surprised you agreed to go along with this idea of Karen's."
He took her small hand in his large one, lightly touching her fingertips one by one, each point of contact compounding the sensations his touch created in her. Skin against skin. No barriers. Adam had removed his gloves.
With an effort, Jo yanked her mind away to re-focus on his words. "I felt it was worth a try—"
"A try? No.... We must do better than that."
"But—"
"No half-measures."
"But we must, Adam. We can't do it all at once."
"We either do it or we don't. Once we approach your grandfather, we see this through to the end."
"What I meant was, we should try by starting with something small, something Gramps might accept. Then build on that. That's what I meant by 'try.'"
"And if he doesn't accept it, what then? What are you going to do? Give in to him again?"
CHAPTER SIX
It was the question Jo had been avoiding ever since Karen had proposed her plan, because it was the one thing that was inevitable. No matter what they did, no matter how carefully they started, Gramps was not going to accept Adam.
He'd fight them, tooth and nail, every step of the way. He'd be hurt, while she, Jo, the one in the middle, was apt to be hurt most of all. Love and loyalty became powerful weapons, when used against a tender heart.
"Jo?"
"Yes?"
"I need an answer. What will you do?" His hand stilled as he waited, and all the world stopped to hear.
She swallowed against a throat suddenly dry. "I'll have to see how things go."
"That's not good enough. I'm not going to be left holding the short end of the stick just because you can't bear to hurt that irascible old man. You must decide what you will do when he digs in."
"I don't know."
"You have to make up your mind." His hand began to stroke hers, lightly, sending a wave of sensation pulsating up her arm. "Just so we understand each other. If we begin there will be no backing out. You backed out on me once, you know, on account of him."
What....? In high school? Was that how he had seen it...with her backing out? Jo clamped down on a rush of indignant anger. It was not the right moment to bring up that humiliating bet. "It won't happen this time," she declared.
"You sure about that?" He sounded skeptical.
She nodded, keeping her head down, watching an ant detour around her boot. His thumb was lightly stroking her thumb now, slightly hypnotic in its effect.
She watched his hand, fascinated. He was barely touching her, yet she felt it all the way through her body. Did Adam realize how his touch affected her?
"What makes you think you'll react differently?" His question broke through her swirling thoughts, demanding an answer.
"Karen's due for some happiness. I want her to have fun dating your brother, with things normal. Then if they do get married, I'd like her to have a big wedding, with both families present, like she wants."
"Humm...I see what you mean. So that's why you're so willing...." He was silent for a moment, lost in thought, his thumb making small circular motions on hers.
"Yes. You can depend on me to hold up my end."
"You'd better! I don't want to call for a date and have you telling me "no" just because of something Gramps said." He clasped her hand as he continued, the work-hardened ridges on his palms brushing against her smooth skin. "He's always been able to sway your decision, so he'll try. If you give in to him, just once, he'll dig in like a badger in a hole."
Adam tightened his grip, emphasizing his words. Each one cut precise, like the cold steel of a knife blade slicing into her life. "We'll lose any ground we've gained, plus more. It'll only make it harder on him in the long run. So you'll have to promise. Absolutely no backing down! Because if you do, I'm out of it. Finished. I won't try this again." With a last hard squeeze, Adam dropped her hand.
Feeling torn in half, Jo put her hands over her face. "How can I do this to him?"
Adam gave a snort of impatience. "You have
He took her small hand in his large one, lightly touching her fingertips one by one, each point of contact compounding the sensations his touch created in her. Skin against skin. No barriers. Adam had removed his gloves.
With an effort, Jo yanked her mind away to re-focus on his words. "I felt it was worth a try—"
"A try? No.... We must do better than that."
"But—"
"No half-measures."
"But we must, Adam. We can't do it all at once."
"We either do it or we don't. Once we approach your grandfather, we see this through to the end."
"What I meant was, we should try by starting with something small, something Gramps might accept. Then build on that. That's what I meant by 'try.'"
"And if he doesn't accept it, what then? What are you going to do? Give in to him again?"
CHAPTER SIX
It was the question Jo had been avoiding ever since Karen had proposed her plan, because it was the one thing that was inevitable. No matter what they did, no matter how carefully they started, Gramps was not going to accept Adam.
He'd fight them, tooth and nail, every step of the way. He'd be hurt, while she, Jo, the one in the middle, was apt to be hurt most of all. Love and loyalty became powerful weapons, when used against a tender heart.
"Jo?"
"Yes?"
"I need an answer. What will you do?" His hand stilled as he waited, and all the world stopped to hear.
She swallowed against a throat suddenly dry. "I'll have to see how things go."
"That's not good enough. I'm not going to be left holding the short end of the stick just because you can't bear to hurt that irascible old man. You must decide what you will do when he digs in."
"I don't know."
"You have to make up your mind." His hand began to stroke hers, lightly, sending a wave of sensation pulsating up her arm. "Just so we understand each other. If we begin there will be no backing out. You backed out on me once, you know, on account of him."
What....? In high school? Was that how he had seen it...with her backing out? Jo clamped down on a rush of indignant anger. It was not the right moment to bring up that humiliating bet. "It won't happen this time," she declared.
"You sure about that?" He sounded skeptical.
She nodded, keeping her head down, watching an ant detour around her boot. His thumb was lightly stroking her thumb now, slightly hypnotic in its effect.
She watched his hand, fascinated. He was barely touching her, yet she felt it all the way through her body. Did Adam realize how his touch affected her?
"What makes you think you'll react differently?" His question broke through her swirling thoughts, demanding an answer.
"Karen's due for some happiness. I want her to have fun dating your brother, with things normal. Then if they do get married, I'd like her to have a big wedding, with both families present, like she wants."
"Humm...I see what you mean. So that's why you're so willing...." He was silent for a moment, lost in thought, his thumb making small circular motions on hers.
"Yes. You can depend on me to hold up my end."
"You'd better! I don't want to call for a date and have you telling me "no" just because of something Gramps said." He clasped her hand as he continued, the work-hardened ridges on his palms brushing against her smooth skin. "He's always been able to sway your decision, so he'll try. If you give in to him, just once, he'll dig in like a badger in a hole."
Adam tightened his grip, emphasizing his words. Each one cut precise, like the cold steel of a knife blade slicing into her life. "We'll lose any ground we've gained, plus more. It'll only make it harder on him in the long run. So you'll have to promise. Absolutely no backing down! Because if you do, I'm out of it. Finished. I won't try this again." With a last hard squeeze, Adam dropped her hand.
Feeling torn in half, Jo put her hands over her face. "How can I do this to him?"
Adam gave a snort of impatience. "You have
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