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Allie glanced at the huge heavy-framed mirror leaning against the opposite wall and couldn’t resist. Walking carefully, so as not to snag the material on the corner of a trunk or box, she made her way toward the glass, feeling like a siren from the past.
The nightgown looked as if it had been made for her. Her slight tan set off the sheer white and pink beautifully, her eyes shone under her bangs, ruffling in the fan breeze, and for once her plain blond hair didn’t seem drab, though she really needed a bob with a Marcel wave and matching rosebuds pinned at her temple. Maybe embroidered slippers.
The only jarring note was the decidedly modern lines of her white bikini underwear. She stepped out of them, imagining that the fabric gave off the faintest smell of rose petals when she moved.
Entranced, she stood at the mirror, imagining Josephine, her life, her loves. Erik said she had five children, a husband who was a writer, and that she was a “party animal.” Did her husband buy her such beautiful things and plead with her to model them? Did Josephine buy them herself and surprise him? Did she own any of them before she was married? Did any other men see them on her? How many?
Allie ran her hands up and down the soft sheer material, thinking she should go down to lunch before someone missed her and came calling.
She turned from the mirror and was about to bend over to pick up her panties when she stopped dead.
Jonas was sticking his head through the trapdoor, looking as if he’d seen...a naked woman. He had that look all men get, that sort of glazed tongue-hanging-out thing.
She was about to panic, duck down or try to cover herself when calm descended over her. Okay. He’d seen her body. Nakedness was not a disease, nor was it evil. And heaven knew she’d been fantasizing pretty much nonstop about showing hers to him. She could act as if this was a terrible, embarrassing mistake.
Or go with it.
“Hey, Jonas. What’s up?”
“I’m...I’d...I came up to—” He gave up and stood there, looking her up and down.
“Isn’t this beautiful?” She gestured to the gown. “It’s one of your great-grandmother’s nightgowns. I couldn’t resist trying it on.”
“It’s beautiful, Allie.” Apparently he’d found his voice. And he no longer looked as if he’d swallowed a gnat. In fact his eyes were heating up to a dark blue smolder. “And you look amazing in it.”
“Thank you.” She smiled as if he’d complimented her on a new backpack. “Lunch happening any time soon?”
“Yes, it’s ready. I came up to tell you...” His look clearly finished the sentence. And I got a lot more than I bargained for.
“Great. I’ll be down as soon as I change. I’m starving after our ride this morning.”
“Funny. I didn’t realize how hungry I was.” He gave the nightgown another slow, thorough perusal. “Until now.”
6
JONAS STRODE UP the stairs of the main house and knocked gently on Sandra’s door, hoping she wasn’t taking a nap. He needed to talk to her.
“Yeah, who is it?”
“Jonas.”
“Jonas, my darling, come in.”
He pushed open the door cautiously, hoping his notoriously immodest friend wasn’t half-dressed. He and Sandra kept few secrets from each other, but he’d seen the only naked body he wanted to see right before lunch, and life would just get out-of-control confusing if he was faced with another one so soon after.
Sandra was standing by the window, looking fabulously sexy in a black-and-white bikini. Sort of naked, but Jonas could handle it. He gave a whistle and leered inappropriately, knowing she wouldn’t take him seriously. “Oh baby, my fire is lit.”
“Yeah, snuff it. What’s on your mind?” She grabbed a beach towel from the bed and slipped her feet into flip-flops. “As if I didn’t know.”
“You do, huh?” He put his hands on his hips, figuring she probably did. Tension at lunch had been thick enough to strangle most conversation. Sandra had saved them, chatting easily, while undoubtedly missing nothing. “I’m going on a hike, want to come with me?”
Sandra snorted and gave him a look as if he’d just suggested lava-surfing. “Take a guess.”
“A walk, then. Easy.”
She gestured to her outfit, or near lack thereof. “Listen, honey, it’s eighty degrees and the sun is shining. This body is moving only to turn over to bake its other side. Possibly to enter the lake to cool off. Then repeat. This is what bodies are made to do in the summertime at the beach. Got it?”
