He took a while before answering. “I think Olivia Wingate was a widow even when she was married. Her husband was a bastard.”
“That’s awful,” Jecca said.
Tristan shrugged. “It was a long time ago.”
“She never remarried?”
“Never so much as looked at a man as far as I know.”
“Maybe she and Lucy are a couple.”
“I don’t think so,” Tris said. “I’d like both of them to find companions. They’re very nice women, and they deserve the best.”
Jecca realized that Tristan’s hand was again in hers. In just two days his hand had become very familiar to her. “When Kim came to the house this morning, Lucy ran out of the room.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know. I thought you might have heard something.”
“Nothing. Lucy works very hard, and she doesn’t go out much. I try to get over t Sto ;
Jecca laughed. “I bet they shower you with buttered popcorn and lemonade and—”
“Chocolate cake and cherry pie and apricot tarts with almonds in the crust. I have to spend an extra forty minutes on a treadmill to counteract all the calories.”
Jecca ran her hand up his arm. It was well muscled, strong. “It doesn’t feel like any fat has been put on you.”
For a moment they were both still, and Jecca knew that if he turned his head toward hers she wouldn’t pull away. He seemed to be debating what to do next and she held her breath.
“It’s late and we have to go,” he said abruptly, then moved quickly as he disentangled their bodies.
To Jecca it seemed that one second they were close to kissing and the next they were both standing up.
Without a word, he took her hand and led her through the two low doorways to the outside. It had stopped raining and the air was fresh and clean.
Still holding her hand, they went through the darkness at a pace that left her breathless. In what seemed to be seconds, they were at the edge of the woods. There was a small yellow porch light shining from the house.
“Tristan,” Jecca said and her hand tightened on his.
He stepped close to her, but he didn’t put his free arm around her as she hoped he would. Instead, he put his hand on her cheek, his fingers entwining in her hair.
“Jecca,” he whispered. “I like you. There’s been only one other woman I’ve felt so comfortable with. Bear with me on this. I don’t want to mess this up.”
Damn! Jecca thought and couldn’t help frowning. He sounded serious. “Please don’t forget that I’m going back to—”
He put his thumb over her lips. “I know. You’re going to leave to go back to New York. I’ve thought about that. But you know what, Jecca my sweet?”
“What?” she whispered.
“I’m all grown up. If I get some of the sweetness of you, I’ll be able to handle the pain of good-bye.”
She felt him bend his head down and thought he was going to kiss her, but he moved so his lips were by her ear.
“Tomorrow at dark?” he whispered.
“Yes,” she said, then he let go of her hand and he was gone.
Six