Page 38 of Hank

"So…" What is an argument she could make that’d make him get it? "Well, there’s your family."

"What about my family?"

"Wouldn’t they want you to marry, um…" Why had she mentioned marriage. They’d not talked about marriage. Now that it was out there…

I’m in so much hot water.

"Wouldn’t they want you to be with someone who is at leastcloseto your age?"

"All my family wants is for me to be happy." And there was that smile she couldn’t resist. "And it’s nice to know marriage has been on your mind."

Of course, he would have to glom onto that one word.

"It hasn’t been. I just…" This was harder than she’d thought.

"Just what?" He did not have to look so pleased with himself that she had nothing to say.

"Okay, what about children?" That was a good one. "You want children of your own one day, right?"

"That would be nice. Do you not want more children?"

She had. She’d wanted several. And having Hank’s baby would be… Nice. But not happening either.

"I think Collin would be a great big brother," he said.

Marriage. Babies. How did they get to those?

"Why are we talking forever like this?" Especially when forever sounded pretty damned good.

"Because, Jo Webster…" If she hadn’t been holding his gray gaze, she wouldn’t have seen how their depths went a shade darker. "Forever is something that stays on your mind when you’re half in love with someone."

What was she supposed to say to that? She certainly couldn’t tell him she was half in love with him too. Hell, at this point, she might beallthe way in love with him. But she couldn’t make herself believe that. Not yet.

"Nothing to say?"

"Too much." And nothing she was ready to admit. "We just met a week ago?—"

"That’s an interesting way of putting it." He grinned, but the emotion in his eyes hadn’t changed. If anything, it became more.

"You know what I mean." And she wasn’t spelling it out for him. "How can you possibly feel that way? You think I’m a pain in the ass, remember?

"True, jwebsterisa pain in my ass." Why did he have to keep looking at her like that. "But you,JoWebster, cause a pain someplace else."

"Your dick?" She had to get this conversation on a different track.

"What else would you say?" He shook his head and smiled. But it was almost sad. "There, yes. But someplace else too." He took her nerveless hand and placed it over his heart. "Here. I have a pain, here." He pressed her hand tight against his chest, where his heart pounded out a hard rhythm under her palm, while her fingers clutched at his shirt. "And right now, that pain is telling me that only you can soothe it."

"I don’t know what to say."

"And I can’t tell you what to say. I can tell you what I wish you would say." His eyes dropped from her eyes to her chest,then back. "I wish you would say there’s something there in your heart as well. Something telling you there’s more to this than just the physical."

She’d thought the same thing too. This wassomuch more than physical. But she still couldn’t make herself take that final step.

"It’s just too soon. I was pregnant with Collin and rushed?—

"I’m not trying to rush you, but I don’t want you to just disregard this because you’re afraid." He squeezed her hand. "Honestly, I’m a little afraid myself."

"Then why?"

---