“You shouldn’t be surprised. Jesse’s a good-looking man, a lawyer, and very charming.” The teacher blushed.
“But he’s married!”
“Some women don’t care. They figured with you living somewhere else, he’s fair game.” She shrugged. “Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s immoral.”
Fair game? Lord, he’s not the only man in town.
When she arrived home, Jesse surprised her by ordering supper from The Café. She’d mentioned Ellie and Hunter would eat with them, so he’d ordered their favorite, fried chicken with mashed potatoes, plenty of it. He also managed to visit the bakery to get a deep chocolate cake Hunter loved.
“Tori, Miss Devlin told us today Guthrie is going to have a special day next month to celebrate the town’s first anniversary.” Hunter spoke between shovels of mashed potatoes.
Jesse touched Hunter’s hand to slow him down. “That’s a good idea.”
“What’s an anniversary?” Ellie asked.
“It means our city has been in existence for one year, which will happen on April twenty-second. So each year on that date, it’s our anniversary.” Jesse smiled at the little girl.
“So what sort of celebration?” Tori asked.
“I can tell.” Ellie scowled at her brother as he started to speak. “We’re going to have a picnic and races.”
“Yeah, and a dumb dance.” Hunter rolled his eyes.
“And a pie eating contest.” Ellie bounced in her chair.
Hunter stuck his chest out. “I’m gonna win the pie eatin’ contest.”
She and Jesse shared a grin as their eyes met and held. Jesse’s expression shouted, we could have our own kids like this.
Tori’s heart tugged. Ellie and Hunter were growing so fast. Michael would be off to college in a few months, and between school, church, and friends, they seldom saw Rachel. Soon these two younger ones would be involved in activities of their own, and she would have no one to mother.
Jesse studied her for a moment, then reached behind him to grab a small white bakery box. “So who wants chocolate cake?”
“I do!” Hunter yelled.
“I do!” echoed his sister.
Tori settled in bed, tugged up the blankets, then fluffed her pillow. She bent an elbow to prop her head, watching Jesse undress for bed. Her stomach fluttered as his muscles rippled under golden skin as he took off his shirt. A warmth spread through her. Very familiar, but frightening just the same. She wanted to ignore it, but her body rebelled. Traitorous body. She must teach it to behave.
Jesse pulled on a nightshirt, his concession to them sharing a room. He unbuckled his pants, then slipped them off, his nightshirt covering him, much to Tori’s disappointment.
For heaven’s sake, what was she thinking? Ha! You know what you were thinking.
She put her head down, then closed her eyes so he’d think she slept. After a minute of silence, the bed dipped as Jesse sat alongside her. He removed her spectacles.
“If you’re going to pretend you’re asleep, darlin’, it’s more convincing if you take your spectacles off first.”
Tori opened one eye. “I am asleep.”
“No, you’re not. You watched me undress.”
“I did not!” Heat spread throughout her body.
Jesse stared at her with a smirk.
“Can I see how far that blush goes?” He pulled on the neckline of her nightgown.
Tori slapped his hand away. “Jesse, stop it. You promised.”