his arm dropped away from Tim
and he strode composedly across the room to stand beside the chair, almost as if he were offering
himself for inspection. "Dean Schubert's a good administrator and one hell of a politician, but we
both know it's part of his job to talk whichever way the wind's blowing," he said with an easy
smile. "And certain influential people don't want me to be seen in a favorable light lately. I'm
very glad that Mary has the good sense not to listen to idle gossip and find out things for herself.
I respect that, don't you? After all, appearances can be deceiving."
"Hmm. You have a point there, son." Wallis's bristling had died down, but he was still frowning.
Tim stood to one side, watching everything in fascination. "I also heard from Schubert how you
were quite the hero on his yacht Monday."
"'l just did what needed to be done," Chance replied with a hint of discomfort. He glanced at
Mary and rested a hand on her shoulder. Her bare skin shivered at his touch, and he stroked her
gently with a light, subtle caress that only they were aware of. He seemed to come to some
decision then, and said to Wallis, "Look, Mr. Newman. I appreciate your protectiveness, and I
share it to some extent. But Mary's done a pretty good job of looking after herself so far, and will
continue to make her own choices whether you and I like it or not. I can promise you, though,
that I won't be doing anything against her wishes."
After a moment of considering that, Wallis conceded with a sigh. Mary took Chance's hand,
stood and smiled down at the old man. "Don't worry so much, Grampa," she said gently. "I'm
looking forward to tonight. I'll tell you all about it in the morning."
"It's my job to worry," grumbled Wallis, but his eyes had softened when he looked at her; "Go on
now, you two, skedaddle. I'm missing my movie."
"Good night," Tim said brightly.
Mary gave him a quick hug. "Good night, Timmy. I'll bring you some caramel corn."
"See you later, Tim." Chance curled an arm around her shoulders and nodded down to Wallis.
"Glad to meet you. Maybe we can talk more again sometime."
His gaze fell on Wallis's chessboard on a corner table and he paused. "Perhaps over a game of
chess?"
Wallis's eyes lit up. "Oh, do you play?"
"A little," Chance said offhandedly, the devil-back in his eyes.
Mary recalled Cassie's warning on Thursday and covered her mouth to hide a grin. Who was the
prey, and who was the piranha here? Don't, don't say anything. Leave them to work out their own
footing. Wallis invited him for dinner next week, and then Chance and Mary escaped into the
sunny warm evening.
When they were outside, Mary glanced up at him. He still had his arm around her, and his lithe
body brushed against her side as they walked. "I'm sorry about that," she said. "Grampa can be
very old fashioned sometimes."
Chance gave her a quick smile. "Don't apologize. I like him. If I'm ever lucky enough to have
children and grandchildren, I'll be the same way."
He wanted children. Mary hugged that knowledge to herself and examined it carefully. She could
just imagine what kind of a father Chance would be: gentle but firm. nurturing, protective, those
square, capable hands cradling a newborn baby. She sucked in a breath, amazed and rather
disturbed at the strength of the ravenous hunger that gripped her.
Chance opened the passenger door and helped her up into the Jeep. Mary watched as he rounded
the front of the car, running his fingers through his hair in that familiar, habitual gesture.
They pulled onto the highway, Chance resting a hand on top of the steering wheel. The dark,
concealing sunglasses highlighted the precision of his chiselled features, the-clean angle of his
jaw, the carved mobility of that wide..sensual mouth.
He glanced at her. "If you want, we can roll up the windows and I'll put the air-conditioning on.
It'd help keep that floppy, pretty thing in your hair."
She felt as pleased as if he'd
and he strode composedly across the room to stand beside the chair, almost as if he were offering
himself for inspection. "Dean Schubert's a good administrator and one hell of a politician, but we
both know it's part of his job to talk whichever way the wind's blowing," he said with an easy
smile. "And certain influential people don't want me to be seen in a favorable light lately. I'm
very glad that Mary has the good sense not to listen to idle gossip and find out things for herself.
I respect that, don't you? After all, appearances can be deceiving."
"Hmm. You have a point there, son." Wallis's bristling had died down, but he was still frowning.
Tim stood to one side, watching everything in fascination. "I also heard from Schubert how you
were quite the hero on his yacht Monday."
"'l just did what needed to be done," Chance replied with a hint of discomfort. He glanced at
Mary and rested a hand on her shoulder. Her bare skin shivered at his touch, and he stroked her
gently with a light, subtle caress that only they were aware of. He seemed to come to some
decision then, and said to Wallis, "Look, Mr. Newman. I appreciate your protectiveness, and I
share it to some extent. But Mary's done a pretty good job of looking after herself so far, and will
continue to make her own choices whether you and I like it or not. I can promise you, though,
that I won't be doing anything against her wishes."
After a moment of considering that, Wallis conceded with a sigh. Mary took Chance's hand,
stood and smiled down at the old man. "Don't worry so much, Grampa," she said gently. "I'm
looking forward to tonight. I'll tell you all about it in the morning."
"It's my job to worry," grumbled Wallis, but his eyes had softened when he looked at her; "Go on
now, you two, skedaddle. I'm missing my movie."
"Good night," Tim said brightly.
Mary gave him a quick hug. "Good night, Timmy. I'll bring you some caramel corn."
"See you later, Tim." Chance curled an arm around her shoulders and nodded down to Wallis.
"Glad to meet you. Maybe we can talk more again sometime."
His gaze fell on Wallis's chessboard on a corner table and he paused. "Perhaps over a game of
chess?"
Wallis's eyes lit up. "Oh, do you play?"
"A little," Chance said offhandedly, the devil-back in his eyes.
Mary recalled Cassie's warning on Thursday and covered her mouth to hide a grin. Who was the
prey, and who was the piranha here? Don't, don't say anything. Leave them to work out their own
footing. Wallis invited him for dinner next week, and then Chance and Mary escaped into the
sunny warm evening.
When they were outside, Mary glanced up at him. He still had his arm around her, and his lithe
body brushed against her side as they walked. "I'm sorry about that," she said. "Grampa can be
very old fashioned sometimes."
Chance gave her a quick smile. "Don't apologize. I like him. If I'm ever lucky enough to have
children and grandchildren, I'll be the same way."
He wanted children. Mary hugged that knowledge to herself and examined it carefully. She could
just imagine what kind of a father Chance would be: gentle but firm. nurturing, protective, those
square, capable hands cradling a newborn baby. She sucked in a breath, amazed and rather
disturbed at the strength of the ravenous hunger that gripped her.
Chance opened the passenger door and helped her up into the Jeep. Mary watched as he rounded
the front of the car, running his fingers through his hair in that familiar, habitual gesture.
They pulled onto the highway, Chance resting a hand on top of the steering wheel. The dark,
concealing sunglasses highlighted the precision of his chiselled features, the-clean angle of his
jaw, the carved mobility of that wide..sensual mouth.
He glanced at her. "If you want, we can roll up the windows and I'll put the air-conditioning on.
It'd help keep that floppy, pretty thing in your hair."
She felt as pleased as if he'd
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