of the shower she knew she had to be careful. He was the kind of man she knew she could fall for, and the notion frightened her. She wasn’t ready for that. Not yet, anyway.
Then again, she heard a voice inside her whisper, maybe she was.
After toweling off, she moisturized her skin with a sweet-smelling body lotion, then put on her new outfit, including the sandals, before reaching for the makeup she’d purchased from the drugstore. She didn’t need much, just some lipstick, mascara, and a trace of eye shadow. She brushed her hair and then put on a pair of dangly earrings she’d bought on a whim. When she was finished, she stepped back from the mirror.
That’s it, she thought to herself, that’s all I’ve got. She turned one way, then the other, tugging at the blouse before finally smiling. She hadn’t looked this good in a long time.
Though the sun had finally moved toward the western sky, the house was still warm and she opened the kitchen window. The breeze was enough to keep her cool as she set the table. Earlier in the week, as she’d been leaving the store, Alex had asked her if he could bring a bottle of wine, and Katie put a couple of glasses out. In the center of the table, she placed a candle and as she stepped back, she heard the sound of an engine approaching. She saw from the clock that Alex was right on time.
She drew a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves. Then, after walking across the room and opening the door, she stepped out onto the porch. Dressed in jeans and a blue shirt rolled up to his elbows, Alex was standing at the driver’s-side door and leaning into the car, obviously reaching for something. His hair was still a little damp near his collar.
Alex pulled out two bottles of wine and turned around. Seeing her, he seemed to freeze, his expression one of disbelief. She stood surrounded by the last rays of the setting sun, perfectly radiant, and for a moment all he could do was stare.
His wonder was obvious, and Katie let it wash over her, knowing she wanted the feeling to last forever.
“You made it,” she said.
The sound of her voice was enough to break the spell, but Alex continued to stare. He knew he should say something witty, something charming to break the tension, but instead he found himself thinking, I’m in trouble. Serious trouble.
He wasn’t exactly sure when it had happened. Or even when it started. It may have been the morning when he’d seen Kristen holding Katie after Josh had fallen in the river, or the rainy afternoon when he’d driven her home, or even during the day they had spent at the beach. All he knew for sure was that right here and now, he was falling hard for this woman, and he could only pray that she was feeling the same way.
In time, he was finally able to clear his throat. “Yeah,” he said. “I guess I did.”
16
The early evening sky was a prism of colors as Katie led Alex through the small living room and toward the kitchen.
“I don’t know about you, but I could use a glass of wine,” she said.
“Good idea,” he agreed. “I wasn’t sure what we were having, so I brought both a sauvignon blanc and a zinfandel. Do you have a preference?”
“I’ll let you pick,” she said.
In the kitchen, she leaned against the counter, one leg crossed over the other while Alex twisted the corkscrew into the cork. For once, he seemed more nervous than she was. With a series of quick movements, he opened the bottle of sauvignon blanc. Katie set the glasses on the counter next to him, conscious of how close together they were standing.
“I know I should have said it when I first got here, but you look beautiful.”
“Thank you,” she said.
He poured some wine, then set the bottle aside and handed her a glass. As she took it, he could smell the coconut-scented body lotion she’d used.
“I think you’ll like the wine. At least, I hope so.”
“I’m sure I’ll love it,” she said, raising her glass. “Cheers,” she offered, clinking her glass against his.
Katie took a sip, feeling inordinately pleased about everything: how she looked and felt, the taste of the wine, the lingering scent of the raspberry sauce, the way Alex kept eyeing her while trying not to be obvious about it.