Gill wasn’t here permanently. He was just passing through, and whenever he was ready, he’d leave. In the meantime, Alicia had not only her heart to worry about, but also her reputation. It might seem foolish to someone from a big city, but the success of her business not only depended on her skill as a lawyer, but in keeping her reputation spotless as well. This was a conservative town where a lot of folks still weren’t comfortable with a female lawyer.
Whatever the reality of the situation, the underlying truth was she wanted to be with him, wanted to spend whatever time they could together, for however long he was in Jamesville. What a tangled state of affairs.
She sighed, watching a lone robin settle in the tree branches. Snow clung to the bark, but the little bird didn’t seem to mind as it pecked at the seeds in the birdfeeder.
Sometimes she wished she were like that little bird—free. But reality waited just outside the door and she couldn’t stay tucked away inside her home forever.
Strong arms slid around her waist and she leaned back against his chest.
“You’re deep in thought this morning.” His sleep-roughened voice was deeper than usual and it sent shivers all the way to her toes. His fingers absently traced the waistband of her pants.
“I was just watching the bird.” Determined to get through this, she stepped closer to the counter and began to chop the rest of the mushrooms.
Gill sighed and dropped a kiss on the top of her head before stepping away.
“Anything I can do to help?”
“You can pour the coffee if you’d like.” The pot she’d started had finished brewing.
She hadn’t slept much last night and was going to need the caffeine boost to get through the day. She tried not to think about why she’d hadn’t slept, but heated memories slipped into her brain, teasing her.
Gill opened the cupboard door and took down two mugs. The fact that he knew where to find them was almost startling. But he’d helped her with the dishes last night, drying them all and stacking them away while she’d mopped the remains of their dinner from the floor.
She broke eggs into a bowl and beat them as he poured coffee. He looked so strong, so masculine as he went about the mundane chore. His shirtsleeves were turned back several times, revealing his muscular forearms. His hair was still damp from the shower and a lone lock fell against his forehead.
He looked right at home in her kitchen, as if he belonged here. Alicia dumped the vegetables into the egg mixture, added some milk, and a dash of salt and pepper before stirring vigorously.
Gill took a sip of his coffee and she watched the thick column of his neck as he swallowed. Her inner muscles clenched. Boy, she had it bad if watching him drink coffee could turn her on.
“You want sugar or milk in yours?” He laid his mug aside and reached for the other one.
She nodded. “One sugar, please.” God, how awkward did she sound? She could feel the tension mounting inside her.
Still, Gill acted as if nothing was wrong. He added some sugar and stirred before handing her the mug of steaming coffee. She took it gingerly, making sure their fingers didn’t touch. Just having him this close to her was already making her sweat.
“Do you want me to make the toast?”
“Sure. That would be great.” Gulping a mouthful of coffee, Alicia almost choked on it. She coughed as Gill thumped her on the back several times. She held up her hands.
“I’m okay,” she managed to get out between coughs.
Totally mortified, Alicia turned back to the stove and began to cook the omelet. She poured the entire mixture in a large skillet and let it bubble and sizzle. When the edges were brown, she flipped it. Gill worked quietly in the background. She heard the pop of the toaster, the scrape of the knife across the bread as he buttered it, and the clink of glass as he put the plates on the table.
By the time she cut the omelet in half and scooped it up onto their plates, she had herself under control again. She had no idea why she was so nervous around Gill. No, that wasn’t quite true. He made her nervous because he knew her better than anyone else did in this town. He’d seen past the competent, business-like façade to the diehard romantic beneath.
She placed the pan back on the stove before sliding into her chair. Gill had everything else already there, including her mug of coffee and a small glass of orange juice.
“Thanks for breakfast. This is great.” Gill cut a piece of the omelet and popped it in his mouth.
“You’re welcome.” She busied herself with her own meal, making herself eat. She was sure it tasted good, but it felt like sawdust in her mouth.
Silence surrounded them, neither of them interested in polite chatter. Alicia ate as much as she could manage, and then pushed her plate away.
As if he’d been waiting for her signal, Gill laid his fork across his plate and leaned back in his chair. “Want to tell me what’s going on this morning?”
Alicia felt her hackles rising. “What do you mean?” Immediately, she felt foolish for all but jumping down his throat. He’d only asked her a simple question, and there was no doubt that she wasn’t herself this morning.
Gill sat forward, reached across the table and took her hand in his. Her smaller hand was almost lost in his, yet his grip wasn’t tight at all. The man was very aware of his own strength. “I know something is bothering you this morning, sugar. You want to tell me what it is?” His gaze searched her face as if hoping to find the answers there.
Normally, Alicia didn’t like it when a man called her by some pet name. But the way Gill called her “sugar” made her insides flutter. He made it sound sexy.
She forced herself to pull her hand away from his, clasping her fingers together at her waist. It was either that or she’d probably reach out to him whether she wanted to or not. Gill made a mockery of her self-control.
“I’m not sure last night was a good idea. But…” She continued when he started to interrupt. “It happened and I’m glad it did.” There was no way she could lie about that.
“The fact still remains that an affair could hurt my reputation. This isn’t the big city and the community’s faith has already been shaken by one lawyer.”
“What we’re doing isn’t criminal or illegal.” She could hear the tension in Gill’s voice. His steel-blue eyes were cold and forbidding.
“No, it’s not.” She picked up her mug and took a sip before carefully placing it back on the table. “However, that won’t matter to some folks.”
“So what are you suggesting?” Gill crossed his arms across his chest and glared.
“And don’t even think of telling me you don’t want to see me again, because I won’t believe it. Not after last night.”
“No,” she agreed. “That would be an insult to both of us.” Alicia licked her lips, her mouth dry. She resisted the urge to reach for her coffee mug again. “The only way this will work is if we keep it quiet.”
Gill uncrossed his arms and shifted in his chair, his eyes never leaving her face.
“What exactly do you mean?”
“We need to act professionally outside these walls. If we’re having an affair, we need to keep it quiet.”
“Do you really think that’s possible?”
She closed her eyes and shoved all her doubts aside. “I don’t know.” Her eyes flew open when she heard his chair being shoved back. Gill loomed over her, hands on his hips.
“I understand what you’re saying. Really, I do.” He shoved his fingers through his hair, leaving some of it sticking out to the sides. “But I think that you’re making too much of it. This isn’t the dark ages. Your personal life has nothing to do with your professional one.”
“You’d think so, wouldn’t you?” Alicia knew the gamble she was taking even if Gill didn’t. She was risking everything she’d spent years building by being with him. But it was worth the risk. Even though their relationship wouldn’t last long, it was worth it. Gill made her feel more alive inside than she’d felt in yea
rs. She hadn’t realized just how dead she’d felt until they’d spent that night together after leaving the wedding. With him, she was more herself than she’d ever been with any other man.
“If you want to keep this private between us, that’s fine. For now.” He reached down and pulled her out of her chair, his hands warm and sure on her shoulders.
She appreciated that he wasn’t dismissing her concerns, but was trying to understand. Alicia was simply being realistic. Gill didn’t live here and she did. He’d be leaving eventually and she’d be left to deal with the aftermath. It would be hard enough to see him go without having to deal with professional problems on top of it.
“So we agree.”
“Whatever you want, sugar.” Gill slid his hand down her back, pulling her closer.
She could feel his erection nestling against her stomach. His other hand cupped her neck, his thumb pushing her chin upward. “Whatever you want,” he repeated as he leaned down to kiss her.
Gill’s body was vibrating with barely suppressed emotion. He didn’t know if he wanted to hug Alicia or shake her. He settled for kissing her. Their lips met and the familiar fire shot through him. This woman was his, no doubt about it. Her every move, every touch, set his body on fire, but she did so much more. Alicia made him long for things he’d never had—a home, a family, a tomorrow. He thought he’d lost his need for those things years ago. His career as a big city cop had left him empty inside. Since coming to Jamesville and meeting her, that had changed.
Gill found himself thinking how nice it would be to have a house instead of an apartment. A place to really live instead of one that was meant to store his clothing and give him a place to sleep in between shifts at work.
When he’d awoken with Alicia in his arms this morning, he’d felt complete for the first time in his adult life, as if he’d been simply waiting all these years to find her.
Making love to her this morning had rocked the foundations of his world. Last night had been about sex and need. This morning had been about caring and connection.
God help him, he was already half in love with her. And what was he going to do about that?
His musings were interrupted when Alicia deepened their kiss, pressing her tongue past his lips. He groaned, his hand sliding down to cup her ass. She had a fine ass. A first-class ass. He palmed the mound, squeezing gently. She moaned and his cock jerked in response. Damn, he was as hot as an eighteen-year-old boy around her.
He forced himself to pull back. Alicia had to get to work and if she were late, she’d worry and maybe even start to question their relationship. He wasn’t pleased that she wanted to keep their relationship a secret, but it was a starting point. With enough time and effort, he’d be able to make her forget all about her worries. At least he hoped so.
Gill peppered kisses on her mouth and across her jaw. She was wearing a turtleneck sweater, which made it harder for him to get at her neck. It was probably just as well anyway. If he got started on her neck, they’d probably end up back in bed, or on the kitchen floor. He groaned as his balls tightened.
“Alicia.” He took a step back. “As much as I’d like to continue, didn’t you say you had an early meeting this morning?”
She appeared dazed for a moment, her lips were moist and red, her green eyes slightly glazed. Shaking herself, she wiped a shaky hand over her forehead. “I do.” She glanced at her watch. “I have to leave in five minutes if I’m going to make it.”
“You go and finish getting ready. I’ll take care of the kitchen.”
Alicia looked as if she wanted to say something, but changed her mind. Whirling around, she grabbed her jacket from the back of her chair and hurried from the kitchen.
The moment she was out of sight, Gill reached down and adjusted himself, trying to ease the ache in his groin.
Swearing under his breath, he gathered the plates, scraping the remaining food into the garbage before piling them in the sink. He took one last mouthful of coffee before regretfully pouring the rest of it down the drain. He’d get another cup just as soon as he got back to Patrick’s place.
That was another problem. He didn’t think Patrick would question where he was last night, but the man wasn’t stupid. It was only a matter of time before he figured it out.
Shannon, on the other hand, would probably start flinging questions at him the moment he walked through the door. He smiled as he filled the sink with soapy water. It was good to have friends.
By the time Alicia returned, he’d made quick work of their few dishes, leaving them to drain in the dish rack.
“I’m really sorry about this.” She checked her purse and grabbed her cell phone from the charger.
“No problem.” He followed her to the foyer, and pulled on his boots and coat. He grabbed her wool coat and held it for her, sliding it over her arms.
“Thank you,” she murmured.
“You’re welcome.” He kissed the top of her head. He wanted to do a heck of a lot more than that, but restrained himself. “I’ll see you tonight?”
She chewed on her lip and nodded. “Pull your truck into the garage. I’ll give you the remote.”
Gill nodded and Alicia visibly relaxed. He hated sneaking around. They weren’t doing anything wrong. He understood her mind-set about the situation, even though he felt she was overreacting. Still, he’d agreed to do things her way. For a while anyway.
They stepped outside and Alicia locked the door, her gaze darting to her neighbors’
homes. It was still fairly early and there didn’t seem to be anyone around. Alicia’s small home was situated at the end of a dead-end street, providing her with a certain amount of privacy. Still, if any of her neighbors looked out their window, they would see the two of them leaving together.
Gill might not have spent his adult life in a small town, but he’d grown up in one. If there was one thing he knew for certain, it was that secrets like this were almost impossible to keep. He’d do his best and hope that Alicia would eventually become comfortable with the fact that they were in a relationship, and would no longer care who knew about it.
She walked ahead of him, her boots tapping against the stone path as she hurried to the driveway. Gill followed her to her snappy red car, which was parked alongside his truck. The sporty vehicle and its hot color suited her. It was just another sign of the passionate woman hidden beneath the staid façade.
She unlocked her door and slid into her car. Gill waited patiently until she was settled before leaning closer. “Have a good day.” He thought about kissing her, but didn’t want to push his luck. She looked nervous enough as it was. Closing the door, he headed toward his truck and slid behind the wheel.
Alicia backed out of the driveway and started down the road. Putting his truck in gear, he followed her down the quiet street. She didn’t look back, didn’t wave or toot her horn as she headed to the downtown section of Jamesville. Annoyed, Gill took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He had to give her time to get used to the fact that they were in a relationship. Turning left at the next intersection, he headed toward Patrick and Shannon’s place.
Chapter Seven
Alicia sat at her desk, pen clutched in her fingers, trying to concentrate on the paperwork in front of her. But the documents blurred, fading from sight as her thoughts drifted back over the past week.
She and Gill had easily fallen into a routine of sorts, with Gill coming over in the evenings, making certain to pull his truck into the garage. They’d cook supper, share their day, watch television or movies and generally enjoy one another’s company.
Some of his clothing found their way into her dresser drawers and his shaving kit now sat on the vanity in her bathroom. For a woman who’d lived alone her entire adult life, it was strange, but nice. Several times she’d caught herself staring at his toothbrush resting next to hers in the holder.
The sex ranged from the raunchy to the sweet, with everything in between. He’d kiss her awake in the morning and they
’d share breakfast before they’d both leave to begin their day.
Alicia was surprised by how much they had in common, but there were enough differences between them to make things interesting. Cooking with a man was a strange experience. It was something she’d never actually done before. Gill was a decent cook, but more than that, he was fun in the kitchen. He’d chop and dice and grate anything she put in front of them while they chatted. It was homey.
Her stomach clenched as she tossed her pen aside and sat back in her desk chair, staring out the window at the streets of Jamesville. It was still early, not quite ten o’clock, but Main Street was full with people bustling about, taking care of their business. As much as the smallness of the place drove her crazy sometimes, there was no place she’d rather be. It was home, pure and simple.
She was content with her life here, if not blissfully happy. At one point in time, she’d wanted more, but she’d settled. She certainly wasn’t complaining. She had a lot to be thankful for—her career, her family and her friends. She was healthy and owned her own home. Her thoughts tapered off. In spite of all her good fortune, she’d always felt that something was missing. Being with Gill reminded her just what that elusive something was.
Living with Gill felt right. As if an empty spot in her life had been filled to overflowing. It felt good to come home at the end of the day and have someone to share it with, someone to care how her day had gone. Alicia wrapped her arms around herself, feeling chilled in spite of the heat kicking out of the heater behind her.
She tried not to think about the day he would pack up and leave town, but it flitted into her mind more and more as time went on. He was still ostensibly visiting with Patrick and Shannon, but he couldn’t stay there indefinitely. Plus they had to be wondering just where he was spending his nights.
Gill had just about finished his investigative work for her. He’d tracked down everyone on her list. He’d also dug up a few witnesses she never would have found on her own. With the statements he’d gotten from various people, including Susie’s teacher, Elizabeth Brown should have no trouble obtaining full custody of her daughter. Alicia also hoped that Jim Brown wouldn’t contest the divorce when he found out just how much ammunition they had against him. Brown was a man who valued his reputation, and a long, drawn-out divorce would drag his name through the mud. He could say what he wanted about Elizabeth, but in the end, he’d lose. Score another one for the good guys.
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