Once in Every Life

A slow, cautious smile tugged at his lips.

Tess felt the impact of that smile all the way to her toes. She had to force herself not to get up and go to him.

"I better go," he said, indicating the barn. 202

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She nodded. "By all means."

He didn't move, just stood there, arms crossed, hat pulled low, studying her from beneath the brim of his dark hat. Tess felt the heat of his gaze like a caress along her flesh.

Finally he spoke. His words were so quiet, she could barely hear. "Really, you don't have to do that. But it does look good."

Tess's eyebrows drew together in a small frown. "What looks good?"

This time he grinned. "That apple cider you've got there."

Tess couldn't believe it. She smiled. "Why, Jack Rafferty, you do have a sense of humor."

His smile faded. Tess felt its loss as acutely as if a cloud had covered the sun. She got quickly to her feet and poured him a glass of cider from the pitcher. "I liked the smile," she said softly, holding the glass toward him.

His fingers curled around the sun-warmed glass just above hers. There was a brush of flesh on flesh, and then slowly he eased the glass from her hands and took a sip. "Thanks."

Tess looked up at him. For a split second she saw him not as he looked at this instant, sipping cider, but as he'd looked ten seconds ago, with a carefree smile transforming his face.

She started to lean toward him. When she realized what she was doing, she froze. Her heart thumped in her chest and her breathing sped up. She'd been going to kiss him again.

Steeling herself, she eased backward. A shaky laugh escaped her.

"What is it?" he asked, but his voice was husky, and she knew that he'd felt it, too, that sudden, unexpected rush of desire.

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"I was going to kiss you," she answered simply.

He flinched, swallowed hard. "Oh."

"But I changed my mind." She closed the infinitesimal gap between them. She tilted her face up and gave him a challenging stare. "The next time we kiss, Jack, you'll be the one who starts it."

He gazed down at her, his breathing rushed. His tongue darted out, nervously wet his lips. Tess stared at the glistening trail and felt a gut-wrenching pang of need.

She lurched backward, forcing a bright smile. "Well, I'd best get back to work."

"Yeah. 'Bye." He stared at her for a long, breathless moment, then pivoted and strode away.

Tess watched him leave, a silly, ridiculous grin on her face. For the first time since she'd realized she was falling in love with him, she felt honest-to-God hope. They'd been close there for a moment. Really close.

It was only a matter of time before they got even closer.

Tess was just setting the cradle back in its place below the window when she heard Savannah and Katie come into the yard. She gave the sleeping, just-fed baby a quick kiss on the cheek and hurried out to the porch.

"Hi, girls!" she called out.

"Hi, Mama," they said at once, both smiling.

Tess felt a rush of pride and warmth at their easy smiles. "I have a project planned for us. Here are a couple of old sheets?at least, they looked old. I cut out head and arm holes."

Savannah's smile faded. "You did what? But?"