“I need to shower and change, then maybe—”
“You’ll find a way to avoid me,” he said. “What if I offer to let you practice a few punches on me?”
She didn’t smile. “Where do I sign up?”
“There’s a little summerhouse in the back. We can talk there. Please.” Colin looked over her head, and she knew he was letting Mike know they’d be back soon.
With a sigh, Gemma nodded.
Colin led her to a pretty little lattice structure, painted a deep blue-green. Around them were tall hedges and to the right was a huge tree with heavy branches that spread out above their heads.
“This is beautiful,” she said. “It’s like an enchanted garden where nothing bad could ever happen.”
“Far from it,” Colin said, his tone almost menacing.
“Does that mean that something bad did happen here?”
He didn’t answer, but sat down on the mossy grass beneath the tree, and she took a seat a few feet from him. “I don’t usually . . .” he began. “I mean, I’ve never . . .”
“Look,” she said, “it was nothing. No big deal. Women today jump in and out of bed with men all the time. You were my first—and only—one-night stand and it upset me, that’s all. Let’s leave it at that, okay?” She started to get up, but he caught her arm.
“I don’t want it to end between us,” he said.
“Jean,” she said simply.
“Is your only objection to me Jean?”
“Is this a trick question?”
“I mean, do you like me otherwise? I’m concerned that you haven’t seen me at my best. You’ve experienced the speed I need to drive at when I get an emergency call. And you ended up with stitches after I got you to help me. And I can’t imagine that you’d want a repeat performance in bed after what happened the first time.”
“You’re right,” she said solemnly. “I’d prefer it if when someone needed help that you’d feel no urgency, but take your time. And you should have let that little boy stay on that tree branch when it fell rather than risk a bystander getting a little cut.”
Colin was grinning.
“As for our two and a half minutes in bed together—” she said.
“Ow! That hurt.”
“Okay, three minutes.”
Colin groaned, his hand to his heart. “You have wounded me. I’d sure like to try again,” he said. “Try harder, so to speak.”
Gemma ignored his innuendo. “What would happen if I show up, a stranger, then you dump Jean—who is innocent in all this—and you and I start dating? I’m going to look like the worst kind of . . . well, slut. I don’t like that. Not to mention that your mother will fire me from the best job I’ve ever had.”
“My mother hired you because you love the research. It has nothing to do with your personal life.”
“If you discard a woman your mother has a long history with, someone she adores, for a stranger, we’ll find out what she really feels.” Gemma took a breath. “And what if we break up? That’s probable, as we hardly know each other. How do I continue working at your home afterward?”
“I know enough about you not to make you angry. Your punches—” Her look made him stop. “Okay, I see your point. I’ll tell you the truth. First of all, there is no ‘discarding’ or ‘dumping’ involved in this. Jean and I aren’t really a couple. I know it seems that we are, but we aren’t. But, as you said, my family likes her, and because I refuse to date women in my jurisdiction, it’s been easier to let people believe that Jean and I are together. Besides . . .” He grinned. “There hasn’t been anyone else I wanted to spend time with. Do you think you and I could start seeing each other on a more than friendship basis?”
She took a moment to answer as what he said began to sink in. She wanted to yell “Yes!” but didn’t. She had to keep sane about this. “I guess so . . . Eventually. But I think we should get to know one another a bit before we let the world—meaning Edilean and your family—see us as a couple.” She stood up and looked at him. “If it’s true about you and Jean—and no one seems to know this—maybe it would be better if first you told people that you’ve broken up with her. Certainly tell your parents. If they go ballistic . . .” She didn’t finish her sentence.
“I know,” Colin said. “They all love her, and I dread telling them that we aren’t going to give my mother her Heartwish of marriage and children. But it has to be done. Then you and I will get to know each other. We’ll become friends, and I’ll keep my hands off that killer body of yours. Is that what you want to hear?”
“It’s a start.”
Gemma couldn’t help how his words gave her hope. Whereas she couldn’t bear being the Rebound Girl, someone who would get dumped later, it was wonderful to think that they really did have a chance together. That thought and the sight of him made her blood rush through her body. With him sitting and her standing, he was exactly the right height for her to step into his arms. She knew what his arms around her felt like, how her hands felt on him.
“You have to stop looking at me like that,” he said under his breath, “or I won’t be able to talk.”
Gemma sat down, and looked back at the scenery.
“We Fraziers keep ourselves a bit separate from the rest of Edilean,” he began. “We—”
“Why?”
“I don’t know, but it’s always been that way. My grandfather used to say that the Fraziers are different from the others and always will be.”
“How does that translate to now, to you and me? I mean, not that there is a you and me, but . . .” She wasn’t sure what she was saying.
“I’ve never wanted people in Edilean to know me well. I think keeping a little distance makes them more comfortable about asking me for help.”
“I can understand that,” Gemma said. “Is that why you’ve let people think you and Jean are still together?”
“Jean . . .” He shrugged.
“She wants you back,” Gemma said.
“She wanted us to try, but it hasn’t worked. I told you that last fall there were weddings and babies made, and . . .”
“And you bought a house,” she said, then lowered her voice as understanding came to her. “And you didn’t show it to Jean because you knew she’d never live in it.”
“Exactly,” he said. “Gemma.” He waited until she turned to look at him. “I do remember that night. I especially remember that I made a very poor showing of myself. I can do better.”
She looked away.
“So will you go out on a date with me?”
She looked back at him. “A date?”
“Dinner and a movie.”
“Or horseback riding? I saw your trophy. What do you ride? A Clydesdale?”
Colin didn’t laugh but his eyes sparkled. “Budweiser uses my brothers and me as training for their horses. If they can pull us, then they can haul wagons full of beer.” He reached out his hand to her, but she moved away.
“How is Jean going to take all this?”
“She knows it’s coming. We haven’t been . . . intimate in a long time. That’s why—” He broke off. “I want to clear up one point.”
“And what is that?”
“You weren’t the one who came after me.”
Gemma’s face turned red. “I’ll never live that down. You were sound asleep and I pounced on you. You didn’t have a chance. Maybe you should bring charges against me.”
When she saw his big hand held out to her, she took it, but she didn’t meet his eyes.
“Gemma,” he said softly, “I’ve liked you from the first moment I saw you.” He took a breath. “I’d like to spend some time with you, lots of time, and see if there could be more between us. It won’t be easy, but I promise that I’ll keep my hands off of you until you say it’s okay.”
She was glad she had her face down and he couldn’t see her expression. Not touching him wasn’t going to be any easier for her. She pulled her hand from his. “You have to take care of things wit
h Jean. I don’t want people saying I broke up the two of you. And if she’s going to be a dragon, I won’t date you.”
Colin snorted in laughter. “You’ve been talking to Rachel. She calls Jean the Dragon Lady whenever she messes up her kitchen. Jean and I’ve known each other a long time, and between you and me, I think there’s another man in her life.”
She looked at him sharply. “Is that why you’re going after me? To get her back? To make her jealous?”
“Don’t you think that the fact that I’m not jealous of whoever Jean is seeing says everything?” He smiled at Gemma. “So would you like to start dating and see how we get along?”
“I would consider it,” she said, then looked away so he wouldn’t see the pleasure in her eyes. “On one condition.”
“And that is?”
“That you quit being so damned secretive with me! I want to know about you, the real you. I’m tired of hearing how the Fraziers keep to themselves. I thought you were about to get married and no one seemed to know any different.”
Colin nodded. “Reasonable requests. I apologize for everything. It’s just that you’re the first woman I’ve been interested in for a long time, and I make mistakes.”
She liked what he was saying, but she was cautious. She stood up. “I think we should get back now.”
Colin didn’t move. “Watching your workout exhausted me. Help me up.” He raised a limp hand up to her.
Smiling, Gemma took his hand and pulled—and he drew her down so she was standing between his legs, her face level with his.
She didn’t have time to draw in her breath before he put his lips on hers and kissed her. It was a gentle, sweet kiss, but it had all the passion in it that she’d felt since she’d met him. His strong arms encircled her and pulled her close to him; she could feel the heavy muscles of his chest against her breasts.
She opened her mouth under his and when she felt his tongue, she groaned. Her body grew weak in his arms as she became soft and pliable. Submissive. Do with me what you will, was her attitude.
Colin abruptly set her in front of him, at arm’s length. “Real enough for you?” he asked in a husky voice. “Do you want me to tell you that I’ve desired you since I saw you reaching for a book on a top shelf?”
“Have you?”
He kissed her cheek. “I like your mind.” He kissed her other cheek. “I like your body.” He kissed her nose. “So far, Gemma Ranford, I haven’t found anything that I don’t like about you. Give me a little time, and I think I could feel something more than just ‘like’ for you.”
“Me too,” she whispered.
He again pushed her to arm’s length. “That’s it? No more words?”
“If I wanted more words in my life, I wouldn’t want you, would I?” she said with as much haughtiness as she could muster.
Colin laughed. “So now I hear the truth. It’s not my brain you like at all, is it?”
She ran her hand up his arm, over his bicep, up to his big, hard deltoid. “If all I wanted was a brain I’d have gone after Kirk.”
Colin chuckled as he got up. “Let’s—”
“I agree. Let’s keep this quiet until you’ve told Jean. I really do like her and I don’t want her hurt.”
“Jean’s tough, but I’ll take care of it. Actually, I was going to say, ‘Let’s go see if Sara’s brought out the desserts yet.’ She makes these fabulous fruit things.”
Gemma groaned. “I’m talking about affairs of the heart and you’re only concerned about your belly.”
“I rather like your belly too,” he said. “When things get to that stage, will you wear those gloves for me?”
“Of course. Maybe we can spar.”
“I was thinking more of you wearing only the gloves. Nothing else.”
“Colin!” They heard a voice calling. “Are you out here somewhere?”
“It’s Ramsey. I guess dessert is ready. You want to leave together or separately?”
“You go first,” she said. “I’ll be there in a few minutes.” She stepped away from Colin. “Tell nothing to no one.”
“If that’s what you want, that’s what I’ll do,” he said as he left the secluded area, and she could hear him talking with Ramsey.
Gemma wanted some time to herself to think about what was happening in her life. She couldn’t help remembering all that Tris had told her about his niece’s wish and how it had come true. To Gemma, it almost seemed as though her wishes were also coming true. She had the job she’d wanted so much, and she was enjoying every minute of the time she spent buried in the old papers. And now a man she’d been attracted to from the moment she met him had asked her out.
The only problem was his former girlfriend. What Gemma wondered was whether or not Jean really felt that it was over between them.
And what about his family? Gemma thought. How were they going to react to their beloved Jean no longer being in the family?
Gemma put her hands over her face. All in all, she couldn’t see this as turning out well. If she had any sense, she’d tell Colin to stay away from her.
But Gemma knew she wasn’t going to do that. Being altruistic was good, but throwing away a man who seemed to be everything she’d ever wanted was just plain stupid.
She headed back toward the house.
13
GEMMA,” SARA SAID as she held out a plate of some strawberry dessert, “are you sticking with your Heartwish being to get a good job?”
Gemma’s mind was so full of thoughts about her and Colin that she had no idea what Sara was talking about. “I need to shower and change.”
“Don’t do it on our account,” Rams said.
“Yeah, keep the shorts,” Luke said.
Gemma looked at Mike, and he shrugged. “Sure, why not?” Gemma said as she took the plate and went to sit on the grass under the shade tree. Colin was in a chair as far from her as he could get. She didn’t look at him.
Joce spoke first. “We were talking about the Heartwishes Stone and thinking about what we’d use its magic for. Luke wants immortality.”
“My goodness!” Gemma said. “You certainly know how to wish big.”
“My wife left out the details,” Luke said. “All writers want immortality. That’s why we’re so vain as to think someone would want to read our thoughts. But it would be nice to think that my grandchildren will like reading my books.”
“I’m sure they will,” Joce said, smiling at him.
“Wives’ opinions don’t count in this,” Rams said. “What about you, Sara? What would you wish for?”
“There’s nothing I don’t have. I got the house I wanted, the man, and this.” She rubbed her big belly.
“Ha!” Mike said.
They all looked at him.
“I was her third choice of man,” Mike said, and everyone laughed.
“Is this a joke I’m missing?” Gemma asked.
“Come over some afternoon and help me feed and diaper, and I’ll tell you all of it,” Joce said. “But I’ll tell you now that Mike was not her third choice.”
“She wouldn’t have been interested in me if she’d met me in an ordinary way,” Mike said.
Tess gave her brother a hard look. “I would have arranged a meeting with Sara if you’d just bothered to visit once in a while.”
“I would have if—”
“Order in the court!” Rams said loudly. “You two can argue later. Let’s get back on the subject. Sara, my dear cousin, there must be something you want.”
“Good health and safety for the people I love.”
“Boo! Hiss!” Tess said. “You love everybody in Edilean. If that wish were granted, we’d be a town with no illness, no accidents.”
“Sounds great to me,” Sara said.
“There is one thing you want,” Mike said to his wife. “You told me just the other day.”
Sara looked puzzled for a moment, then smiled. “That was a joke and don’t you dare tell them what I said.”
?
??Now you have to tell us,” Luke said.
“Not me.” Mike held up his hands in surrender. “I have to live with her. If she wants to confess, that’s up to her.”
Everyone looked at Sara.
“All right!” she said in exasperation. “I said . . .” She sighed. “It wasn’t anything really. I just said that I envied Joce having twins. Tess, back me up here. Wouldn’t you like to be carrying two babies, a boy and a girl?”
“Absolutely not!” Tess said. “One is all I’ll be able to handle. The only mother I knew was our grandmother. Nobody could be worse than her. I’m afraid—” She stopped talking and took a drink of her iced tea.
Mike reached out his hand and took Tess’s in his and held it. His eyes told her that he was with her.
“Tess, I’m sorry,” Sara said. “I didn’t mean to upset you.”
“Before I gave birth I was really worried whether I’d love my babies,” Joce said.
“And now she won’t leave them for even minutes,” Luke said. “This is getting too deep for me,” Colin said. “Any more of this strawberry stuff, Sara?”
“Sure, I’ll get it.”
“No you won’t,” Colin said as he got up and went to the little table. “Mike, what’s your wish?”
“Easy,” Mike said. “I want to take down a truly evil person.”
“You and me both,” Colin said as he sat back down.
“Excuse me if I’m being dense,” Joce said to Mike, “but didn’t you just do that last fall?”
“That was done by my wife,” Mike said, smiling at Sara in pride. “And we had a lot of help. I’d like to end my career with fireworks.”
Sara looked at Gemma. “My husband will soon retire from the Fort Lauderdale Police Department, and he’s like a caged beast because I made him promise to take a desk job.”
“Beast, am I?” Mike asked as he looked at Sara.
“You two can do that later,” Rams said. “So who’s left to make a wish? Colin?”
“What about you, Rams?” Colin asked.
“I got what I wanted when Tess said yes to me.”
“That’s nice,” Gemma said.