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Seth forced himself to shift gears, to consider her question logically. “You so sure about that? He may be incapable of understanding maternal love. Or any love, for that matter.”
“I suppose that’s true.” She pushed back from the table. “I need to put Jacob to bed. If you’re not done eating—”
“I’ll put the leftovers away.” Would she come back down, or go to bed herself, however ridiculously early the hour? He didn’t ask. It might be best if he didn’t see her again this evening. His control felt shaky.
She nodded and left the kitchen. He heard her soft voice and then footsteps on the stairs.
Seth had another helping of potato salad, called to check on his father again and started clearing the table. The whole time, he pictured Robin upstairs. Kissing her son good-night. Brushing her teeth, washing her face...getting ready to take a shower?
He listened, but didn’t hear water running. Changing into pajamas, then.
He closed the dishwasher door and stiffened at the sound of footsteps on the stairs again. She appeared in the doorway.
“I don’t know if I can actually sleep yet. I keep thinking...you know.”
Seth knew.
“I thought I might watch TV or find a book.”
“You don’t have to ask permission.” He dried his hands. “Why don’t you pick out a download of a show if you see anything that appeals to you? I wouldn’t mind watching a movie.”
“Okay.” She vanished into the living room.
Seth squeezed the tight muscles in his neck. A quiet evening with only the two of them could tempt him into doing something he shouldn’t. After the brutality of her marriage, Robin might not be ready for a physical relationship with a man. Disturbed by the reminder, he turned off the overhead light in the kitchen and followed her.
She sat cross-legged on the floor in front of the television with the remote, flipping through the options. Hearing him, she looked over her shoulder. “It’s been years since I’ve watched many movies. Richard—” She shook off that memory. “Since then I haven’t had the energy.”
“I can see why, with your living 6:30 a.m. alarm.”
She smiled. “Is there something you want to watch?”
You.
“Maybe something on TV if you’d rather.” He hesitated. “Or we can talk, or sit here in dead silence. Whatever you’d prefer.”
After a minute she nodded, rose gracefully to her feet and approached the couch as warily as an antelope nearing a watering hole shared with a pride of lions.
He made a move to stand. “Would you rather be alone?”
“No. I mean, if there’s something else you’d rather be doing...”
Seth smiled gently. “There’s nothing.” He relaxed at one end of the couch and lifted his arm. “Come here.”
She came, melting into him as naturally as if they spent every evening like this—which he’d like to do. Seth cuddled her close and bent to rub his cheek against her hair. With his jaw bristly, strands of her hair clung to his face.
“Hey,” he said, lifting his head. “Your hair is growing out.”
“Out?” Robin sat up, clapping a hand to the top of her head. “You mean the color?”
“Yep. Let me see.” He waited until she dropped her hand and scrutinized the quarter of an inch—if that—of auburn roots. “You’ll let it grow out, won’t you?”
“No!” She twisted toward him in alarm, before blinking. “Well...I guess I can. You know, I was planning to go with light brown next.”
He tapped a forefinger on the freckles scattered over the bridge of her nose. “You’re a redhead, whether you like it or not.” Damn, the huskiness in his voice would tell her what he was thinking.
If she couldn’t already.
“Seth?” she whispered.
He cupped her jaw and cheek both, tracing her lips with his thumb. “Yeah?”
“Would you kiss me?”
He made a hoarse sound and obliged. The instant she parted her lips, his tongue drove inside. If hers hadn’t stroked his, twined around it, he might have retreated. As it was, the kiss quickly became deep and passionate. He kneaded the back of her neck, slid his other hand up her rib cage until it rested just beneath her breast.
