Others didn’t say anything to my face, but probably speculated behind my back. The majority of the townspeople, though, have been very kind. It’s not as if single motherhood is all that uncommon these days, though it’s still not accepted quite as calmly in the deep South as it is in Hollywood.”
“Did you ever think of having an abortion? It was legal then. You were little more than a child yourself. It would have been the easiest way out for you.”
She didn’t resent the question. She knew that Kit was trying very hard to understand her. What made her tick. What motivated her.
What frightened her about him.
“I thought about it,” she replied. “And I finally decided that it wasn’t an option I could live with. I would have spent the rest of my life wondering if I’d made the right choice. And I have never had one day of regret that I chose to have my babies.”
He nodded, as if her answer wasn’t at all surprising to him. Maybe he was starting to know her, after all, she thought, shaken by the strength of the bond that had developed between them in such a short time. It seemed so real, so solid. It was going to hurt all that much worse when it snapped.
Dessert was rich, chocolatey, decadent. Savannah put all thought of worry and calories out of her mind and ate every bite. She noticed that Kit refilled her wineglass several times, but she didn’t protest. It was a night for indulgence, she decided.
After all, who knew how many more enchanted evenings she and Kit would have?
THEY FELL SILENT as they finished their dessert, and Savannah began to pay more attention to the music. A song she and Kit had danced to on the island began to play just as finished the last bite.
Kit promptly stood and held out his hand. “Dance with me.”
She didn’t hesitate. She swayed a bit on her feet when she stood, but Kit promptly steadied her by pulling her into his arms.
“I think I’ve had too much wine,” she confessed. “I rarely drink.”
“Just lean on me,” he murmured, resting his cheek against her hair. “I’ll hold you.”
It felt so familiar to dance with him. She matched her steps effortlessly to his, only slightly hampered by the uneven flagstones beneath their feet.
She couldn’t remember ever dancing with anyone else. Or wanting to.
She felt Kit’s lips brush against her temple. She shivered in reaction.
“I think you’re trying to seduce me,” she accused him.
His chuckle rumbled in his chest, making it vibrate against her breasts. Even that feeling was seductive.
“Is it working?” he asked, without denying her allegation.
It was working all too well.
“No, not at all,” she fibbed, and rested her head on his shoulder.
“Liar.” He sounded more amused than offended.
Probably because he had no doubt that she was rapidly turning to putty in his hands, Savannah thought in resignation.
They danced close to the back wall of the cabin. Kit reached out and snapped off the overhead lights, so that their only illumination came from the moon, the stars and the candles.
Savannah slid both arms around his neck, burying her fingers in his hair. His lips brushed her temple, her cheek, then sought her mouth. She tilted her head back to give him better access.
The kiss lasted for an eternity. By the time it ended, Savannah knew her world had changed forever.
Sometime between their first dance on Serendipity Island and this dance in rural Georgia, she had fallen desperately in love with Christopher Pace.
She’d done some really dumb things in her life, a tiny part of her brain acknowledged as she lost herself in Kit’s embrace. But falling in love with this man had to be the most monumental mistake she’d ever made.
It couldn’t work. They were too different. Too many obstacles stood between them. She was going to be hurt.
At the moment, she couldn’t seem to care.