Page 17 of Unexpected Union

“I can get it for you if you like. If youdon’t want to be taking stairs and all. In your condition, Imean.”

She laughed softly. “Thanks, Mitch, butexercise is the best thing for me. That’s one reason I’m so excitedabout being here—I can take long walks to explore. I’m not sick,you know.”

He frowned. “Should you be taking walksalone? What if you fell or something?”

“I watch where I’m going.”

It was a bit too late for him to showconcern.

By the time they’d reached the lake, Audrahad herself in hand. Twice Mitch had brushed against her as theyfollowed the path from the cottage to the lake shore. Each timethat curious tingling had darted hither and yon, making herextremely conscious of the man beside her and of her ownreaction.

Not that anyone would be interested in herat this point. She hadn’t been able to keep Mitch’s attention whenshe wasn’t eight months pregnant.

But she relished the sensations. At leastthey showed she was alive and capable of being interested again.Maybe one day she’d change her mind and let herself fall foranother man–hard as it was to believe.

For now, it was enough to have companionshipon her walk.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” she asked, when theycame out of the trees and paused.

The lake gleamed in the last rays of thesun. Almost as smooth as glass, it reflected the distant shore.Several boats still dotted the mirrored surface. The sound oflaughter skipped across the water.

“Want to sit on the dock?” Audra askedimpulsively.

She headed for the wooden structure withoutwaiting for a response. On the far side of the lake the main marinacould be seen, lights coming on as twilight enveloped theearth.

Easing herself down on the edge, she dangledher feet over the side. They were still a foot or more above thewater level.

Mitch sat beside her. “Are you going to beable to get up again?”

She laughed, sheer joy in the tranquilevening filling her. “If not, you’ll have to hoist me up like aderrick.”

Tied to the right at the end of the dock wasa small rowboat and beyond it one of the two-seater paddleboats.

“One day I want to do the paddle boat,” shesaid. “But I need a partner.”

He studied it for a moment. “Wouldn’t weswamp the thing? Isn’t it for kids?”

“No, it’s for whomever’s staying at ourcabin. And I’ve seen several adults out on the lake in them. Ithink it looks like fun.”

“Fun? We’d probably get soaked, if we didn’tcapsize.”

“We?” She laughed again. “I didn’t sayyouhad to be the partner.”

Mitch looked at her. “Who else isthere?”

He was fully aware he didn’t want hersharing the paddle wheel with anyone else.

Startled by the realization, he looked backat the paddle wheel. It looked like a toy, barely big enough tohold two adults. They’d be sitting hip to hip, shoulder toshoulder. Her sweet fragrance would envelop them. Her laughterwould ring out with the joy she often displayed.

Which wouldn’t be all bad, he mused. MaybeThomas was right. And the doctor. And Audra. Maybe he did need tobroaden his parameters and discover what was out there beyondwork.

“I’m game if you are,” he said.

“You can’t get your cast wet,” she remindedhim.

“Are you suggesting we can’t master thecraft? That we could end up in the lake?” he asked in mockindignation.

“You don’t think there’s the slightestpossibility?”

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