Page 59 of No One But Us

I feel James tense beneath my hands. Fortunately for us both, there’s not much to tell. “I told him I didn’t feel well and tookoff.”

Jamesrelaxes.

“How’d he take that?” sheasks.

“I believe his exact words were ‘I have a bed at my placetoo.’”

“Can’t blame a guy for trying,” shesays.

“Yes, you can,” snarlsJames.

Ginny scowls at him. “Why are you eavesdropping anyway? No one asked for youropinion.”

I roll on my back and start talking to Ginny, but James’ proximity is so distracting that I barely know what I’m saying. It’s almost a relief when he and Max walk down to the shore to throw a football back and forth, except my eyes follow him even then. Every muscle is delineated when he throws. Really not what I need rightnow.

“Why are you watching them?” asksGinny.

I shrug. “I’m bored. Nothing else to do but watch. They’regood.”

I thought she was over her mysterious unhappiness with me, but I see a flash of irritation cross her face before she finally puts her head downagain.

I glance back at James, and he’s already looking at me. I want to pick up where we left off the night before, and I’m fairly certain he does too. It’s hard to know for sure, though, until we’ve gotten a minutealone.

* * *

James goes into work before me, and by the time I arrive, the bar is packed. It stays busy most of the night, but that doesn’t stop me from focusing on James. No matter where I move in the restaurant, I’m conscious only of him, as if I’m the minute hand of the clock and he is its center. I look toward him and he turns, holding my gaze longer than he should, his mouth moving a mere fraction—that secret smile of his for once directed atme.

We don’t hold any kind of real conversation until later, when I turn from the deep freezer and slam into him. He grabs my hips to hold mesteady.

“Hi,” I say weakly. The moment I stand this close to him, my chest against his and our mouths millimeters apart, my heart begins an irregular, flutteringrhythm.

His lips move upward again, infinitesimally. He doesn’t let go of my hips. “Are you sure this is going to be okay?” he asks. “I shouldn’t be letting this happen. I know I shouldn’t. I’m counting on you to tell me if it’s not enough foryou.”

It’s not enough for me, James. “Stop worrying,” I lie. “I’mfine.”

He steps in then, his mouth closing over mine, a light kiss that shouldn’t affect me nearly as much as itdoes.

“That’s all I get?” Iask.

“When I have to walk back into a crowded bar in about 20 seconds?Yeah.”

I shrug one shoulder. “Your loss.” I begin to move around him, but he pulls me back into place, tugging me into him and finding my mouth at the same time. He pushes my back to the freezer door, his fingers bruising my hips to pull me closer. It’s a different sort of kiss, desperate and without thought, the way he kissed me at Brooks’ party. The kind that makes the bright lights and the din of the kitchen seem todisappear.

His eyes are dark when he pulls away, his hands still tight on me as if he’s not sure he’s willing tostop.

“Better?” heasks.

“Much,” I saybreathlessly.

His eyes flicker over my mouth, rest there for a moment while he struggles with his indecision, and finally he releases myhips.

“Soon,” he says quietly, almost tohimself.

His shift ends an hour before mine. He waits at the bar instead of going home, watching me out of the corner of his eye, making it impossible for me to behave naturally. My waitressing skills perhaps worsen, if that’spossible.

“Are you meeting Max here or something?” Ginny askshim.

“No,” he says, with a quick glance at me. “I thought I’d just hang out here and give you guys a ridehome.”

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