teasing fingers....
Chapter Five
“Oh, gee, Mom, what a great spot for a picnic!” came the sudden, devastating cry from the car neither Teddi nor King had heard pull off the road and stop.
King jerked as if he’d been hit in the back, both hands lifting to pull Teddi’s forehead to his damp chest, his broad back protecting her from prying eyes as she fought down tears of absolute frustration.
She was trembling, and his hands soothed her, although they seemed none too steady. His breathing was as erratic as hers.
“It’s all right, darling,” he whispered over her head. “It’s all right. Hold on to me.”
She clung to his shirt, hating her own weakness and his knowledge of it.
His hand smoothed the hair from her hot cheek. “I wanted it just as much as you did, little one,” he whispered. “Don’t be embarrassed.”
“Afternoon!” a friendly voice called from nearby. “Marvelous view, isn’t it?”
“Marvelous,” King replied politely. “Having a picnic?”
“Sure are! Uh, on your honeymoon?” the voice mused.
King chuckled. “Not quite,” he murmured, leaving the other man to draw his own conclusions.
“Lovely day for sightseeing, isn’t it?” a female voice broke in, followed by several younger voices that seemed to split the air and then faded gradually away.
“You can come up for air now,” King murmured. “They’re out of sight.”
She swallowed nervously and lifted her head, avoiding his amused eyes as she moved away from him. “Could we get a cup of coffee somewhere, do you suppose?” she asked in an abnormally high-pitched tone.
“I could use a whiskey myself,” he murmured, “but I suppose coffee will do. How about some fondue? There’s a restaurant in Banff that specializes in it.”
“I’d enjoy that,” she said, following him back to the car. “But what about that man you were supposed to see on business?” she asked, remembering his appointment.
He looked puzzled for an instant. “Man? Business? Oh, him,” he muttered. “Well, I’ll see him another day. It’s too bloody late now.”
Which made her feel even worse, as if she’d carried him out of his way and wasted his time. He was taut as a drawn cord all the way into Banff and the sound of the radio was like a wall between them. Just for an instant she wondered if frustration could be causing his strange silence. But, then, he’d only been teasing, hadn’t he? As usual.
He didn’t say a word until they were seated in the fondue house drinking coffee and enjoying a special Swiss cheese fondue while music played softly around them.
She dunked her bread into the fondue, almost losing it, and noticed King watching her with a peculiar smile.
“You’d better be careful,” he cautioned. “Or don’t you know the tradition about fondue?”
She shook her head, her eyes dark and wide in the soft light.
“If a woman drops something in the pot,” he said softly, watching her, “she has to surrender a kiss to the men at the table.”
Her cheeks began to color delicately. “And if a man does the same?”
“He’s obliged to buy a round,” he replied. His eyes studied her face, her soft, red mouth. “We seem fated to be interrupted at all the wrong times.”
Shaken, she tried to dunk another bread cube, but her hand trembled so much as she lifted the fork that she dropped the cube squarely into the pot, which embarrassed her even more.
“If I were conceited,” he murmured, fishing it out for her with his own fork, and offering it to her, “I might think you did that on purpose.”
She took the cube between her lips, and saw him watching the movement with an intensity that was shattering. She averted her eyes.
“I’m afraid I don’t have any illusions about the way you think of me,” she said, subdued, as she sipped her hot coffee.
He finished his own bread cubes and sat back. His thick blond hair caught the light and turned silvery in it, matching the glitter of his eyes. “How
Chapter Five
“Oh, gee, Mom, what a great spot for a picnic!” came the sudden, devastating cry from the car neither Teddi nor King had heard pull off the road and stop.
King jerked as if he’d been hit in the back, both hands lifting to pull Teddi’s forehead to his damp chest, his broad back protecting her from prying eyes as she fought down tears of absolute frustration.
She was trembling, and his hands soothed her, although they seemed none too steady. His breathing was as erratic as hers.
“It’s all right, darling,” he whispered over her head. “It’s all right. Hold on to me.”
She clung to his shirt, hating her own weakness and his knowledge of it.
His hand smoothed the hair from her hot cheek. “I wanted it just as much as you did, little one,” he whispered. “Don’t be embarrassed.”
“Afternoon!” a friendly voice called from nearby. “Marvelous view, isn’t it?”
“Marvelous,” King replied politely. “Having a picnic?”
“Sure are! Uh, on your honeymoon?” the voice mused.
King chuckled. “Not quite,” he murmured, leaving the other man to draw his own conclusions.
“Lovely day for sightseeing, isn’t it?” a female voice broke in, followed by several younger voices that seemed to split the air and then faded gradually away.
“You can come up for air now,” King murmured. “They’re out of sight.”
She swallowed nervously and lifted her head, avoiding his amused eyes as she moved away from him. “Could we get a cup of coffee somewhere, do you suppose?” she asked in an abnormally high-pitched tone.
“I could use a whiskey myself,” he murmured, “but I suppose coffee will do. How about some fondue? There’s a restaurant in Banff that specializes in it.”
“I’d enjoy that,” she said, following him back to the car. “But what about that man you were supposed to see on business?” she asked, remembering his appointment.
He looked puzzled for an instant. “Man? Business? Oh, him,” he muttered. “Well, I’ll see him another day. It’s too bloody late now.”
Which made her feel even worse, as if she’d carried him out of his way and wasted his time. He was taut as a drawn cord all the way into Banff and the sound of the radio was like a wall between them. Just for an instant she wondered if frustration could be causing his strange silence. But, then, he’d only been teasing, hadn’t he? As usual.
He didn’t say a word until they were seated in the fondue house drinking coffee and enjoying a special Swiss cheese fondue while music played softly around them.
She dunked her bread into the fondue, almost losing it, and noticed King watching her with a peculiar smile.
“You’d better be careful,” he cautioned. “Or don’t you know the tradition about fondue?”
She shook her head, her eyes dark and wide in the soft light.
“If a woman drops something in the pot,” he said softly, watching her, “she has to surrender a kiss to the men at the table.”
Her cheeks began to color delicately. “And if a man does the same?”
“He’s obliged to buy a round,” he replied. His eyes studied her face, her soft, red mouth. “We seem fated to be interrupted at all the wrong times.”
Shaken, she tried to dunk another bread cube, but her hand trembled so much as she lifted the fork that she dropped the cube squarely into the pot, which embarrassed her even more.
“If I were conceited,” he murmured, fishing it out for her with his own fork, and offering it to her, “I might think you did that on purpose.”
She took the cube between her lips, and saw him watching the movement with an intensity that was shattering. She averted her eyes.
“I’m afraid I don’t have any illusions about the way you think of me,” she said, subdued, as she sipped her hot coffee.
He finished his own bread cubes and sat back. His thick blond hair caught the light and turned silvery in it, matching the glitter of his eyes. “How
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