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while his heart filled with grief.
* * *
Nearly two weeks had passed since Katherine had glimpsed the agony in Elliott's eyes. Since then he
hadn't turned to her for comfort again. Yet she sensed something was very wrong. On the few occasions
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his expression was unguarded, she had seen the pain. He had been remarkably tender with Dustin,
almost as if being with the little boy gave him something he needed.
And that made Katherine want to reach out to Elliott even more. But so far she had failed. He was so
quiet. Unnaturally quiet. Of course, he had been more reserved than usual since the accident, but this was
different and far more pronounced. Yet he refused to take a break from work. And Katherine worried
that if he continued on this way it would make his memory loss worse.
Luckily tonight's function was a small one  an intimate wedding reception held at Rose Plantation, a
renovated antebellum mansion. Katherine had always admired the place. It was small by plantation
standards; but much like gifts, sometimes the best ones come in small packages.
Aged brick, faded to a dusty pink from years in the hot summer sun, soared upward with sweeping
grace. Ivory columns flanked the portico that opened into a marble entryway. Leaded windows sparkled
beneath the light of the chandelier, its sconces fashioned in the shape of calla lilies. Katherine always
thought the place reeked of history and romance. It even had a touch of mystery.
The reception had wound down and only a few couples remained, swaying to the gentle music. They
seemed reluctant to relinquish the magic of the night. Glancing at Elliott, Katherine was forced to agree
with them.
Unexpectedly he raised his head, his gaze locking on hers. Hope stirred when he didn't look away.
Approaching him, she felt her heartbeat quicken when his eyes darkened. Emboldened, she quickened
her stride. As she reached him, she held out her hand and asked softly, "Will you dance with me?"
His eyes probed hers, instantly reminding her of their repressed desire, the tension that was reaching
unbearable proportions. Without replying, Elliott drew her close. It was an intimate pose, one that
stunned the senses,then sent them into a dizzying acceleration.
The music resembled the Carolina night, deep and slow. The languid beat encouraged them to linger in
one spot, their movements little more than joint swaying, an undulation that threatened to consume them
both. It was a motion that tantalized, an enticement that crept beneath the skin, whispered to the blood.
Ocean breezes that stirred the hot air did nothing to lessen their building heat. It was a heat that
simmered with awakened and unfulfilled passion. Like the overpowering scent of sun-drenched
magnolias, the yearning built between them, sweet and hot.
Music forgotten, Katherine twined her fingers through Elliott's hair. She wondered that her pulse didn't
fly through her heated skin when his lips whispered against her neck. Trembling beneath his touch, she
was overwhelmed by the unfamiliar feelings and the intensity of her reaction.
Throwing back her head, Katherine glimpsed the matching passion in Elliott's eyes. The anticipation was
almost a visible thing that lingered in the humid currents of the night and searched for a passage of its
own.
Beyond their thundering hearts, they could hear the notes fading away as the music ended.They didn't,
couldn't, part immediately. Instead, Elliott shifted his hand to cup the back of her neck, his eyes never
leaving hers.
Only when the remaining couples started to shuffle past did they move. And then only with excruciating
reluctance, their hands still linked.
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For the first time since they'd begun the business, Katherine left the cleaning and packing to the other
employees without explanation. Once she would have said they couldn't simply walk away and give in to
the urges possessing them. But the heat hadn't lessened; instead it built, blinding her to all else.
For the moment she didn't care if her actions were uncharacteristic. Her pulse still hadn't settled into a
normal pattern. And glancing at Elliott, she doubted it soon would.
* * *
Paul glanced at the open study door, then up the curving staircase. The floor plan was imprinted in his
mind and he knew precisely how close the bedroom was, how few steps it would take to reach
Katherine.
He could picture her easily, remembering vividly how she'd stood on the bottom riser when they'd
returned home earlier that evening. Katherine had begun to climb the stairs when she paused, turned and
asked if he would be coming upstairs soon. Her meaning had been clear, his reply more muddled. He
knew they were close to crossing a line, one Katherine wouldn't be able to forgive once she learned the
truth. His body ached with frustration; his emotions were in a matching state.
Suddenly he heard a cry. Concerned about Dustin, he ran up the stairs. But when he reached the
toddler's room, he saw Katherine bent over her son, rubbing his back and murmuring in soothing tones.
The night-light cast a soft glow over them both. Knowing Dustin was all right, he could have stepped
away. But, spellbound by the touching scene, he didn't move.
Within a short time Dustin drifted back to sleep and Katherine eased off the bed. Her eyes widened with [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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