midnight-black waterfall that cascaded over her back to caress the slight curve of her hips. Beneath the waning sun, each strand shimmered as if embedded with diamonds. Wyatt fought the urge to skim his fingers along the silky length.
“Oh, I love this song.” She eased toward the doorway as the music segued, her green eyes wide with wonder. “Do you know it?”
“Of course I know it. Lee Ann Womack… I hope you dance . Maddie insisted on playing it at Dad’s Celebration of Life service.”
“I’m so sorry I missed that, Wyatt.” The sparkle fled from her eyes as she pressed her hands together, knotting her fingers. “Mom had just come through surgery. She needed me at her side.”
“I understand.” Gently, he plied her fingers apart and took her hand. The time surrounding his dad’s death was a blur in his memory, a freeze-frame of images and gut-wrenching emotions that he’d rather forget. He imagined her mother’s passing was the same. “I didn’t expect you to be there.”
“Even so, I would have come, otherwise.”
“I know.” He pulled her close and felt her stiffen against him. Slowly he swayed, coaxing her to relax. Her perfume was a perfect, sweet complement to the steaks waiting to be tossed on the grill and the cobbler baking in the oven. “I promise I won’t bite. Dance with me?”
“Twice in one day?”
“Why not? I enjoy dancing with you.”
“The steaks…” She tilted her head to peek around his shoulder. “They’ll be overcooked.”
“I haven’t started them yet, so we’re good. I’ll lower the heat so the zucchini will keep.” Wyatt reached back, adjusted the flame. “Now, where were we?”
****
“Right here…” Kami pressed her cheek to Wyatt’s navy polo shirt and felt the brush of his jeans against her legs as their feet skimmed the weathered deck planks in a slow, easy two-step. The clean scent of soap clung to his skin as his fingers twined with hers, holding her in a loose embrace. “And, the fact that you’ve certainly improved since the eighth grade is an added bonus. I think my toes are safe tonight.”
“So all my practice paid off?”
“I’d say so.”
“You’re better, too. How?”
“My dad taught me. He used to turn on the radio and dance with me in our living room.” She shook her head, laughing. “He asserts a girl should have proper dance technique along with a touch of dignity, and not merely shimmy like you see on those TV music videos. As you can imagine, he’s a fan of ballroom dancing. He and Mom used to go together from time to time.”
“I always knew your dad was smart.” Wyatt pressed his chin to the crown of her head. “Remind me to thank him.”
“As a teenager I thought it was so hokey, twirling around the living room with my dad, stumbling over furniture and crashing into table lamps while Mom watched, laughing. But now I realize how special it was that he cared enough to take the time.” She sighed. “I miss him like that—jovial and carefree. He’s changed so much in the past year. Where he used to be light and happiness, now he’s like a candle without a flame. It’s so hard.”
“He’ll get it back again,” Wyatt assured her. “It will just take some time.”
“I don’t know…” Kami shook her head. “I thought so too, in the beginning. But I’m beginning to have my doubts. Your mom seems to have overcome her sadness. How did she do it?”
“Oh, she still has her moments. But she tucks them away and keeps going. She says life is all about steps…taking one and then another in faith. She stays busy bugging Reese and me about when we’re going to settle down and give her grandbabies.”
“And…have you ever thought about that?”
“A time or two…more lately.” He drew her closer while the sun gave the horizon a final goodnight kiss. Candlelight softened the darkness as Wyatt’s breath warmed her cheek. “Remember what you said about the power of
“Oh, I love this song.” She eased toward the doorway as the music segued, her green eyes wide with wonder. “Do you know it?”
“Of course I know it. Lee Ann Womack… I hope you dance . Maddie insisted on playing it at Dad’s Celebration of Life service.”
“I’m so sorry I missed that, Wyatt.” The sparkle fled from her eyes as she pressed her hands together, knotting her fingers. “Mom had just come through surgery. She needed me at her side.”
“I understand.” Gently, he plied her fingers apart and took her hand. The time surrounding his dad’s death was a blur in his memory, a freeze-frame of images and gut-wrenching emotions that he’d rather forget. He imagined her mother’s passing was the same. “I didn’t expect you to be there.”
“Even so, I would have come, otherwise.”
“I know.” He pulled her close and felt her stiffen against him. Slowly he swayed, coaxing her to relax. Her perfume was a perfect, sweet complement to the steaks waiting to be tossed on the grill and the cobbler baking in the oven. “I promise I won’t bite. Dance with me?”
“Twice in one day?”
“Why not? I enjoy dancing with you.”
“The steaks…” She tilted her head to peek around his shoulder. “They’ll be overcooked.”
“I haven’t started them yet, so we’re good. I’ll lower the heat so the zucchini will keep.” Wyatt reached back, adjusted the flame. “Now, where were we?”
****
“Right here…” Kami pressed her cheek to Wyatt’s navy polo shirt and felt the brush of his jeans against her legs as their feet skimmed the weathered deck planks in a slow, easy two-step. The clean scent of soap clung to his skin as his fingers twined with hers, holding her in a loose embrace. “And, the fact that you’ve certainly improved since the eighth grade is an added bonus. I think my toes are safe tonight.”
“So all my practice paid off?”
“I’d say so.”
“You’re better, too. How?”
“My dad taught me. He used to turn on the radio and dance with me in our living room.” She shook her head, laughing. “He asserts a girl should have proper dance technique along with a touch of dignity, and not merely shimmy like you see on those TV music videos. As you can imagine, he’s a fan of ballroom dancing. He and Mom used to go together from time to time.”
“I always knew your dad was smart.” Wyatt pressed his chin to the crown of her head. “Remind me to thank him.”
“As a teenager I thought it was so hokey, twirling around the living room with my dad, stumbling over furniture and crashing into table lamps while Mom watched, laughing. But now I realize how special it was that he cared enough to take the time.” She sighed. “I miss him like that—jovial and carefree. He’s changed so much in the past year. Where he used to be light and happiness, now he’s like a candle without a flame. It’s so hard.”
“He’ll get it back again,” Wyatt assured her. “It will just take some time.”
“I don’t know…” Kami shook her head. “I thought so too, in the beginning. But I’m beginning to have my doubts. Your mom seems to have overcome her sadness. How did she do it?”
“Oh, she still has her moments. But she tucks them away and keeps going. She says life is all about steps…taking one and then another in faith. She stays busy bugging Reese and me about when we’re going to settle down and give her grandbabies.”
“And…have you ever thought about that?”
“A time or two…more lately.” He drew her closer while the sun gave the horizon a final goodnight kiss. Candlelight softened the darkness as Wyatt’s breath warmed her cheek. “Remember what you said about the power of
Similar Books
