Page 52 of Betrayal

“I’ll call when I get back to my place.Donna will drop me off, but whether we’re celebrating or commiserating after the game will dictate exactly what time I get home.But before six.There are a few good restaurants within walking distance of my place, if that suits.”

“Sounds lovely.”

“What are you doing today?”he asked, then seemed to catch himself.“Don’t answer, if you don’t want to.”Their first morning as lovers and already he was backpeddling on intimacy.

“Work.I need to catch up on some work.With the amount of time I’ve been spending checking out the renovations at the childcare centre, I’m behind on a project.”She’d model sharing because if this was going to develop into more than stupendous sex, she needed him to lower Fort Knox type barricades and share himself with her.

Pot calling the kettle, Anna!

“While we’re together, there’s no one but me.”

An icy bead of dread trickled down her spine.Anna was usually the one to make that stipulation.The one to state she wouldn’t question, follow-up, or second guess what a lover did when he wasn’t with her.She expected equal respect in return.

You choose to be with me.If you change your mind, fine, just say so.

Yet, when Anna walked him to the door, he was the one to wrap an arm around her shoulders, keeping her tucked in beside him.At the front door, he was the one to drop the bag she’d loaned him for last night’s shirt and turn to face her.Tilting her chin, he gazed into her eyes for long seconds, then grinned.“Don’t miss me too much.”His mouth covered hers before she could answer.

Heat and longing and sensation whirled through her body.Still her lips clung.

“Just marking my place,” she whispered.

He was the first to step back.“I’ll call when I’m free,” he whispered the apology.

She closed the door, rested her back against it and touched her fingers to her lips.“I miss you already.”

And knew she was in serious trouble.She found herself wandering from room to room, following Hunter’s scent.She even sniffed at the pillow on Hunter’s side of the bed.When she moaned, she admitted things were worse than serious.

“You idiot.”Thrusting her hands into her hair, she pretended to drag it out by the roots.“Go to work.”

She forced herself to put in a solid three hours, and she had to force herself.Finally she pressed send.Antonio would be pleased when he opened his inbox in the morning.Settling into her seat on the bus home, she tried to bring her racing thoughts under control, and made a split-second decision.

“Can I come for dinner tonight?”

“Anytime,” her sister replied.“Is something up?”

“Can I bring Hunter?”

“We’d love to meet him.”

Anna snorted.“Maybelline, you can’t fool me.You’re desperate to meet him.You have to promise to be gentle.”

“I’m crushed that you’d think we’d misbehave around your friend.”Kate’s voice held humour.

“He’s gaining friend status.”Time to stop procrastinating.“His father is Nick Richardson.”

“NottheNick Richardson.”

Anna pictured her sister taking a step or two backward, her forearm across her eyes in true repertory style.

“I give up.Who’s Nick Richardson?”

“The birthday boy when I made my first and last appearance as a naked surprise.”Anna waited, then waited some more.“Say something.”

“Have you told Hunter you were a naked surprise at his father’s birthday?”

“He knows I was naked, and that Nick was at the party.It didn’t seem necessary to rub his face in it by telling him it was Nick’s birthday party.”If Anna wasn’t in a bus, she’d be pacing to alleviate her angst.This was a huge step, but she wanted her sister’s endorsement—support—stamp of approval ...because?Anna did and didn’t trust her own judgement.

“Is something worrying you?”

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