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He followed her into the kitchen and sat on the barstool she’d pointed to.
They didn’t speak while she made the coffee, but when she placed a cup in front of him, she looked into his eyes. “Why are you here?”
He took a deep breath and nodded again. A look of sadness washed over his face for just a second. “I want to be with you. Every time we run into each other; I think it’s fate. I can’t stop thinking about you. Sunday was really hard. I had to pretend I wasn’t obsessing watching you move.”
Pleased, Katrina tried not to grin. So he was thinking about her, too.
“Amber won’t like it if she finds out.”
“Unless you tell her, Amber won’t know.”
“Just to keep everything up front, we know what we’re doing here, is that correct?”
“Yes,” he answered. “I’ll say it. I want to have an affair with you. I think that’s what they call it. I want to be with you. But I know you are with Alphé Beaumont. I wouldn’t want to add to his troubles.”
“And Amber?”
“Amber will be your beard.”
“It sounds like you’ve put some thought into it. Like you might have had a fantasy about it and made up a story to make it work. That’s a lot of planning in twenty-four hours.”
“Twenty-four hours! I’ve been thinking about you since the masked ball. I loved you as Blanche DuBois. Maybe before.”
“There was no before. I’d just gotten here.” Katrina barked out a laugh. “I don’t believe you.”
“It’s true,” he said seriously. “Ask Justin.”
“Well, here’s the thing; they must never know. Maggie would hate it. Her first husband betrayed her. It wouldn’t go over well if they knew.”
“Okay, you have my word I won’t tell Maggie.”
“I’m going to regret this,” she murmured.
“I hope not.”
They were about three feet from each other, Dave sitting at the counter and Katrina to the right of him, thinking.
“Please put your car in my garage.”
She watched him leave and get into the car and pull it up past the cottage to park next to hers. For a long time, for years, Katrina had been alone. She’d met Alphé the first day she’d arrived in Cypress Cove. He’d ticked off all of her boxes until he didn’t. And now here she was with another gorgeous guy, knowingly going to cheat on Alphé.
Watching as he walked back through the door, she was going to do it. She wanted Dave. She probably wanted him for more than a lover. But right now, she’d settle for what he would give her. While Alphé was preoccupied, it would be a way to pass the time.
“Ready or not,” she whispered, reaching for his hand.
“I’m ready.” He pulled her gently over, embracing her.
“No regrets?”
“No, and I feel like I should let you know I’m not usuallythat guy.”
“Me either. I mean I’m not that woman. Come with me.”
There was only one moment when she wondered if she shouldn’t stop right away. That was when they passed the white-painted staircase that led up to the bunkhouse. That was where Alphé’s children would sleep when they came to her house. That was still the plan.
She didn’t want to fall in love with Dave Chastain, but it felt right, being with him.
In her bedroom, she switched on the light on the bedside table.
