upheaval in her own life, Shae must need an anchor as badly as he did.
He would have to be so careful, Phillip warned himself, too aware of how her touch inflamed him . His lips felt fevered, needful, with the memory of their brief, soft kiss. But he was a grown man, responsible for his own business. Surely, he could govern his body’s wants as well. He could talk with he r just talk, and both of them could take whatever comfort that act offered.
“Have you eaten yet this evening?” he asked quickly, seizing upon the first excuse he thought might keep her with him . “Would you care to join me for a meal? If I can remember where I put my shoes, that is.”
She stepped backward once again and shook her head . “I really must be going. They’ll be expecting me. Thank you, though, for everything. Goodbye.”
She started away from him, then paused . At her hesitation, he felt relief surge through him. When she reached out her hand, he extended his to meet her. Without touching him, she dropped the baby’s ear shell into his palm.
“Take this to your sister,” Shae explained . “Please give her my thanks as well.”
Phillip nodded, and looked down at the pale, fat spiral . Shae Rowan had surprised him once again, he thought, but she was right. Too self-conscious to walk the beach herself, Justine would treasure that perfect shell, given with such honest gratitude.
He felt bereft when he looked up and saw Shae hurrying away from him . It seemed wrong to watch her vacate this stretch of beach, where she surely belonged.
“Don’t go back to Ethan . He doesn’t deserve you.” The sea breeze stole his whispered warning and spun it downwind, away from her.
He resisted an impulse to run after her, to tell her what he knew of Ethan’s plans . The thought brought with it unpleasant memories of Rachel, of their conversation late this afternoon. He recalled other things as well, the warnings that he should have heeded, some occurring months ago. How clear they all seemed, now that he knew better. How crystalline appeared his ex-fiancée’s flaws in this new light.
Phillip turned toward the gulf waters and stared at a pair of dusky plovers winging toward their nests, toward home . Thinking of the shore birds, he wondered if plovers took their mates for life. Then his gaze slipped backwards, and he stared in the direction of Shae Rowan’s retreat. He stood rooted to that spot, just watching, long after her silhouette had disappeared from view.
*
Shae leaned against the wrought iron fence where she’d tied Delilah to empty the sand from her shoes and readjust the bandage on her cut foot. The mare raised her head and nickered again in the direction of Austin Street and her evening ration of grain. The stubborn beast had tried to take the bit into her teeth to return home, but, with some difficulty, Shae had mastered her.
Shae cursed herself for walking on the beach . Now, her wounded foot had swollen so painfully she could no longer hide her limp. Though she knew she must see Lucius, she dreaded their conversation just the same. Somehow, the idea of truly knowing her mother’s fate both attracted and repelled her. She decided the hour was too late to attempt it anyway.
Once she replaced her shoes, she smoothed her blouse and skirt as best she could . If only she could straighten her mind as easily, to free it of the memory of Phillip Payton, of their kiss.
She had always felt so compelled to guard herself from Ethan’s groping . In the time they spent alone, never once had she forgotten her aunt’s and father’s admonitions, nor her fallen mother’s fate.
So what on earth had happened on the beach ? Something powerful washed through her at his touch, his very gaze. Something that made her very much afraid of what she could allow to happen.
Afraid and curious . And eager.
She shook her head to clear it . One kiss on the beach meant nothing, only that she felt frightened and alone. So she had lost her
He would have to be so careful, Phillip warned himself, too aware of how her touch inflamed him . His lips felt fevered, needful, with the memory of their brief, soft kiss. But he was a grown man, responsible for his own business. Surely, he could govern his body’s wants as well. He could talk with he r just talk, and both of them could take whatever comfort that act offered.
“Have you eaten yet this evening?” he asked quickly, seizing upon the first excuse he thought might keep her with him . “Would you care to join me for a meal? If I can remember where I put my shoes, that is.”
She stepped backward once again and shook her head . “I really must be going. They’ll be expecting me. Thank you, though, for everything. Goodbye.”
She started away from him, then paused . At her hesitation, he felt relief surge through him. When she reached out her hand, he extended his to meet her. Without touching him, she dropped the baby’s ear shell into his palm.
“Take this to your sister,” Shae explained . “Please give her my thanks as well.”
Phillip nodded, and looked down at the pale, fat spiral . Shae Rowan had surprised him once again, he thought, but she was right. Too self-conscious to walk the beach herself, Justine would treasure that perfect shell, given with such honest gratitude.
He felt bereft when he looked up and saw Shae hurrying away from him . It seemed wrong to watch her vacate this stretch of beach, where she surely belonged.
“Don’t go back to Ethan . He doesn’t deserve you.” The sea breeze stole his whispered warning and spun it downwind, away from her.
He resisted an impulse to run after her, to tell her what he knew of Ethan’s plans . The thought brought with it unpleasant memories of Rachel, of their conversation late this afternoon. He recalled other things as well, the warnings that he should have heeded, some occurring months ago. How clear they all seemed, now that he knew better. How crystalline appeared his ex-fiancée’s flaws in this new light.
Phillip turned toward the gulf waters and stared at a pair of dusky plovers winging toward their nests, toward home . Thinking of the shore birds, he wondered if plovers took their mates for life. Then his gaze slipped backwards, and he stared in the direction of Shae Rowan’s retreat. He stood rooted to that spot, just watching, long after her silhouette had disappeared from view.
*
Shae leaned against the wrought iron fence where she’d tied Delilah to empty the sand from her shoes and readjust the bandage on her cut foot. The mare raised her head and nickered again in the direction of Austin Street and her evening ration of grain. The stubborn beast had tried to take the bit into her teeth to return home, but, with some difficulty, Shae had mastered her.
Shae cursed herself for walking on the beach . Now, her wounded foot had swollen so painfully she could no longer hide her limp. Though she knew she must see Lucius, she dreaded their conversation just the same. Somehow, the idea of truly knowing her mother’s fate both attracted and repelled her. She decided the hour was too late to attempt it anyway.
Once she replaced her shoes, she smoothed her blouse and skirt as best she could . If only she could straighten her mind as easily, to free it of the memory of Phillip Payton, of their kiss.
She had always felt so compelled to guard herself from Ethan’s groping . In the time they spent alone, never once had she forgotten her aunt’s and father’s admonitions, nor her fallen mother’s fate.
So what on earth had happened on the beach ? Something powerful washed through her at his touch, his very gaze. Something that made her very much afraid of what she could allow to happen.
Afraid and curious . And eager.
She shook her head to clear it . One kiss on the beach meant nothing, only that she felt frightened and alone. So she had lost her
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