Tempting Taine (28 page)

‘
Yes,
ma'am.
I'll
come
quietly.
’
He
put
down
his
bag
and
went
over
to
the
window.
The
back
lighting
illuminated
a
halo
of
his
dark
hair.

‘
Nice,
’
he
said,
turning
back
to
her.
‘
I'm
wallowing
in
deja
vu
-
the
room,
the
view.
Thank
you
for
having
me.
’

‘
You're
welcome.
Dinner
won't
be
long.
’

As
she
poached
the
chicken
breasts
she
heard
the
water
in
the
shower.
The
thought
of
him
so
close,
so
naked,
jeopardized
her
concentration.

‘
Dixie.
’

She
held
the
wooden
spoon
in
the
air
and
listened.
‘
Dixie,
I
feel
a
bit
faint.
’

She
rushed
into
the
bathroom
-
and
pulled
up
in
confusion.

He
was
standing
with
his
back
to
the
claw-footed
bath;
a
dark
god
minimally
wrapped
in
a
white
towel.
A
perfect
specimen.
He
looked
pink
and
far
from
fainting
as
he
watched
her
reaction
with
evident
amusement.
Dixie
gulped.
He
smiled
and
spread
his
hands
in
an
apologetic
gesture.

‘
Just
testing,
’
he
said.

‘
You
wait,
’
she
gritted
as
she
slammed
the
bathroom
door.

Back
in
the
kitchen
she
washed
the
lettuce
absentmindedly
thinking
about
her
visitor;
mostly
personal,
a
little
bit
medical.
Half
an
hour
later,
when
he
entered
the
kitchen
in
response
to
the
big
brass
bell,
she
said
what
had
been
on
her
mind
-
the
medical
bit.

‘
There's
the
question
of
an
Xray
,
too.
’

‘
I
think
I'm
okay.
No
focal
symptoms.
’

‘
Any
amnesia?
Do
you
remember
what
you
were
doing
immediately
before?
’

‘
Sure.
Shoveling.
I
remember
what
I
was
thinking
too.
’
He
leaned
against
the
kitchen
doorjamb
and
looked
at
her.
‘
I
was
thinking
of
Dixie
Delaney
aged
ten
and
how
she
was
the
nearest
thing
to
a
sister
to
me.
And
now
my
sister
is
a
very
beautiful
woman.
’

But
flawed
,
Dixie
thought
cynically.
She
wished
he
wouldn't
pretend.
She
kept
her
eyes
down
and
mashed
the
potatoes
violently.

‘
And
how
you
never
did
give
me
that
kiss
you
promised
if
I
beat
you
at
snakes
and
ladders,
Dottie,
’
he
continued.

‘
You
cheated,
’
she
said
as
she
picked
up
the
willow-patterned
covered
dishes
and
headed
for
the
dining
room.
‘
Let's
eat.
’

‘
It
would
have
been
worth
it,
’
he
said
as
he
sat
down
at
the
oak
table.

‘
You
got
to
go
up
a
ladder
today
anyway.
’

‘
I
don't
remember
that
bit.
Which
reminds
me.
Did
I
hear
someone
trying
to
blame
you?
’

‘
Well,
um,
I
regret
to
confess
that
technically
speaking
it
was
my
foot
that
accidentally
sent
that
shovel
sliding.
’
She
transferred
a
chicken
breast
on
to
his
plate,
ladled
some
sauce
on
top
and
then
looked
up
at
him
and
grinned
as
she
handed
it
to
him.
‘
But
I
swear
it
wasn't
retribution
for
that
time
you
filled
my
cup-cake
with
shaving
cream.
’

‘
Knocking
me
out
with
a
shovel
is
rather
an
excessive
delayed
reaction.
’
He
fingered
the
egg
on
his
forehead.
‘
Seems
like
you
owe
me
one.
’

Dixie
laughed.
‘
I'll
make
a
note
of
it,
’
she
said
as
she
passed
him
the
salad.

After
dinner,
as
she
cleared
the
table
she
said,
‘
Breakfast
is
informal
here.
I
’
ll
leave
things
out
so
please
help
yourself
.
’
She
continued
stacking
the
plates
as
she
added,
‘
And
you'll
have
to
put
up
with
me
waking
you
a
few
times
during
the
night
to
make
sure
you're
all
right.
It
would
be
embarrassing
to
have
you
die
here.
’

‘
Wouldn't
it
be
simpler
to
sleep
with
me?
’

Dixie
’
s
heart
stopped,
then
started
again
with
a
bang.

‘
Nate
Ryan,
stop
teasing.
You
haven't
changed.
’

‘
Oh,
yes
I
have.
I'm
a
big
boy
now.
’
He
flexed
his
biceps.