wussy for a guy to say—but I felt safe with you, Nina.”
Nina blushed at the tender admission. “Oh, I’m so glad that I could do something for you, Robert, because the sex with you was wonderful. Even my Charlie never put me over the top like you did last night, and I mean no disrespect to my husband’s memory when I say that.”
“Then you’re not mad at me for taking advantage?” he asked.
Nina giggled. “I wanted you to take advantage, Robert. I practically seduced you,” she said, blushing again. “I hope you won’t think badly of me for it.”
Reaching across the table, he took her hand and kissed it. “I will never think badly of you, brown eyes. Other than my first wife, I never asked a lady to be my girl, but I’d like to ask you. Will you be my girl, Nina Parsons?” His blue eyes met her brown ones, and he smiled his boyish grin.
“I’d like that,” she agreed. Her heart was racing again with excitement. Lyon Roberts had just asked her to be his girl. No! Robert Talcott had, and they weren’t twentysomethings. They were grown and practically seniors.
“Good!” he said, leaning across the table to kiss her.
Nina sighed and kissed him back. Then the clock in the hall struck eight, bringing her back to reality. “I’ve got to go and change for work,” she said, standing up.
“Can I come and help you?” he asked innocently.
Nina laughed. “I’d never get there, and Ashley would wonder why her shop wasn’t open. We’re extra busy now with the winter weddings and the holiday ahead.”
He sighed. “Then I’ll just have to satisfy myself with another of these muffins,” he said, “and a cup of coffee.”
“Muffins are in the warming oven,” Nina told him, hurrying from the kitchen.
Back in the bedroom, she sneaked a look at her bed, with its very tumbled sheets and down coverlet. Yes, indeed, someone had had wonderful sex in that bed recently. She stepped into the walk-in closet that served as a dressing room for her and pulled off the fleece pants and top, then pulled on a pair of beige-and-cream tweed slacks and a natural-colored cashmere turtleneck sweater. Cashmere socks and saddle brown ankle boots completed her outfit. She exited the closet and went into the bathroom, where she put on her lipstick, gave her short hair a final look, and, grabbing the elegant little shoulder bag from the top of her dresser, hurried back to the kitchen.
He looked up from buttering a blueberry muffin when he saw her. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I should be dressed and ready to go myself, but damn, these muffins taste good.”
“No problem,” Nina said with a smile. “Take your time. Remember, we don’t lock our doors here in Egret Pointe. When you go, just close it behind you.”
“Do I need to move my car?” he asked.
“I walk to work on nice days,” Nina told him.
“Dinner tonight?” he asked.
“I’d like that,” she answered.
“You still want to be my girl?”
“Robert, I’ve been your girl from the first time I saw you up there on the silver screen,” Nina told him, and then she hurried out the door. She hoped she wasn’t dancing as she walked down Maple Lane. She sure as hell felt like dancing. Dancing and singing. She had not been unhappy with her life. Sure, it was lonely sometimes being a widow, but after the initial shock of Charlie’s death had worn off, she wasn’t unhappy. And yet, suddenly she was filled with euphoria, and it felt as if she had actually been in a holding pattern these last years. She wasn’t certain where this sudden relationship with Robert Talcott was going, but did she really need to know?
The builder had promised that Robert’s house would be ready by Christmas. Robert had taken Nina’s advice from their first dinner together to heart, and the architect had agreed. He had designed a long, low, single-story house with lots and lots of glass to take advantage of both the view and the sun. They had used a lot of green
Nina blushed at the tender admission. “Oh, I’m so glad that I could do something for you, Robert, because the sex with you was wonderful. Even my Charlie never put me over the top like you did last night, and I mean no disrespect to my husband’s memory when I say that.”
“Then you’re not mad at me for taking advantage?” he asked.
Nina giggled. “I wanted you to take advantage, Robert. I practically seduced you,” she said, blushing again. “I hope you won’t think badly of me for it.”
Reaching across the table, he took her hand and kissed it. “I will never think badly of you, brown eyes. Other than my first wife, I never asked a lady to be my girl, but I’d like to ask you. Will you be my girl, Nina Parsons?” His blue eyes met her brown ones, and he smiled his boyish grin.
“I’d like that,” she agreed. Her heart was racing again with excitement. Lyon Roberts had just asked her to be his girl. No! Robert Talcott had, and they weren’t twentysomethings. They were grown and practically seniors.
“Good!” he said, leaning across the table to kiss her.
Nina sighed and kissed him back. Then the clock in the hall struck eight, bringing her back to reality. “I’ve got to go and change for work,” she said, standing up.
“Can I come and help you?” he asked innocently.
Nina laughed. “I’d never get there, and Ashley would wonder why her shop wasn’t open. We’re extra busy now with the winter weddings and the holiday ahead.”
He sighed. “Then I’ll just have to satisfy myself with another of these muffins,” he said, “and a cup of coffee.”
“Muffins are in the warming oven,” Nina told him, hurrying from the kitchen.
Back in the bedroom, she sneaked a look at her bed, with its very tumbled sheets and down coverlet. Yes, indeed, someone had had wonderful sex in that bed recently. She stepped into the walk-in closet that served as a dressing room for her and pulled off the fleece pants and top, then pulled on a pair of beige-and-cream tweed slacks and a natural-colored cashmere turtleneck sweater. Cashmere socks and saddle brown ankle boots completed her outfit. She exited the closet and went into the bathroom, where she put on her lipstick, gave her short hair a final look, and, grabbing the elegant little shoulder bag from the top of her dresser, hurried back to the kitchen.
He looked up from buttering a blueberry muffin when he saw her. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I should be dressed and ready to go myself, but damn, these muffins taste good.”
“No problem,” Nina said with a smile. “Take your time. Remember, we don’t lock our doors here in Egret Pointe. When you go, just close it behind you.”
“Do I need to move my car?” he asked.
“I walk to work on nice days,” Nina told him.
“Dinner tonight?” he asked.
“I’d like that,” she answered.
“You still want to be my girl?”
“Robert, I’ve been your girl from the first time I saw you up there on the silver screen,” Nina told him, and then she hurried out the door. She hoped she wasn’t dancing as she walked down Maple Lane. She sure as hell felt like dancing. Dancing and singing. She had not been unhappy with her life. Sure, it was lonely sometimes being a widow, but after the initial shock of Charlie’s death had worn off, she wasn’t unhappy. And yet, suddenly she was filled with euphoria, and it felt as if she had actually been in a holding pattern these last years. She wasn’t certain where this sudden relationship with Robert Talcott was going, but did she really need to know?
The builder had promised that Robert’s house would be ready by Christmas. Robert had taken Nina’s advice from their first dinner together to heart, and the architect had agreed. He had designed a long, low, single-story house with lots and lots of glass to take advantage of both the view and the sun. They had used a lot of green
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