Page 41 of It's You
“Or what?” she asked, popping the spoon out of her mouth and tonguing it slowly.
“Or all that hard-won control I have is going out the window.”
“Ahhh,” she breathed. “That’s right. Control.”
She picked up her bowl and dipped her spoon to fill it.
“Couldn’t come back without it.”
“Took you long enough,” she muttered before blowing on her spoon.
“Can you quit it with that?”
She looked up at him and grinned. She wet her lips slowly, then took a deep breath and pursed her lips, letting her breath come out in a slow and steady stream over the spoon as she held his eyes.
What? This?
I’m going to throw you on your back and?—
Jack!
I mean it. Cut it out. It’s hard enough.
About to think the words “What is?” she lowered her gaze quickly and shoved her spoon in her mouth, at once surprised and distracted by the delicate flavor.
“Mmm. This is delicious.”
“Yeah?”
Darcy nodded. “Willow makes a good Coq au Vin, but not this good.”
He took a spoonful. “Tell me about Willow.”
“We’ve been friends since fourth grade. She’s more like a sister than a friend. We live together in one of the old Victorians off Main Street, which Carlisle doesn’t like at all.”
“Why’s that?”
“Because we’re not actually sisters. There’s gossip.”
“People think you’re?—”
“Yes, but we’re not. Like I said…sisters.” Darcy giggled. “I have the utmost respect for homosexual people, but I’m not. I mean, Willow and I aren’t?—”
“Don’t need to convince me, Darce.”
“Anyway. She’s Métis, like you. But only a quarter. She’s a regular doctor, but she also practices some shaman wisdom and remedies, you know, for those folks who’re interested. She’s…” Darcy’s voice trailed off, thinking about Willow and Amory.
“She’s what?”
“She’s in love with my brother,” Darcy murmured more to herself than Jack.
Jack finished off his stew and put his bowl on the leather trunk, lying down on his side, his head propped up on his hand. “Tell me aboutthat.”
“It’s been a long time coming.”
“Lot of that going around, huh?”
She smiled at him, taking another bite of the succulent stew before putting her bowl beside his on the trunk and lying down across from him, one hand propping up her head and the other holding her wineglass.
