leaned against the cabinet.
“Oh, wow. I just love them. That’s the best gift they could have sent, considering there’s nothing in the refrigerator and a good two feet of snow on the ground.”
The thought of gifts made him remember the engagement ring back in his apartment. He reached for her, pulling her close.
“I’m so glad you’re safe. If I had my way, I would never let you out of my sight again.”
“I feel just the same,” she said, and closed her eyes, anchored by the warmth of his embrace.
At his urging, Laura settled down in the living room under an afghan until the house warmed up a bit more. By the time dinner arrived, she was so tired she could barely eat. She picked at it for a few minutes, then finally gave up.
“The food is good, but I’m too tired to enjoy it,” she said as she stirred her fork through a helping of fried rice.
Cameron saw the dark shadows under her eyes and frowned.
“I’ll clean up. Why don’t you get in bed?”
She laid the fork on her plate.
“I think I’m going to have to. I feel like I’m about to drop.”
“I’ll be there shortly. You’re not too shaky to do this on your own, are you?”
“No, I’ll be okay,” she said, and got up from the table and left the room.
He began putting away leftovers, then put their dishes and cups in the dishwasher. He emptied the coffeepot, then cleaned it and got it ready for tomorrow, stopping a few moments longer to send a message to Tate and his wife, Nola.
Food delicious. Laura exhausted. Going to help her get ready for bed.
He hit Send, then made the rounds through the house, making sure everything was locked up, the security system was set and the lights were turned off before going to check on her.
Laura was just getting out of the shower when he walked into the bedroom. She was so out of it she hadn’t even bothered to close the bathroom door. He quickly turned back the bed, found a nightgown in the dresser and took it to her.
“Is this okay?” he asked.
“It’s fine,” she said, then dropped the towel and held out her arms.
He pulled the nightgown over her head. When she reached for a hairbrush, he took it from her hand and gently smoothed the tangles out of her hair.
She brushed her teeth as Cameron began digging through his suitcase for some of his things, and when he turned around, she was headed for the bed.
He caught her just as she stumbled, and then carried her the rest of the way. Her eyes were closed before her head hit the pillow, and by the time he came out of the shower she was fast asleep.
It wasn’t the first time they’d slept together, but it was the first time they’d slept together in her house. As soon as he turned out the last light and crawled into bed, the unfamiliarity was gone. It wouldn’t matter where they were, because as long as Laura was in his arms, he would always be home.
* * *
As night fell on the East Coast of the United States, the social butterflies of the retirement community at Lake Chapala, Mexico, were getting ready for a birthday party.
Hershel had quickly learned after he moved in that it didn’t take much of an excuse for someone to throw a party here. Considering the ages of the residents, it could just as likely have been a wake, though, so birthdays were even better. There was a no-gift rule. The food was always cake and punch, and the entertainment was the movie of the night, chosen by the birthday honoree, and shown in the private screening room at the complex. The room seated fifty, and the comfy leather recliners meant someone was always falling asleep before the movie was over.
Some of the residents had been decorating since morning, hanging paper lanterns, arranging floral decorations for the tables, and someone was just now hanging an oversize piñata above the arched entrance.
Hershel was walking home after an early dinner when he saw the group of ladies through an open doorway.
One of them, a lady named Barb Wentworth, saw him
“Oh, wow. I just love them. That’s the best gift they could have sent, considering there’s nothing in the refrigerator and a good two feet of snow on the ground.”
The thought of gifts made him remember the engagement ring back in his apartment. He reached for her, pulling her close.
“I’m so glad you’re safe. If I had my way, I would never let you out of my sight again.”
“I feel just the same,” she said, and closed her eyes, anchored by the warmth of his embrace.
At his urging, Laura settled down in the living room under an afghan until the house warmed up a bit more. By the time dinner arrived, she was so tired she could barely eat. She picked at it for a few minutes, then finally gave up.
“The food is good, but I’m too tired to enjoy it,” she said as she stirred her fork through a helping of fried rice.
Cameron saw the dark shadows under her eyes and frowned.
“I’ll clean up. Why don’t you get in bed?”
She laid the fork on her plate.
“I think I’m going to have to. I feel like I’m about to drop.”
“I’ll be there shortly. You’re not too shaky to do this on your own, are you?”
“No, I’ll be okay,” she said, and got up from the table and left the room.
He began putting away leftovers, then put their dishes and cups in the dishwasher. He emptied the coffeepot, then cleaned it and got it ready for tomorrow, stopping a few moments longer to send a message to Tate and his wife, Nola.
Food delicious. Laura exhausted. Going to help her get ready for bed.
He hit Send, then made the rounds through the house, making sure everything was locked up, the security system was set and the lights were turned off before going to check on her.
Laura was just getting out of the shower when he walked into the bedroom. She was so out of it she hadn’t even bothered to close the bathroom door. He quickly turned back the bed, found a nightgown in the dresser and took it to her.
“Is this okay?” he asked.
“It’s fine,” she said, then dropped the towel and held out her arms.
He pulled the nightgown over her head. When she reached for a hairbrush, he took it from her hand and gently smoothed the tangles out of her hair.
She brushed her teeth as Cameron began digging through his suitcase for some of his things, and when he turned around, she was headed for the bed.
He caught her just as she stumbled, and then carried her the rest of the way. Her eyes were closed before her head hit the pillow, and by the time he came out of the shower she was fast asleep.
It wasn’t the first time they’d slept together, but it was the first time they’d slept together in her house. As soon as he turned out the last light and crawled into bed, the unfamiliarity was gone. It wouldn’t matter where they were, because as long as Laura was in his arms, he would always be home.
* * *
As night fell on the East Coast of the United States, the social butterflies of the retirement community at Lake Chapala, Mexico, were getting ready for a birthday party.
Hershel had quickly learned after he moved in that it didn’t take much of an excuse for someone to throw a party here. Considering the ages of the residents, it could just as likely have been a wake, though, so birthdays were even better. There was a no-gift rule. The food was always cake and punch, and the entertainment was the movie of the night, chosen by the birthday honoree, and shown in the private screening room at the complex. The room seated fifty, and the comfy leather recliners meant someone was always falling asleep before the movie was over.
Some of the residents had been decorating since morning, hanging paper lanterns, arranging floral decorations for the tables, and someone was just now hanging an oversize piñata above the arched entrance.
Hershel was walking home after an early dinner when he saw the group of ladies through an open doorway.
One of them, a lady named Barb Wentworth, saw him
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