moved on hers. And she couldn’t think at all. Deep, penetrating warmth, quick, hard flutters, a leap and gallop of pulse.
She felt it, all of it, as her body seemed to let out a breath too long held.
Her head actually spun before he eased back, and she was left staring, staring into his eyes. She said, “Oh, well, damn it.”
He flashed that grin at her. “I’ll pick you up at seven. ’Night, Phoebe.”
“Yeah, ’night.” She managed to unlock the door, and when she glanced back, he was standing on the sidewalk, still grinning at her. “Good night,” she said again.
Inside, she locked up, turned off the porch light. And wondered what the hell she’d gotten herself into.
4
She’d no more than reached the top of the stairs when her mother and Ava slipped out of the TV room with big, expectant smiles.
“So?” Essie began. “How was it?”
“It was fine. It was a drink.” If she’d been wearing socks, Phoebe thought as she aimed for her bedroom, they’d have blown clear across Jones Street during that good-night kiss.
Behind her back, Essie and Ava exchanged a look, then headed off in pursuit.
“Well, what’s he like? What did you talk about? Come on, Phoebs.” Ava clasped her hands together as if in prayer. “Give us dateless wonders the scoop.”
“We had a beer in his very nice pub. I enjoyed it. I’m going to work out.”
Another look was exchanged when Phoebe went to her dresser to pull out yoga pants and a sports bra.
“What’d you talk about?”
Phoebe glanced at her mother in the mirror, shrugged. She began to strip and change. She’d lived among women too long to worry about nudity. “This and that. He used to tend bar and drive a cab.”
“Hmm. So he’s enterprising, isn’t he?”
“You could say.”
“Where does he live?” Ava pressed. “In the city?”
“I didn’t ask.”
“Well, for goodness sake.” Essie cast her eyes to the ceiling. “Why not?”
“It didn’t come up.” Phoebe reached in the little silver trinket box on her dresser for a tie, whipped her hair back into a tail.
“What about his people?” Essie demanded. “Who are his family, his—”
“That didn’t come up either. I sort of got distracted.”
“Because he was charming,” Essie decided.
“He was—is—very charming. But I was distracted, considerably, when he told me he won the lottery several years ago, to the tune of a hundred and thirty-eight million.”
She sailed out on that, automatically peeking in to check on Carly before moving to the stairs and up to the third floor.
She’d commandeered what had once been a maid’s room for a little home gym. An indulgence on her part, Phoebe knew, but it also saved a health club fee and meant she could get an hour in early in the morning or at night, after Carly was in bed.
Work kept her away from home enough without adding gym time to it.
She’d sprung for an elliptical machine, a few free weights, and even a small TV to play exercise tapes. Carly often practiced her gymnastics while she worked out, so that was the big benefit of more mother-daughter time. Her mother and Ava used the equipment, so it paid for itself.
In the end it wasn’t only more convenient but more economical. At least that’s how she’d justified the expense.
Phoebe smiled to herself as she set the machine and climbed on. Her mother and Ava were already at the doorway, gaping.
“Did you say million ?” Essie demanded.
“I did.”
“I remember that, I remember something about that.” Ava laid a hand on her heart. “Millionaire cabdriver. That’s what they called him. Local boy. Single ticket. Oh my God! That’s him ?”
“In the flesh.”
“Well. God. I think I’m going to sit down.” Essie did so, right on the floor. “That’s not just rich, not even just wealthy. I don’t know what it is.”
“Lucky?” Phoebe suggested.
“And then some.” Ava joined Essie on the floor. “He bought you a beer.”
Amused, Phoebe kicked
She felt it, all of it, as her body seemed to let out a breath too long held.
Her head actually spun before he eased back, and she was left staring, staring into his eyes. She said, “Oh, well, damn it.”
He flashed that grin at her. “I’ll pick you up at seven. ’Night, Phoebe.”
“Yeah, ’night.” She managed to unlock the door, and when she glanced back, he was standing on the sidewalk, still grinning at her. “Good night,” she said again.
Inside, she locked up, turned off the porch light. And wondered what the hell she’d gotten herself into.
4
She’d no more than reached the top of the stairs when her mother and Ava slipped out of the TV room with big, expectant smiles.
“So?” Essie began. “How was it?”
“It was fine. It was a drink.” If she’d been wearing socks, Phoebe thought as she aimed for her bedroom, they’d have blown clear across Jones Street during that good-night kiss.
Behind her back, Essie and Ava exchanged a look, then headed off in pursuit.
“Well, what’s he like? What did you talk about? Come on, Phoebs.” Ava clasped her hands together as if in prayer. “Give us dateless wonders the scoop.”
“We had a beer in his very nice pub. I enjoyed it. I’m going to work out.”
Another look was exchanged when Phoebe went to her dresser to pull out yoga pants and a sports bra.
“What’d you talk about?”
Phoebe glanced at her mother in the mirror, shrugged. She began to strip and change. She’d lived among women too long to worry about nudity. “This and that. He used to tend bar and drive a cab.”
“Hmm. So he’s enterprising, isn’t he?”
“You could say.”
“Where does he live?” Ava pressed. “In the city?”
“I didn’t ask.”
“Well, for goodness sake.” Essie cast her eyes to the ceiling. “Why not?”
“It didn’t come up.” Phoebe reached in the little silver trinket box on her dresser for a tie, whipped her hair back into a tail.
“What about his people?” Essie demanded. “Who are his family, his—”
“That didn’t come up either. I sort of got distracted.”
“Because he was charming,” Essie decided.
“He was—is—very charming. But I was distracted, considerably, when he told me he won the lottery several years ago, to the tune of a hundred and thirty-eight million.”
She sailed out on that, automatically peeking in to check on Carly before moving to the stairs and up to the third floor.
She’d commandeered what had once been a maid’s room for a little home gym. An indulgence on her part, Phoebe knew, but it also saved a health club fee and meant she could get an hour in early in the morning or at night, after Carly was in bed.
Work kept her away from home enough without adding gym time to it.
She’d sprung for an elliptical machine, a few free weights, and even a small TV to play exercise tapes. Carly often practiced her gymnastics while she worked out, so that was the big benefit of more mother-daughter time. Her mother and Ava used the equipment, so it paid for itself.
In the end it wasn’t only more convenient but more economical. At least that’s how she’d justified the expense.
Phoebe smiled to herself as she set the machine and climbed on. Her mother and Ava were already at the doorway, gaping.
“Did you say million ?” Essie demanded.
“I did.”
“I remember that, I remember something about that.” Ava laid a hand on her heart. “Millionaire cabdriver. That’s what they called him. Local boy. Single ticket. Oh my God! That’s him ?”
“In the flesh.”
“Well. God. I think I’m going to sit down.” Essie did so, right on the floor. “That’s not just rich, not even just wealthy. I don’t know what it is.”
“Lucky?” Phoebe suggested.
“And then some.” Ava joined Essie on the floor. “He bought you a beer.”
Amused, Phoebe kicked
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