didn’t.
“Don’t, Jeff.” She came closer, so close that if he turned around, she’d be in his arms again. With diffi culty, he controlled the urge to move away. He was only human, after all.
“Don’t beat yourself up about this.” Tenderness made her voice soft with a note of regret that scared the hell out of him. “I understand.”
“You understand.” Trying for the blessed numb ness he’d felt as recently as the day before, he turned and headed for his truck. “I can’t remember most of my past, can’t even remember much about you, other than the fact that you’re so damn desirable I want to make love to you every time I see you, but you say you understand.” Hoping it wasn’t a mistake, he glanced back at her over his shoulder.
She stood where he’d left her, arms folded across her chest. Head up, a high color on her cheeks, she glared at him. “You did the right thing.” Though her tone still sounded sweet, he could have sworn she forced the words out through clenched teeth. “I’m glad we didn’t make love.”
That stopped him. Though he knew it wouldn’t have been die right thing to do, he sure as hell wasn’t glad about it. His body still ached with wanting her. “Glad?”
“Yes. I don’t have any protection.”
“Protection,” he repeated, starting to feel like a parrot. Something about her words bothered him, something he instinctively knew was important, though it eluded him. No doubt he would remember later.
Thunder boomed in the west. Far off, lightning flashed on the horizon. An expectant hush had settled over the area. The air seemed charged and danger ous. Even the birds had gone silent, waiting.
“We’d better go.” Tossing their poles and the tackle box in the back of his truck, he held out his hand. After a moment’s hesitation, Hope took it “Looks like this storm is gonna be a bad one.” Hope took her place in the truck by the door and gripped the handle. Neither of them spoke the entire way back to the house.
He dropped her off just as the sky opened up. The rain came down in sheets, the wind gusted. Without a backward look at him, Hope made a dash for the house. Instantly , she was soaked. As she fumbled for her key, the back door swung open.
“Come in,” Charlene said as she waved her past “You two were sure out and about early. The coffee just finished brewing.”
Jeff’s headlights swept the window as he backed out of the drive.
“We went fishing,” Hope muttered, squeezing the water out of her hair and into the sink. “At least, until the storm hit.”
“Jeff didn’t want to come in?”
“He had things to do,” Hope lied. She felt transpar ent, somehow, as though Jeff’s sister could see the desire on her face. “I think I’ll go change out of these wet clothes.”
Nodding, Charlene continued to watch out the window until the rain obscured Jeff's truck from view.
Hope grabbed some dry clothes and took a quick, hot shower. Running her hands over her body, she bit her lip, wishing she could push away her body’s sensitivity, the pulsing arousal that still remained with her, the sharp bite of her need. Unknowingly, if Jeff had made love to her, he would have touched more than merely her body. He would have touched her soul.
When she emerged from the shower, the smell of bacon frying made Hope’s stomach growl. She wandered into the kitchen, trying not to look too eager.
“Scrambled eggs?” Charlene asked, a full plate already in hand.
Mouth watering, Hope nodded. Charlene dumped the plate in front of Hope, dropping it so hard eggs bounced off onto the table.
Startled , Hope noted Charlene’s pursed lips. “Is something wrong?”
Pulling out a chair across from Hope, Charlene sat. “Is there something you might be forgetting to tell me?”
Dumbfounded, Hope could only stare. Did Jeff’s sister somehow know what had transpired between them that morning?
If so, how?
“Forgetting?” Cautiously, Hope poked her fork in
“Don’t, Jeff.” She came closer, so close that if he turned around, she’d be in his arms again. With diffi culty, he controlled the urge to move away. He was only human, after all.
“Don’t beat yourself up about this.” Tenderness made her voice soft with a note of regret that scared the hell out of him. “I understand.”
“You understand.” Trying for the blessed numb ness he’d felt as recently as the day before, he turned and headed for his truck. “I can’t remember most of my past, can’t even remember much about you, other than the fact that you’re so damn desirable I want to make love to you every time I see you, but you say you understand.” Hoping it wasn’t a mistake, he glanced back at her over his shoulder.
She stood where he’d left her, arms folded across her chest. Head up, a high color on her cheeks, she glared at him. “You did the right thing.” Though her tone still sounded sweet, he could have sworn she forced the words out through clenched teeth. “I’m glad we didn’t make love.”
That stopped him. Though he knew it wouldn’t have been die right thing to do, he sure as hell wasn’t glad about it. His body still ached with wanting her. “Glad?”
“Yes. I don’t have any protection.”
“Protection,” he repeated, starting to feel like a parrot. Something about her words bothered him, something he instinctively knew was important, though it eluded him. No doubt he would remember later.
Thunder boomed in the west. Far off, lightning flashed on the horizon. An expectant hush had settled over the area. The air seemed charged and danger ous. Even the birds had gone silent, waiting.
“We’d better go.” Tossing their poles and the tackle box in the back of his truck, he held out his hand. After a moment’s hesitation, Hope took it “Looks like this storm is gonna be a bad one.” Hope took her place in the truck by the door and gripped the handle. Neither of them spoke the entire way back to the house.
He dropped her off just as the sky opened up. The rain came down in sheets, the wind gusted. Without a backward look at him, Hope made a dash for the house. Instantly , she was soaked. As she fumbled for her key, the back door swung open.
“Come in,” Charlene said as she waved her past “You two were sure out and about early. The coffee just finished brewing.”
Jeff’s headlights swept the window as he backed out of the drive.
“We went fishing,” Hope muttered, squeezing the water out of her hair and into the sink. “At least, until the storm hit.”
“Jeff didn’t want to come in?”
“He had things to do,” Hope lied. She felt transpar ent, somehow, as though Jeff’s sister could see the desire on her face. “I think I’ll go change out of these wet clothes.”
Nodding, Charlene continued to watch out the window until the rain obscured Jeff's truck from view.
Hope grabbed some dry clothes and took a quick, hot shower. Running her hands over her body, she bit her lip, wishing she could push away her body’s sensitivity, the pulsing arousal that still remained with her, the sharp bite of her need. Unknowingly, if Jeff had made love to her, he would have touched more than merely her body. He would have touched her soul.
When she emerged from the shower, the smell of bacon frying made Hope’s stomach growl. She wandered into the kitchen, trying not to look too eager.
“Scrambled eggs?” Charlene asked, a full plate already in hand.
Mouth watering, Hope nodded. Charlene dumped the plate in front of Hope, dropping it so hard eggs bounced off onto the table.
Startled , Hope noted Charlene’s pursed lips. “Is something wrong?”
Pulling out a chair across from Hope, Charlene sat. “Is there something you might be forgetting to tell me?”
Dumbfounded, Hope could only stare. Did Jeff’s sister somehow know what had transpired between them that morning?
If so, how?
“Forgetting?” Cautiously, Hope poked her fork in
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