“Ever kiss a superhero?” Nathan asked.
“I can’t say that I have,” she replied, letting her hands slide up his chest, pausing to trace the stylized “S”, then moving up to circle his neck. “But it might be an interesting experience.”
“I’ll try to make it a little better than ‘interesting,’” he promised as he lowered his mouth to hers.
The kiss was considerably better than interesting. It was well on its way to becoming spectacular when they heard the bathroom door open, indicating that Isabelle would rejoin them momentarily. Reluctantly Caitlin extricated herself from Nathan’s arms and stepped backward.
Giving her a rueful look, he pulled his long red cape around him.
Caitlin turned to entertain Isabelle for a moment, helping the child rearrange her own costume, asking a few more questions about the school Halloween carnival, laughing at Isabelle’s description of her teachers’ stint in a dunking booth. After a couple of minutes Nathan stepped forward. “We’d better go, kiddo. We have to fight injustice and evil all around the world.”
“Actually,” Isabelle confided to Caitlin, “I have to go to bed. I have school tomorrow.”
Caitlin leaned over to kiss her soft cheek. “I’m glad you came to my door tonight, Isabelle. It was a very nice treat for me.”
Isabelle threw her arms around Caitlin’s neck and snuggled her painted little face into Caitlin’s throat. “Thank you for the candy, Miss Caitlin. I love you.”
Oh, God. Caitlin felt unexpected tears threaten. She wrapped her arms around Isabelle’s fragile little body and squeezed gently, her watery gaze meeting Nathan’s over the child’s head.
He gave her a lopsided smile that seemed to say, “Now you understand why I couldn’t give her up.”
She had understood his reasoning all along, of course. She simply didn’t know if she was ready to make such a permanent commitment herself.
Nathan restrained himself to a kiss on her cheek as he passed her on the way out the door. “See you tomorrow.”
“Be careful out there fighting crime, Superman,” she murmured, then closed the door behind him and leaned her forehead against the wood.
She wished she had a few superpowers of her own—the ability to see the future among them.
Straightening, she spotted the folded letter she had tucked into a basket on a cherry side table close to the door. She still hadn’t told Nathan about hearing from Tom, or about the possibility that she could be interviewed for a fast-track position in Los Angeles.
She didn’t know what was holding her back. Maybe she didn’t know what she would tell him if he asked if she really wanted that interview.
Because Nathan got held up in an unexpected client meeting Saturday, barely getting away in time to make the symphony performance, he arranged by phone for Caitlin to meet him at his house. That way, they agreed, he would have time to change and they could leave straight from his place.
She had assured him that she, of all people, understood the sometimes-inconvenient demands of work, and didn’t mind making a few concessions because of his career duties.
Fayrene Tuckerman answered the door when Caitlin rang Nathan’s bell. “Good evening, Ms. Briley,” she said, ushering Caitlin inside. “Don’t you look lovely this evening.”
Caitlin had worn her simple black sheath with a beaded black jacket and heeled black sandals. She had pinned her hair up and secured it with a couple of glittery hairpins. Her only other jewelry was a pair of diamond stud earrings. “Thank you, Mrs. Tuckerman. Is Nathan ready?”
“He just dashed in and went straight to his room to shower and change. He said to tell you he would join you in a few minutes. May I get you something to drink while you wait?”
“No, thank you. I’ll just—”
“Miss Caitlin! Miss Caitlin!”
Caitlin braced herself. A moment later Isabelle threw her arms around Caitlin’s legs and squeezed as enthusiastically as if it had been weeks since they had last seen each other rather than just a couple of days.
“Hello, Isabelle.” Caitlin returned the hug. “What happened to your friend Supergirl?”
Isabelle giggled. “She went back to Krypton till next Halloween.”
“Gee, I hope she’ll write us sometime.”
The child was obviously delighted with Caitlin’s silliness. She beamed up at her. “Are you going on a date with Nate?” she asked, relishing the rhyme.
“Nathan and I are going to the symphony.”