Page 61 of Bedroom Therapy

“How do you know?”

“I know,” he answered with confidence as he opened his door and climbed out.

She had no choice but to follow suit. He came around to her side of the car and took her arm, holding her against his side as he pressed the remote control lock. And he kept her beside him as they made their way into the grocery.

“Don’t make us too conspicuous,” she murmured as they took a cart.

“I won’t,” he answered, loosening his hold on her waist but not letting go. She slid him a sidewise glance, seeing the proprietary look on his face.

They’d both felt awkward when he’d come in this morning. She’d guessed that he’d gone running in the first place as a way of avoiding her. Now they were out in public, and he was using the opportunity to get close to her again. They could have been playing a couple who were angry at each other. But he’d chosen to do just the opposite.

Because he wanted to get close! But he didn’t know how to get past the awkward morning after.

For just a moment, she laid her head on his shoulder, and he looked down at her.

“We’ll get in and out of here fast,” he said, completely misunderstanding her reaction.

“I have every confidence in you,” she answered sweetly.

She liked the solid feel of his body next to hers. She’d like the solid feel of it on top of hers, she suddenly thought.

“What?”

“I was just looking at those nice ripe peaches,” she said. “See, if you hadn’t brought me along, I would never have known they were here. How would you like some peach cobbler?”

“Sounds good. But peach pie would be even better.”

She laughed. “Peach pie is too much trouble. I’m not going to make a pie crust, even for you.”

“You could get one of those pre-made frozen ones.”

“Hum. Okay.”

She picked out a dozen peaches, then looked at the salad makings. “Do you mind those salads in a bag?”

He stroked his hand over her shoulder. “Any kind of home-cooked meal would be fantastic.”

“Then let’s get some onions and some green peppers.”

“For what?”

“A surprise.”

They were looking at each other, grinning, and she knew she shouldn’t be enjoying this so much. It was like playing house with Zachary Grant, and getting too attached to the idea would be a mistake, because in a few days he’d have to go back to New Jersey, and she’d still be down here working on her column and her book. But really, she could do that anywhere. She didn’t have to stay in St. Stephens.

His voice brought her out of her reverie. “What are you thinking?”

What was she thinking? Was she fantasizing about moving in with him? She gave the shopping cart a quick shove, heading for the dairy department. “Nothing.”

###

Tony spotted them almost as soon as he walked into the store. They probably thought they were in disguise. But he’d studied Amanda O’Neal too carefully to miss her—even with that sun hat and all that makeup. He’d know her anywhere because his total focus had been on her for the past week.

He’d been afraid that he’d lost her. Now he felt a surge of elation as he ducked back into an aisle of canned fruit and vegetables.

Cautiously, he peeped out, but O’Neal and Buttinsky were so wound up with each other that he knew it would take a stack of cereal boxes falling on them to break their concentration.

The guy was decked out as a cowboy. At least he assumed it was the same guy, although he couldn’t be absolutely sure.

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