“Beautiful,” he’d replied.
Her innocent blush had thrilled him, as he had then taken what no man had seen or touched.
He shook his head impatiently.“What do you want?”
“To apologize.”
He raised one eyebrow and waited.
“Not about Billie.She hasn’t done anything.”
“Yet,” he said.
The corner of her mouth raised slightly.“Yet.It is one of the hazards of raising a tomboy.”
“But worth the trouble.”
She looked surprised.“I wouldn’t have thought—”
“I’d never hold your behavior against your child, Jane.If you’d taken the time to know the man you were running from, you would be aware of that.”
Hazel eyes flashed anger, as their color darkened to green.“IfI’dtaken the time?You’re the one who couldn’t bear to be away from your precious bank.I always came tenth on a list of five items.Don’t talk to me about—” She stopped, her mouth still open to form more words.She clamped her lips together and sighed.“I didn’t come here to fight.”
“Why did you?”
“At church this morning…I’m sorry about all that.I should have thought…” She hunched her shoulders as if waiting for him to berate her for not thinking—again.When he didn’t, she went on.“Those people, they all stared at us.I’d forgotten what a small town can be like.There will be rumors.I didn’t want to cause you any more trouble.”
He rose from his desk and walked around it until he stood in front of her.After moving a couple of folders, he perched on the corner nearest her.“I can handle it, if you can.”
She nodded.“People will talk, though.”
He shrugged.“I’ve been through it before.”
“I know.I’m sorry about that, too.”
“Forget it.”
“I can’t.”
“Then it’s your problem.”
“You dismiss me so easily, Adam, but then you always did.I was too young and foolish.I was never like those other women you dated.”
His temper threatened to flare but was put out by her words from the past.“I’m not like those other women.”The phrase echoed over and over again.It had been winter.January, maybe, and cold for South Carolina.He’d started a fire and had spread a blanket for the two of them.They’d been kissing for hours, petting.He’d touched her breasts under the wool of her sweater, but when he tried to take off her bra, she’d resisted.
“I’m not like those other women,” she said, her hazel eyes wide and afraid.“I’ve never done this before.”
He’d taken her further than she’d wanted to go.He folded his arms over his chest and tried to ignore the flicker of shame.Further and faster.She’d never resisted, or said no, but he’d been aware that Jane would have been happy to keep their physical relationship less physical.Lovemaking had been—he frowned—awkward at best.
The memories made him uncomfortable and he pushed them away.But this time the thoughts refused to return to their small box at the back of his consciousness.They intruded with images that made him wonder if he’d crossed the line from ardent suitor to horny jerk with her.She’d been a young nineteen, he admitted to himself.He looked at her, sitting on the edge of his sofa, her fingers twisting together.She still looked young.
But nine years had passed.She had grown up.She was a teacher and a mother.That reminded him.Billie.
“How old is Billie?”he asked.
Jane swallowed as her stomach flipped over.Why did he want to know?“Eight.”
He drew his eyebrows together as if doing the math.“And her father?”
