Page 50 of Open Season

But at last her hand was shaken and small talk was made; Reverend Bridges gave her a speaking look, making her wonder if the sermon had been targeted toward her, which, after the talk of this past week, was certainly possible. She’d have to remember to ask her mother.

The heat was almost unbearable, rising off the street in waves. Men, Jack included, were shedding their coats and loosening their ties as soon as they left the church; the women, however, were stuck with bras and pantyhose, and Daisy was glad her legs were bare. The slight breeze was hot, but at least she could feel it.

He stripped his tie from around his neck and stuffed it in his coat pocket. “I’ll follow you.”

“Where are we going?” she asked in bewilderment.

“To your house.”

Her heart jumped again. “I always eat Sunday dinner with Mother and Aunt Jo.”

“Call them and cancel. You’ve just moved in; you have things to do.”

And one of those things was him, if she was correctly reading the intent look in his eyes. She cleared her throat. “I don’t think that would be a good idea.”

“I think it’s the best damn idea I’ve had in years.”

Swiftly she looked around. The church parking lot was mostly deserted now, with no one wanting to linger in the heat. Still she leaned closer so there was no chance of being overheard. “You know what would happen!”

“I’m counting on it.”

“I don’t want an affair!” she hissed. “I want a relationship, and you’re getting in the way!”

“So until a relationship comes along, have an affair with me.” He moved closer, looming over her. As hot as the day was, he was hotter; his heat wrapped around her. His gray-green eyes burned. “I’m healthy. I’m normal, nothing too kinky. I’ll try not to get you pregnant’ “Try?” she echoed, outraged.

He shrugged. “Things happen. Rubbers break.”

That should have been an appalling thought. It wasn’t. The fact that it wasn’t told her how far gone she was, when not even the thought of an accidental pregnancy could cool her down. And what was—

“What’s too kinky?” she whispered.

A grin flashed across his hard face. “I’ll show you.”

The old Daisy would have stormed off in a huff. Well, maybe not, because the old Daisy would have been as powerfully tempted as the new Daisy was. But the old Daisy wouldn’t have had the nerve to go with a man for the express purpose of having sex, and the new Daisy couldn’t seem to think of anything else. She wanted this man, and she was afraid that if anyone else came along, she wouldn’t pay any attention to him because she was too busy obsessing about Jack.

“C’mon, try me on for size,” he murmured. “I dare you.”

It wasn’t the dare that did it; it was the thought of trying him on.

“If you get me pregnant,” she said, “you have to marry me.”

“Deal,” he said, and they got in their respective cars and drove to Lassiter Avenue, with him keeping a respectful distance between their bumpers.

She should have been shaking like a leaf, she thought a few minutes later as she put her key in the lock, but her hands were steady. She was only shaking on the inside, where it didn’t count.

Jack stood in the middle of her cozy little living room, looking around, while she went to the phone and called her mother. As usual, she wasn’t very good at lying, and when her mother asked her why she wasn’t coming to dinner, all Daisy could do was look at him and blurt, “Jack’s here.”

He grinned.

“Oh!” said her mother, and giggled. Her mother giggled. “I understand completely. You two have fun.”

Daisy desperately hoped her mother didn’t under-stand completely, but the way things had been going lately, maybe she did. She put the phone down and said, “She told us to have fun.”

“I intend to.” He still stood in the middle of the room, making it look even smaller. “Are you hungry? For food,” he added, feeling the need to be specific.

She shook her head.

“Good,” he said, and reached for her.

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