“Forget I said anything.” She chewed at her lip again. “Please. I don’t want to spoil this morning.”
He kissed her again. “I’m probably sensitive about it because of…history. And for now I’m not saying any more. But don’t beat yourself up. You couldn’t spoil anything if you tried.”
They ate silently for a moment, and then Julia told him in a quiet voice, “I don’t, either.” Luke looked at her questioningly. “Fall into bed with someone I’ve just met.”
He reached across the table and wrapped her small hand in his larger one. “If I thought you did, it wouldn’t be my bed you’d fall into, and we wouldn’t be sitting here having breakfast.”
Julia stared down at her plate.
“Julia, something special is happening between us. Let’s get that out in the open. This is more than a hot night in the sheets.” He leaned toward her. “I can’t wait until your divorce is final. I want to see you more. Explore what’s happening between us. This is sudden and fast. I mean, Jesus. This time yesterday, we hadn’t even met. But I think it could be real. And if you’re honest, you’ll admit it hit us both the same way, right?”
“Yes.” She spoke in a low voice. How did she handle this when her heart jumped at what he was saying? “It scares me.”
He wouldn’t let her look away. “It scares me too. I don’t want to do something stupid and kill it before it even has a chance to get started.” He studied her face as if looking for answers. “If we sign this contract, you’ll be coming back here again. We’ll have time together to see where this goes. We can take a good look at the possibility of taking this to the next level. Sound good to you? Am I being presumptuous?”
“No…yes,” she whispered, almost afraid to break the spell. “No, you’re not and yes, I want to.”
“Then let’s get you to the airport so you don’t miss your plane.”
Luke insisted on driving her to the airport, pointing out the scarcity of taxis the day before Thanksgiving.
“Besides, it means I can prolong going home. We close the offices at noon today and I’d hate to be the only one left.”
She didn’t want to leave him. Luke was right, what they shared went beyond sex. Was it possible to fall in love with someone so quickly? And now, still wrapped in the glow of their night together, she had to leave him.
“Don’t come in with me,” she said, when they pulled up to the curb.
“I’m not. I’m terrible with goodbyes.”
“I guess you’ll call me about the contract?”
“Right after Thanksgiving. If I can’t get you at your office, I’ll try your cell phone.”
“All right. Well, goodbye then.”
“Goodbye, Julia.” He looked as if he wanted to say something else, then simply held her to him tightly and kissed her, a long deep kiss saying more than words ever could.
Julia finally pulled away, turned, and walked into the terminal.
Chapter 6
The plane was late. Naturally. Murphy’s Law. It put Charles in a foul mood that never let up. From the time he picked her up until they reached the house, his criticism ran nonstop.
“There was no need for you to pick me up,” she finally snapped. “I told you I made my own arrangements. You’re the one who insisted, but it doesn’t give you permission to chew my head off. You no longer have the right.”
“I do until I sign those papers,” he reminded her.
For God’s sake. Would she never be able to draw a full breath again?
When he dropped her at the house, she tried to stop him from coming in.
“You’ll upset the children with this mood you’re in. Please try to remember by tomorrow you are their father and they expect a little affection from you.”
He simply ignored her, pulled her suitcase from the trunk, and followed her into the house. It didn’t matter anyway. The twins were cranky and whining as soon as she set foot inside. The phone rang incessantly: her in-laws, Claire wanting information on the presentation, and play dates for the twins over the weekend. And Charles stood in the hallway getting on her last nerve, still wearing his coat and complaining yet again about the divorce as Miranda continued to prepare dinner.
“It’s too late,” she said for the umpteenth time. “It’s done. And I honestly wish you’d go home and give me some peace and quiet.”
“It’s not done yet.” He repeated what he’d said in the car, his voice like steel. “And maybe it won’t be.”
Julia stared at him, weighted down by the block of ice suddenly lodged in her stomach. “You said you’d sign the papers,” she whispered.
“Perhaps I’ve reconsidered.” His eyes shone with anger.
She knew it was his pride talking, not emotion, but that made it much worse.
Her head throbbed. “I can’t discuss this with you now. I have too much to do, getting your perfect dinner ready for tomorrow. I’ll have my attorney call yours on Monday.” She turned on her heel and headed for the family room, unable to spend another minute in his presence. Not even a bottle of aspirin would take care of the throbbing in her head tonight.
Thanksgiving dinner was worse than purgatory. Her in-laws, always disapproving of her, carped constantly about her trip, chastised the children if they spilled something, and criticized the food. By the time they left, Julia’s headache, building since the previous day, had reached blinding proportions. Miranda handed her a cup of tea and she retreated to the bedroom to lie down with a cold cloth on her head.
Friday, with the dinner behind her
