face.
" !ro#ise you this," he said with soft e#!hasis, "no one has e$er lo$ed you as #uch as
do. (o one has e$er #ade lo$e to you as well as can. 'll bury #yself so dee! inside you
that when '# not actually there, you'll feel like a $ital !art of your body is #issing." He
lowered his head and branded her breast with his #outh. "(ow when you e&orcise those
ghosts that haunt you, co#e to #e and 'll be #ore than glad to de#onstrate what '#
talking about."
3eleasing her, he s!un on his heel and stalked to the door. "*lee! well," he tossed o$er
his shoulder, a second before the door sla##ed behind hi#.
Chapter 1,
Good #orning."
t wasn't the tone of $oice she had e&!ected, nor that, she secretly ad#itted, she
!robably deser$ed.
*urly, !ee$ish, snide, cruel. Kyla would ha$e e&!ected hi# to be any of those, but not
congenial and see#ingly in a good #ood.
"Good #orning."
*he skirted the table where he sat reading the news!a!er and #ade a beeline for the
coffee #aker on the counterto!. There was an e#!ty #ug waiting for her. *he !oured the
fragrant, stea#ing coffee fro# the !ot.
" ho!e didn't #ake it too strong for you."
*he si!!ed. "t's fine. like it strong."
"*o do ."
*he didn't reali)e he had co#e u! behind her until his breath stirred her hair. *he turned
around quickly to face hi#. His ar#s slid around her waist and !ulled her close. 2ucking his
head, he kissed her sur!rised #outh. t wasn't a !assionate kiss, but a tender one that was
al#ost as unsettling. "How was your night?" he asked solicitously.
Her night had been wretched. "fter Tre$or had sla##ed out of the !icture5!erfect #aster
bedroo# suite he had created for his bride, Kyla had colla!sed onto the wide bed and we!t
for
what see#ed like hours. *he longed for fa#iliar surroundings, her own bedroo#, "aron, the
co#forting !resence of her !arents. *he longed to roll back the clock. *he longed for
3ichard.
"nd she longed for Tre$or.
That !articular longing had brought on another wa$e of wee!ing.
*he had finally fallen aslee! shortly before dawn, and had awakened with a dull
headache and !uffy eyes. %hen she left the bedroo# wra!!ed in an old robe that she had
#anaged to sneak !ast ,abs's eagle eye, she hadn't known what to e&!ect fro# her husband
of less than twenty5four hours, a husband to who# she had denied a wedding night, if not
by deed then by attitude. *ullen fury at best.
*he wasn't !re!ared for the cherishing e#brace with which he enfolded her now. (or for
the soft kisses that he e#!loyed to trace her hairline. (or for the gentle, tension5ridding
#assage his hands were gi$ing her back.
Kyla felt an&iety slowly leaking out of her. *he rested her cheek against the #uscles of his
chest, which were delineated by the tight white T5shirt he was wearing o$er a !air of ragged
cutoffs.
"'an you cook?"
"%hat?" she #u#bled slee!ily.
'' asked if you could cook."
*he raised her head and took a ste! backward. "6f course can cook," she said with
so#e as!erity.
His #ustache cur$ed o$er a grin. "Then how about so#e breakfast?"
"%hat would you like?"
"%hat can you cook?"
""nything," she boasted with a coquettish toss of her reddish5blond hair. "f you'll get
out of #y way, 'll !ro$e to you what a good cook a#."
He bowed dee!ly fro# the waist, swee!ing his hand wide. "The kitchen's all yours,
#ilady. 'll 4ust return to #y news!a!er if that's all right with you."
" few #inutes later she set a frosty glass of orange 4uice in front of hi#. He ti!!ed the
corner of his news!a!er down. "Thanks."
*he s#iled at hi#. "You're welco#e."
"t s#ells good."
"t's al#ost ready."
He folded u! the scattered news!a!ers and !ushed the# aside so she could set the table.
"!!arently she had found e$erything where he had had it stored. *he laid out !lace #ats and
used the casual stoneware and sil$erware for their !lace settings. He watched her hands as
she e&!ertly folded linen na!kins and arranged the# in rings in the centers of the !lates.
,efore she could turn away, he reached for her hand and drew it to his #outh. He kissed the
back of it.
"t doesn't take long to get s!oiled. think '# already used to ha$ing a wife #ake such a
fuss o$er #e," he said softly.
The way he looked u! at her fro# his chair sent a war# tide of !leasure s!illing o$er her
#iddle. *he felt a blush rising out of the ungla#orous neckline of her robe.
*he tugged on her hand, ", uh, don't want it to burn."
He released her hand and she scurried toward the range. 1o#ents later, she was bearing
a !latter of aro#atic food to the table. *he set it down, then stood by, ner$ously awaiting
his reaction.
"0ggs ,enedict+" he e&clai#ed in delight. The dish had been arranged a!!eti)ingly on the
!latter and garnished with fresh orange slices and s!rigs of !arsley.
"2o you like the# that way? didn't know."
"'ll eat 4ust about anything that doesn't #o$e off the !late. "nd rutabagas. 2on't e$er
try to feed #e rutabagas."
*he laughed. " think that's the only thing that wasn't stocked in the !antry or
refrigerator."
2uring this e&change she had carried the coffee!ot to the table and refilled his #ug. "s
she set it on a tri$et, Tre$or rose fro# his chair and !ulled hers out for her. *he looked u! at
hi# in sur!rise and when she did he !ecked a quick kiss on the ti! of her nose. "Thanks for
breakfast."
"You're welco#e." *he sank into her chair. Her hands were tre#bling slightly, but she
filled his !late, then her own.
"2elicious+" he !ronounced after taking an unabashedly huge first bite. "%here did you
learn to cook like this?"
"1y #other taught #e the basics. "nd took a cooking course while." *he sto!!ed
abru!tly. Tre$or's head ca#e u!, a question in his e&!ression. "%hile?" he !rodded.
"%hile #y hus... while 3ichard was o$erseas." *he had ne$er #entioned the cooking
class in her letters.%hy, he wondered.
"%hat did 3ichard think of your cooking classes?" Had he #issed so#e letters? He
was suddenly, unaccountably, furiously 4ealous of anything she #ight ha$e written to her
husband that he, Tre$or, hadn't been !ri$y to.%hat else had he #issed?
" didn't tell hi#."
Tre$or's gri! on his fork rela&ed. "%hy?"
*he took a drink of 4uice and blotted her #outh with her na!kin before answering. "
wanted to sur!rise hi# with all kinds of e&otic reci!es when he ca#e ho#e," she said,
cutting
into the slice of 'anadian bacon. ",abs and took the class together. t was great fun. ,abs
was the worst student. *he ruined e$erything she tried, but it wasn't a total waste of her
ti#e because she ended u! dating the chef."
*he was chatting now because she was ner$ous. Tre$or could tell because she wouldn't
look at hi# directly, but glanced at a !oint 4ust off his shoulder. They weren't e$en at the
!oint where she could #ention 3ichard's na#e without feeling awkward about it.
"'ll bet you were at the to! of the class, because this is great." Her head ca#e u! and she
blessed hi# with a shy s#ile that #elted his heart and #ade u! for the hellish night he'd
s!ent alone in the guest roo#. %ell, al#ost. "'$e always ridiculed the for#er 4ocks who get
#arried and go to fat. (ow can see how it ha!!ens." He winked at her.
"%ere you a 4ock?"
"n school."
"%hat s!orts?"
"H##, let's see." He si!!ed his coffee. "Track. ,asketball. 3owing."
"3owing?"
" don't think you ha$e it in Te&as."
"That #ust be what de$elo!ed your shoulders and thighs."
%hen her ga)e dro!!ed to his long legs, she noticed the scars. There they were, ugly !ink
raised sea#s in his flesh, running the length of his left leg, intersecting and #eshing like
railroad tracks.
Tre$or lowered his fork to his !late and watched her. ,racing his elbows on the table, he
folded his hands in front of his #outh and waited for the re$ulsion he !re!ared hi#self to
see in her e&!ression. t ne$er ca#e. %hen she raised her eyes to his face, there was only
co#!assion in her brown eyes.
" told you it wasn't !retty," he said, a definite edge to his $oice.
"t's not so bad, Tre$or." "t's not so great either."
*he looked at his leg again. "t #ust ha$e been awfully !ainful."
"t was."
"You'$e ne$er told #e what ha!!ened to you."
He shifted uneasily and she attributed that to self5consciousness. "t doesn't #atter."
"You once said you were e#barrassed to wear shorts. You shouldn't be."
" wry grin slanted his #ustache u!ward. "You don't think all the ladies on the beach
would co$er their eyes and run in terror?"
"(ot at all. You're too attracti$e."
He sobered instantly. -eaning forward, he s!eared her with his green ga)e. "2o you
think so?"
"Yes."
*e$eral #o#ents ticked by while Kyla was held transfi&ed by the gruff intensity in his
$oice and the hy!noti)ing !ower of his stare.
*he willed herself out of the da)e and stood u! hastily, bu#!ing the table with her thighs
hard enough to rattle the glassware. "f you're finished, 'll clean u! the dishes."
*he s!un around, but was brought u! short when Tre$or dug his fingers beneath the tie
belt of her robe at the back of her waist. Gi$ing it a swift tug, her turned her around and
!ulled her between his wide5s!read thighs so that her #iddle bu#!ed into his chest and his
face was on a le$el with her breasts.
"Thanks for breakfast." The words, s!oken in a low, ru#bling $oice to begin with,
were al#ost co#!letely #uffled by the fabric folded o$er her breasts.
"t was the least could do."
*he lowered her eyes to the to! of his head where the dark wa$y hair swirled fro# the
crown. t wasn't easy, but she resisted the urge to thread her fingers through the ebony
strands to see if they felt as ali$e as they looked.
Her eyes battled to stay o!en when he rubbed his hard cheek against her breast, but
they lost the contest and flickered closed. *he felt the $ibration of the #oan that issued u!
out of his chest as his nose nu))led her.
"You bathed this #orning." t wasn't a question.
"Yes."
"You s#ell good. -ike soa!. "nd !owder. "nd wo#an."
He #ade gentle gnawing #otions with his #outh that sought and finally found the
!eak of her breast through the cloth. He didn't actually kiss her. He didn't actually suckle.
%hat he did was rub his o!en #outh back and forth o$er her until he felt her flesh
res!ond, then he touched her with his tongue.
",reakfast was delicious," he whis!ered. Her skin beca#e da#! where his breath
filtered through the robe. "s there any dessert?" He !ressed his face dee!er into her softly
gi$ing flesh. ,ut he !ulled back al#ost i##ediately and looked u! at her. "H##?"
%hen he saw her tre#ulous e&!ression, he chuckled and stood u!, !ushing her gently
away fro# hi#. "(e$er #ind. -et's get dressed and go get that kid of ours before your
!arents s!oil hi# rotten." He checked the clock on the o$en. ",y the ti#e we get there, they
should be getting ho#e fro# church. 'd like to take e$eryone to lunch. The .etroleu# 'lub
goes all out on its *unday buffet."
"%e're not #e#bers," Kyla found enough $oice to say. *he was still feeling aftershocks of
delight at ha$ing Tre$or's #outh on her breasts.
",ut a#." He tweaked her nose. "'ll clean u! the kitchenB you go get ready. want to
show you off." He kissed her swiftly and ga$e her ru#! a husbandly !at.
Kyla left the #aster bathroo# twenty #inutes later, after ha$ing a!!lied her #akeu! and
arranged her hair. That was when she ca#e to the startling reali)ation that she and Tre$or
#ight not be sharing a bed, but they were still sharing a bedroo#.
*he caught hi# in the act of ste!!ing into a !air of dress slacks. " fleeting i#!ression of
light5blue briefs registered on her brain before she s!un around and said, "0&cuse #e." *he
al#ost #ade it to the bathroo# door before his stern $oice halted her retreat.
"Kyla."
"%hat?"
"Turn around."
"%hy?" .
",ecause want to talk to you."
*lowly she ca#e around, studiously kee!ing her eyes ai#ed at a !oint abo$e his head.
'asually he )i!!ed u! the trousers and, still shirtless and barefoot, crossed the roo# toward
her. " showered in the guest bath so wouldn't disturb you, but #y clothes ha$e all been
stored in the drawers and closets in here. t will be da#ned incon$enient to #o$e the#."
*he wet her li!s ra!idly. "That's fine, fine. %e'll 4ust, uh, try to stay out of each other's
way."
" won't." He laughed, but when he saw her frown he said, "6kay, we'll s!lit the
differences. You can get in #y way any ti#e you like, and 'll try to stay out of yours.
2eal?"
t was too co#!licated to think through, es!ecially looking at his bare chest as she was.
*o she #erely !arroted, "2eal."
"Good." He turned his back.a s#ooth e&!anse of darkly tanned skin stretched tautly
o$er ri!!ling #uscles.and returned to his closet, where he !roceeded to take out a shirt
and !ull it on with the nonchalance of a !erson alone.
Kyla forced her feet to #o$e to her own closet. *he stood there #otionless, working u! her
courage to take off her robe.
1ou "re behaving like a child, she told herself angrily. The nightgown she had faced hi# in
last night was a thousand ti#es #ore re$ealing than the bra and half sli! she had on beneath
the robe. *wiftly, before she could change her #ind, she whi!!ed it off.
"'$e been thinking."
"t the sound of Tre$or's $oice, she 4u#!ed as though she'd been shot in the back
now e&!osed to hi#. ""bout what?"
*he willed her fu#bling hands to hang the robe on a hanger !ro!erly and return it to
the #etal bar in the closet. t required tre#endous concentration because she knew he
was !robably looking at her back and the slender i$ory satin stra!s of her bra.
""bout "aron."
*he ha)arded a glance at hi# o$er her shoulder. He wasn't looking at her at all. He
was tying his necktie, using the #irror he had had #ounted o$er the bureau that was
built into his closet. His shirt had been buttoned, but he hadn't tucked in the shirttail
yet. The stiff collar had been fli!!ed u! against his square 4aw. "%hat about hi#?"
*he reached for the dress she had chosen to wear.
"1aybe we should be locating a !ro!er day5care center for hi#."
"2o you think he's old enough?"
"You're #ore e&!ert on that than a#. was 4ust wondering what we'll do with hi#
during the day if 1eg and 'lif get that #otor ho#e and strike out for !arts unknown."
That had been a concern of Kyla's, too. " su!!ose he should be around other
children his age. There's an education in that."
"(o doubt. How else will he learn all the dirty words?"
*he laughed with hi#. ",ut 'd want to in$estigate the school's re!utation."
""bsolutely. t will ha$e to be sterling. %e both ha$e to be sold on the facility and
faculty before we enroll hi#. (eed any hel!?"
,efore she could for#ulate an answer, his hands were !ushing hers aside. They had
been at her waist in back gra!!ling with the lowest button on her dress. How could a
#an of his si)e #o$e so silently? *he stood ra#rod straight as his fingers negotiated
the buttons. "fter securing the to! one, his hands s#oothed down her back and settled
on her hi!s.
"(o one would e$er guess you'd had a baby. %as it a difficult !regnancy?"
"(ot at all."
"You're so slender," he said softly, squee)ing her hi!s lightly before his hands fell
away. "'an you gi$e #e so#e hel! here?"
9nwisely she turned to face hi#. 6nly a few inches se!arated the#. "Hel! you?
How?"
"'heck to see if #y collar is turned down !ro!erly all the way around. *o#eti#es
don't bend it down 4ust right and #y tie !eeks out fro# underneath."
*he ga$e it a hasty ins!ection. "t's not quite folded down all the way in back."
"%ould you fi& it for #e, !lease? t's hard to reach."
"*ure." *he s!oke with far #ore carelessness than she felt. "ctually she was
wondering how she was going to kee! her hands out of the black hair that curled
beguilingly o$er his collar if she ca#e that close to touching it.
(o sooner were her ar#s raised and her hands occu!ied ad4usting his collar o$er his
tie than he fli!!ed u! his shirttails and un)i!!ed his trousers. Her hands fro)e. Her eyes
s!rang u! to his. His e&!ression was bland as he casually began stuffing his shirttail into
his trousers. 6ccasionally, too occasionally, his knuckles bu#!ed into her #iddle.
""nything wrong?" he asked.
"(o, no, nothing," she gas!ed and quickly folded his collar down. *he !atted it
fir#ly into !lace 4ust as the ras! of his )i!!er reached her ears. Her ar#s slid fro# his
shoulders. He finished fastening the fly of his !ants.
"nd then they stared at each other while ti#e was held in sus!ension.
"Thanks," he said after a long, still while.
"Thank you, too." His eyebrow quirked with hu#or. "/or doing u! #y buttons," she
added hastily.
"6h. You're welco#e."
They fell into another staring s!ell. Kyla was the first to #o$e away, and she did so by
turning her back to find her shoes in the closet.
t took the fa#iliar !ande#oniu# that went with corralling "aron to restore her
equilibriu#. ,ut e$en that didn't erase an i#age in Kyla's #ind of light5blue briefs
stretched o$er tight, rounded buttocks.
The .owerses were i#!ressed with the nu#ber of !eo!le who greeted their new son5inlaw
as they ate lunch at the e&clusi$e .etroleu# 'lub. 0$en "aron see#ed awed by his
surroundings. His beha$ior during the #eal was abo$e re!roach.
"fter lunch Tre$or dro$e the .owerses out to the house he had built for Kyla and
"aron. "fter a tour that left the# s!eechless, Tre$or followed the# back to their house in his
!icku!. The re#ainder of the afternoon was s!ent !acking and loading Kyla's things that
still had to be #o$ed.
"He's a tired little rascal tonight," Tre$or said of "aron as they tucked hi# in. He !atted
the boy on the seat. "aron's eyelids were already at half5#ast. His stuffed ani#als were
lined u! around the slats of the baby bed like sentinels.
"%hich is !robably 4ust as well," Kyla re#arked, !ulling a light blanket o$er her son.
"The first night in a new !lace #ight be trau#atic if he weren't so ready to go to slee!."
"2on't you think he likes the roo#?"
*he heard the an&iety in Tre$or's $oice and looked u! to find that he was genuinely
concerned about it. "%hat little boy wouldn't like it?"
*he ga)ed around the bedroo#, which had been decorated in a railroad #otif. The -ittle
0ngine That 'ould was !uffing u! the hill !ainted on the wall. " stea#5engine5sha!ed toy
chest, filled to ca!acity, took u! a good !ortion of another wall. " #iniature track had
been run around the #olding si& inches below the ceiling. "t the fli! of a switch a tiny
freight
train circled the roo# at a clicking !ace, belching !uffs of white s#oke e$ery so often and
tooting its horn !eriodically. "aron had cla!!ed his hands in glee and only frowned in
frustration when he reali)ed he couldn't reach it.
Her ga)e returned to Tre$or. "%hat #eant was that so#eti#es when a child slee!s in a
strange !lace it u!sets hi#. "!!arently "aron isn't bothered by it." "aron was already
snoring softly. Kyla co$ered a huge yawn with her hand as they left the roo#.
"You're worn out, too." Tre$or clas!ed her shoulders and within seconds his strong
fingers were working the knots out of her shoulder #uscles. His thu#bs #agically !ressed
the tension fro# the base of her neck. 1o$ing closer and laying his cheek against hers he
said, "%ant to s!end a few #inutes in the hot tub? 2oes that sound good?"
t sounded hea$enly. *he couldn't think of anything better than being i##ersed in hot
bubbly water.
"'ll #eet you out there."
6r anything #ore dangerous than sharing such a sensual e&!erience with Tre$or.
*he eased fro# beneath his #assaging hands. "f you don't #ind, Tre$or, think 'll 4ust
go to bed. This weekend has been so hectic. t's taking its toll."
""ll right."
*he could tell he was trying not to let his disa!!oint#ent show. This #an had taken her
as his wife, knowing she still lo$ed another #an.%asn't she being a rather !oor s!ort?
"9nless
you really want #e to," she added.
He shook his head i#!atiently. "(o. know you're tired. Good night."
He bracketed her neck with his hands and tilted her head back with both his thu#bs
beneath her chin. He !lanted his li!s fir#ly o$er hers, !arted the#, waited for her to
acco##odate hi# and, when she did, sli!!ed his tongue into her #outh like a $el$et sword.
t was a torching kiss that con$eyed all the !assion that s#oldered within hi#. His
!racticed technique ignited her desire until she could swear that tiny tongues of fla#e were
licking at her body.
%hen he released her at last, she all but sagged against hi#, so totally had his kiss
de!leted her. "Good night," she said huskily and #o$ed away toward the bedroo# in what
she ho!ed wasn't a staggering walk.
Tre$or sat in the dark, idly rocking the !orch swing with his heels against the decking.
" terse e&!leti$e su##ed u! his #ood of the #o#ent. He tossed the re#ainder of the
whiskey he'd been si!!ing onto the ground. He didn't need alcohol. He didn't need anything
to #ake hi# anywar#er, nothing to increase the heat that si##ered in his loins.
He needed Kyla. (aked. ,eneath hi#. *heathing that !art of hi# that ached with its
need for her.
'ursing again, he thu#!ed his head against the thick chain holding u! the swing until it
hurt badly enough to feel good.
%ould she e$er lo$e hi#? %ould she e$er want hi# as he wanted her? *o far he'd
acco#!lished e$erything he had set out to. *he and "aron were li$ing under his roof,
sharing his life, en4oying his !rotection.
,ut she wasn't in his bed yet.%ould she e$er return his lo$e?
.ossibly.
+ut never if she knew who you were.
He had had e$ery intention of telling her he was the legendary *#ooch before they got
#arried, but he had talked hi#self out of it. ,etter to be legally bound before breaking the
news.
Then he had decided to tell her the #orning after their wedding night, after she had had a
night of his lo$ing and they were bound not only legally but !hysically. *o #uch for good
intentions.
%ell hell, it wasn't his fault that they hadn't had a wedding night, now was it?
+ut you should have told her by now, his conscience argued.
"Yeah, know," he answered it out loud.
,ut how? %hen? %hat ti#e was e$er going to be right to say, "%e didn't #eet by
accident. orchestrated e$erything because knew before e$er saw you that was going to
#arry you and !ro$ide a ho#e for you and your son. %hy? %ell, because '# res!onsible
for your husband's death and felt like owed it both to hi# and to you. 6h, but do lo$e
you."
He re!eated that curt obscenity and !ushed hi#self out of the swing.
%ould Kyla belie$e that he lo$ed her after he told her who he was? Hell, no. e wouldn't
belie$e it were the tables to be turned.
.ro!!ing his shoulder against the outer wall of the house, he stood at the edge of the
deck and stared sightlessly into the near s!ace.
"%hat the hell a# going to do?" he asked the night.
He knew that with 4ust a little finesse on his !art, he could get her to surrender to his
se&ual ad$ances. He knew enough about wo#en to know that she wanted hi#, if only she
would ad#it that to herself. ,ut that was the key to it, she had to ad#it it to herself.%hen
they
ca#e together. 'ord, don"t let it be too much longer.she would ha$e to initiate it. He
wouldn't be accused later of taking ad$antage of her that way, too.
1ou"ve got to tell her, he was re#inded by that relentless conscience.
",ut '$e got to win her first."
He didn't ha$e to tell her tonight. 6r to#orrow. 6r e$en ne&t week. He would take it one
day at a ti#e. %hen she knew he lo$ed her, he would tell her. %hen the ti#e was right he'd
know it.
(nd if there"s never a right time$ his conscience taunted hi#.
,ut he didn't listen any#ore. He began thinking of the wo#an slee!ing in his bed. He
en$isioned an hourglass with sand the color of her hair sliding through its slender !assage.
6ne grain at a ti#e. 6ne kiss at a ti#e. 6ne caress at a ti#e. "nd her resistance was
lessened that #uch #ore.
"Your ti#e's running out, Kyla." The hoarse whis!er wasn't a threat. t was a !ro#ise.
"*orry, '# late," Kyla said breathlessly as she sailed through the back door of .etal
.ushers. Her ar#s were full of order blanks and ledgers and catalogs. "ll were sli!!ing to
the floor des!ite her efforts to kee! the# secured between her ar#s and her chest. *he !iled
the# on the desk and !aused to draw a breath. Her hair had been whi!!ed to a fiery #adness
by the wind. "aron had slobbered on her blouse.
"%hat ke!t you?" ,abs asked sweetly. "2id so#ething co#e u! this #orning?"
Kyla !retended not to catch the double entendre. "You can't i#agine what a circus it was
trying to get the three of us dressed, fed and off for the day." Kyla eased herself down into
the chair behind the desk and drew a dee! breath.
,abs laughed. "Honey#oonitis?"
"%hat?" Kyla frowned as ,abs hiked a hi! o$er the corner of the desk and leaned
forward with an eager e&!ression on her face.
" know what #ade you late this #orning. s he as good as he looks?"
Kyla !ushed herself out of the chair on the !rete&t of !icking u! the !a!ers she had
dro!!ed. "%ho?"
"%ho? /or God's sake, Kyla, who# did you 4ust #arry? Tre$or, of course."
"6h, Tre$or," Kyla said absently, deliberately kee!ing her back to her !erce!ti$e friend.
"Good at what?"
"You aren't going to tell #e, are you?"
Kyla faced her friend. ""bout #y se& life? (o."
"%hy?"
"n the first !lace it's none of your business. "nd in the second !lace can't i#agine why
you would want to know."
",ut do," ,abs said, ho!!ing off the desk and stalking Kyla into the sho!. "0$ery
scintillating detail."
"2o we ha$e any orders today?"
"s he the rowdy, reckless, te#!estuous ty!e?"
"1aybe we should change the window dis!lays this week."
"6r the slow, leisurely, languid ty!e?"
"'# not listening."
"s he a #oaner?"
"Has the #ail arri$ed?"
"2oes he talk to you? '# sure he does.%hat does he say?"
",abs+" Kyla shouted to sto! the barrage of questions. "%e ha$en't had a con$ersation
this ridiculous since we were in the eighth grade."
""nd then you told #e e$erything."
"'$e grown u!. %hy don't you?"
"You e$en told #e what 3ichard's kisses were like when you first kissed hi#. 'an't you at
least tell #e that #uch?%hat are Tre$or's kisses like."
"ndescribable," Kyla said truthfully. "(ow can we !lease change the sub4ect?"
"6ne #ore thing."
*ighing, Kyla crossed her ar#s o$er her chest and feigned boredo#. "%hat?"
"s he !ositi$ely breathtaking naked?"
Kyla swallowed. Then, because she couldn't e$en i#agine what ,abs's reaction would be
if she told her she didn't know, she si#!ly retorted, "%hat do you think?"
"nd fro# that ,abs had to draw her own conclusions.
Chapter 11
They learned to li$e together. Kyla disco$ered that her husband e&isted on $ery little
slee!. He en4oyed staying u! late, but he was a 4o$ial, early riser. *he had always dreaded
getting u! in the #orning whether she had sle!t three hours or thirteen. Tre$or learned to
gi$e her a wide berth in the #ornings until she had had at least one cu! of coffee.
He was !rone to dra!e clothes o$er the nearest !iece of furniture as he disrobed, and to
scatter sections of the news!a!er as he finished with the#, and to lea$e e#!ty glasses on
end tables. ,ut he was also conscientious about !icking u! after hi#self and hel!ing her with
household chores without e$en being asked.
The first week they were #arried, Kyla wore herself out trying to kee! "aron quiet and
well5beha$ed around Tre$or. He wasn't accusto#ed to ha$ing a young child underfoot. *he
was afraid "aron's constant acti$ity and incessant racket would disturb hi#.
,ut Tre$or ne$er showed signs of irritation, not e$en when "aron was beha$ing at his
worst. He s!ent a great deal of what !sychologists called "quality ti#e" with the child, doing
e$erything fro# !laying with hi# on the deck while she !re!ared dinner, to reading hi#
books, to bathing hi# when she had both hands full. "s for being a good father, Kyla could
find no fault with Tre$or 3ule.
"s for his being a good husband, she could find little to co#!lain about either. He was
considerate and good5natured. 0ach night he left her alone in the #aster suite while he
sle!t in the guest bedroo#. He e&ercised no #odesty in changing clothes in front of her.
6ften one sur!rised the other in $arious stages of undress by o!ening the wrong door at the
wrong ti#e. *uch scenes ne$er failed to disconcert Kyla, but Tre$or see#ed to take the# in
stride.
He was generous with his e#braces and kisses, too. "nyone would think they were a
ha!!ily #arried cou!le #adly in lo$e with each other. He would frequently sli! his ar#s
around her fro# behind and nu))le her neck, co#!li#enting her on her hair or her
co#!le&ion or her figure. He ne$er asked !er#ission for a kiss, but took the# as his due.
6ften his good5night kisses were so tantali)ing that as she closed herself u! in the bedroo#
alone, she would curse herself for a fool.
"He's #y husband. owe hi# con4ugal rights. "nd if being with hi# would alle$iate
this 4ittery feeling inside #e, why not?"
Then she would o!en the drawer in the bedside table where she had !laced 3ichard's
!icture. ?*he had had enough sensiti$ity toward Tre$or's feelings not to dis!lay it o!enly.@
Ga)ing down into the belo$ed face, she would !ro#ise hi# again that he still li$ed in her
heart, that she would ne$er betray his #e#ory by falling in lo$e with another #an, and that
he would always be her true husband.
,ut her body wasn't so easily con$inced. "s she lay alone in that wide, e#!ty bed, it
wasn't 3ichard's face that haunted her, but Tre$or's. His s#ile. His hair. His rugged, sun
baked features. His kiss. "ll $i$id.
"s the days #erged into weeks, that 4ittery agitation inside her continued to brew until,
like all boiling kettles, it had to blow.
t ha!!ened after a !articularly arduous day in which she had haggled with a wholesaler
in 2allas who had billed her for a shi!#ent of roses that .etal .ushers had ne$er recei$ed. To
to! that, she had argued with ,abs o$er her offer to kee! "aron for the weekend while Kyla
and Tre$or treated the#sel$es to a 2allas hotel's weekend getaway !ackage.
" think you need the ti#e away. You look like a tightro!e walker who has 4ust lost her
knack for it," ,abs had obser$ed badgeringly. " kee! waiting for you to lose your balance
and
fall off."
"'# fine."
"*o#ething is wrong with you, and intend to find out what it is, if ha$e to ask
Tre$or."
"2on't you dare+" Kyla shouted, s!inning around to confront her friend. "*tay out of
#y business, ,abs."
*he regretted her shar! words the #o#ent they left her #outh and a!ologi)ed for the#.
,ut for the rest of the day, ,abs was sulky. Tre$or had offered to !ick "aron u! at his
daycare
center, but the 4ob of #arketing fell to her. *he couldn't find e$erything she needed
because the clerk had rearranged the shel$esB the lines were i#!ossibly long and the checkers
incredibly slow. *e$eral ti#es she was te#!ted to lea$e the groceries in her basket and walk
out without the#.
,y the ti#e she arri$ed ho#e, she was !hysically and e#otionally e&hausted. To sa$e
herself a tri! back to the car, she tried to carry all three grocery sacks at one ti#e. *he was
4uggling the#as she ste!!ed u! onto the deck and headed for the back door.
Her turbulent #ood wasn't i#!ro$ed by the sight that greeted her. Tre$or was lounging
in the hot tub, a cold beer near his hand. "nd "aron. ""aron+" she cried angrily. "%hat
in the hell is this$"
"This," Tre$or said, s#iling, as yet unaware of her bad te#!er, "is !udding !ainting. The
teacher at the school said he lo$ed it, so decided to try it out at ho#e."
Her child, who was sitting at the s#all table Tre$or had bought for hi# and !laced in the
shade on the deck, was co$ered fro# head to toe in dark sticky goo that Kyla was
#onu#entally relie$ed to learn was chocolate !udding.
Thankfully, he was wearing only his dia!er. His chubby hands were scoo!ing the
!udding out of a bowl and sla!!ing it onto the sheet of butcher !a!er Tre$or had !ro$ided
for hi#. He s#eared it around, then raised his hand to his face and licked the !udding fro#
between his fingers. "!!arently that wasn't the first ti#e his sto#ach had taken !recedence
o$er his artistic endea$ors. His face was co$ered with !udding. He s#iled at her through the
chocolate #ess and chattered so#ething.
" think he said 'bird,'" Tre$or e&!lained. ""t least that's what suggested he !aint a
!icture of." "He's filthy+" Kyla cried.
*he could feel her anger rising as surely as the #ercury in a ther#o#eter. Knowing it
was unreasonable to get so u!set o$er !ractically nothing, she nonetheless couldn't control
the ine$itable eru!tion of her te#!er.
"He'll wash," Tre$or said !leasantly. ,ut between his arching brows a 7 had for#ed and
was dee!ening, "The teacher said it was a $ery creati$e e&ercise for hi#."
"The teacher doesn't ha$e to clean u! the #ess," she retorted $itu!erati$ely. ""nd
neither do you. 'll be the one who has to. 6r didn't you and teacher get around to
discussing that in the co)y little chat you no doubt had together?"
*he stalked to the sliding glass door and tried to wedge her foot through a crack so she
could o!en it. t wouldn't budge and with her hands full of the grocery sacks, which were
beginning to sag under the sli!!ing contents inside, she was hel!less.
/inally, gritting her teeth, she looked at her husband. " hate to interru!t your bubble bath,
Tre$or," she said with brittle sweetness, "but think the least you could is get out of the hot
tub and hel! #e."
""ny other ti#e, Kyla, but."
"%ell, ne$er #ind then+" she shouted. "'ll do it all #yself."
He shot out of the hot tub then, angry and.
(aked.
His feet sla!!ed against the redwood decking, slinging water with each long stride. Kyla
stood rooted to the s!ot, e$en when he reached her and yanked the grocery sacks fro# her
ar#s. He secured all three of the# in one fist and slid o!en the glass door with such i#!etus
that it rocked in its track. Heedless of both his nakedness and the water he was dri!!ing
e$erywhere he stor#ed into the kitchen and $irtually slung the sacks of groceries onto the
tiled counterto!.
Then, with one hand !ro!!ed on his hi! and his right knee slightly bent in an arrogant,
belligerent stance, he turned to face her. *he read his e&!ression loud and clear. f she could
ha$e ca!tioned it, it would ha$e said, "%ell, you asked for it, lady."
/urious with herself for #aking such a scene and furious with hi# for letting her, she
fled into the bedroo# and rattled e$ery !ane of glass in the house when she sla##ed the
door behind her.
""# still in the doghouse?"
2usk was thick and !ur!le 4ust beyond the !lantation shutters on the bedroo# windows.
Kyla lay on her side, her knees drawn u! to her chest. "fter a long bout of crying, she had
showered and !ut on her nightgown. The sheet was !ulled as high as her waist. Her cheek
was
resting on her hands, which were folded, !al#s together.
*he raised her head slightly. Tre$or was at the door, !eeking around it as though he
#ight be !elted with flying ob4ects if he dared go any farther into the roo#. "(o. '# sorry."
He ca#e in. He was dressed in nothing but a !air of cutoffs and Kyla closed her eyes
before returning her head to the !illow. "ll too well she re#e#bered how his body had
looked, soaking wet, the sunlight flickering through the trees and falling onto e$ery sil$er
ri$ulet that trickled down through that forest of hair on his chest. *he recalled the hard,
corded #uscles of his sto#ach, the length of his li#bs, the i#!ressi$e se& nestled in a
thatch of dark hair.
*he had we!t hot, bitter tears of regret.regret because she had noticed 4ust how
#agnificent his nakedness was, regret that in s!ite of her best intentions she wanted hi#,
and regret that she had denied hi# to herself for so long. (ow she felt the #attress sink
with his weight as he lay down behind her and cur$ed his body around hers. His fingers
sifted through her hair, lifting stray curls off her cheek. He arranged the loose strands on
the !illow 4ust so. His #inistrations were soothing.
"Hard day?" His breath was war# and soft in her ear.
"" bitch."
He chuckled. "Then guess you weren't ready to see your son looking like so#ething
out of a #instrel show, were you?"
wasn"t ready to see you rising out of that hot tub like a male version of 6enus, either.
"'# sorry #ade such a fuss. t was a co#bination of things."
He was !ro!!ed on his right elbow, leaning o$er her. His inde& finger swe!t back and forth
o$er her cheek. "(ow you understand why didn't 4u#! out of the hot tub to hel! you with
your load right away."
"Yes."
" wasn't e&!ecting you ho#e so early or would ha$e already been out and had "aron
bathed and ready for su!!er."
"t wasn't your fault, Tre$or. (one of it. t was #ine." *he sighed. " don't feel well
and."
"%hat's wrong?" He was instantly alert, his body tensing behind hers.
"(othing."
"*o#ething. "re you sick? Tell #e."
*he turned her head u! and back and stared at hi# in a way that con$eyed her #essage.
"6h," he said in a chagrined $oice. "That."
"Yes, that." *he turned to her original !osition.
"%hen?"
" disco$ered it when ca#e in. should ha$e known. was acting like such a $i!er."
"You're forgi$en." He touched her tentati$ely, laying his hand in the shallow of her
waist. "2o you... does it hurt?"
"*o#e."
"2id you take anything?"
"" cou!le of as!irin."
"%ill that hel!?"
"" little."
"(ot #uch?"
"(o. t has to wear off."
" see."
1o$ing slowly, he eased down the sheet. The nightgown was short and had narrow
stra!s. t was #ade out of so#e thin, white #aterial that re#inded hi# of his #ost e&!ensi$e
handkerchiefs. There were flowers, white also, e#broidered on the he#. ,eneath it, he could
see the outline of white !anties. *he looked $ulnerable, $irginal, and his loins began to ache
with desire.
He touched her waist again. *he didn't stir. Gradually he slid his hand down and around,
gi$ing her ti#e to !rotest.%hen she didn't, he !ressed his !al# war#ly o$er the lower !art of
her abdo#en. "There?"
"9h5huh."
1o$ing his hand in slow circles, he #assaged her. ",etter?" *he nodded.
".oor baby." He kissed her te#!le lo$ingly. *he sighed and her eyes closed slee!ily.
"Tre$or?' "H##?"
"Ha$e you e$er li$ed with a wo#an?"
His hand !aused, but so #o#entarily that the hesitation was barely discernible. "(o,
why?"
"Then what do you know about this?"
"6nly that '# glad don't ha$e to go through it e$ery #onth."
%ithout o!ening her eyes, she s#iled. "Ty!ical #ale answer."
",ut honest." He took a lo$e bite out of her bare shoulder.
*he didn't actually think about #o$ing her legs. " #essage to the# wasn't consciously
trans#itted. They 4ust #o$ed, unfolding away fro# her body, straightening and !ro$iding
hi#
greater access to her swollen, cra#!ing tu##y.
"2id you and "aron #anage dinner without #e?"
"-ike clockwork."
"%hat did you do?"
"%ell," he said, sliding his legs against hers, catching the backs of her knees with his and
filling her inste!s with his toes, "first hosed hi# down to get all the chocolate !udding off."
*he laughed. ",y the way, a!!ro$e of the idea of !udding !ainting. He was certainly
ha$ing a good ti#e. 6n any other day, !robably would ha$e !ut on a swi#suit and 4oined
hi#."
""s we both know by now, you had a right to be out of sorts."
" shouldn't ha$e yelled at you." " liked the !art about "aron's teacher and #e ha$ing
a 'co)y little chat.' The way you said it #ade #e think you #ight be 4ealous." This ti#e his
#outh found her ear. His tongue delicately stroked the lobe. "That's so soft. " little fu))y."
"Go on," she said in a breathy $oice.
" forget where was."
"You... you... h##... You, uh, hosed hi# down."
"6h, right, yeah, and then fi&ed his dinner."
"%hat did he eat?"
"His fa$orite."
"Hot dogs?"
"9h5huh."
"%ithout the buns?"
"6f course." He kissed her neck and she #oaned softly. "To#orrow #orning the birds in
our woods will ha$e three hot dog buns for breakfast. ho!e they like #ustard."
" low laugh issued fro# her throat and she didn't know whether it was because of his
4oke or because his #ustache was dusting the colu#n of her neck as if it were an ob4ect #ade
of rare !orcelain. "2id you."
" know what you're going to ask and yes, did. watched "aron take e$ery bite and
#ade sure he chewed it."
"Thank you." Her #outh searched for his.
"You're welco#e." His li!s found hers.
The kiss acted like a s!ark at the end of two $ery short fuses. He ground his #outh
against hers hungrily and her li!s !arted for the introduction of his tongue. Her body
followed
her head around until theywere lying face to face.
Her ar#s locked around his shoulders. The ti!s of her breasts strained against the front
of her nightgown until they touched the furry wall of his chest. He !ressed her down,
co$ering a side of her body with his own.
"Kyla, you."
"Tre$or, ."
"%hat?"
"Tre$or?"
/ro# the bed ca#e sounds. Gratified groans. The silky shifting of linens. *oughing
breaths. ncoherent whis!ers.%hi#!ers of !leasure. The #usic of #ating.
His hands #o$ed with restless greed. He touched her thighsB for a fleeting second her calf
filled his !al#. He ran his fingers along her fragile collarbone. He cu!!ed her breast.
""hh." Her back arched and she tore her #outh free of his kiss.
"%hat's the #atter?" "t's tender."
"6h. didn't... it is?"
"Yes." "'# sorry."
"(o, it... actually it felt good." "t did?"
"6h, yes," she sighed as he gently caressed her again.
"-ike that?"
"H##."
""nd the ni!!les?"
"Yes, yes."
"Tell #e, if."
,ut he ne$er finished the sentence, because her fingers wo$e the#sel$es through his hair
and drew his head down for another a$aricious kiss.
%hen it ended, he lowered his head. t #o$ed fro# side to side ardently !ressing hot,
rando# kisses into her breasts. His hands for#ed a brace for her ribs. He shifted her
beneath hi#. His knee se!arated hers. The nightgown was !ushed to her waist. *he tucked
his hard thigh high between hers. *he #o$ed against it. 3otating. 3ubbing. 3eaching.
"0amn!"
He lay ato! her, his breath thrashing like a strong wind in her ear. *he could feel the
ra!id thudding of his heart where his chest crushed hers. ,etween his !owerful hands, he was
holding her head i##obile. His fe$ered face was buried in her hair.
"2on't #o$e, sweetheart."
"%hat is it?"
".lease don't #o$e, #y lo$e," he groaned. ",e still for 4ust a #inute."
*he did as he asked. *e$eral #o#ents later, he slowly raised his head. His face was
infinitely sweet and his e&!ression co#!assionate. 6ne corner of his #ustache crawled u! to
for# a rueful grin. "%ouldn't you know it? get you 4ust where want you and it's the wrong
night."
0#barrassed, her eyes fell away fro# his face. He kissed her cheek and #o$ed away,
co#ing off the bed co#!letely. ,ending at the waist, he laid his !al# against her flushed
cheek. ""re you all right?"
*he wasn't in !ain, e&ce!t for the lower !art of her body, which was aching abo#inably,
and not with the #iseries of #enstruation. " feel better," she said inanely.
He straightened and unco#fortably shifted his weight fro# one foot to the other. His
fingers raked strands of ebony hair off his forehead. "You ski!!ed su!!er. "re you hungry?"
"(o. 2id you eat?"
" nibbled. '# fine." They looked at each other briefly, then away, reali)ing at the sa#e
ti#e how banal this con$ersation was after the !assion that had seethed between the# only
#o#ents ago. "%ell, 'll lea$e you alone now. Good night."
He turned and headed for the door. The #uscles of his back ri!!led beneath the s#ooth
skin. The cutoffs glo$ed his buttocks.
"Tre$or?"
He s!un around. "%hat?"
"You..." 0on"t stop now. 1ou"ve gone this far. *he swallowed her !ride and her better
4udg#ent. "You don't ha$e to go."
Tre$or looked at his wife. *he was !ro!!ed u! on her elbows. The nightgown's
e#broidered he# was riding her u!!er thighs. Her tousled hair was tu#bling o$er her
shoulders like s!un !ink gold. His kisses had left her li!s wet and berry5colored. The fabric
of her nightgown was da#! where his #outh had been. t clung to her breasts, trans!arently
#olding to the ti!s, which were #aking rosy in$erted di#!les against the soft white fabric.
He gri#aced and rubbed his #oist !al#s down the legs of his cutoffs. "Yeah, do.
ha$e to go. f stay..."
f he touched her again there would be no sto!!ing hi# fro# consu##ating his
#arriage and quenching his raging desire. Hell, he wasn't fastidious. ,ut the first ti#e
they #ade lo$e, he didn't want her to feel e#barrassed or unco#fortable or to regret it for
any reason.
",ut hold the thought," he added on a husky whis!er seconds before he left the roo#.
"aron was already in his high chair and Tre$or was turning stri!s of bacon in a si))ling
skillet when Kyla warily a!!roached the kitchen the following #orning.
"Good #orning, baby." *he leaned down to kiss "aron. He affectionately bo!!ed her on
the nose with a soggy !iece of bacon. "Thanks a lot," she #uttered.
"t was either get hi# u! or let hi# 4u#! in his bed until all the s!rings broke," Tre$or
said, taking the skillet off the burner and #o$ing toward her. "Thank you for seeing to
hi#." "1y !leasure."
He clas!ed her waist lightly and drew her forward. He ga$e her one of those #orning
kisses that s#elled like after5sha$e and tasted like teeth recently brushed. Kyla wouldn't ha$e
#inded if it had lasted longer, but after s#acking another quick kiss on her #outh, he said,
"*it down. You #ust be star$ing."
*he glanced worriedly at the clock. "'$e got to hurry. o$ersle!t."
"Take your ti#e. called ,abs and told her not to e&!ect you on ti#e this #orning.
"aron's school isn't e&!ecting hi# until around ten."
He set a !latter of bacon and ho#e#ade waffles in front of her and sent her sali$ary glands
into deliriu#. " a# star$ing."
"How are you otherwise?" He bent down and slid his hand !ast her waist. "Tu##y
still hurt?"
"t's #uch better."
""nd here?" He !al#ed her breast and gently rolled her ni!!le between his thu#b and
finger.
*he could barely breathe and gas!ed out, "/ine.. .#uch fine... #ean #uch better."
"That's good." He kissed the to! of her head and sat down across fro# her. %hile she
fu#bled with her na!kin and tried to re#e#ber how to use a fork, he buttered a waffle for
"aron and slid the !late onto the high chair's tray. "Here, *cout. "ttack."
They laughed at the child's atrocious table #anners and Kyla re#arked, "%e'$e got to start
doing so#ething about that." %hen she reali)ed she had included Tre$or in that state#ent,
#aking the "we" sound so !er#anent, she glanced u! at hi#. His e&!ression was war#
and flooded her body with a golden heat. "How did you slee!?" he asked. *he noticed that
his fingers were so long and strong that they barely fitted in the crook of the coffee #ug's
handle. Yet they could be so gentle when they touched her body, as they had been only
#o#ents ago. Getting a bite of waffle !ast her thickening throat was no s#all task, but
when she did she answered, "/airly well."
*he had drea#ed of hi# and awakened !ers!iring, with her heart !ounding and her breath
co#ing in short, ra!id bursts. "t least she could now satisfy ,abs's curiosity and tell her
without any e&aggeration that Tre$or was breathtaking naked. G
" didn't slee! too well last night," he said.
"'# sorry. %hat was wrong?" He had certainly taken her breath when he ca#e out of
that hot tub. His chest and thighs and."t was too hard."
Kyla's fork clattered to her !late and when she reached for it, she knocked o$er her
orange 4uice. "aron !ointed and said, "9h5oh+ 9h5oh+"
Tre$or scra!ed back his chair and lunged for a dish towel. He blotted it against the
s!reading !uddle of 4uice. " was referring to the bed in the guest roo#."
"%hat?" Kyla's head swi$eled around. His #ustache was twitching with his need to
laugh. "The bed was too hard."
Her cheeks were bathed with hot color. Thankfully she was s!ared further
e#barrass#ent when the tele!hone rang. Tre$or answered it. "2ad+" he e&clai#ed.
Kyla lifted "aron, who had !olished off his waffle in record ti#e, onto her la!. He
reached for the food left on her !late and between her kisses, he ate that as well. *he
glanced at Tre$or, who was s#iling broadly into the recei$er.
"*ure, no !roble#. %hat ti#e... ? /or how long... ? s that all.5..? %ell, that's better
than nothing.... 6kay, we'll be there. ,ye." He hung u!.
"Your father?"
"He's flying down today to s!end the night with us. That's all right with you, isn't it?"
"'ertainly. know you were disa!!ointed that he couldn't co#e down for the
wedding."
" want hi# to #eet you and "aron. He can only stay one night and then he has to #ake
a tri! to -.". for so#e case he's working on." He !o!!ed a !iece of bacon into his #outh and
chewed $igorously. " want to dri$e hi# around town and show hi# so#e of #y
buildings. You know we.*ay, '# sorry. didn't #ean to get carried away."
"ctually she was en4oying his enthusias#. "Go on," she urged. "%hat were you about to
say?"
"%e didn't get along $ery well. (ot until after #y accident."
"He wanted you to be a lawyer?"
""nd had other ideas. ,ut while was in the hos!ital, we ca#e to an understanding and
now e$erything's great between us."
Her s#ile was genuine. ""re you dri$ing to 2allas to !ick hi# u!?"
"f you don't #ind. He ga$e #e his flight nu#ber. thought we'd all ha$e dinner in the
city."
""aron included?" she asked worriedly.
"6f course, "aron included. He's !art of this fa#ily." He scoo!ed the child out of her
ar#s and held hi# high o$er his head. "aron squealed in delight. "2ad lo$es to eat talian."
He na#ed a fa#ous 2allas restaurant. "*hould call and #ake reser$ations?"
*he hated to da#!en his e&cite#ent, but a!!arently he didn't reali)e what a risk it was to
take a fifteen5#onth5old child to a sedate restaurant for a leisurely #eal. " don't know if
that's a good idea, Tre$or. '# not sure they welco#e children there."
"Hey, if they don't want our kid in their restaurant, we'll take our business elsewhere."
/ro# the #aitre d' to the lowliest dishwasher, e$eryone in the fa#ily establish#ent was
char#ed by the three #en, George 3ule, Tre$or and "aron. Kyla's an&iety was all for naught
because Tre$or had s!oken with the #aitre d' !ersonally when #aking the reser$ation and
the staff was !re!ared for "aron before the !arty arri$ed.
Her initial #eeting with Tre$or's father, a#idst the confusion at the air!ort, had gone
#ore s#oothly than Kyla had had any right to e&!ect. "t first "aron was shy with the tall,
white5haired #an with the authoritati$e $oice. ,ut no #ore so than George was with the
child.
2eliberately Tre$or seated the# in the back seat of the car together and by the ti#e they
reached the restaurant, located in 2allas's !restigious Turtle Greek area, the two were fast
friends. n fact it was George who carried "aron inside and showed hi# off to e$eryone as
his
grandson.
"Tre$or tells #e 'll #iss #eeting your !arents," George said on the dri$e back to
'handler.
"%e got a !ostcard fro# the# yesterday fro# Yellowstone," Kyla said. "They're ha$ing
the ti#e of their li$es." *he e&!lained to George that the .owerses had sold their house
within
days of her #arriage to Tre$or. %hat furnishings Kyla didn't want, they had sold at auction.
Tre$or had hel!ed 'lif !ick out the #otor ho#e that best suited their needs. 1eg had
furnished it with the giddy e&cite#ent of a little girl with a new dollhouse. Two weeks later
they had left.
"*he gets ho#esick for the#," Tre$or said teasingly, reaching across the front seat to
tug on a lock of Kyla's hair. "They s!oiled her rotten." "*o do you."
His head swung around. *he had been as sur!rised as he to hear herself #ake that
state#ent, but she reali)ed after $ocali)ing it that it was the truth. Tre$or glanced out the
windshield to #ake sure he wasn't endangering the#, then looked at Kyla again.
"'# glad. That's what want to do."
They continued staring at one another until George coughed loudly and said, "
don't know about you, "aron, but '# beginning to feel like a fifth wheel."
There was enough daylight left when they reached 'handler for Tre$or to walk George
through so#e of the building !ro4ects he was working on. Kyla re#ained in the car, watching
their silhouettes #o$e against the darkening sky. Tre$or had hefted "aron to his shoulders
where the boy rode, his legs straddling Tre$or's neck. They#ade a !oignant !icture.
",ut that should be 3ichard," Kyla whis!ered, fighting the tears that blurred her eyes.
*he we!t because she couldn't con$ince herself of it. f the #an should be 3ichard, why
did it look so right for her son's fat fists to be trustingly, clenching handfuls of Tre$or's black
hair? %hy did it touch her heart so achingly to see Tre$or swing "aron down carefully and
unabashedly gi$e hi# a hearty hug? "nd why did she want to feel those sa#e strong ar#s
holding her?
George was 4ustifiably i#!ressed with the house and hea!ed unqualified !raise on his
son. Kyla carried "aron off to bed and after a brief $isit with George, e&cused herself to gi$e
Tre$or and his father so#e ti#e alone.
"'$e got a bruise on #y shin the si)e of a fifty5cent !iece," George said. ""ny
!articular reason why you kicked #e under the table when #entioned your stint in the
1arines?"
Tre$or had been glad Kyla was in$ol$ed wi!ing s!aghetti sauce off "aron's #outh and
had #issed his father's ino!!ortune co##ent at dinner. "'d rather Kyla not know about
that. *he doesn't know how got hurt."
""ny of it?"
"(o."
"H##."
Tre$or knew his father well enough to know that e$en a "H##" was ne$er casually
s!oken. "You certainly fell in lo$e and #arried quickly, didn't you?"
"s that so odd?"
"/or you it is." His son looked at hi# shar!ly and George s#iled. "Your re!utation
with wo#en reached e$en your ol' dad's ears, Tre$or. This sudden ro#ance is out of
character."
They were sitting out on the deck in the co#fortable chaise lounges. George was !uffing
on a cigar, which his doctor had ad$ised hi# to gi$e u!. Tre$or was glad the darkness
co$ered his uneasiness. He didn't like the direction the con$ersation had taken. " lo$e her,
2ad."
" don't doubt that now that '$e seen you with her. t's 4ust strange that '*#ooch,' as
your buddies used to call you, fell so hard and so fast."
"'$e been in lo$e with her for a long ti#e," Tre$or said, al#ost beneath his breath.
George rolled the cigar between his fingers, studying its glowing ti!. "*he wouldn't ha$e
anything to do with those letters you !ored o$er and wouldn't let out of your sight while you
were in the hos!ital, would she?"
Tre$or should ha$e known better. (othing, not the #ost tri$ial scra! of e$idence, sli!!ed
!ast the shrewd George 3ule. To hi# nothing was insignificant. Tre$or got out of his chair
and walked to the edge of the deck. He !ro!!ed his shoulder against the wall and stared out
at the darkness as he had done weeks before while ru#inating on how to tell Kyla who he
was.
"2ad, '# going to tell you a story you're going to find hard to belie$e."
%hen he concluded his tale, se$eral !onderous #o#ents of silence followed. /inally
George said, " !ro#ised ne$er to interfere in your life again, Tre$or, but you're !laying with
fire."
" know," Tre$or ad#itted, turning around to face his father.
"How do you think this young wo#an is going to react when she learns the truth?"
Tre$or hung his head and slid his hands into his trouser !ockets. " hate to think about
it."
"%ell, you'd better think about it," the older #an warned, "because she will find out."
He !ulled hi#self to his feet and ground out his cigar in the ashtray Tre$or had !ro$ided for
hi#. -aying a hand on Tre$or's shoulder, he said, ",ut who knows? t #ight work out. f
you lo$e her enough."
" do."
"2oes she lo$e you?"
Tre$or hesitated, his eyes slicing toward the darkened #aster bedroo# windows. "
think she #ight be co#ing to. 6r #aybe she's 4ust getting used to ha$ing #e around. Hell,
don't know."
George s#iled. Then his fond ga)e rested on the eye !atch and he was re#inded once
again of how $aluable his son was to hi# and how close he had co#e to losing hi#. 1oisture
gathered in his eyes and he !ulled Tre$or forward for a fiercely e#otional, if short5li$ed,
e#brace. ""fter what you went through, son, you deser$e to be ha!!y."
"(o, 2ad," Tre$or said roughly o$er his father's shoulder, "after what she's been
through, she deser$es to be ha!!y."
*oon afterward they said their good5nights and George a#bled toward the guest roo#
where Tre$or had !laced his suitcase.
Tre$or a!!roached the door to the #aster suite with the dawdling, shuffling footste!s of a
boy who had been sent to the !rinci!al's office. His sto#ach was doing hands!rings. His
heart was thudding.
8ust what the hell was wrong with hi#? %as he e&cited at the thought of her welco#ing
hi# into bed? 6r frightened at the thought of her re4ection?
/rightened? 6f a wo#an weighing no #ore than one hundred and ten !ounds? 2on't be
ridiculous.
Then why are you standing out here like a moron, staring at this door with your stomach
in knots and your heart pounding and your palms sweating and your groin...
&h, #od, no, don"t think about your groin.
%ere his knees really shaking?%hy, for God's sake?
He was a grown #an, not a schoolboy. This was his house. He had built it. He had
financed it. He had a right to slee! in any da#n roo# he !leased.
*he was his wife, wasn't she? "nd yeah, he had been s!oiling her for the !ast few weeks.
He'd walked around on eggshells, doing and saying e$erything he could to !lease her and
nothing that #ight u!set her.
Hadn't she been !leased when he installed her old re!ainted swing set in the backyard
for "aron? Hadn't she been !leased when he built that sandbo&? "nd hadn't she laughed
when he engaged her in a tickling #atch as soon as they had filled it with soft, cool sand?
"nd hadn't she returned the kiss that wrestling #atch had resulted in?
Hell, yes she had+ His nickna#e hadn't been *#ooch for nothing, you know.
,ut he hadn't carried that or any other kiss further than he thought she wanted it to go.
He had been acting like a lackey to win her a!!ro$al. He'd slunk around with his tail between
his legs until it was getting da#ned unco#fortable. %ell, it was high ti#e he started letting
her know that he was the #an in the fa#ily and that as such, by God, he had so#e rights+
The door burst o!en under his hand and he closed it with a resounding sla#. Kyla
bolted u!right in bed and clutched the sheet to her breasts. "Tre$or? %hat's ha!!ened?
%hat's wrong?"
"(othing's wrong. "ll right, 'll tell you what's wrong," he snarled as he stalked into the
roo#, ar#ed to the teeth with righteous indignation. "1y dad is slee!ing in the guest roo#.
*o for tonight,1rs. 3ule, we share this bed."
Chapter 1$
"ll right."
Her softly s!oken concession effecti$ely disar#ed hi#. His inflated wrath went as flat as a
fallen souffle. He rolled his shoulders to collect hi#self. "%ell, good," he said tersely. "'#
glad you see it like that."
/or so#e reason, her obliging conciliation only ser$ed to #ake hi# #adder. He didn't
need her to !atroni)e hi#. (o, sir+
He tore off his clothes with 4erky, angry !ulls and !okes and !unches. 6ne by one the
gar#ents were slung away fro# hi#. They were left where$er they ha!!ened to fall.%hen he
was down to his briefs, he yanked back the co$ers and thrust his feet between the sheets.
"fter brutali)ing the !illow with his fist, he ground his head down into it.
"Good night."
"Good night, Tre$or."
He turned his back to her, rocking the entire bed while he ad4usted hi#self into a
co#fortable !osition with all the querulousness of a fairy5tale giant.
There! #uess ! showed her.
f that were the case, why was it his body that was stiff and burning with lust? %hy was
it his heart that ached with lo$e denied release?
Kyla awakened to find hi# watching her. He lay on his side facing her, his tousled dark
head !illowed on a bent elbow. *ilent and still, the only !art of hi# that #o$ed was that
single
green eye that wandered o$er her face and hair as though cataloging e$ery detail.
*he didn't reali)e she had lifted her hand until she saw it #o$e into her range of $ision.
-ightly she touched the black eye !atch. "You ne$er take it off."
" don't want you to see it."
"%hy?"
"t's so ugly."
"t wouldn't #atter to #e."
"'urious?"
"(o. *ad. was 4ust thinking how !retty your eye is and what a sha#e it is that the other
one was lost." "'# grateful that one was s!ared."
"That goes without saying."
"f for no other reason than for this #o#ent. wouldn't trade looking at your face right
now for anything in the world." His $oice was rough with e#otion.
Kyla's throat ached with the need to cry. Her hand #o$ed fro# his eye !atch down
to his #ustache. Her fingers coasted o$er it lightly. Then she touched his u!!er li!.
Tre$or's breath hit the back of his throat. Heat filled his se&.
*he had ne$er touched his face. (ow she engaged in an orgy of touching. The bones in
his lean, dark face were !ronounced. His brow bone 4utted o$er his eyesockets. The
wingsha!ed
brows were sleek and thick. " bristly beard stubble co$ered the lower half of his
face. His #ustache, which her fingers couldn't lea$e alone, was a#a)ingly soft. %ith her
fingernail, she languidly traced the sha!e of his lower li!.
",e careful, Kyla."
*he withdrew her finger a fraction. "%hy?"
",ecause for al#ost se$en hours ha$e been lying here wanting you. 2o you understand?"
*he nodded. " don't think it's too s#art of you to touch #e now. 9nless..."
He left the condition uns!oken, but they both knew what it was.
6utside, bright sunlight was already filtering through the leafy branches of the trees and
casting wa$ering !atterns against the closed shutters. ,irds were chir!ing ha!!ily. *quirrels
chased each other through the u!!er branches. ,utterflies flitted fro# flower to flower.
3ed5birds and blue4ays looked like brightly feathered arrows as they darted a#ong the trees.
The acti$ity in the bedroo# was considerably less ob$ious, but no less energetic.
0#otions seethed between the# like huge swells in the "tlantic. -onging was so thick it was
!al!able, desire so !otent it could be breathed. f auras could be seen, the air around the#
would ha$e shi##ered with a red glow of #ounting !assion.
Her body didn't de#onstrate its longing as blatantly as his, but she suffered fro# the
sa#e affliction. "t that #o#ent, Kyla thought of nothing #ore than satisfying her need to
be cosseted, caressed, co$ered, co#!leted.
*he touched his lower li! again.
n one fluid #otion, he brought the# together, !ositioned her beneath hi# and
ca!tured her #outh in a hot, hungry kiss. Hard and bold, his #anhood sought the heart of her
fe#ininity. /ound it. /a$ored it with urgent caresses.
"God, want you." He frantically gro!ed for the he# of her nightgown. Her hands
!lucked at the elastic waistband of his briefs. 6ne hand sli!!ed inside and touched the taut
cur$e of his buttock.
Groaning, his #outh found her ni!!le and closed around it while he en4oyed the
silky s#oothness of her !anties and the contours they confined. *he sighed his na#e and
raised her knees. His fingers sli!!ed into the waistband of her !anties.
The bedroo# door flew o!en and with the i#!etus of a #iniature cyclone, "aron ca#e
bounding into the roo#. He was chattering as raucously as were the blue4ay and squirrel
outside.
The breath leaked out of Tre$or's body in a slow steady hiss, relie$ing the tension in his
chest. He !ressed his forehead against Kyla's and wished he could relie$e the !ressure in his
loins as easily. " laugh began dee! inside hi# and left his li!s on an e&!ulsion of air against
Kyla's #outh. "3e#ind #e to throttle hi# later."
Kyla, too, was feeling the agony of forcibly subduing !assion. *ighing, she !ressed her
face into the war#th of Tre$or's neck. "f don't get to hi# first."
Tre$or rolled off her, but ke!t her locked in the security of his ar#s. Together they turned
their attention to "aron.
"He #ust ha$e talked his indulgent grandfather into releasing hi# fro# his crib,"
Tre$or obser$ed.
"ttuned to the adoration of his audience, "aron took center stage and !erfor#ed so#e of
his cutest tricks. Their laughter only encouraged hi#. %earing a sa!!y grin, he started
turning in slow circles. Heedless of their warnings that he was going to get di))y, he circled
faster until, drunk, he reached out to break his fall.
%hat his hand gras!ed was the decorati$e !ull of the bedside table drawer. Gra$ity
tugged at "aron and he was too di))y to counteract it. His botto# landed solidly on the
car!eted floor and the drawer ca#e out of its #ooring to dro! into his la!.
He wasn't hurt, but the two adults refle&i$ely sat u! when they saw that the ine$itable
was about to ha!!en. "aron stared at the# in stunned sur!rise, then glanced down at the
drawer lying in his la!.
The fra#ed eight5by5ten !icture of the 1arine in full dress unifor# was the only thing in
the drawer. "aron sla!!ed the nonglare glass with his hands and said, "2a. 2adadada." He
s#iled u! at his s!ectators, fully e&!ecting an o$ation for his brilliant !erfor#ance.
The ar#s still holding Kyla in a loose, affectionate e#brace went as hard as steel.
Gradually they released her. *he felt their war#th being taken fro# her by slow degrees.
Then, with one $iolent #otion, Tre$or ca#e off the bed on the far side and swe!t u! the
trousers he had left lying on the floor the night before. He sho$ed his legs into the# and
)i!!ed the# with a $icious tug as he strode toward the door.
"Tre$or, !lease+"
He s!un around, bare5chested, barefoot and furious. His 4aw was bunched with rage and
there was a cold glint in his eye as it took a bead on the wo#an now sitting u! in the bed, her
hair a #ess, her face !ale, her li!s tre#ulous, her eyes !leading.
" won't be a stand5in," he growled. ""s long as there's another #an li$ing inside your
skin, #ada#, there's no roo# for this." He crudely cu!!ed hi#self. His chin bobbed once
for e#!hasis before he stor#ed out.
"t's -ynn Haskell," Kyla re!orted, holding her hand o$er the #outh!iece of the
tele!hone recei$er. "*he's in$ited us to a !icnic at the lake on -abor 2ay. 2o you want to
go?"
t had been a week since George 3ule's $isit. The #ost #iserable week of Kyla's life. The
tension in the house crackled like old !a!er and was 4ust as fla##able. The sus!ense of not
knowing what would touch off the ine$itable conflagration was ner$e5racking in the e&tre#e.
Tre$or ne$er lost his te#!er, ne$er raised his $oice. Kyla would ha$e welco#ed it if he
had. He was rather like a brooding, dark thunderstor# that refused to break. t lurked
o$erhead, o#inous and threatening.
He treated her no less !olitely than he e$er had, but there had been a noticeable
sus!ension of his de#onstrations of affection. He rarely touched her, and then only out of
necessity. %ith "aron he beha$ed in the sa#e lo$ing way. %ith her, he was re#ote and
#echanical.
3hich was the way ! wanted it in the first place, she rushed to re#ind herself e$ery ti#e
she had a yearning for his brilliant s#ile... or a #eaningful glance... or a touch... or a
kiss.
(ow, in res!onse to her inquiry, he shrugged nonco##ittally. "'ll lea$e that u! to you,
Kyla.%hate$er you want to do."
*he shot hi# a withering look. He ignored it and bent back o$er the wooden !u))le with
the o$ersi)e !ieces that he was !atiently working with "aron for about the tenth ti#e that
e$ening.
*he couldn't kee! -ynn on the !hone indefinitely. *he had to tell her so#ething. ,ut
what? The Haskells were Tre$or's friends. %hether he said so or not, she was certain he
wanted to go. -ynn was too astute to see through a la#e e&cuse. Getting outside and
s!ending a
day at the lake would !robably be good for all of the#. Ho!efully it would relie$e so#e of
the tension.
"-ynn, we'd be delighted to 4oin you." /ro# the corner of her eye, she saw Tre$or glance
u! at her, but he i##ediately returned his attention to "aron. "%hat can bring? (o, no,
insist."
n$ariably, the first 1onday in *e!te#ber in Te&as was cloudless and blisteringly hot.
This -abor 2ay !ro$ed to be no different fro# its !redecessors.
"Kyla, they're here," Tre$or called fro# the front !orch where he had hauled their gear and
stood waiting with "aron. The Haskells had suggested that they all tra$el to the lake in their
$an since it would hold both fa#ilies and the !icnic !ara!hernalia as well.
"'o#ing." *he went through the house checking to see that doors were locked and that
she hadn't forgotten anything $ital. %hen she reached the front !orch, Tre$or and Ted were
loading the back of the $an and -ynn was gi$ing"aron a "!ony ride" on her knees.
"Hi. 'li#b aboard while there's still roo# for you," -ynn said, her holiday s!irit
showing.
2uring the dri$e to the lake Ted teased Kyla about her !acking. "f 'd known you were
going to bring along that#uch stuff, 'd ha$e rented a trailer."
*he wondered if the other cou!le noticed that she and Tre$or could banter and 4oke with
the#, but that they had little to say to each other.
He had dressed in faded cutoffs, 4ogging shoes in sore need of retire#ent and a gray
sweatshirt with the slee$es cut out. He had also enlarged the neck so that the cris!, dark !elt
on his chest filled the 4agged, une$en 7.
Kyla had !ulled her hair back into a !onytail. *he had worn a !air of old shorts o$er her
bikini trunks and had tied the tails of a #atching shirt at her waist. t ga!!ed o!en to re$eal
the bikini bra underneath. *he was glad she hadn't tried to look nice. ,y the ti#e they
reached
the lake, she had been #auled by "aron, who had caught the infectious holiday #ood fro#
the ra#bunctious Haskell children.
They reached the lake, found a s!ot they all agreed was !erfect and began the chore of
unloading the $an. %hen they were finished, Tre$or celebrated by taking a can of beer fro#
the cooler and gul!ing it down in three swallows.
He drank another to squelch the fla#es of desire that licked his belly when Kyla stri!!ed
down to her bikini after -ynn suggested that they work on their tans.
They trekked to the water's edge with the children. "aron s!lashed about ha!!ily and
wasn't satisfied until his #other had been showered with the cool lake water. %hen her
ni!!les !outed against the cold, Tre$or gru#bled a feeble e&cuse and went back to their
!icnic s!ot for another beer.
He carried it down to the lake and offered Kyla a drink. %hen she acce!ted it, she
accidentally touched his hand. "nd when her head tilted back, he wanted nothing #ore
than to o!en his #outh o$er her e&!osed throat.
%hile he and Ted stayed in the shallow water with the children, -ynn and Kyla
swa# out to the dock that was buoyed in dee!er water. Tre$or watched e$ery graceful
arc her ar#s #ade through the water. His ga)e was trained on her when she !ulled
herself u! the ladder. *tanding u! to wa$e to "aron, her slender body was silhouetted
against the su##er sky. %ater sheeted on her thighs and coursed down her flat tu##y.
"'ll be right back," Tre$or #uttered.
"%here are you going this ti#e?" Ted asked hi#, shading his eyes against the
sun and looking u! at Tre$or.
", uh, think "aron wants a cookie,"
He !icked u! "aron, who was !erfectly content !iling lake #ud onto his knees,
and carried hi# u! to the $an. "aron got a cookie and Tre$or drank another beer.
"fter a lunch that would ha$e fed a cara$an of gy!sies, the children na!!ed in the
shade. %hen they woke u!, e$eryone walked to the baseball dia#ond. The annual
citywide ''*kins and *hirts" ga#e was a tradition a#ong young business#en. "nybody
who wanted to !lay was to bring his equi!#ent and #eet at the dia#ond where they
were di$ided into tea#s.
Tre$or had 4ust one eye and he walked with a li#!, but #onths of !hysical thera!y
and a daily e&ercise !rogra# that he ke!t to religiously had !ut hi# in far better !hysical
sha!e than the !encil !ushers who had thirty or #ore !ounds of sedentary li$ing to
lose.
Kyla gnawed on the knuckle of her inde& finger when he ste!!ed to the !late in the
ninth inning. The *kins, the tea# both he and Ted were !laying for, were behind by
three. The bases were loaded. There were already two outs. t all de!ended on Tre$or.
He rose to the occasion, knocking in a grand sla# ho#e run.
Kyla, like e$eryone else rooting for the *kins, went wild. Tre$or recei$ed the hearty
congratulations of his tea##ates. Then he and Ted ca#e 4ogging toward their fa#ilies.
"You were great+" -ynn said enthusiastically to Tre$or.
"Hey, what about #e?" Ted asked, affecting hurt !ride.
"You were great, too." -ynn wound her ar#s around her husband's neck and kissed
hi# soundly.
" was holding #y breath," Kyla said, laughing e&citedly. "s she s#iled u! at
Tre$or, her face was bathed with sunlight and her eyes were squinting against the glare.
,ehind a thick screen of curling lashes, he could see that they were shining. Her hands
were !ressed against her chest as though she were trying to contain her 4ubilance.
"t was a lucky shot," he said #odestly.
They took hesitant ste!s toward each other. .aused. Then Kyla flung herself
against hi# and, co#ing u! on ti!toe, !ressed her #outh against his for a kiss befitting
the hero of the day.
Tre$or, reacting instincti$ely, wra!!ed his ar#s around her waist. The taste of her
delicious #outh for the first ti#e in o$er a week sent a shaft of !leasure s!earing
through hi#. t e&!loded like a fireball in the botto# of his belly. -ost in her taste,
drowning in it, his tongue thrust dee!. Heedless of the daylight, the crowd, e$erything,
his hands slid to her derriere and lifted her against his swelling #anhood.
*o#ething, !ossibly Ted ta!!ing hi# on the seat with his baseball glo$e, but
so#ething, re#inded hi# of where they were. He raised his head and, looking down at
Kyla, laughed shakily.
Kyla ga)ed u! at hi#, a bewildered e&!ression on her face. Her eyes were s#oky.
Her breasts were rising and falling ra!idly with each breath. Her li!s were red and wet
and slightly roughened by his #ustache. -ifting three fingers to the#, she touched the#
tentati$ely, as though they'd been scorched.
"3eady to get back?" Ted was standing with -ynn, their ar#s linked loosely around
each other's waists. 0ach had a child by the hand and "aron was terrori)ing a doodlebug
at their feet. "How 'bout a beer, Tre$or?"
"Yeah, sure, a beer." He drank that one in two swallows, swa# to rinse off the
sweat and gri#e of the ga#e, then chased his swi# with another beer.
They nibbled on lefto$ers for su!!er and gradually a healthy tiredness settled in.
Tre$or was #ellow and feeling no !ain by the ti#e the $an was loaded and they started
the dri$e ho#e. Traffic was congested. He was ha!!y to relinquish the res!onsibility of
co!ing with it to Ted.
n fact, he relinquished e$ery res!onsibility e&ce!t that of finding a resting !lace for
his head against Kyla's shoulder. He leaned against her hea$ily and let his ar# slide
down her side until his elbow nestled in the $alley between her thigh and la!. His hand
curled around the inside of her thigh. He stroked the s#ooth skin with a la)y thu#b and
found that it felt good to #o$e his ar# slightly so that the hairs dusting it dragged
against her s#ooth flesh.
6nce he thought he turned his head and kissed her neck, but he wasn't certain if he
actually carried out the intention or 4ust thought about it so hard that he i#agined he
did.
%hen they reached ho#e, he concentrated on not a!!earing ti!sy.as he had a
sneaking sus!icion he was.in front of their hosts. He soberly thanked the Haskells for
a great ti#e and bade the# good5night.
He reali)ed 4ust how rubbery his ar#s and legs were as he tried to carry their !icnic
gear u! to the !orch. "fter taking a few staggering ste!s and dro!!ing the !icnic basket
twice, he #u#bled, "Think 'll wait till to#orrow to !ut all this stuff u!," and dro!!ed
it all onto the ground.
"That's fine," Kyla said, !ressing her li!s together to kee! fro# laughing. ",ut
could you !lease unlock the front door?" "aron, who was aslee! in her ar#s, was beco#ing
hea$y.
"*ure, sure."
*tu!idly, he 4ust stood there looking at her while the seconds ticked by.
"You ha$e the key, Tre$or."
"6h+ 6f course do." He went on an uncoordinated search through his !ockets
until he !roduced the key. Holding it u! inches in front of her nose he said, "Ta5da+ *ee,
told you had it."
*he su!!ressed another laugh, but he see#ed not to notice as he wrestled with the
lock.
"*o#eone has changed the lock+" His e&cla#ation was s!oken 4ust as 0dison #ust
ha$e said of the first light bulb, "t works+"
"Turn the key so the teeth are u!."
He did as Kyla instructed. %hen the lock clicked o!en and the door swung wide, he
ga)ed down at her and said, "You're wonderful. 2id you know that? %onderful."
*he rolled her eyes with a long5suffering e&!ression and !ushed her way !ast hi#,
going straight to "aron's roo# and !utting hi# to bed with dis!atch. 1inutes later when
she ca#e back through the li$ing roo#, Tre$or was s!rawled on the sofa, one ar# and
leg dangling. *he checked to #ake certain he had relocked the front door, then #o$ed
toward the couch and bent o$er hi#.
He was aslee!. *he brushed back a strand of wa$y black hair that had fallen o$er his
forehead. He awoke. "Kyla?"
.H##?.
"You're sweet."
"Thank you."
"*o sweet and beautiful."
"6h, yes, know."
He #issed the wry inflection in her tone. He had no idea he was being hu#ored. "ll he
knew for certain was that the !ale #oonlight, s!illing through the glass doors, looked
beautiful on the face of the wo#an he lo$ed.
He hooked her behind the neck and !ulled her head down for a kiss. Kyla, not !re!ared
for this sudden #o$e, #uch less the !assion behind the kiss, lost her balance and feel ato!
hi#. Tre$or struggled to right the situation but only succeeded in rolling the# both to the
floor.
/or se$eral #o#ents, he didn't co#!rehend that the soft !illow his head was lying hea$ily
on was Kyla's breasts. (ot until he lifted his head and ga)ed down at her. Then he lowered
his
face and nudged aside the shirt she had retied at her waist before the tri! ho#e. He touched
her with his li!s.
"You s#ell like sunshine." His nose rooted in the $alley between her breasts. " lo$e the
s#ell of sunshine."
He shifted so that his thighs ca#e to be settled between hers in a snug fit. f it registered
with hi# that her ar#s were lying listlessly at her sides and that her hands were turned u! in
an attitude of surrender, he didn't co##ent. He #erely rearranged the# so that they rested
abo$e her head, then with his inde& finger traced the inside of her ar# fro# !al# to ar#!it
as though drawing a !ath for her $eins to follow.
"f sunshine had a taste, it would taste like you, too." His #outh #o$ed o$er her breasts,
li!s o!ening and closing as though taking bites. He got caught u! in what he was doing and
#ade a sa$age atte#!t to untie her shirt5tails. %hen they finally ca#e undone, he cast the#
aside and attacked the front fastener of her bikini.
%hen she lay bare beneath hi#, he whis!ered huskily, "God abo$e, you're beautiful."
He touched her re$erently, his fingerti!s brushing back and forth across the soft flesh. He
took his ti#e. He #ade no a!ology. ,ecause he was con$inced she was 4ust another drea#.
6ne of #any about Kyla. ,ut God, this one see#ed real+
He cu!!ed a breast in each hand and resha!ed the# with kneading #otions of his
fingers. -ightly he !inched her ni!!le between his thu#b and finger, then lowered his #outh
and entra!!ed it.
The sounds he #ade were those of a star$ing #an who had 4ust found sustenance. He
suckled both breasts. He rubbed his #ustachioed li! o$er the ni!!les now #ade glossy by his
kisses. He #ade a shar! !oint of his tongue and !layed with the#, te#!ting the# to shrink,
to beco#e harder. "nd they co#!lied.
7aguely he beca#e aware of the writhing #o$e#ents beneath hi#, s!eaking to his body
in a language it understood e$en if he wasn't translating too clearly.
He le$ered hi#self u! and unfastened her shorts. 9nerringly his hand wedged itself !ast
the# and into the da#! bikini trunks. He cu!!ed the delta that fitted his !al# to !erfection.
He rubbed it, !ressing, lu&uriating in the soft fleece that co$ered it. His fingers cur$ed down
into the sweet#ystery below.
His groan started in the botto# of his soul and ru#bled through his entire body. "You're
wet for #e."
.assionately he kissed the throat fro# which a sobbing sound e#anated and introduced
his fingers into the fount of that seducti$e wet heat.
His breath rushed in and out of his body. 6r was it Kyla's? He wasn't sure. He sol$ed
the riddle by cla#!ing his #outh o$er hers and kissing her until neither of the# could
breathe at all. His tongue reached for her throat.
Her shorts ca#e off easily. The trunks required considerably #ore !atience and skill,
both of which had deserted hi# by the ti#e he whi!!ed the# fro# her ankles.
/rustrated and clu#sy, he freed hi#self fro# his clothing.
God, her skin was cool.
"nd he was so da#n hot.
Her body acce!ted hi#. He sank into her silky wet fe#ininity and shuddered with the
!leasure. He was en$elo!ed by war#, crea#y wo#anhood, and it was the best it had e$er
been.
His #outh settled against her ear. "'$e waited for this for so long. '$e wanted... ,ut
it's #uch better... You're... #y lo$e "
%ith his hands beneath her hi!s, he lifted her higher against hi# and #o$ed with swift,
sure thrusts. Her body began to quicken around his. The breasts beneath his #outh tre#bled
and the ni!!le against his tongue !earled into a hard round button.
"nd 4ust as he felt the sweet rush of her release !ouring o$er hi#, he ca#e in a torrent.
untsville, (labama
"'ll ne$er #o$e again.%e're li$ing here for the rest of our li$es."
"/ine with #e," the #an said, tiredly. "Hellu$a way to s!end -abor 2ay. -aboring+"
",ut we got e$erything !ut away. /inally. 0$erything e&ce!t that bo& with all your
1arine 4unk in it."
"t #ight be 4unk to you, but so#e of it #eans a lot to #e."
*he !atted his hand. " know. was only kidding. 'o#e to think of it, did you e$er send
that !icture to that guy's widow? *troud, wasn't it?"
"Yes, and no, ne$er did. 'll do that to#orrow." His brow wrinkled. ",ut don't
know how to find her."
"%hy don't you send it to the 1arine 'or!s? '# sure they could forward it to her."
"Good idea." He stood u! and offered his hand to hel! her u!. "-et's go to bed. '#
e&hausted. ,ut don't let #e forget to fish that !icture out and send it off to#orrow, he
added as he switched out the light.
Chapter 1%
t took her a #o#ent to re#e#ber why she was slee!ing on the floor. %ithout !illow or
blanket or anything to alle$iate the disco#fort, she had sle!t a drea#less slee! for the first
ti#e in weeks.
1o$ing nothing but her eyes, she looked through the glass doors and saw that it was still
$ery early. Hesitantly she stretched her cra#!ed legs and tried to sit u!. His fingers were
snared in her hair.
t took so#e gentle tugging, but at last she was free. *he !icked u! her discarded shorts
and ti!toed toward the hall. 6n the way to "aron's roo#, she refastened her bikini bra, the
cu!s of which had !assed the night bunched u! under her ar#s.
"aron was still aslee! and showed no signs of waking u! any ti#e soon. He had had a
strenuous day yesterday and it was taking its toll. Kyla was thankful. 3ight now, she had to
think and needed no distractions.
*he !ulled on her shorts and cre!t back through the house. Tre$or hadn't stirred fro#
his !lace on the floor in front of the li$ing5roo# sofa. He wasn't snoring, but his breathing
was dee! and steady. Kyla sli!!ed outside without awakening hi#.
*he took a towel fro# the stack they ke!t in the closet near the hot tub and walked
through the woods toward the creek. The #orning was still. The new sun hadn't yet
!enetrated
the dense branches of the trees. The undergrowth was cool and da#! against her bare feet.
The creek flowed lackadaisically. Hea$y rain turned its current into a series of rushing
swirls. 6therwise it was cal# and !ro$ided a great breeding ground for crawdads. "aron had
cla!!ed his hands in delight o$er one when Tre$or.
Tre$or.
His na#e echoed through her #ind, eradicating all other thought. *ighing, Kyla s!read her
towel on the dee! grass near the creek bank and sat down. 3aising her knees to her chest, she
!ro!!ed her chin on the#.
t had ha!!ened.
*he closed her eyes as tre#ors of !leasure shi##ied through her at the #e#ory. .ressing
her forehead against her knees she tried not to recall the s!lendor of his lo$e#aking, but her
efforts were to no a$ail. Her brain #ight not want to re#e#ber, but her body was relishing
e$ery sweet recollection.
%hy hadn't she resisted? *he could ha$e. He'd had too #uch to drink.%hen he colla!sed
on to! of her, she could ha$e sho$ed hi# away fro# her and he !robably wouldn't ha$e
known
the difference.%hy hadn't she?
+ecause ! wanted to make love with him.
There. *he had ad#itted it.
*he raised her head and stared at the creek as though e&!ecting it to debate with her. t
continued on its unconcerned trickling course toward lower ground.
Kyla had wanted hi# to #ake lo$e to her since the kiss following the baseball ga#e. That
kiss had been a turning !oint. 0$en now, she could re#e#ber e&actly how he'd looked as he
ca#e 4ogging toward her, li#!ing #ore than usual after the e&ertion of the ga#e.
His grin had been a wide, white swath beneath his #ustache. .ointed clu#!s of black
hair, wet with !ers!iration, had stri!ed his forehead. The waistband of his cutoffs had been
da#! with sweat, stretched and slightly curled away fro# his na$el. His legs, e$en the
scarred left one, ri!!led and bunched with sinewy #uscles as he ca#e toward her.
(e$er had she seen a #an so rawly #asculine. Tre$or e!ito#i)ed the #ale ani#al and
e$erything inside her that was wo#an gra$itated toward it as surely as the creek flowed
toward the lake.
The kiss he had !ressed onto her #outh had been salty, gritty. The sweat that had
!lastered down his chest hair also !lastered her to his chest. %hen she felt his hands,
!owerful and #anly, anchoring her against his aroused #anhood, she had known then that
she wanted hi#, and that she would ha$e hi#, by her own design, if not by his.
-ater, when he had started kissing her breasts, she wished with all her #ight that
nothing would interru!t this ti#e.
'all it wicked.
'all it unfaithfulness to 3ichard.
'all it what you like, but she had wanted to feel Tre$or 3ule inside her.
"Kyla?"
*he 4u#!ed and whi!!ed her head around. Tre$or was standing behind her wearing only
his cutoffs, the shadow of a beard and a wary e&!ression.
"Hi."
""re you all right?"
*he returned her ga)e to the creek, finding it difficult to look at hi# after last night. Her
chest hurt with the effort to breathe. "Yes, '# fine. woke u! early and the #orning was so
!retty s "aron awake?"
"He wasn't when left."
" guess yesterday wore hi# out."
" guess so."
He crouched down beside and slightly behind her. dly he !lucked bunches of grass,
e&a#ined the#, then scattered the blades back onto the ground. "%hat ti#e are you going to
work this #orning?"
"'# not. ,abs and traded off, last *aturday for today. That's why was in no hurry to
get "aron u!."
He acknowledged the infor#ation with a brief nod and stood u! again. He was restless.
(either was talking about what was #ost on their #inds.
/ro# the corner of her eye Kyla saw hi# wander toward a tree. He sto!!ed. He turned
and looked back at her. %hen he finally got to the tree, he raised his ar#s and !ro!!ed the#
on one of the lowest branches slightly abo$e hi#. He dra!ed his wrists o$er the rough bark
and hung his head to stare at the ground.
*he laid her head back on her knees and !rayed for so#ething to break the silence.
"2id last night really ha!!en, Kyla?"
8ust as she had always thought, God had a sense of hu#or. ,e careful what you !ray for.
*he glanced in Tre$or's direction. He was now !inching !ieces of bark off the oak and
flicking the# into the water. "2on't you re#e#ber?"
" re#e#ber either an incredibly erotic drea#." he took a dee! breath ".or the best
thing that's e$er ha!!ened to #e." Her head ca#e around quickly, swinging her hair like a
red5gold cloak around her shoulders. He saw the tears standing in her eyes. " s!as# of
#onu#ental regret twisted his features. "God, '# sorry."
"t's all right."
"The hell it is."
"(o, really."
" was drunk."
"You were rela&ed".
"2id hurt you?"
"(o."
"/orce you?"
"(o."
"%as abusi$e?"
"(o." .
",ecause could ne$er forgi$e."
"Tre$or, wanted to+"
The hundred and one a!ologies he had cataloged in his #ind, died on his li!s. "You did?"
"Yes." *he drew a shuddering breath and started !lucking at the sa#e grass he
had deserted. "'$e been doing so#e thinking."
""bout what?"
"That you #ight... #ight want other children, other than "aron, #ean. *o#e, at least
one, of your own. t would ha$e been unfair of #e to... to withhold."
Her li!s were sto!!ed by a long, tanned finger being laid against the#. (o longer could
she a$oid that !iercing green eye. t bea#ed straight into her soul. " would like to ha$e at
least one child of #y own. "nd a!!reciate your willingness to acco##odate #e. ,ut is that
the real reason you wanted to #ake lo$e to #e?"
"(o," she whis!ered, shaking her head. " 4ust didn't know what else to say."
"%hy did you want to #ake lo$e with #e, drunken and stu!id as know #ust ha$e
been?"
*he turned her cheek into the !al# that had !ro$ided a resting !lace for it. Her eyes
closed and two of the tears that had collected in her eyes rolled down her cheek. ,ut when
she o!ened her eyes, she was s#iling. "You weren't drunken and stu!id."
"'ould'$e fooled #e."
-aughing, she reached u! and touched his hair affectionately. "You were as you'$e
been since first #et you."
"%hich is?"
"Kind, generous, fun to be around."
".lease, no #ore. don't want to get a swelled head. ,ut are you describing #e or *anta
'laus?" He assu#ed the wheedling e&!ression of a little boy asking for one #ore !iece of
candy. "2on't ha$e any attributes of a #ore ro#antic nature?"
Her laughter was as s!arkling as the creek water in the sunlight. "(eed your ego
stroked?"
"/or starters," he drawled.
*he shot hi# a shy look, but continued !laying the ga#e. ""ll right.%hat do you want
to hear? That you're dashing and as handso#e as the de$il? That #y best friend thinks you're
a
hunk and a stud, but a nice stud and that's rare?"
"Your best friend? How she'd get in here? want to know what you think."
""ll of the abo$e," Kyla confessed in a ras!y $oice.
"s there #ore?" His nose got lost in the loose curls abo$e her ear.
"*hould go so far as to say that the #ere sight of your body sets #y blood on fire?"
"*ounds good to #e."
Her head fell back when his li!s found her throat. "You're incredibly good looking and
se&y and." *he cla#!ed her lower li! with her teeth.
""nd?" he !rodded, bringing her head u! to #eet his ga)e.
""nd," she added slowly, "'# $ery glad '# #arried to you."
He called u!on a deity, whether in !rayer or $ain, Kyla was ne$er sure. He a!!lied the
lightest !ressure to her shoulder and she lay down on the towel. He followed her down,
!artially co$ering her body with his.
" lo$e you, Kyla 3ule."
Her ar#s folded across his back. Their bare legs entwined. %hat their bodies had done
only hours before, their #ouths now reenacted.
"You're taking the day off?" he asked gruffly se$eral #o#ents later. "9h5huh."
"Then so a# . ,ut let's get "aron u!, feed hi# and take hi# to the day5care center
anyway." "%hy?"
Her husband grinned down into her face with a roguish glea# that #ade her heart flutter
and her thighs liquefy. ",ecause want to s!end all day in bed tu#bling #y wife."
"...Yes, yes..."
"-ike that?"
"Yes+"
"'# afraid when !ress so dee!, '# hurting you."
"(o... t... ah... Tre$or... yes..."
"*weetheart... Kyla... can't... How #uch longer do you think?..."
"(ot yet. want it to last fore$er."
"*o do , but..."
"(ow, now, now..."
"You're so beautiful."
"You #ake #e feel beautiful. "nd naughty." "(aughty?"
"'$e ne$er been set in front of a #irror to be ad#ired. t's decadent, isn't it?"
".urely. ,ut this way can see all of you at once. -ift your ar#s."
"How? -ike this?"
".erfect. 2id you breast5feed "aron?"
"/or a while. %hy?"
"8ust wondering. Your breasts are so !retty. 2id say so#ething wrong?"
"(o, it's 4ust."
"%hat?"
"*o#e of the things you say e#barrass #e."
"2on't be e#barrassed. lo$e you. 2oes it bother you for #e to touch you like this?''
",other #e? Hardly, ... ah..."
"6h, God, look at you. barely touch you and..."
''You know 4ust how to touch #e... how to...
"You taste like #ilk."
"9se your #ustache."
"*weet, sweet #ilk."
""nd your tongue."
"You taste like Kyla."
"*o don't say it's ugly."
"0$ery #an should ha$e a left side with a racetrack car$ed into it."
"2o the scars e$er hurt?''
"(o."
"(e$er?"
"%ell, so#eti#es."
"%hy does this one cur$e all the way fro# your s!ine to your sternu#?"
"3ight now '# glad it's there."
"Glad?"
"Yes. ,ecause your li!s feel so good against #y chest."
"'d kiss it e$en without the scar."
"%ould you, lo$e?"
"Yes. '$e wanted to kiss your chest for a long ti#e."
"That's not #y chest any longer. That's #y na$el."
"'lose enough."
"*!eaking of close... h##, hon..."
"You got #e off the sub4ect.%hy did they cut you like that?"
" was bleeding internally fro# se$eral organs."
"6h, -ord."
"t's all right. 8ust kee! doing what you're doing and don't e$en re#e#ber it."
"-ike this?"
"6h, baby, that feels good. Kyla.... Kyla... 6h, sweetheart, oh... That's the first ti#e
you'$e touched #e."
"The first ti#e saw you."
"Yes?"
"%hen you got out of the hot tub."
"Yes?"
"You were breathtaking."
"(o, this is breathtaking The way you're touching #e now... that's breathtaking."
"... but told ,abs there was no way would sneak onto the bus with the football tea#."
"You were a good girl."
" was a coward, always afraid of getting into trouble. *o rode ho#e with the band
where we belonged."
""nd ,abs?"
"How did you find that little !atch of freckles?"
"8ust lucky, guess."
"That's #y birth#ark."
"Yes. (ow tell #e about ,abs."
"%ell, when we got back to the school, she ca#e off the bus with this guy she had
!re$iously called an 'ugly #oose.' *he was wearing a... don't know...a look, and
knew what had ha!!ened. That's also when knew that she and were different. couldn't
4ust ha$e se& for the sake of se&."
"2a#n+ *ure about that?"
"Tre$or, sto! it now. thought we were going to talk."
"Then sto! lying there looking so delectable. "ll right, '# sorry. -et's talk."
" forgot what we were talking about."
"%ere you a $irgin when you got #arried?"
"The first or second ti#e?"
"7ery funny. "nswer the question."
"That's not what we were talking about."
"You're right. *orry asked. t isn't any of #y business."
"Yes, was a $irgin."
"You al#ost sound asha#ed of it."
"'# afraid you'll be turned off by #y lack of e&!erience."
"%ould be doing this if were turned off?"
" don't know which like best. %hat you're doing or the e&!ression on your face while
you're doing it."
"-ook at the way it curls around #y fingers. t's such a !retty color. "nd soft. "nd so is
this."
"Tre$or... what?..."
"3ela&."
",ut what... (o+"
" want to."
"(o, ..."
".lease, Kyla, let #e lo$e you."
'',ut... oh, #y God... Tre$or?..."
"Yes, lo$e, yes. You're infinitely sweet."
"(o #ore, !lease. can't stand it. 1y sides are hurting."
"6ne #ore. This one's about a #an who goes into a !et store to buy a !arrot."
"Tre$or, #ean it now, no #ore of your dirty 4okes."
"You're laughing."
"That's #y !oint. shouldn't be. '# a lady."
"How can you !retend to be a lady while you're straddling #y la! and '# #aking lunch
out of your ni!!les?"
"Tre$or+"
"6uch, hon. ,e still or you'll cri!!le #e #ore than already a#. 6n the other hand, go
ahead and squir#. They look da#n cute when they 4iggle."
"You're outrageous."
"%ait till you hear the 4oke."
"There's no sto!!ing you?"
"(o. (ow be a good wife and listen. The guy goes into the !et store and... Kyla,
thought told you to be still. This guy goes into the !et store and the owner says, ''$e got
this terrific !arrot.' ''an he talk?' the #an asks. Kyla, you're asking for big trouble. (ow sto!
that. '*ure he can talk,' the !et store owner says, 'but there's one !roble#.' Kyla, '#
warning you. '%hat's the !roble#?' the guy asks. 'The !arrot can talk, but he hasn't got
any feet.' Kyla... *o the guy says, 'Then how does he stay on his !erch?' "nd the !et store
owner says... 6h, to hell with it."
"That's the 4oke?"
"(o, but 4ust thought of a better !unch line."
"That was the hardest !art to acce!t. There was nothing the 1arines could send #e. (o
#e#entos. (othing. t was as though he had ne$er e&isted. That broke #y heart. There
wasn't e$en enough of hi# to fill the casket."
"2on't, don't, sweetheart."
"He deser$ed a better death. "nd dealing with the #ilitary was frustrating. They
couldn't or wouldn't tell us anything for security reasons. The details were so sketchy."
"/or instance?"
"3ichard wasn't e$en in his own bunk that #orning. %hy? %hy didn't a single thing
belonging to hi# sur$i$e the blast? wanted so#ething tangible, so#ething of his that
could hold in #y hand. " ra)or. " wristwatch. "nything."
"*hh, shh. f it's going to u!set you, don't talk about it any#ore."
"t's not as !ainful as it sounds. n fact it feels good to talk about it. "nd you're a dear
to listen."
" lo$e you, Kyla. %e'$e needed to talk about 3ichard. wanted both of us to ha$e the
freedo# of s!eaking his na#e out loud."
" lo$ed hi#, Tre$or."
" know."
""nd do you know that lo$e you? didn't think could e$er lo$e another #an, but
lo$e you. 4ust reali)ed it. lo$e you+ Tre$or, are you crying?"
" lo$e you so #uch, Kyla."
"You won't e$er lea$e #e, will you?"
"(ot a chance."
"*wear it."
"(e$er."
" can't belie$e it's raining."
"8ust an afternoon thundershower. t'll be o$er soon. Then we'll dress and go get
"aron."
",ut not yet. -et's en4oy the rain."
"3ain is no fun unless it can be shared."
"How do you do that?"
"%hat?"
"3ead #y #ind."
"2o ?"
"/ro# the $ery beginning, you see#ed to know what was thinking. How?"
",ecause lo$e you."
"Yes, but."
"Turn around, Kyla."
" don't understand how you."
""re we going to#ake lo$e one#ore ti#e before we go get "aron or not?"
"H##, Tre$or, not fair. You know when you touch #e there #elt."
"%here? Here?"
"Yes, yes."
""nd when kiss you there?"
" die a little."
"Then kiss #e at the sa#e ti#e and we'll die a little together."
untsville, (labama
" letter was #ailed.
Hu##ing, Kyla checked the !ot5roast. 0$en 1eg .owers would ha$e been !roud of it.
Kyla re!laced the lid on the roaster and turned off the heat in the o$en. t would kee! war#
until Tre$or and "aron returned. Tre$or had taken the child with hi# to run an errand,
lea$ing Kyla at ho#e to !re!are dinner, a task she now took !leasure in.
n fact she was finding !leasure in 4ust about e$erything she did these days. /or the !ast
three weeks, since -abor 2ay and the night following, she had li$ed in a bubble of
ha!!iness.
"" few days off has certainly done wonders for you+" ,abs had e&clai#ed the day Kyla
went back to work after the holiday. "You're shining like a new !enny. "nd 'd be willing to
bet that Tre$or is the one who !olished you to that glow."
Kyla's laugh at the ribaldry had been lusty. "You're right, '# in lo$e."
"%ell it's catching, because Tre$or has already called twice to see if you'd arri$ed yet,
and he said to gi$e you a kiss for hi# when you did, which refused to do.%hat's ha!!ened
to the two of you?"
"(othing," Kyla lied airily, as she reached for the tele!hone to return Tre$or's call. t
had been all of half an hour since she had seen hi#.
"'ll bet you'$e been renting H5rated #o$ies for the ho#e 7'3."
"(o!e."
"You ordered that kit of #arital aids ; showed you in Playgirl$ %hat did Tre$or think
of the edible !anties?"
"%ill you hush+" Kyla had said, laughing. " did no such thing." Then into the
tele!hone she said, "Hi, darling. You called?"
"You're taking ginseng tablets?" ,abs had !ersisted. "/eeding hi# oysters on the half
shell e$ery night?"
"(o+ '# sorry, Tre$or. ,abs 4ust wanted to know if was feeding you oysters on the
half shell e$ery night. %hat?... (o, can't tell her that.... (o... 6h, all right. ,abs,
Tre$or said to tell you that if he were eating oysters on the half shell e$ery night, we'd ha$e
to
buy a new #attress. (ow be quiet, !lease. told you '# in lo$e and want to talk to #y
husband."
"nd a# in lo$e, Kyla thought ha!!ily, as she went through the li$ing roo#, !icking
u! the toys "aron had left in his wake. (oticing the uno!ened #ail lying on the hall table,
she took it into the kitchen on her return tri! and sat at the bar on a high stool to sort
through it while waiting for her #en to co#e ho#e.
6ne en$elo!e in !articular caught her eye. t was fro# the 1arine 'or!s. *lashing it
o!en, she found another en$elo!e inside with Please forward sta#!ed on it. The na#e
!rinted in the u!!er left5hand corner s!arked her #e#ory, but she didn't recall why until she
noticed the return address. Hunts$ille, "laba#a. Hadn't one of 3ichard's friends been fro#
Hunts$ille, "laba#a? 'urious, she slit o!en that second en$elo!e and took out the single
sheet of !lain white stationery. " !hotogra!h dro!!ed to the bar.
The letter was brief. t introduced the sender, who e&!ressed sy#!athy o$er 3ichard's
death. t e&!lained that the sender had recently found the !hotogra!h and thought that Kyla
#ight like to ha$e it. t ended with a heartfelt wish for her future ha!!iness.
-aying aside the letter, she !icked u! the sna!shot. *#iling at her fro# the center of a
trio of 1arines was 3ichard *troud. He looked 4ust as she last re#e#bered hi#. He had a
#ilitary haircut, high o$er his ears and short on to!. He was in his full dress unifor#, but
there was a 4ocular s#ile on his face, as though so#eone had said so#ething e&ce!tionally
funny 4ust before the shutter was sna!!ed. The lens had ca!tured 3ichard's sweet,
s!ontaneous
s#ile.
He was standing between two other 1arines. Their ar#s were co#!anionably resting on
each other's shoulders. The sender of the !icture had considerately ca!tioned it for Kyla. He
had identified hi#self as the #an on 3ichard's right. He had an o!en, down5ho#e face, a
toothy grin and big ears. 6ne wouldn't hesitate to buy a used car fro# a #an with a face
that honest.
Kyla's eyes slid to the other side of the !icture. "*#ooch" had been neatly !rinted
under the #an on 3ichard's left. 6ne would be wise to e&ercise caution before buying a
used car fro# hi#.
'ould anyone that good5looking be trustworthy? He had the grin of a hungry
alligator, a brilliant white s#ile that slashed across his darkly tanned face. 1ischie$ous
green eyes $iewed the world through s!iky black lashes. He looked ready to wink, and Kyla
got the distinct i#!ression that he had #ade the funny re#ark that the other two #en were
laughing at. *#ooch's s#ile was s#ug, una!ologetically arrogant, indubitably conceited.
"nd fa#iliar.
t was her husband's s#ile.
There could be no #istake. 0$en with the skinhead haircut of a 1arine, without the
eye !atch, without the cur$ing #ustache, there was no #istaking that s#ile.
Kyla dro!!ed the !hotogra!h as though it had burned her fingers. *he stared down at it
where it lay on the bar, but couldn't bring herself to touch it again.
There had to be a logical e&!lanation. 3ichard and Tre$or ar# in ar#? Tre$or a
1arine? How had a !icture of Tre$or co#e to be ca!tioned "*#ooch," a nickna#e she
re#e#bered well fro# 3ichard's letters to her fro# 0gy!t?
*#ooch was the wo#ani)er. The sha#eless !layboy. The friend of 3ichard's she knew
she couldn't sto#ach should they e$er #eet.
"nd she was #arried to hi#.
The i#!lications associated with that rushed at her like a swar# of killer bees. *he
co$ered her head. *he bit her lower li! to catch the sob that rose out of her chest. *he forced
down the scalding bile that suddenly filled the back of her throat.
There had to be so#e e&!lanation. 6f course there was. Tre$or would co#e in and see
the !icture and say so#ething like, "Gee, that's s!ooky. 'an you belie$e that guy looks so
#uch like #e?" 6r, "They say e$eryone in the world has a twin. Guess this *#ooch is
#ine." 6r, "t's a#a)ing what they can do with trick !hotogra!hy these days."
t had to be a #istake.
,ut there was no #istake and she knew it.
*he heard his !icku! !ull into the dri$eway. Her insides were roiling, her blood was
churning, her head was thundering, but on the outside, she looked as i##o$able as a wood
car$ing.
",efore you get #ad," Tre$or began the #o#ent he ste!!ed through the door, ""aron
and took a $ote and decided unani#ously that it wasn't too close to dinner for hi# to ha$e
a cookie. *o we broke o!en the !ackage on the way ho#e. That's why his shirt.%hat's the
#atter?" He had chanced to glance u! and noticed her conde#ning e&!ression.
'ookies#eared
hands didn't warrant the intensity of it. "Kyla?"
He #o$ed toward her and when he reached the bar, he saw the !icture. He #uttered an
obscenity and s!un around. 3eciting a dictionary of curses, he went to stand in front of the
windows. *houlders hunched, he slid his hands, !al#s out, into the back !ockets of his
4eans.
"'o#e here, "aron." %ith #uch #ore co#!osure than she felt, Kyla !icked u! her son.
*he felt like screa#ing until she couldn't draw another breath, like bashing her head against
the wall, like bashing Tre$or's against it.
-ifting "aron to the sink, she washed his face and hands, then set hi# on the kitchen
floor and surrounded hi# with brightly colored !lastic #easuring cu!s, which were a#ong
his fa$orite !laythings.
/inally she returned to the bar, !icked u! the sna!shot and studied it for a #o#ent
before she said, "You take a good !icture."
Tre$or ca#e around slowly, !i$oting on the heels of his western boots, which Kyla knew
now were as false and !hony and affected as e$erything else about hi#.
"*o now you know."
"Yes, know," she sna!!ed. "t's true what they say, isn't it? 'liches always ha$e an
ele#ent of truth to the#. The wife is always the last to know."
" would ha$e told you."
"%hen, Tre$or? %hen? %hen we're old and gray? %hen was too feeble to hate you
with e$ery fiber of #y being as do now?"
"1e or what '$e done?"
",oth+ can't stand the sight of you. Smoochl"
*he uttered the na#e as though it were the #ost loathso#e e!ithet. He winced. " knew
how you felt about *#ooch. That's why ne$er ca#e right out and introduced #yself to
you."
*he laughed, a bit hysterically. "*#ooch. '# #arried to *#ooch, a #an known for his
se&ual conquests. " #an who would tu#ble anything in skirts because all cats are gray in
the dark."
"Kyla."
"2idn't you tell 3ichard that once?"
"Yes, but that was before."
" don't want to hear it," she shouted, slicing the air with her hands. " don't want any
e&!lanations fro# you e&ce!t one. %hy did you do this? %hat !ur!ose did it ser$e? %hat
sick, sick ga#e ha$e you been !laying?"
"t isn't a ga#e." His reasonable tone contrasted 4arringly with her shrill one. "t was
ne$er a ga#e. (ot fro# the beginning."
*he reined in her te#!er and drew in se$eral restorati$e breaths. ""nd 4ust when was
that? assu#e our #eeting wasn't accidental."
"(o."
"Then when did this start? "
"%hen woke u! in a hos!ital in %est Ger#any and disco$ered was ali$e. 1issing an
eye, in4ured al#ost beyond re!air, but ali$e."
"%hat did that ha$e to do with #e?"
He took a ste! toward her. "You wanted to know why 3ichard wasn't slee!ing in his
bunk." *he nodded, though no question had actually been asked. " ca#e in drunk the night
before the attack on the e#bassy. 3ichard hel!ed #e get undressed. barely re#e#ber it, but

do re#e#ber falling into his bunk. He was slee!ing in #ine when that bo#b went off."
6ne hand flew to her #outh, the other gri!!ed her sto#ach. Tears s!rang to her eyes.
"1y senti#ents e&actly," Tre$or said gri#ly. "%hen reali)ed that 3ichard had been
killed in #y !lace didn't care if li$ed or died." He looked away, reli$ing all the !ain,
literally feeling it rack his body again, reducing hi#, #aking hi# less than a #an. ",ut
li$ed. %ith the hel! of an orderly who befriended #e found out about you and "aron.
%hen was well enough to lea$e the hos!ital, ca#e looking for you."
Kyla folded her ar#s across her sto#ach. *he !aced the length of the bar, rocking slightly
forward and back fro# the waist, as though e&cruciating !ains were tearing her insides to
shreds.
%hen she rounded on hi#, she cried, "n #y o!inion you ha$e carried your #ilitary
duty too far. You went abo$e and beyond the call. don't want a husband who #arried #e
out of a sense of obligation, thank you $ery #uch+"
Her $oice was so loud and $itriolic that "aron sto!!ed ta!!ing the cu!s against the
floor and looked u! at her. His botto# li! began to qui$er. "1a5#a."
%rested fro# a !it of hu#iliation by the tre#ulous sound of her child's $oice, Kyla knelt
down beside hi# and s#oothed her hand o$er his head. "t's all right, darling. .lay with your
cu!s. *ee? 6o!sy5daisy. They fell o$er. *tack the# back u! for 1o##y."
Te#!orarily #ollified, "aron went back to his !lay. Kyla faced Tre$or again. His face
was al#ost as stony as hers. His li!s barely #o$ed. "t isn't like that."
"Then tell #e what it's like," she sneered. "Tell #e what #oti$ated you to #o$e here
and seduce #e into."
")arriage, Kyla," he said with angry e#!hasis. "%hat's so dishonorable about
that?"
",ecause it was all a setu!. can't belie$e was gullible enough to fall for it, to fall for
you. Your #anners, your concern for "aron, your instant attraction to #e, your...your
e$erything. Your da#n conser$ati$e car+ You ste!!ed straight out of the %idow's Guide for
" 2rea# *econd Husband, didn't you? %hy did you go to so #uch trouble? %hat #ade
you do it?"
" lo$e you."
*he stretched her ar#s out in front of her as though warding hi# off. "2on't... don't
you dare !lay word ga#es with #e." *he $irtually s!at out the words because she didn't
want to alar# "aron with her loud $oice again.
"'# not, Kyla. was and a# in lo$e with you."
"That's i#!ossible."
He shook his head ada#antly. "There's one essential !art of this story that you don't
know yet."
"Then !ray tell #e what it is."
"Your letters."
*he fell silent, du#bfounded by what he'd 4ust said. "1y letters?"
"Your letters to 3ichard."
*he sank onto the stool as she stared u! at the #an who had re$erted fro# a lo$ing
husband into a stranger again. t had ha!!ened so quickly. *eeing the !icture of hi# had
ri!!ed the rug out fro# under her. (ow she felt as though the floor had 4ust dro!!ed away.
%hen would she hit botto#?
"You read the#?" she asked with an inflection that clearly indicated she thought that
was the #ost heinous cri#e he had co##itted so far.
"They were sent to #e by #istake when was in the hos!ital." He told her about the
#etal bo& and of his granting 3ichard the fa$or of using it. "%hen they sent #e #y
belongings, that bo& was a#ong the#. o!ened it and, yes, Kyla, read your lo$e letters to
your husband."
He reached across the bar and co$ered her hands with his own. " don't e&!ect you to
understand, but swear to you, credit those letters with kee!ing #e ali$e. 0$ery !recious
word did #e #ore good than any #edicine, any surgery, any thera!y. They #ade #e want to
li$e again, so that could #eet the wo#an who wrote the#. #e#ori)ed each one of the#.
could recite the# word for word to you now. They're engra$ed on #y #ind #ore dee!ly
than the .ledge of "llegiance or the -ord's .rayer. They."
"6h, !lease. *a$e it for your ne&t $icti#." *he snatched her hands fro# beneath his. "
don't want to hear it. 2o you think 'd e$er belie$e another word you said after the way
you'$e tricked #e?"
" didn't think of it as tricking you, Kyla."
"(o? The orchids, the house." 'o#ing off the stool she began to !ace again.
"0$erything. t all falls into !lace now. The way you see#ed to read #y #ind. "nd all the
ti#e you knew. You knew because you had read #y letters."
""nd res!onded to what they said."
"(o wonder you could #ani!ulate #e so effortlessly."
" was gi$ing you what was in #y !ower to gi$e."
"'ourting #e and being so nice to #y !arents and." *uddenly, her body yanked to
attention. Her brown eyes narrowed as she glared at hi#. "1y !arents. 1ou #anaged to get
their !ro!erty re)oned at such a !ro!itious ti#e, didn't you?"
He closed the s!ace between the# in three long ste!s and laid his hands on her shoulders.
"(ow, Kyla, before."
*he flung off his hands. "2idn't you?"
""ll right, yes+" he shouted back.
""nd the sale of their house? The sale that we all #ar$eled o$er because it co##anded
such a !re#iu# !rice. The sale that went through in record ti#e without a hitch 4ust in ti#e
for our wedding. You arranged all that, too, didn't you?"
His face was closed and hard and as guilty as sin.
" see," she said on a soft laugh. "%ell it's no wonder you felt like you could #arry #e
and take "aron to raise. You had bought and !aid for us, hadn't you?" Her hands were
running u! and down her ar#s $igorously, as though washing away a feeling of
uncleanliness.
"*to! that. 2a#n it, '$e told you that lo$e you."
" can't tell you what a co#fort that is co#ing fro# a #an known to his cronies as
*#ooch."
"Those days are o$er."
"(o doubt they are. ,ut you went out with a bang, didn't you? You #ade certain that
your final conquest was a wo#an #ost unlikely to refuse you, a !oor lonely widow lady with
a
child to raise. 'o#e on, Tre$or, confess. 2idn't you think, in that #ani!ulati$e, conni$ing,
de$ious #ind of yours, that #ight acce!t you when other wo#en would scorn you now
that you aren't quite so handso#e? %idows are #ore des!erate for a #an, aren't they?
%ouldn't !oor little Kyla *troud be so an&ious for a #an to take care of her that she would
o$erlook an eye !atch and a li#!ing, scarred body?"
*he wouldn't let herself feel asha#ed for the flicker of e#otion that crossed his face.
"That's not true."
"sn't it? %hen you were once again sure of your se& a!!eal, how did you !lan to dis!ose
of "aron and #e? 6r did you !lan to? %as to be so grateful for what you did to #e in our
bed, that 'd o$erlook what you did in others'?"
His head dro!!ed forward. "%hat do you want fro# #e, Kyla?"
" want you to lea$e #e alone." *he !icked "aron off the floor, !rotecti$ely hugged hi#
to her chest and stor#ed to the back door. "You'$e done so #uch for #e, Tre$or. You'$e lied
and #ani!ulated #y future. You #arried #e out of !ity and because you were afraid that
was the only wo#an who would ha$e you now. ,ut there's one #ore thing you can do for
#e,
1r. 3ule. You can get the hell out of #y life."
Chapter 1&
You're 4ust !lain stu!id, you know that?"
,abs had sat enthralled while Kyla !oured out the entire ugly story. *he had arri$ed on
,abs's doorste! an hour earlier. To say she was u!set was !utting it #ildly. "aron had been
fed a grilled cheese sandwich, bathed, dressed in one of ,abs's T5shirts and dia!ered fro# a
su!!ly that ,abs ke!t for his $isits. He was sold on the idea that it would be great fun to
slee! in "unt ,abs's bed, and that was where he was.
n the li$ing roo# of the s#all a!art#ent, ,abs sat on the floor, legs crossed, while Kyla
occu!ied a corner of the short sofa. Two glasses of white wine stood on the coffee table.
Kyla had fully e&!ected ,abs to share her outrage o$er Tre$or's treachery, taking u! ar#s
if necessary to railroad hi# out of town. "*tu!id?" she re!eated, thinking she'd heard ,abs
wrong.
"*tu!id. 2u#b. " real... 6h, ne$er #ind," ,abs said irritably, getting to her feet. "'#
going to bed."
"%ait a #inute," Kyla e&clai#ed. "Ha$en't you listened to a single word '$e said?"
"0$ery self5!itying syllable."
""nd that's all you can say about it?"
"That's all '# going to say about it. f you e&!ect #e to sit here with you and hash o$er
what a louse Tre$or 3ule is, then you're in for a disa!!oint#ent."
",ut he is+ 2idn't 4ust tell you."
"Yeah, yeah, you told #e all about it. "bout how he woke u! in a #ilitary hos!ital on
foreign soil, half5blind, half5!araly)ed, not knowing if he was going to li$e or die, and if he
did li$e, if he'd be able to crawl, #uch less walk, #uch less #ake lo$e or anything else a
nor#al #an has the !ri$ilege of doing. He woke u! to find out that his friends had been
blown
to kingdo# co#e by a bunch of fanatics, but #iraculously his life had been s!ared. ,ut to an
insensiti$e cad like our Tre$or, doubt that bothered hi# #uch."
*corn dri!!ed fro# her $oice like the water fro# the wineglass she had 4ust rinsed out in
the kitchen sink.
*tung by ,abs's sarcas#, Kyla said, ""ll right, 'll concede that !hysically he had a
difficult ti#e."
"(ow don't go e&aggerating things, Kyla."
"t was hellish, okay? ,ut what about the letters? 3eading the#, #e#ori)ing the# like
so#e !er$ert."
"The cree!+ How could he do so#ething like that? 0$en 7an 8ohnson ne$er did anything
that senti#ental in his #o$ies. #agine Tre$or doing so#ething that horrible. #agine hi#
ha$ing the ner$e to rearrange his future 4ust so he could be near the wo#an who co#!osed
those letters. #agine hi#, a #an who could ha$e had any wo#an he wanted with a crook of
his finger and a co#e5hither look, going to all that trouble to #eet you, his soul #ate. "nd he
didn't e$en ha$e the decency to lure you into his bed first. (o, he had to go and #arry you+"
"6nly out of !ity," Kyla tightly re#inded her unsy#!athetic friend. "6nly to !ay #e
back for 3ichard's death because he felt res!onsible."
"3ight, so he'd be considered a #artyr. "ny other #an would ha$e co#e to see you, !aid
you his res!ects, hu#bly a!ologi)ed for being ali$e when your husband was dead, offered
you his hel!, !robably his #oney, and when you refused he would ha$e gone away with his
conscience sal$ed. ,ut not Tre$or. 6h, no. (o doubt he wanted the world to think he was a
do5gooder. *o he hung around and got to know you, #arried you, took your son under his
wing and built you a house a 3ockefeller wouldn't be asha#ed to clai#." *he #ade a tsking
sound and shook her head. "%hat a cree!y, sneaky heel. %hat a rat."
"You don't think it was sneaky the way he #ani!ulated the re)oning of #y !arents'
!ro!erty?" Kyla e&!loded angrily. "You don't think it was underhanded the way he hel!ed
!ush the sale of their house through?"
"%hat a dastardly deed," ,abs cried, shielding her eyes with her ar#s and feigning
horror. "He handled all the dirty work so they wouldn't be bothered with it. He e&acted a
to! !rice for their !ro!erty, closed the sale and got the# on their way to doing what they'd
been wanting to do for years. The #an has no heart. "nd the way he treats "aron is
!ositi$ely sickening. 2oesn't he know that #ost fathers don't treat their natural children
that well? f he wanted to be a real father to the boy he should throw in a few harsh words, a
little neglect, a lot of i#!atience."
"0nough, ,abs. *oon 'll ha$e to roll u! #y !ant leg." Kyla rubbed her throbbing
te#!les. " #ight ha$e known you'd take u! for hi#."
"Take u! for a louse like that? (o way. f were doing that, 'd !robably tell you straight
out what a selfish bitch you are."
"*elfish?"
"You wouldn't know so#ething good if it ca#e u! to you on the street and bit you in
the butt. f were taking Tre$or's side, 'd !oint out that so#e !eo!le !refer #artyrdo# to
ha!!iness."
"*to! it+"
"t's safer. There's no risk in$ol$ed.%hen you don't lo$e, you don't risk losing."
"You'$e got stars in your eyes for hi#. That's what this ser#oni)ing is about. You'$e had
a crush on hi# fro# the beginning."
"Granted. '$e always had a weak s!ot for hunks with a senti#ental streak."
"%ell, the two of you would get along great. You both think with your genitals."
,abs sucked in her breath and held it for a long ti#e. Gradually she let it go, but her
body re#ained rigid. ",efore s#ack you, which is so#ething '$e #iraculously restrained
#yself fro# doing so far tonight, '# going to bed. "aron, whose #ature co#!any #uch
!refer o$er yours, can slee! with #e. You, #y friend, can fend for yourself."
"'o#e back here. You can't 4ust walk away fro# a fight."
"%atch #e."
"'# sorry for what said. That was dreadful and didn't #ean it. ,abs, !lease, tell #e
what to do."
,abs s!un around and confronted her. ""ll right, you asked for it, here it is. You're not
fighting with #e, Kyla, you're fighting with yourself. "nd it's not #e you're angry with.
You're not e$en angry with Tre$or. You're #ad at yourself."
"%hat do you #ean?"
"You were the Honor *ociety student. You figure it out. (ow, good night."
,abs went down the hall and closed the bedroo# door behind her. Tears s#arted in
Kyla's eyes as she returned to the li$ing roo#. *he !rowled it ai#lessly, nursing her
indignation
with self5!ity.
*o #uch for friendshi!. *he felt betrayed. 1urky waters could be closing o$er her head
for the third ti#e while she wa$ed frantically at the shore where ,abs stood #ocking her,
and she wouldn't feel #ore forsaken.
*he had counted on ,abs's unqualified allegiance. *he had e&!ected ,abs to rally to her
side and chant like a cheerleader, "That's a girl, that's telling hi#. %ay to go. 3ight on."
nstead ,abs's sy#!athy had lain solely with Tre$or.
Kyla flo!!ed down on the couch and took a hefty draft of wine. "(o wonder," she
#u#bled. ,abs was fe#ale. *he had fallen under Smooch's s!ell. *he, like hundreds before
her, had been da))led. That was it. ,abs had beco#e a traitor o$er a !air of #uscular bice!s
and a dark cur$ing #ustache. %hat was loyalty to a friend when weighed against the way
*#ooch filled out his 4eans?
*coffing, Kyla took another si! of wine.
"nd what had she #eant by the crack about Kyla being #ad at herself?
(othing. "bsolutely nothing. ,abs lo$ed to dro! little half5finished, underde$elo!ed
tidbits of thought like that into con$ersations like s!oonfuls of cookie dough onto a baking
sheet. "nd that's what they were, half5baked.
,ut if that were so, why did she kee! dwelling on it?
%hy was she gi$ing any thought to the !ossibility that she was angry with herself? %hat
did she ha$e to be #ad at herself for?
/or falling in lo$e with Tre$or.
*he sla##ed the glass of wine onto the coffee table and sta#!ed to the window. .ulling
$iciously on the cord of the blinds, she raised the# to !eer out. *he saw nothing but her
own i#age reflected in the glass. /ace to face with herself, she was forced to argue.
"d#ittedly she was s#itten by hi#. *he wasn't i##une to a nice !air of bice!s either.
"nd what about his generosity? "nd his constant kindness? "nd his lo$e#aking?
To stifle a sob, she cra##ed her fist against her li!s. *he didn't want any re#inders of the
way she had gloried in his tender lo$ing. Guilt had a brassy taste. *o#ewhere along the way,
li$ing with and lo$ing Tre$or had beco#e #ore i#!ortant than kee!ing 3ichard ali$e in her
heart. *he had let the signal fire go out and that was an un!ardonable offense.
,abs was right. *he was angry with herself for lo$ing hi# des!ite it all.
*he couldn't hold it against hi# that he'd been in 3ichard's bunk the #orning the
e#bassy was bo#bed. That had been a quirk of fate. He hadn't used her letters to e&!loit
her, but to grant her her heart's desire. He was an e&e#!lary !arent to "aron. He was
a#bitious and successful, but not one of those #en ensla$ed to his work for the sake of
#aking a buck.
True, he had lied by not telling her that he had known 3ichard. Yet if he had introduced
hi#self as *#ooch, she would ha$e run 4ust as hard and fast as she could, and fore$er been
without hi#. f he had #arried her out of a sense of duty, then he was an actor of 6li$ier's
caliber.
-o$e like that which Tre$or had gi$en her couldn't be faked, nor could it be su##oned
on co##and. t had to co#e fro# the heart.
f a lo$e was that strong, what could be wrong with it?
*he fled ,abs's a!art#ent. 6nce in the car, a thousand !ossibilities flickered through her
#ind like insects caught in a headlight's bea#. %hat if he had already left? %hat if she had
lost her lo$e for the second ti#e? The first ti#e, she had had no control o$er the loss. ,ut
this ti#e she would ha$e thrown it away.
"s ,abs had said, she was 4ust !lain stu!id.
*he released her !ent5u! breath on a wa$e of relief when she saw both his car and his
!icku! still !arked in the dri$eway of the house. 0ntering through the front door, she saw
that there was a feeble light on in the bedroo# and rushed toward it.
Tre$or was sitting on the edge of the bed, his head bent o$er a sheet of !a!er, which had
been folded so #any ti#es that the creases were worn thin. *he recogni)ed it as one of her
letters. 6thers were untidily stacked at his side. The light she had seen ca#e fro# the
fire!lace where an unseasonable fire was burning. He was reading by firelight.
He glanced u! when he heard her co#e in. His inquiring ga)e held hers until she
reached hi#, then she looked down at the frayed letter. Taking it fro# his hand, she read it.
%hen she ca#e to the line that said, "He sounds like the kind of #an detest," her eyes
clouded with tears.
1o$ing quickly, she snatched u! the scattered letters one by one, en$elo!es included, until
she had the# all. 'rossing the roo#, she #o$ed aside the brass fire screen and threw the#
onto the dying fire.
"Kyla, no+"
The !a!er caught, crackled and curled, #aking a !astel !yre ato! the logs. The fla#es
were short5li$ed. %ithin #o#ents the letters burned the#sel$es out, shooting s!arks u!
the chi#ney.
Kyla's face was streaked with tears when she turned to face hi#. "You don't need another
#an's lefto$ers, Tre$or. f you want to know what think, what feel, ask #e. -et #e o!en
#y heart to you. 3ichard..." *he !aused and drew a dee!, rattling breath. Her nails bit into
her !al#s. t was the #ost !ainful thing she had e$er had to say, but she finally $oiced the
truth that she had ignored for so long. "3ichard is dead. lo$ed hi#. %e created another
hu#an being through that lo$e. 'll always be grateful that "aron is a li$ing testi#ony to it.
,ut 3ichard is gone. lo$e you."
"Kyla." His $oice broke on her na#e.
*he threw herself into his ar#s. They wra!!ed around her, drawing her s#all fra#e
against his. He buried his face in her neck. " lo$e you, Tre$or. To know it, all you ha$e to
do is look at #e. 3ead it in #y eyes."
"(o, don't lea$e #e," she !rotested. %ith a#a)ing strength, she clas!ed his thighs
between hers.
''"ren't getting hea$y?"
" like it."
"You're weird." He raised his head fro# the !illow to s#ile down at her.
"!"m weird? You're the one who fell in lo$e with a wo#an through her letters to
another #an." *he angled her head back to see hi# better. "%hat if 'd been a troll?"
"f you'd been a troll, if you'd been anything e&ce!t e&actly what you are, would ha$e
introduced #yself, offered #y condolences, offered #y financial assistance and bade you
farewell."
"That's what ,abs said."
"*he did?"
"%hen she was still s!eaking to #e, that is."
"Ha$e #issed so#ething?"
"'ll tell you all about it in the #orning. 3ight now '# busy." *he allowed her tongue the
unbridled !leasure of in$estigating his ear.
" !resu#e our son is safe," Tre$or #ur#ured around the ti! of her breast, which
res!onded beautifully.
"He's slee!ing with ,abs."
"You consider that safe?"
They laughed and when they did, Tre$or gri#aced. "2oes that hurt?" she asked.
His li!s tilted into that hungry alligator grin. "-augh so#e #ore."
nstead they kissed. %hen she felt his body filling with renewed desire for her, she
clas!ed his head with both hands and raised it abo$e hers. "/orgi$e #e. said so#e terrible
things to you. "bout your scars."
" knew you didn't #ean the#."
""nd about your eye !atch." *he touched his cheek lo$ingly. " think know why you
chose that o$er a !rosthesis."
"%hy?"
"You wear it out of defiance of the disability it re!resents. t would ha$e been easy for
you to wear a glass eye, to co$er your scars. ,ut you ne$er take the easy way, do you,
Tre$or?"
"(ot any#ore. used to. ,efore this ha!!ened to #e, didn't take anything seriously.
thought life was a series of !arties held in honor of #e. found out the hard way it 4ust ain't
so." He !ondered his ne&t thought as he let strands of her hair slide through his fingers.
"6r #aybe used the !atch as a shield. ,eneath it is the ugliest scar of all. 1aybe was
afraid that if you saw that, you'd see the ugliest !art of #e, which was #y dece!tion."
"(o #ore secrets between us, Tre$or."
"(one. (e$er. "ll #y defenses are down."
His fingers got lost in her hair and his $oice turned soft and ras!y. "You were 4ustifiably
furious, Kyla. did trick you into #arrying #e. ,ut after saw you, and you were e$en #ore
beautiful than the things you had written, si#!ly had to ha$e you, by fair #eans or foul. t
was ne$er #y intention to re!lace 3ichard in your heart, but to create a !lace there for
#yself."
" guess your biggest transgression was i#!atience."
"How's that?"
"f you had introduced yourself as *#ooch."
"You would ha$e hated #e on sight."
"nitially, #aybe. ,ut not after got to know you.%hat '# trying to say is that feel like
this was ine$itable."
"You #ean that no #atter how it ca#e about, we would be #arried, lying here, doing
this?" He #o$ed inside her.
"Yes," she gas!ed softly. "3e#e#ber when you said that as long as there was so#eone
else li$ing inside #e there was no roo# for you?"
'hagrined, he s#iled lo!sidedly. "7ery crudely !ut, if #y#e#ory ser$es #e."
"'rudely, but accurately." *he touched his #outh with hers and left it there against his
#ustache. "You fill #e co#!letely, Tre$or. ,ody, #ind, and soul."
Then $ery gently, and with no interference fro# hi#, she threaded her fingers u!
through his hair and re#o$ed the eye !atch.