dinner, can’t she, Daddy?”
“Really, I—”
“Of course she can.” Mirroring his daughter’s grin—but with something a great deal more dangerous in his eyes—Boone studied Ana. “We’d love to have you. We have plenty. And I think it would be a good idea for us to get to know each other. Before.”
She didn’t have to ask before what. That was crystal clear. But, no matter how she tried, she couldn’t make her temper overtake the quick panicked excitement. “It’s very nice of you to ask,” she said with admirable calm. “I wish I could, but”—she smiled down at Jessie’s sound of disappointment—“I have to drive out to my cousin’s and take care of his horses.”
“Will you take me with you sometime, so I can see them?”
“If your father says it’s all right.” She bent down and kissed Jessie’s sulky lips. “Thank you for my picture, sunshine. It’s beautiful.” Taking a cautious step away, she looked at Boone. “And the book. I know I’ll enjoy it. Good night.”
Ana didn’t run out of the house, though she freely admitted she wasn’t leaving so much as escaping. Back home, she went through the motions, giving Quigley his promised tuna, then changing into jeans and a denim shirt for the drive to Sebastian’s house.
She was going to have to do some thinking, she decided as she pulled on her boots. Some serious thinking. Weigh the pros and cons, consider the consequences. She had to laugh, thinking how Morgana would roll her eyes and accuse her of being impossibly Libran.
Perhaps her birth sign was partially responsible for the fact that Ana could always see and sympathize with both sides of an argument. It complicated matters as often as it solved them. But in this case she was quite certain that a clear head and calm deliberation were the order of the day.
Maybe she was unusually attracted to Boone. And the physical aspect of it was completely unprecedented. Certainly she’d felt desire for a man before, but never this quick, sharp edge of it. And a sharp edge usually meant a deep wound to follow.
That was certainly something to consider. Frowning, she grabbed a jean jacket and started downstairs.
Of course, she was an adult, unattached, unencumbered, and perfectly free to entertain the thought of a relationship with an equally free adult man.
Then again, she knew just how devastating relationships could be when people were unable to accept others for what they were.
Still debating, she swung out of the house. She certainly didn’t owe Boone any explanations. She was under no obligation to try to make him understand her heritage, as she had tried to do years before with Robert. Even if they became involved, she wouldn’t have to tell him.
Ana got into her car and backed out of the drive, her thoughts shifting back and forth.
It wasn’t deception to hold part of yourself back. It was self-preservation—as she’d learned through hard experience. And it was foolish even to be considering that angle when she hadn’t decided if she wanted to be involved.
No, that wasn’t quite true. She wanted. It was more a matter of deciding if she could afford to become involved.
He was, after all, her neighbor. A relationship gone sour would make it very uncomfortable when they lived in such close proximity.
And there was Jessie to consider. She was half in love with the girl already. She wouldn’t want to risk that friendship and affection by indulging her own needs. Purely physical needs, Ana told herself as she followed the winding road along the coast.
True, Boone would be able to offer her some physical pleasure. She didn’t doubt that for a moment. But the emotional cost would just be too steep for everyone involved.
It would be better, much better, for everyone involved if she remained Jessie’s friend while maintaining awise distance from Jessie’s father.
* * *
Dinner was over, and the dishes were done. There had been a not-too-successful session with
“Really, I—”
“Of course she can.” Mirroring his daughter’s grin—but with something a great deal more dangerous in his eyes—Boone studied Ana. “We’d love to have you. We have plenty. And I think it would be a good idea for us to get to know each other. Before.”
She didn’t have to ask before what. That was crystal clear. But, no matter how she tried, she couldn’t make her temper overtake the quick panicked excitement. “It’s very nice of you to ask,” she said with admirable calm. “I wish I could, but”—she smiled down at Jessie’s sound of disappointment—“I have to drive out to my cousin’s and take care of his horses.”
“Will you take me with you sometime, so I can see them?”
“If your father says it’s all right.” She bent down and kissed Jessie’s sulky lips. “Thank you for my picture, sunshine. It’s beautiful.” Taking a cautious step away, she looked at Boone. “And the book. I know I’ll enjoy it. Good night.”
Ana didn’t run out of the house, though she freely admitted she wasn’t leaving so much as escaping. Back home, she went through the motions, giving Quigley his promised tuna, then changing into jeans and a denim shirt for the drive to Sebastian’s house.
She was going to have to do some thinking, she decided as she pulled on her boots. Some serious thinking. Weigh the pros and cons, consider the consequences. She had to laugh, thinking how Morgana would roll her eyes and accuse her of being impossibly Libran.
Perhaps her birth sign was partially responsible for the fact that Ana could always see and sympathize with both sides of an argument. It complicated matters as often as it solved them. But in this case she was quite certain that a clear head and calm deliberation were the order of the day.
Maybe she was unusually attracted to Boone. And the physical aspect of it was completely unprecedented. Certainly she’d felt desire for a man before, but never this quick, sharp edge of it. And a sharp edge usually meant a deep wound to follow.
That was certainly something to consider. Frowning, she grabbed a jean jacket and started downstairs.
Of course, she was an adult, unattached, unencumbered, and perfectly free to entertain the thought of a relationship with an equally free adult man.
Then again, she knew just how devastating relationships could be when people were unable to accept others for what they were.
Still debating, she swung out of the house. She certainly didn’t owe Boone any explanations. She was under no obligation to try to make him understand her heritage, as she had tried to do years before with Robert. Even if they became involved, she wouldn’t have to tell him.
Ana got into her car and backed out of the drive, her thoughts shifting back and forth.
It wasn’t deception to hold part of yourself back. It was self-preservation—as she’d learned through hard experience. And it was foolish even to be considering that angle when she hadn’t decided if she wanted to be involved.
No, that wasn’t quite true. She wanted. It was more a matter of deciding if she could afford to become involved.
He was, after all, her neighbor. A relationship gone sour would make it very uncomfortable when they lived in such close proximity.
And there was Jessie to consider. She was half in love with the girl already. She wouldn’t want to risk that friendship and affection by indulging her own needs. Purely physical needs, Ana told herself as she followed the winding road along the coast.
True, Boone would be able to offer her some physical pleasure. She didn’t doubt that for a moment. But the emotional cost would just be too steep for everyone involved.
It would be better, much better, for everyone involved if she remained Jessie’s friend while maintaining awise distance from Jessie’s father.
* * *
Dinner was over, and the dishes were done. There had been a not-too-successful session with
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