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“If you stay,” she said, “it only means there’s a chance. I might not be able to do it. Trust...that’s not easy for me.”
“I know. I’m relieved that you’d even consider it. And I have my own issues. I have trouble letting things be. I want to fix them. And you don’t need fixing, Isabelle.”
She smiled at him. “That’s a generous assessment. But I’ll take it.”
“So I can stay? Just tonight? Just to see?”
In answer, she took his hand and led him toward her bedroom. She’d bought a new comforter and pillows, trying to turn it into a new bed, a bed he hadn’t been in, but now he’d be in this one, too. And maybe he’d stay.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
FOR ONCE, ISABELLE ignored the dessert that sat in front of her. She was a big fan of Jill’s chocolate torte, but what was making her happy tonight wasn’t the food; it was the company.
Lauren sat with her boyfriend, Jake, the very hot fire captain who was a little too good-natured to be hanging around this group. And Jill had set her hand on Mary’s arm as she leaned toward her in laughter. The two women hadn’t declared themselves a couple yet, but they sure looked comfortable together.
And there was Tom, of course, his hand on Isabelle’s knee under the table. She was very aware every time he moved, his fingers sliding over her skin. Two months into their new start, and her breath still caught every time he touched her. She wanted him more now than ever. A frightening thought.
His thumb brushed against her thigh. “Are you okay?” he asked, leaning closer. “You’re not eating your cake.”
She smiled at him and picked up her fork. “I guess I’m full of wine.” And sticky, scary love.
This was his third trip back to Jackson, and she’d gone to see him once for a long weekend that had somehow turned into five days. Next time she was having dinner at his sister’s, though he’d warned her that his sister was an even worse cook than he was. Thank God for Jill, or they’d starve to death out here in the forest.
It was starting to feel like a real relationship. A normal relationship with a future instead of a looming end date. Still, when she looked at his hand on her leg, she wanted to paint the image a hundred times so she could remember it when he was gone.
Lauren pushed back from the table. “We’d better get going. Jake is on duty at six tomorrow.”
“I’m fine,” he said. “It’s only 9:30.”
“Well, I wasn’t planning on getting dropped off with a kiss at the front door, so we need a couple hours of padding.”
Jake shook his head as if he were exasperated, but there was no missing the smile on his face when he ducked his head. “Let’s go, then.”
While they were thanking Jill for dinner and exchanging hugs and handshakes, Isabelle tipped her head toward the door. She was ready to go, too, and Jill and Mary probably wouldn’t hate some time alone.
Tom and Mary had both arrived in town only three hours before, setting up for another federal case. This one was low-key. More of a precaution; and it was only the two of them in town.
One more bite of cake and several hugs later, Isabelle and Tom were out the door and walking into the summer twilight. They walked slowly, fingers twined together, and Isabelle assumed that Tom was enjoying the cool midnight blue that settled over them just as much as she was, but when he cleared his throat, she realized his arm was tense.
“I was thinking...” he said. That was it.
Isabelle’s heart dropped. She knew what was coming. He was going to go. Of course he was. They’d given it a shot, and she wasn’t good at this. She nodded, pretending to agree.
“I hit retirement in a year,” Tom finally said. “It’s a ways off, but I was thinking that things are going pretty well.”
“At work?” she asked.
“No. With us.”
Her feet stopped moving for a moment, but she forced them quickly on, hoping he hadn’t noticed. But he’d definitely noticed that she hadn’t said a word. He glanced at her, trying to study her face, but she kept it blank.
“You’ve stopped giving me an out,” he said.
“What do you mean?”
“You used to tell me I didn’t have to stay. After sex, you’d tell me I could leave if I wanted. Or you’d tell me I don’t have to stay at your place when I visit. Or that you could get a hotel room when you’re in Cheyenne. You finally stopped doing that. In Cheyenne, you asked if you could stay longer.”
“Oh. Was that...? Should I not have?”
