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“We’re not kids any longer, Davee. We’re past the experimental age.”
“It would be good,” she promised seductively. “Much better than the first time.”
“No doubt about that.” He smiled and gave her waist an affectionate squeeze before lowering his hands to his sides. “But I can’t.”
“You mean you won’t.”
“I mean I won’t.”
“Oh, Jesus,” she groaned. As she lowered her arms, she dragged her hands down his chest all the way to his belt before letting them fall away from him. “Tell me it isn’t so.”
“What?”
“You’ve fallen for her.”
His heart all but stopped. “How did you find out?”
“Oh, please, Hammond. For months it’s been in the grapevine that you two take your work home with you.”
“Steffi!” he exclaimed on an expulsion of relief. “You’re talking about Steffi.”
Davee cocked her head with perplexity. “Who else could I be talking about?”
Admitting to his affair with Steffi was less harmful than answering her question. “I had a relationship with Steffi, but it’s over.”
“Swear?” She narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
“Scout’s honor.”
“Well, I can’t tell you how glad I am to hear that. Sunday night when you were here, I gave you ample opportunity to talk trash on Ms. Mundell. When you didn’t, I figured the rumors were true. I was floored. I mean, Hammond, where was the appeal? She has no style, no sense of humor, no class, and I’d be willing to bet she doesn’t know any better than to wear white shoes after Labor Day.”
Hammond laughed. “You big phony. You’re not nearly as unconventional as you want everyone to believe.”
She assumed a haughty air. “Some things simply aren’t done.”
“And that white shoes bit is strictly taboo.”
“But you are interested in someone, aren’t you?” she asked suddenly. “And don’t try that ‘who, me?’ face on me, because I know I’m right.”
He neither admitted nor denied it.
Exasperated, she propped her fists on her hips. “I threw this at you,” she said of her shapely body. “I offered you no-strings-attached, mindless boffing, and you turned me down. So either you’ve gone gay, you’re hung up on another woman, or I’ve lost all my sex appeal and might just as well kill myself tonight. Now which is it?”
“Well, I haven’t gone gay, and you haven’t lost all your sex appeal.”
She didn’t make any of the triumphant exclamations she was entitled to. No “I knew it!” No “You can’t fool me, Hammond Cross!” None of that.
Instead she responded to his solemnity, saying quietly, “I thought so. When did you meet her?”
“Recently.”
“A new armpiece? Or is she special?”
Hammond stared at her a moment, debating whether or not to try lying. Before his affair with Steffi, he had dated many women but never stayed with one for long. Around Charleston, he was known as an eligible bachelor with family money and plenty of promise. Scores of single women boldly sought his company. Potential mothers-in-law considered him an excellent catch.
His own mother was constantly arranging introductions to her friends’ daughters and nieces. “She’s a lovely young woman from a wonderful family.” “Her people are from Georgia. They’re into timber. Or maybe it’s tires. Something like that.” “She’s simply a precious girl. I think you two would have a lot in common.” A flip answer would probably convince Davee t
hat this amounted to nothing more than that.
