Vaughn had lit all four of the tiki torches filled with citronella oil to keep the mosquitoes away. The dancing flames combined with the feast made her feel like they were at a Hawaiian luau. She sat back in her seat, admiring the way the sky started to turn pink as the sun sank lower in the sky. The daylight lasted so long in the summer.
“That was fantastic,” she declared, sipping her ice-cold water while Ruby sat beside Vaughn’s chair.
“You didn’t try these yet.” Her dining companion passed a tray of more delicacies toward her. Tiny toasted puffs with a red sauce and a leafy green garnish.
“Everything is almost too pretty to eat.” She reached for one anyhow, though. “What are they?”
“Cauliflower fritters with caviar.” He lifted the water pitcher and refilled both their cups. “What do you think?”
A flutter in her belly made her smile, her hand reaching to cover the spot where she felt the phantom swirl of movement.
“I like it, and so does this baby.” With each movement, her pregnancy became more real.
“You can tell?” Vaughn’s expression shifted. Guarded, perhaps, but curious, too.
His interest touched her. She hadn’t been able to share the joys of this pregnancy with anyone. Her mother made an effort to be excited, but she was still very mired in mourning Alannah, making Abigail less apt to share new developments.
So now, she pulled her chair closer to Vaughn’s, wanting to share the wonder of something so miraculous. “May I have your hand?”
He swiped his fingers on a napkin, straightening in his chair before he rested his palm in hers. Abigail flipped it over so his hand faced down, then centered his touch high on her belly.
Warmth flooded her skin through her thin summer sheath dress. His large hand spanned her ribs, one finger trailing all the way to her navel, his thumb on her breastbone. Her mouth dried up, her heart pattering too fast, and he had to feel that. Memories of the kiss returned with new, heated intensity.
She lifted her gaze to his, losing the battle to maintain her defenses, wishing things could be different.
Then, the baby shifted.
A soft quiver of movement beneath his hand made his palm tense. Flex. His eyes went wide with a flicker of emotion.
“That’s incredible.” The awe in his voice made her remember why she’d wanted to share this with him.
It wasn’t about getting closer to him, even though his touch made her feel breathless with awareness. She’d wanted him to feel the baby because that life inside her was special. Healing.
“Isn’t it?” She let go of his fingers then, releasing him. “I haven’t shared that with anyone.” As soon as she said it, she realized how pathetic it sounded. “That is, my mother still lives in Austin and she’s still working through her grief. So it’s hard for her to be excited.”
“I understand.” Vaughn eased his hand away, but he rested it on the back of her chair, his fingers grazing her shoulder where the straps of her dress didn’t quite cover. “It’s only natural to want to celebrate something so profound. And while I’m sorry for your sake that Rich Lowell turned out to be a poor excuse for a man, I’m not sorry that his bad decisions gave me the chance to share something special with you.”
Abigail held herself very still, knowing she needed to keep a rein on her runaway emotions. Vaughn was dealing with his own struggles—a serious disorder that might make a sufferer detach from all the things Abigail was feeling right now. So drawing him deeper into her world seemed unfair to him. To her. And to her baby.
Yet those wise intentions felt a world away with Vaughn by her side, his knuckle skimming her bare shoulder.
Mesmerized by his words, by the warmth in his green eyes, she couldn’t think of a reply.
Just then, a rustle of movement and male laughter on the far side of the bungalow warned them of Vaughn’s approaching workers.
“Dr. C.” The taller of the pair, Micah, strode into the backyard first, holding up something shiny that glinted in the pink rays of the setting sun. “I wanted to deliver your extra set of truck keys before we take off. The wood is all stacked in the drying rack.”
His brother trailed a few steps behind. Vaughn stood, thanking them both. Abigail used the moment to collect her thoughts. Give herself a mental shake. Standing, she began clearing the dishes, dismayed at how quickly sizzling attraction could stamp out good sense.
“I can help with that,” Vaughn called, finishing up his conversation with the young men before covering the lawn with long strides so he could hold the back door open for her. Chivalrous. Thoughtful.
He brought Ruby with him to retrieve the rest of the leftovers from their meal and brought them to the door.
“Do you mind if she comes inside with me?” he asked. “I could set up a spot for her in the corner.”
“Ruby is absolutely welcome indoors,” Abigail assured him, making quick work of putting away the leftovers while Vaughn rinsed off the plates. “It’s fun having her around.”
She’d welcome a buffer of any sort if she was going to keep herself from swooning at Vaughn’s feet again. Or outright requesting more kisses.
“Thank you.” Closing the door behind him, he settled the dog in a quiet spot in the dining room, then began loading the flatware in the dishwasher. “Ruby has been good for me.”
He glanced over at her where Ruby made herself comfortable with her head on her paws. Seeing the two of them together today—how bonded they were—made her think it must be difficult for Vaughn to be apart from her for his long hours at the hospital.
“She
