“I know,” Colin said. “They all love her, and I dread telling them that we aren’t going to give my mother her Heartwish of marriage and children. But it has to be done. Then you and I will get to know each other. We’ll become friends, and I’ll keep my hands off that killer body of yours. Is that what you want to hear?”
“It’s a start.”
Gemma couldn’t help how his words gave her hope. Whereas she couldn’t bear being the Rebound Girl, someone who would get dumped later, it was wonderful to think that they really did have a chance together. That thought and the sight of him made her blood rush through her body. With him sitting and her standing, he was exactly the right height for her to step into his arms. She knew what his arms around her felt like, how her hands felt on him.
“You have to stop looking at me like that,” he said under his breath, “or I won’t be able to talk.”
Gemma sat down, and looked back at the scenery.
“We Fraziers keep ourselves a bit separate from the rest of Edilean,” he began. “We—”
“Why?”
“I don’t know, but it’s always been that way. My grandfather used to say that the Fraziers are different from the others and always will be.”
“How does that translate to now, to you and me? I mean, not that there is a you and me, but . . .” She wasn’t sure what she was saying.
“I’ve never wanted people in Edilean to know me well. I think keeping a little distance makes them more comfortable about asking me for help.”
“I can understand that,” Gemma said. “Is that why you’ve let people think you and Jean are still together?”
“Jean . . .” He shrugged.
“She wants you back,” Gemma said.
“She wanted us to try, but it hasn’t worked. I told you that last fall there were weddings and babies made, and . . .”
“And you bought a house,” she said, then lowered her voice as understanding came to her. “And you didn’t show it to Jean because you knew she’d never live in it.”
“Exactly,” he said. “Gemma.” He waited until she turned to look at him. “I do remember that night. I especially remember that I made a very poor showing of myself. I can do better.”
She looked away.
“So will you go out on a date with me?”
She looked back at him. “A date?”
“Dinner and a movie.”
“Or horseback riding? I saw your trophy. What do you ride? A Clydesdale?”
Colin didn’t laugh but his eyes sparkled. “Budweiser uses my brothers and me as training for their horses. If they can pull us, then they can haul wagons full of beer.” He reached out his hand to her, but she moved away.
“How is Jean going to take all this?”
“She knows it’s coming. We haven’t been . . . intimate in a long time. That’s why—” He broke off. “I want to clear up one point.”
“And what is that?”
“You weren’t the one who came after me.”
Gemma’s face turned red. “I’ll never live that down. You were sound asleep and I pounced on you. You didn’t have a chance. Maybe you should bring charges against me.”
When she saw his big hand held out to her, she took it, but she didn’t meet his eyes.
“Gemma,” he said softly, “I’ve liked you from the first moment I saw you.” He took a breath. “I’d like to spend some time with you, lots of time, and see if there could be more between us. It won’t be easy, but I promise that I’ll keep my hands off of you until you say it’s okay.”
She was glad she had her face down and he couldn’t see her expression. Not touching him wasn’t going to be any easier for her. She pulled her hand from his. “You have to take care of things wit