Moonlight in the Morning

  “Would you believe me if I told you she guessed?”

  “Definitely. Don’t worry about it. She only wants what’s k whhei best for me.”

  “And I’m not?”

  “She knows I’m not going to live here, that I’m going back to New York. Since your life is here, she’s concerned about me—and about you too.”

  “I know you’re leaving,” Tris said. “But I refuse to think of that. I believe in enjoying the moment.”

  “Me too,” she said, smiling. “I want to ask you something.”

  “Anything,” he said.

  “Who’s the mystery man in Kim’s life?”

  “I don’t know what you mean.”

  “Sophie and I used to talk about him. Kim was always searching for some man on the Internet. She joined several of those personal search Web sites, the kind where you pay thirty-five dollars to find the address of someone. I’ve always wondered if she found him.”

  “I don’t know anything about that.”

  “I thought maybe some high school guy came and went.”

  “I wouldn’t know. When Kim was that age, I was away at school. I could ask her—”

  “No!” Jecca said.

  “You don’t want Kim to know you were snooping, do you?”

  “Right,” Jecca said, and they were silent for a moment.

  “I want to know about your day,” he said.

  “Yours sounds more interesting. Who else did you tell about us?”

  “I didn’t tell Kim. She has a sixth sense when it comes to you.”

  “Are you avoiding telling me what you did today? Is there some secret?”

  Tristan laughed. “I’m caught! If you’re this perceptive when you can’t see my grimaces, what are you like in the daylight?”

  “You’re still avoiding answering me.”

  “Okay!” Tris was laughing. “My sister called, and I have to fly to Miami in the morning.”

  “Oh,” Jecca said and she couldn’t believe how the news was bringing her down. No more nighttime meetings.

  “Her husband, Jake, is being released from the hospital, and I’m going down to help them come back to Edilean.”

  “How can you help them move if you have only one arm?”

  “Actually, my sister wants me to look after my niece, Nell. I’m the designated babysitter. Mom’s driving down to Miami from Sarasota, so she and Addy will arrange everything. I’m just to look over Jake and see that the doctors haven’t missed anything, then Nell and I will be told to go occupy ourselves.”

  “Which I’ve heard that you love to do,” Jecca said.

  “Oh yeah. Nell’s up for any adventure. She’s going to love your artwork.”

  “You told her about me?” Jecca asked.

  “Not yet, but I will.”

  Jecca smiled. “How about your parents and sister?”

  Tristan took his time answering. “When I tell them, things will become serious. They’ll start wanting to know about your parents, your job, your plans for the future . . . everything.”

  “Do they want to know that about all the women in your life?”

  “The ones I’ve told them about, yes,” Tris said. “You wouldn’t like to go away with Nell and me for a week or so, would you?”

  Jecca’s first thought was that she should work, not run off with this man she’d only known a few days. And there was his niece, who she’d never met. They were strangers to each other. But she couldn’t bring herself to say that. “Where and when?”

  Tristan’s smile was so big she could feel it in the dark. “Nell wants to visit Roan at his cabin. He’s a cousin of ours and—”

  “There’s a surprise!”

  “Don’t make fun of Edilean.” This time she knew he was teasing. “Roan is the last of the McTerns, who were the oldest family to settle in Edilean back in the 1760s.”

  “What does he do in his cabin?”

  “Eats squirrels and possums. The usual.” When Jecca was silent, Tris laughed. “Roan lives in California and teaches philosophy at Berkeley.”

  “Oh my. An intellectual.”

  “Sort of. You wouldn’t think so if you met him. Anyway, he has a cabin in the preserve and he visits whenever he can. He’s taking a sabbatical this year to do some writing, so he’s there by himself.”

  “What’s he writing? The philosophy of what?”

  “Actually, he’s working on a mystery novel.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes. He’s worn out from teaching and wants to do something else. Will you go with us? Roan has two bedrooms. You and Nell can have one, and we’ll all share cooking duties. You like to fish?”

  “I’d like to paint wildflowers,” she said.

  “That’s a good idea,” he said. “Kim’s ad campaign might just as well be based around daisies as Miltonias.” He paused to chew. “But I have a favor to ask of you.”

  “What is it?”

  “I know that if Nell sees your artwork she’ll want to try it. Could you give me a list of supplies she’ll need and I’ll get them while I’m in Miami?”

  “That’s a favor? To make a list?”

  “Yes,” he said. “Is there something wrong with that?”

  Jecca was glad he couldn’t see her face. She knew she must be looking at him in adoration. In her experience, when a man asked for a “favor” it wasn’t so he could help out his niece. “Nothing’s wrong,” she said. “I’ll take care of Nell. At the rate I’m going in producing work I may end up teaching elementary school art.”

  Tristan wasn’t sure if he should reply to that. He feared revealing what Kim had told him about Jecca’s paintings not selling. “I own a couple of buildings downtown, and Roan owns half a dozen.”

  “Good for you guys.” She was puzzled by his comment.

  “I was just thinking that Edilean could use a place where people could study art.”

  “Hmmm,” she said. “That’s an idea. I could teach senior citizens how to paint pictures of their dogs. Or maybe I should teach kids how to make pottery. Or—”

  “I get it,” Tris said, laughing. “But you do set a man a challenge.”

  “How so?”

  “To get you to stay I have to find you a new career.”

  It was her turn to laugh. “I somehow don’t think that’s going to happen. How often do you get to New York?”

  “About every three years.”

  Jecca knew it made no sense to feel that she was going to miss this man she’d never seen, but she did. When he started moving things about, she knew what he was doing. He was making a place so she could lean against him. She waited, sipping her champagne, until she felt him hold out his arm.

  She didn’t hesitate as she turned and moved back toward him, between his outstretched legs, her back against his front. When he lifted his injured arm to slide down over her body, it felt familiar to her. She snuggled back against him, and for a while they sat there in silence and listened to the water and the night sounds.

  “I’m going to miss you,” he said softly, his mouth very close to her ear. “Mind if I call you while I’m away?”

  “I would love it if you did. Every day I’ll tell you all about whatever aerobic torture my two ladies put me through.”

  “Did you guys do the belly dancing this afternoon?”

  “Oh yes. Lucy’s rather good at it, but Mrs. Wingate and I will never be more than amateurs.”

  “I think you should let me be the judge,” Tristan said. “As a doctor, I could watch and—”

  “In your dreams.”

  He chuckled. “Are you looking forward to seeing Reede again?”

  “It’s all I can think about.” When Tristan said nothing, Jecca turned her face up toward his. “I know it’s impossible, but you sound jealous.”

  “My km">aited, sipgirl fantasizes about the . . . what did you say? . . . ‘naked beauty’ of another man and I’m not supposed to be even a bit jealous?”

  “When did I become ‘yo
ur girl’?”

  “Today, when I thought about you all day long.”

  “That’s only because you have no job right now. If you weren’t incapacitated and had something to occupy your time, you’d never give me a thought. I would be the girl you tripped over and that’s it. I doubt very much if there’d have been a second and third night together.”

  “I don’t think that’s true,” Tristan said. “You’re forgetting about the picture I have of you. I’ve been looking forward to meeting you since Kim told the whole town you were coming.” He paused. “So how many paintings did you make today? Or did you take photos? Hey! I just realized that you might like to see the species orchids in my house.”

  “Species orchids?”

  “Ones from the wild, not the hybrids I keep at Miss Livie’s. I got an importer’s license, and when I was in South America I bought some orchids and brought them back with me. They’ve done well but it wasn’t easy. I think they missed their freedom and those tropical rains. Orchids don’t like too much babying.”

  “South America,” Jecca said. “Were you down there as a doctor?” She was toying with his injured hand, feeling his fingers, how long they were, how neat the nails were. His hands were strong, as though he did some sport that required strength.

  “Yes,” Tristan said softly, his face near hears. “I try to go somewhere in the world at least once a year. I do what I can to help.”

  She liked that he went places to save lives. She even liked that he didn’t brag about his good deeds. “Have you ever seen Reede on your travels?”

  “He and I have worked together half a dozen or so times. Now, he’s a real hero. You ever hear about how he rode a cable down into the ocean to save a child?”

  “Kim’s told me about it at least four times. She framed the news photo that reporter took that day. Where were you when that happened?”

  “Around,” he said.

  Something about his tone made her know he’d been there with Reede. “In the helicopter or on the shore?”

  “In,” he said.

  “Did you lean out of the ’copter, hanging over nothing, and grab the kid from Reede?”

  “More or less,” he said, “but Reede went down the cable.”

  “How did you two decide who’d go?”

  “Rock, paper, scissors,” Tristan said. “I lost.”

  She tightened her grip on his hand and smiled into the darkness. She liked a hero who kept his acts quiet.

  “You still haven’t told me what you did today,” he said.

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  “Neither did you.”

  Tristan chuckled. “Not much. Wandered around town. Took lunch to my dad, but he was too busy to eat, so I left and came home. I tried to do some repotting, but I’m not good with only one arm.”

  “If I weren’t at Mrs. Wingate’s you’d be visiting her and Lucy now, wouldn’t you?” Jecca asked softly.

  “Probably.” He kissed her neck, nuzzling his face against her warm skin.

  “When you get back . . .” She couldn’t think clearly with his lips on her neck.

  “Yes?”

  She took a breath. “When you return from Miami I think we should be more normal.”

  “Normal?” He pulled back from her. “You mean I can introduce you to people as my girlfriend?”

  “Don’t you think we should wait until we see each other before we make such a strong commitment as boyfriend/girlfriend?”

  Tristan slid his hand up her shoulder, his long fingers entwining in her hair, and turned her face to his. He kissed her slowly and softly.

  Jecca felt her body giving way to his. The cool night air, the sound of water and the warmth of him, the sweet taste of him, all made her want to turn to him fully. She wanted them to remove each other’s clothes, to fully expose their bodies, and make love on the blanket.

  “Jecca,” Tristan whispered against her lips.

  “I have to go,” she said, and pulled away from him.

  His answer was a groan.

  She moved so she was no longer touching him. She needed to think of more ordinary things and to calm herself down. “You’ll be back on Sunday?”

  He took a moment to answer. “Yes. The day after the party.”

  “Party? Oh, you mean for Reede. I nearly forgot about that.”

  He caught her hand in his. “Jecca, I have no claim over you. If you and Reede want to get together I won’t stand in your way.”

  Jecca knew his statement was very PC and it’s what he should say, but part of her wanted him to declare that he’d slay a dragon for her—in this case the dragon being another man.

  She shook her head to clear it. There were no dragons and there was nothing solid between her and this man. “That’s very kind of you,” she said as she stood up. “I think I should go back now. If Lucy sees that I’m gone, she’ll worry.”

  “Lucy?” Tris said as he got up. “Not Miss Livie?”

  “She’s . . .” Jecca hesitated. After all, he was friends with the woman.

  “Distant? Like part of her lives in another world?”

  “Exactly.” When his hand took hers, she smiled.

  He kissed her palm, then started to lead her through the woods. “Miss Livie hasn’t had an easy life and she doesn’t share much with people.”

  “Except you,” Jecca said.

  “She and I have spent a lot of time together. But you and Lucy are hitting it off?”

  “She’s an interesting woman,” Jecca said, and for the rest of the walk, she told of the hours she’d spent with Lucy and her sewing machines. “Seeing what she could do made me wish I had studied more about fiber arts.”

  “It’s not too late,” Tristan said.

  As he spoke there was the slightest tightening of his hand on hers, and she knew what was in his mind. “Maybe I should go back to school and learn how to make fabulously artistic quilts at home.”

  “Sounds good to me,” he said, his fingers holding on to hers tightly.

  “Good try,” she said, “but no thanks.”

  She could tell by the grass under her feet that they were near Mrs. Wingate’s house. She knew it was late and that she should go inside, but she didn’t want to leave him. Her intuition told her that this would be their last secret night together. Tomorrow he’d board a plane and be gone for days. When he returned she knew that they’d see each other and they’d become like every other “couple”—except that she was leaving at the end of the summer.

  She stopped walking and turned toward him. “I hope you have a good trip and—”

  She broke off because Tristan pulled her to him and his mouth came down on hers with all the passion she was feeling. His tongue touched hers, her head tilted as she tried to get closer and closer to him.

  She wanted to sink down into him, to lose herself in the moment. She never wanted to leave this man and this night. The air, the sounds, the smells, and being so close to this man, feeling the strength of him, the warmth, all of it worked together to make her want it to never end.

  “What’s your cell number?” he asked as his lips nibbled at her ear.

  “What?” She couldn’t understand his words. Her entire body seemed to be a mass of desire.

  He moved his head away. “What’s your cell phone number so I can call you?”

  Jecca couldn’t help laughing. “Here I am, thinking that this is the most romantic moment of my life, and the sweet words you’re whispering to me are ‘What’s your cell phone number?’”

  Tris pulled her back to him. “You want sweet words?” He put his lips to her ear. “Jecca, I’ve never desired a woman as much as I do you. I like everything about you, from the feel of your body against mine, to the scent of your hair. But what I like most is you. I enjoy your humor, the ease of talking with you, your sense of adventure. I like your kindness to two ladies, and the way you so easily say you’ll help my niece. I even like that my cousin Kim turns into a warrior when she thinks you might be hurt. To
engender such friendship says a lot about you.”

  He kissed her neck. “Jecca,” he whispered, “I don’t want to scare you, but I think I’m—”

  She kissed him quickly. “Don’t say it,” she said.

  “All right,” he answered. “I’ll keep it light, and you can keep your belief that I’m just a small town guy who is enraptured with a big city girl.”

  As he stepped back from her, he released her hand.

  She called out her cell number to him. When she started to repeat it, he told her he’d remember it always. Laughing, she went back to the house.

  Nine

  Jecca tiptoed up the stairs to her bedroom. Lucy’s door was closed and there wasn’t a sound in the house. She hoped they hadn’t noticed she was out late yet again.

  Any doubts she had were erased when she saw something propped on her pillow. It was the instruction booklet for Lucy’s embroidery software. Jecca quickly showered, put on the big T-shirt she liked to sleep in, and snuggled into bed.

  After the romantic evening she’d just spent with Tristan, the last thing she wanted to do was read a software manual. She put her hands behind her head, looked up at the ceiling, and started reliving every second. His voice, his body, his lips on the back of her neck.

  When her cell phone buzzed, she jumped. The lateness of the call made her think it was from home and that someone had been hurt. The ID gave an unfamiliar number with a local area code. Tentatively, she said hello.

  “You aren’t asleep?” asked a voice that had become familiar to her.

  Jecca smiled. “I’m getting there. What about you?”

  “I’m so awake I might as well go to the airport now.”

  She knew the feeling. The soft sheets against her bare legs made her wish he was with her.

  Tristan’s voice lowered. “So what are you wearing?”

  “The usual. Black silk.”

  Tristan groaned.

  “I have on one of my brother’s old football jerseys.”

  “Short?”

  “Not on my brother, but my legs are quite a bit longer than his, so it’s very short on me,” she said.