Whisper's Edge (18 page)

“You’re frowning.”

“Am I?”

“I’m sorry, Savannah.”

“Sorry? Whatever for?”

“It’s late and I’m sure I’ve overstayed my welcome. Let me help you clean up.”

“No…no, I’ll do it.” Not knowing what else to do, she stood up.

“I insist.” He pushed back his chair and picked up his plate. “Besides, cleaning up gives me the excuse to stay a little while longer,” he admitted, and then gave her that smile that made her legs feel as if they were made of saltwater taffy on a warm summer day.

Now, just how was she going to walk on saltwater taffy legs? Very carefully.

Savannah took a step and, to her horror, swayed just slightly but of course he had to notice.

“Are you okay?” He sat down his dish and put a steadying hand on her elbow.

“Must be the wine,” she lied.

“You didn’t have that much.”

“I guess I’m a lightweight.”

“We’ll find out,” he said and then without warning scooped her up into his arms.

“Tristan, what in heaven’s name are you doing? I meant, like, figuratively.”

“I’m carrying you into the house.”

“I don’t need for you to carry me!”

“It’s just a precaution.”

“You’re going to hurt yourself!”

“I’m not as weak as I look.”

“I didn’t mean that you look weak.”

“Good, I wouldn’t want all those hours in the gym to be for nothing.”

“I’m too heavy. You’ll blow a disc or something horrible.”

“Savannah, you’re not heavy in the least.”

“I eat a lot of meat loaf and mashed potatoes. And pie. You’re gonna hurt yourself. This is crazy.”

“I feel a little crazy when I’m around you.”

“You mean that in a good way, right?”

“Yes! I like feeling…”

“Spontaneous?” she provided.

“Yes.”

Savannah smiled. “It’s about time that I provided a word for you and…” She tapped his chest but when his gaze lingered on her lips she forgot the rest of what she was going to say.

“Now, stop being silly and put your arms around my neck. I promise I won’t drop you.” He demonstrated by carrying her with apparent ease, making her feel girly and feminine. She was relieved that he didn’t grunt or seem to strain himself. “I’m going to put you on the sofa and then go back out to blow out the candles and bring in the dishes. You stay put.”

“I can’t let you do that,” she sputtered. “I’m not about to let you wait on me for goodness’ sake. Seriously, I can’t let you do this.”

“Oh, yes, you can.” He turned his face toward hers just
as she was going to protest further and
oh dear lord
their lips brushed.

And that was all it took.

Tristan let her slide down his body and then captured her mouth with a hot kiss that had Savannah clinging to him in order to stay upright. She’d always thought that the weak-in-the-knees thing that she read about was a bunch of bologna.

She was wrong.

His lips felt firm but deliciously soft, and when his tongue touched hers Savannah felt a hot shot of desire slip down her body and had her toes curling. Any minute she was going to do the knee-pop thing and point her toes toward the ceiling just like in the movies. She threaded her fingers through his hair and kissed him back like they had just invented kissing and there would be a law against it tomorrow. He slanted his mouth across hers and kissed her on and on. And there went her knee,
pop
…

Savannah felt her feet float and wondered if the walking-on-air thing was true too but then realized he was half carrying her across the living room to the sofa. He tumbled backward, taking her with him without breaking where their lips were fused together. His warm mouth finally moved to her neck, making her gasp with pleasure at the hot tingle that traveled down her spine. She pressed her body to his shamelessly, and when Tristan slid his hands up her legs to her butt she moaned with the sheer pleasure of it all. He tilted her body against the back cushions and turned his attention to her breasts, caressing one while he kissed where she spilled out of the top of her dress. Savannah arched her back, and when he slipped her straps down her shoulders she didn’t protest. Not one little bit.

She simply couldn’t. She was putty in his hands.

Savannah sighed when he showered her with warm kisses. Although Savannah longed to rip her dress off and drag him into her bed, there was just enough sense left in her befuddled sex-drugged brain to realize that as much as
she wanted to make wild, passionate love to him, she probably shouldn’t. Oh, but she wanted to. Maybe he’d twist her arm a little bit. All it would take is another kiss and she’d be a goner.

Tristan must have dug for his last shred of reason at about the same point of no return because he slowly pulled back. Savannah kept her eyes closed, drunk with passion, but as the heat of the moment wore off she started to feel a bit embarrassed at her wild, wanton behavior.

“Hey,” Tristan said gently, and then ran his fingertip down her cheek.

Savannah nodded slightly but refused to open her eyes and look at him.

“Savannah?”

She opened her eyes. “Yes?”

He gave her a slight grin, but even in the dim light she could tell that his eyes were serious. “I pride myself on having self-control but when I get around you my control goes for a ride and never comes back.”

“Why do you think you have to control yourself around me, Tristan? Why can’t you just be yourself?”

“Because I guess I don’t really know who that is, Savannah,” he answered softly, but something flickered in his eyes. He was holding something back and she wondered if this was a gentle way of letting her down without telling her that she was beneath him in so many ways.

“I understand,” she said and was glad that her voice remained fairly steady.

“I’m so sorry.”

Her heart dropped to her toes. “Hey, we got caught up in the moment. The wine…the moonlight. It happens.”

Just not to her.

Tristan scooted back and gave her the opportunity to adjust her clothing. She did so with flaming cheeks. “Don’t beat yourself up about it,” she offered, but he turned on the cushion and looked at her with gentle but troubled eyes. “Hey, I didn’t exactly put up a fight.”

Tristan reached over and cupped her chin in the palm of his hand and it was all Savannah could do not to tilt her head and lean into his caress. For a moment she thought he was going to say something to put her heart and insecurities at ease but he cleared his throat and remained silent. Finally, he said, “You’re a sweetheart, Savannah. And I’d better go before I kiss you again.” He rubbed his thumb across her bottom lip and then dropped his hand.

And what would be so wrong with that?
She wanted to ask that simple question but she knew the answer was complicated. Instead, she gave him a slight smile to let him know that she was going to be okay. But as she watched him walk out the door every fiber in her being wanted to run after him and drag him back into her arms. But throwing herself at her boss might not be the best decision and so she refrained.

Savannah glanced over at the digital clock on the microwave and chuckled darkly at the irony.

It was midnight. Go figure.

She walked on wooden legs to her closet and took off the sundress that she might not ever be able to wear again. After putting on the ragged shorts and tank top that she’d worn earlier she headed outside, cleaned up the forgotten dinner plates, and then came back out to blow out the torches and candles.

With a long sigh, Savannah sat down in the moonlight and listened to the sounds of the night. The gentle gurgle of the fountain soothed her sadness and she finally inhaled a deep, shaky breath. She wasn’t one to dwell on things. She’d given herself the night and she’d keep it in her memory vault and bring it out for review now and then. Savannah knew how to capture bits and pieces of happiness when it presented itself. This was a night to remember. And she would.

But after she crawled into bed she felt so alone that she ached with it. Oh, how she wished she had someone to hold her, to spoon her…to love her like there was no tomorrow.

But there was tomorrow. She thought of the Orphan Annie song but couldn’t quite muster up a smile. Yes, the sun would rise and she would take on another day with a smile on her face.

She was a survivor.

And maybe, just
maybe
…someday her prince would come.

K
ATE TOSSED HER ZEBRA-STRIPED READING GLASSES DOWN
on her desk and looked over at Savannah. “Girl, are you gonna tell me who pooped in your Cheerios?”

“Ew—Ah, that is just so gross. Seriously.”

“So is that pinched frown on your pretty face.”

“I am merely concentrating on the tutorial I’m reading about on how to hook rugs from old T-shirts. I don’t want to do a craft that would be too taxing on the ladies that suffer with arthritis.”

“You can’t fool an old fool, Savannah. You’ve been in a blue funk for the past few days. What gives?”

“Nothing,” Savannah insisted, but when her eyes went back to the computer screen Kate persisted.

“Okay, I’ll just say it. Seems to me the blue mood started after you had dinner with Tristan. Care to elaborate?”

“There’s nothing to explain, Kate.”

“Uh-huh. Right. I believe that one. Sure I do.”

Savannah sighed. “You’re not going to let this go, are you?”

“Not on your life.”

Savannah gave her a long-suffering look and then said, “Okay, I might have allowed myself to enjoy Tristan’s company a bit too much.”

“Did he kiss you again? I’ve been dying to ask.”

“Yes.”

“I thought kissing him was amazing?”

“It was.”

Kate barely refrained from rubbing her hands together. “So why so glum?”

“Because, Kate, nothing can come of it.”

“And you know this…how?”

Savannah shot her a grave look. “Okay, then let me put it this way. It won’t. Tristan let me know at the end of the evening that he didn’t mean for things to get…you know.”

“Steamy?”

“He didn’t use that term but yes.”

“But it did and that’s all that matters.”

“Kate, I haven’t heard a peep from him since.”

“Grow a couple and call him.”

Savannah’s mouth dropped open. “Are you out of your ever-lovin’ mind?”

“Sometimes you have to jump out of the chute and enter the rodeo even if you might get tossed off.”

“My life has been a wild enough ride. I think I’ll pass.”

“And sit in the stands?”

“Can we quit with this bull-riding analogy?”

Kate looked at her for a long moment.

“What?” Savannah finally asked. “I know that look and I’m pretty sure the answer is going to be a very big no.”

“My nephew Jeff is coming into town.”

“No! I am so done with blind dates.”

“You’ve met him so it isn’t blind. He’s cute.”

“The answer is still no.”

“We’re going to Sully’s later on. It’s karaoke night.”

“I can’t sing worth a lick and you know it.”

“Jeff can.”

Savannah sighed. “Kate!”

“Ben is going to go, and Jeff said he doesn’t want to feel like a third wheel.”

“He did not say that.”

“Okay, no, but Jeff did ask about you. He said you’re hot.”

“He didn’t say that either. You’re making this up.”

“Yes, he did.”

Savannah gave her a look.

“Okay, I asked him first but he said yes.”

“As I recall he is several years younger than me.”

“So? He’s twenty-four. Single and getting better lookin’ every time I see the boy. He’s been in Nashville going after his dream of having a country music career. My sister is trying her best to bring him back to Cricket Creek. I told her to let him give it a shot but she wants him to stay and work the family farm. It’s been weighing on his mind. A fun night out would do the boy a world of good.”

“And just how do I fit into the picture?”

“I might have said that I would get you to come along.”

“Kate!”

“Have a heart. The boy needs some cheering up.”

“You’re not playing fair.”

“So will you? Ben wants you to come too.”

That admission squeezed a small smile out of Savannah. “So what gives with you two?”

Kate shrugged. “We’ve been…hanging out.” And having wild and passionate lovemaking sessions that left Kate physically drained but seriously satisfied. “You know, enjoying each other’s company.” In every room of the house.

“That’s good to hear. He seemed to have such a nice time that night we all went out,” she said but then gave Kate a closer look. “Why haven’t you told me?”

“You haven’t exactly been talkative here of late.” Kate really wanted to tell Savannah more but she and Ben had decided to keep their relationship or whatever it was on the down low. Tongues wagged in Whisper’s Edge and until she knew where this was going with Ben she wanted to keep
her personal life under wraps. Ben was perfectly fine with the situation. He liked his privacy too. But coming home from his place in the wee hours of the morning was proving to be dangerous since she took the route through backyards rather than be seen on the street. This morning, half asleep and worn-out from lovemaking, Kate had tripped over a garden troll and had landed facedown in the dewy grass. Tonight it was going to be Ben’s turn to sneak home in the dark. “So, we’ll pick you up around seven? Eat dinner at Sully’s and then do a little dancing and karaoke?”

Savannah hesitated.

“Come on, don’t be such a fuddy-dud.”

“I’m not a fuddy-dud!”

“Great, I’ll take that as a yes. See you at seven sharp,” she insisted and got a sigh for an answer. She’d take that as a yes too. “You’ll have fun, Savannah,” Kate added gently. She hated to see the young woman appear unhappy.

“My life was just fine and dandy until you decided that I needed to start going out.”

“Was it?” Kate challenged and wished she would have bitten her tongue. But then she thought about how taking a chance with Ben had improved her life and shook her head.

“Why am I getting that look?”

“Because I care about you like you were my very own daughter,” Kate said and then felt tears well up in her eyes. She rolled her chair back and stood up. “Come on.” She gestured toward Savannah. “Get on over here.”