Page 62 of Unexpected Union

She wrinkledher nose again, feeling close to tears.

Did theytruly have nothing in common, nothing on which to build a lifetogether? She loved him.She wanted to spend her life with him. Was itimpossible?

“Wecould go again tomorrow. And if your ankle’s better in the next day or two, we could go tothe lodge for lunch and go wading at the beach. It’s shallow enoughthat the water might warm a degree or two above the rest of thelake.”

He shook hishead. “I’m leaving, Audra.”

Her heartskipped a beat.

“Leaving?When?”

“Day aftertomorrow. I have an appointment the next day to see my doctor.”

She stared athim, feeling shell-shocked.

“Butyou’ll be back, right?Thomas reserved this place for three weeks. We’d still have theweekend.”

At hissilence, shejumpedup.

“No, ofcourse you won’t be back. Why make the trip out here a second time?This way you’ll be right in Boston, can stop into the officeand get all caught upwith your unexpected witness, with the new strategy and plungeright back into your old routine.”

She turned andran up the stairs, slamming the bedroom door behind her.

Thethought of tears fled as anger consumed her. How could shehave been foolish enoughto think they had a chance together, to think Mitch had changedmerely because he managed a day away from work?

She paced thesmall confines of the room, anger building.

Anger–ora tremendous sadness at the loss of a future thathad, for a few days,dangled so enticingly in front of her?

Shestopped and took a deep breath. Tomorrow was all she had. One last day. Then theemptiness of a lonely future.

The babystirred and she patted it gently.

“Iftomorrow is all we have it’s going to be the best day ever,” she vowed.

Earlythe next morning, Audra slipped across the hall andbanged on Mitch’sdoor.

“Hmm? What?” The door flung open, Mitchlooked ready to dash out into the world. “What? Audra, are you allright?”

She smiled up at him, struck anew by thesexiness that seemed to call directly to her.

“Yes. Time to go fishing. The best time tocatch them is dawn, right?”

He rubbed his hand through his hair. Despiteher best efforts, she couldn’t keep her gaze from slipping fromthat tousled dark hair down across broad shoulders to where hiswaist narrowed. The pajama pants he wore rode low on his hips. Shewas tempted to reach out and touch the expanse that beckoned.Clenching her hands tightly to resist temptation, she forced hereyes to meet his.

Then, unable to stop herself, she let herfingertips brush against his chest. Just once more couldn’thurt.

He captured her hand and drew her into hisarms. That warm chest was pressed against her and he lowered hismouth to cover her. He was warm and hard and sexy and she wantedhim more than anything else in life.

His morning beard felt familiar and dearagainst her cheeks. His lips were persuasive and compelling and shereturned his kiss with all the fervor in her. She loved thisman.

Slowly he ended the kiss and looked into hereyes.

“I don’t want breakfast or to go fishing,”he said in that low, husky, seductive voice that melted across hernerve endings like hot syrup.

If she only dared offer an alternative tobreakfast—like returning to bed together and spending the daythere.

And why not? They were still married. Hadenjoyed each other’s company for more than two weeks. Had touched,kissed, laughed, danced and shared adventures. Why not one lastadventure—one to last a lifetime?

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