Once in Every Life

Something had happened today with Jack. Something she'd never expected. When he'd walked in on her, she'd felt ... sexy.

Tess had been many things in her life, done many things. She was no virgin, but neither had she ever felt really comfortable with her sexuality. She'd always thought it was because she wasn't pretty, or because her deafness made intimacy difficult.

Today Jack had set her to wondering about all that. From the moment their eyes had met, it was as if she'd been struck by lightning. Strong, undeniable sexual currents had been loosed in the room, splaying back and forth between them like a live wire. She knew Amarylis was physically pretty; she'd seen that in the mirror. But that didn't mean a whole lot to Tess. She'd learned long ago that beauty was on the inside.

But today, in Jack's eyes, she'd seen her own beauty. Seen her own desirability.

It stunned her even now to realize how much that meant to her. How it had made her feel. Without even thinking, she'd been on her feet, clutching that ridiculous cotton towel to her dripping body as if it protected her modesty.

His eyes had drawn her, left her powerless to resist their dark, hypnotic pull. It shouldn't have surprised her, this deep, almost primal attraction to Jack, but somehow it had. All along she'd thought she was drawn to his pain or his heartache or his need. Now she saw the truth: she was drawn to something deeper, something beyond the pain. To the man himself.

For the first time she'd seen him not as a father, or a

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man in pain, or an adversary. Today he'd been simply a man. And she hadn't been the pudgy, frightened deaf loner, or the makeshift mother to his children. She'd been just a woman, moving toward a man who attracted her.

She'd moved with a grace she'd never before possessed, looked at him with a seductive strength she'd never even imagined.

And when she'd touched him?a simple, nothing little brush of skin on skin that lasted no longer than a heartbeat?she felt as if she'd touched fire.

What on earth had possessed her? She knew he hated his wife, had known it from the moment he first looked at her.

But now she knew something else; something dangerous and surprising and more than a little frightening. He wanted her.

And even more frightening was the fact that she wanted him, too. "Mama!"

The shrieked word ripped Tess from her daydream. She brought her head up and saw Savannah and Katie skidding to a stop in front of her.

"M-Mama," Savannah said again, twisting her lard tin's steel handle. "What are you doing out here?"

Katie stumbled in her haste to hide behind her sister's skirts. Cautiously she peered around Savannah's elbow.

"I don't know," Tess said. "It was just so pretty, I thought I'd get some fresh air before supper."

Savannah blanched. "Oh, I'll get started right n?" "The stew's on." The girls gasped.

Tess laughed. "I don't know how it'll taste, but I decided to try cooking. Why don't you girls go have some fun? I'll call you when it's time to wash up." Neither one of them moved.

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Finally Savannah said, "How?"

The question caught Tess off guard. Startled, she looked at the girls. Their sad, frightened eyes tore at Tess's heart. If only she could ease their pain, help them. But how? She'd never spent much time with children. She'd probably say something wrong and botch the whole thing. It was undoubtedly better to hang back and study the situation a bit more before diving into the fray.

Then it struck her. She was their mother. It didn't matter to them that Tess didn't know the first thing about parenting. All they knew was that they were lonely and afraid, and neither of their parents seemed to care. Until now.

Tentatively she said, "H-How about if we go pick some wildflowers together?"

Surprise widened Savannah's blue eyes. "Really?"

Tess knew instantly that she'd done the right thing. "Yes, really."

They started to come toward Tess.

"Wait," she said.

They froze. Fear rounded their eyes.