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Authors: Jean Brashear
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prison.”
Great if they were in Thailand, but they weren’t. “What about extradition?”
“They are not in the country?” Ram asked. “Perhaps their property in Lafayette?”
Careful, Luc. No one knows about your deal with them.
“How should I know? I just remember they traveled a lot.”
“I have heard that they have perhaps turned their eyes on further expansion in America. I thought I should warn you. Richard and Daniel are not good men, Luc.”
Tell me about it. But for Ram, he adopted a breezy tone. “America’s a big place, pal. But I appreciate the heads-up. If you hear anything else…”
“I will gladly phone you. I did not care for my stay in their employ.”
Then you were smarter than me, my friend . “I hear you. Thanks, and give my best to your family.”
“I will. Goodbye, Luc.”
“Bye, Ram.”
He closed his phone and stared at nothing while his mind raced.
“O N SECOND THOUGHT , let’s go to my place,” Anne said abruptly.
They were a block from his house. He glancedover at her. Even the moonlight didn’t account for how pale she was.
He chose the path of discretion. She looked ready to run. “All right. I’d like to pick up something from my house first, though, if you don’t mind.”
Her eyes were dark holes. If possible, she paled further. “Oh.” She stared straight ahead. “I hadn’t thought…” She seemed to visibly steady herself. “Thank you,” she said softly. “For remembering about….” She shrugged, and if anything, her voice grew quieter. “Precautions.”
What she meant took a moment to sink in. William choked back the laughter that was his immediate reaction. The need to protect her, even from her own mistaken assumptions, swamped him. Sweet heaven, how he wanted to hold her. Kiss her. Keep anything from ever worrying her again.
He’d only wanted to grab a bottle of wine he’d been saving for a special occasion, not the condoms she obviously thought he meant.
He pulled into his driveway and stopped. He had to handle this gingerly; he wouldn’t embarrass her for the world. “Anne, look at me.”
Slowly, but with obvious reluctance, she complied.
He took her hand. “I want you. I’ve been clear on that.”
When he didn’t continue, she nodded hesitantly.
“I’m doing my damnedest not to rush you, though I suspect you’d disagree.”
A faint curve of her lips.
“I want to spend time with you, whatever that involves. I’m not going to pounce on you.”
There was such hope in her eyes that he buried a rueful smile against her fingers.
“You respond to me. I can feel it. Please don’t deny it.”
Once again, her courage showed in the way she met his gaze. “I won’t.”
“Good,” he said. “That’s good.” With the unerring sense of human nature that had made him a rich man, he broached a topic that she might find easier to discuss in the darkness. “You haven’t been with anyone since Remy?” he asked.
He felt the flinch. “Or…before.”
“Or—” Good God. He was going to lose his mind from lust before this was over. He was toast. He swallowed hard. “Before.” His voice cracked like a teenager’s from sheer, vicious arousal.
It was her turn to smile. “Men like that, don’t they? That sense of possession. I’m hardly a virgin, William, even if I have only been with one man. I’ve borne four children.”
“Pity us. We’re the weaker sex. I admit it.”
At last she laughed, and the tension was dispelled.
“I’m not a virgin, either,” he said. “But I will confess to a little more…experience.”
“A lot is more like it, I’d bet.”
He shrugged one shoulder. “I’m older than you. I didn’t marry early.”
“But you’ve been widowed, eight years, is it?”
“Eight, yes.”
“You’ve dated. A lot.”
“Probably not as much as you seem to believe. And not many of those extended past dinner or a ball.”
She was quiet for a long time. Then she spoke. “Were you faithful
Great if they were in Thailand, but they weren’t. “What about extradition?”
“They are not in the country?” Ram asked. “Perhaps their property in Lafayette?”
Careful, Luc. No one knows about your deal with them.
“How should I know? I just remember they traveled a lot.”
“I have heard that they have perhaps turned their eyes on further expansion in America. I thought I should warn you. Richard and Daniel are not good men, Luc.”
Tell me about it. But for Ram, he adopted a breezy tone. “America’s a big place, pal. But I appreciate the heads-up. If you hear anything else…”
“I will gladly phone you. I did not care for my stay in their employ.”
Then you were smarter than me, my friend . “I hear you. Thanks, and give my best to your family.”
“I will. Goodbye, Luc.”
“Bye, Ram.”
He closed his phone and stared at nothing while his mind raced.
“O N SECOND THOUGHT , let’s go to my place,” Anne said abruptly.
They were a block from his house. He glancedover at her. Even the moonlight didn’t account for how pale she was.
He chose the path of discretion. She looked ready to run. “All right. I’d like to pick up something from my house first, though, if you don’t mind.”
Her eyes were dark holes. If possible, she paled further. “Oh.” She stared straight ahead. “I hadn’t thought…” She seemed to visibly steady herself. “Thank you,” she said softly. “For remembering about….” She shrugged, and if anything, her voice grew quieter. “Precautions.”
What she meant took a moment to sink in. William choked back the laughter that was his immediate reaction. The need to protect her, even from her own mistaken assumptions, swamped him. Sweet heaven, how he wanted to hold her. Kiss her. Keep anything from ever worrying her again.
He’d only wanted to grab a bottle of wine he’d been saving for a special occasion, not the condoms she obviously thought he meant.
He pulled into his driveway and stopped. He had to handle this gingerly; he wouldn’t embarrass her for the world. “Anne, look at me.”
Slowly, but with obvious reluctance, she complied.
He took her hand. “I want you. I’ve been clear on that.”
When he didn’t continue, she nodded hesitantly.
“I’m doing my damnedest not to rush you, though I suspect you’d disagree.”
A faint curve of her lips.
“I want to spend time with you, whatever that involves. I’m not going to pounce on you.”
There was such hope in her eyes that he buried a rueful smile against her fingers.
“You respond to me. I can feel it. Please don’t deny it.”
Once again, her courage showed in the way she met his gaze. “I won’t.”
“Good,” he said. “That’s good.” With the unerring sense of human nature that had made him a rich man, he broached a topic that she might find easier to discuss in the darkness. “You haven’t been with anyone since Remy?” he asked.
He felt the flinch. “Or…before.”
“Or—” Good God. He was going to lose his mind from lust before this was over. He was toast. He swallowed hard. “Before.” His voice cracked like a teenager’s from sheer, vicious arousal.
It was her turn to smile. “Men like that, don’t they? That sense of possession. I’m hardly a virgin, William, even if I have only been with one man. I’ve borne four children.”
“Pity us. We’re the weaker sex. I admit it.”
At last she laughed, and the tension was dispelled.
“I’m not a virgin, either,” he said. “But I will confess to a little more…experience.”
“A lot is more like it, I’d bet.”
He shrugged one shoulder. “I’m older than you. I didn’t marry early.”
“But you’ve been widowed, eight years, is it?”
“Eight, yes.”
“You’ve dated. A lot.”
“Probably not as much as you seem to believe. And not many of those extended past dinner or a ball.”
She was quiet for a long time. Then she spoke. “Were you faithful
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