Page 51 of Tamiko and the Two Janitors
She opened her mouth to accept it and self-consciously washedit down.
In the same way, he fed her the second tablet.
Tami was stunned by the intimacy of the gesture, and heseemed similarly entranced. She lay back. Casting about for something to say,her attention was caught by the single blue paperclip affixed to the collar ofhis coveralls. She gave it a casual poke. “You’re as popular as ever.”
Ash dragged his attention sideways and fished in hispockets. He silently displayed the day’s haul, nine tokens of affection in anarray of colors—silver, gold, violet, yellow, and an especially aggressive neonpink.
“But this one’s special?”
A quick glance. A firm nod.
All at once, Tami realized shehadn’tchosen a neutraltopic. “Is it mine?”
“Yes.”
He was wearing her paperclip, like a knight wearing hislady’s token. Why was everything about this man so distracting? She hoped herinfatuation wasn’t a testament to her age. At twenty-nine, had she fallen hardfor the first handsome, unattached man to cross her path?
No. She’d met Kip first, so she’d fallen for thesecondhandsome unattached man. Tami wasn’t desperate; she was discerning. Verydiscerning. And at this range, Ash was easy to read. Regret. Reluctance.Helpless longing.
She supposed that meant it was up to her. Taking hold of theclipped collar, she held him still while she brushed her lips across his.
He gasped.
Tami tried another kiss, light and coaxing.
Ash surprised her by wrapping his arms around her. Theirpositions made the embrace a little awkward—he’d pinned her arms and hidden hisface in her hair. But he held her to his heart with surprising strength, andshe could feel the way it was pounding.
“I shouldn’t,” he whispered.
It was little late for that. “You may.”
His muscles tensed and trembled. “I want to.”
“Well?” Tamiko couldn’t imagine why he was holding back.She’d kissed him first.
One of Ash’s hands shifted to cradle the back of her head.“You’re hurt. And … stuff.”
“Kiss it better?” she suggested.
He moved by degrees, little muzzling touches with his nose,a careful brush of lips at her temple, her cheek. Ash drew back enough to meether gaze—dark eyes soft as his smile. “Kip’s coming.”
“Oh,” she breathed in disappointment.
Ash dipped down to kiss away her pout. “Later,” hewhispered. “Can we talk?”
“Later,” she agreed. Given everything going on at home, Tamiknew she’d have a lot of explaining to do. Hopefully, the particulars wouldn’tscare him off.
TWENTY-ONE
Seeing Things
Joe took to the orchard long before sunrise, hoping toreclaim some scraps of normalcy. If he could find them.
Last night, Melissa had needed to go pick up Tami at theschool, then have her checked for concussion at a clinic. For the first time inyears, Joe spent the night in her room, holding tight to her hand and listeningto a sleepy confession that didn’t really come as a surprise.
Ash.
He didn’t exactly mind that his sister was in love. Maybe itwas a good sign that the guy had a tree-sounding name. Bound to one in themorning, kissed by another in the evening. There was symmetry there, and thebalance made it easier for Joe to believe that both were meant to be.
