what happened when she'd predicted disaster yesterday. Word had it that Dylan's father had averted the crisis at Kemper's by heading Pearl off. More amazing, it was also rumored that Pearl and Red had left Kemper's together - smiling! - despite the scandalous contents of Pearl's cart.
Still, notwithstanding that happy outcome and everything Dylan had said in the minivan the night before, she was dreading this evening. Even though one glance at the calendar should tell her all this worry was for nothing. With Heritage Day nearly upon them and everything it would bring - their divorce, their opposite paths away from Hot Water - she shouldn't be concerned that Dylan could do serious damage to her heart.
There simply wasn't enough time left for Kitty to fall in love with him.
Clinging tightly to that thought, she swung open the door. And was forced to catch her breath. With his shoulder-length black hair, and wearing black jeans and a black silk T-shirt, he looked dangerous enough to conquer hearts, worlds, time itself.
"Kitty." The soft tone of his voice was deadly sweet. "I like you in red."
"Scarlet." It was the color of the polished cotton sundress that crisscrossed over her breasts and fell just short of her knees. Her sandals matched.
One dark eyebrow rose. "A statement of sorts?"
He did know her well. But while he probably thought she was claiming her Wilder, scarlet-woman heritage with the color, she'd actually chosen it as a reminder of who she was and what she couldn't have.
Him.
He took her hand and pulled her across the threshold. "I like the lipstick too. You have a mouth made for that color."
It was scarlet as well. As he leaned toward her lips, she turned her face so his kiss landed on her cheek. "Don't muss it, now," she said lightly.
His eyes narrowed. "I take it back. I like your mouth naked. I like you naked."
She tried not to squirm inside her dress. "You had me naked all last night." After the minivan test drive, they'd barely made it back to her bed before pleasuring each other again. She'd given, he'd given, they'd both shattered together before falling asleep and waking in each other's arms that morning.
"It's the best I've slept in years." He shut the door behind her and tugged her in the direction of her car. "I'll have to bottle you and take you back to L.A. with me."
Struck dumb, Kitty untangled her fingers from his under the pretext of fishing her car keys out of the small purse she carried. Whatever little distance from him she could find was imperative. Not that she thought he meant the teasing comment about taking her to L.A., of course, but there was no reason to put her wise intentions at further risk.
She wouldn't stand a chance against him if he wanted to join her in her bed tonight again. She wasn't so foolish as to believe she could - or would want to - prevent that. But when it came to sex, she could keep her perspective about him. Lust, after all, was lust. She could enjoy it, indulge in it, for the time together they had left. For once in her life, she was grateful for the pragmatic attitude toward men and sex that Aunt Cat had always expressed.
It was when they weren't in bed that Kitty felt the most threatened. So, just to be on the safe side, she wouldn't keep too close to Dylan at Tony and Sylvia's.
After their arrival, however, when someone in the Kulas' driveway tossed Dylan a football that he caught one-handed instead of letting go of hers, she quickly realized that he wasn't on the same page of the playbook. "You don't need to stick by me," she whispered.
He pretended not to hear her, his grip tightening on her fingers as they walked up the long driveway to the large house sided with rough timber and large river rocks. The front lawn was shaded by spreading oaks and dotted with colorful flower beds and children's toys - a plastic slide, a tricycle, one of those inflatable clowns that popped up when you pushed it down.
Add a minivan and, to Kitty, it would be heaven.
Once they were inside the house, the crowd swarmed over them, obviously thrilled by Dylan's arrival. The sound of mingled voices rose to riot level and Kitty had to mime a greeting to Sylvia and Tony.
Somehow Dylan managed to maintain his hold of her hand, although a dozen people approached