Talk by Laura van Wormer

about married men cheating on their wives," Jessica explained.
    After they sorted out the misunderstanding, Jacques was dusted off and escorted to his Jaguar by Slim. Jessica went up the porch stairs to find Alexandra standing in the doorway.
    "I guess we'll have to find a new fourth for bridge," sighed her hostess.
    They went back into the den where Alexandra, yawning, said she was going to turn in. Georgiana echoed the same. Jessica said she would be up soon.
    "Anybody know where Steed and Mrs. Peel are?"
    "Wendy's around here somewhere," Will said.
    "I think Slim's going to the barn," Alexandra said leaving the room.
    ;:
    "Sleep well, everybody," Georgiana said, waving good-night. ';
    "Oh, Will," Alexandra said, backtracking around the;
    corner.
    "Remember to take the flashlight in the kitchen^ The trail to the cabin isn't the greatest." ,| "Okay, thanks. Good night." | Jessica and Will sat in quiet a while as the sounds of the women faded upstairs. Then Will reached to put hj|| arm around Jessica's shoulder, settling in closer. H| whispered, "I feel like we're being watched."
    || "We are," she whispered back, giggling, luxuriatia^ in his warmth, the coolness of the night, the farm smell| that were wafting in through the window. They sat like that for several minutes until a telltale snore let Jessie know that while she had been plotting romance an|| sexual intrigue for them this night. Will had fall^ asleep. :;^ She smiled. Well, that decided that.
    "Will," she whispered.
    He awakened with a start, at first not knowing whi@|g he was.
    "Oh, sorry. I fell asleep, didn't I?" ||j "You're tired." || "Mmm, yeah, I guess." He turned to her, regripp her shoulder.
    "Sleeping, frankly, is not what I hac mind." Before she could respond, he added, "But I think, under the circumstances, it's best if I go to the cabin."
    "It's hard to let you go."
    He smiled, sleepy.
    He went into the kitchen to get the flashlight while Jessica went out on the front porch.
    "Psst! Wendy! Wendy!"
    "What?" came a voice from behind her, scaring the heck out of Jessica.
    "Sorry," Wendy said, appearing out of the shadows on the porch.
    "I
    didn't mean to sneak up on you. "
    "Listen, Mrs. Peel, Will's going to his cabin, so don't shoot him or anything, okay?"
    "Okay."
    Jessica whispered, "But shoo, will you? Just beat it for a minute or two?"
    "Sure." As Wendy went skipping down the steps and off into the night.
    Will came out onto the porch and almost immediately took Jessica into his arms. She slid her hands around his waist and they kissed. But not for long, because they wouldn't/be able to stay in control for long.
    The kind of sexual desire she felt for Will was new to Jessica in sobriety. It wasn't a tide; it felt more like a tidal wave of sensation.
    "After they catch this stalker of yours," Will murmured, kissing her forehead, her eyes and then her neck.
    "You and I, Jessica Wright," he continued, kissing her ear, her cheek and then bringing his head back up to look at her, "are going to spend days and days and days getting to know each other."
    She knew exactly what he had in mind, for their lower bodies were already working their way toward the unstated goal.
    "I'll see you tomorrow," he said after kissing her briefly once more and breaking away.
    "Sleep tight," she called softly.
    At the bottom of the stairs he stopped.
    "You do know that I'm falling in love with you, don't you? And that it started a long, long time ago? Like maybe seven years ago, the very first moment I saw you?"
    After a moment, she said, "I know." She didn't know;
    what else to say because she didn't know what it was, exactly, that she felt. Other than physically, that was. Not yet.
    "Good night."
    She went back inside and locked the front door. She stood in the front foyer, feeling very wide-awake. Nowl^ what? ^1 Hot chocolate and something to read for fun. She| went into the kitchen and heated some skim milk, stirring some Nestle's Quik into it. Then she went into At^