was the first time he had done that, and it sent a little thrill down her spine, though she knew it was inappropriate and she should not allow those kinds of feelings to course through her in such a way. She should not even allow it to go unmentioned.
Then she thought about what he had actually asked her, which made her spine tingle again, but this time with anxiety. She had no desire to discuss her past—not with anyone. But she knew it would be odd to leave the question unanswered. She decided to say as little as possible. “I am from Vermont. I lived there most of my life, before I came to Shasta.”
She hoped that would be enough to close the subject, but he leaned forward, interested, and her spirit sank lower. “And you moved out here alone?”
She nodded, hoping that would be enough. His brows contracted together as if he was puzzled. “A young woman traveling across the country all by herself… that is quite unexpected. What prompted you to do that?”
He was perceptive. This could definitely be a problem. She disliked lying, but he was pushing her to the point where she had very little choice. She chose her words with care, choosing the safest responses that were also technically true. “I wanted to teach out West, and I was tired of life over there. The winters were too cold.”
She begged, shouting the thoughts at him, as if that would help, that he would ask nothing more about her decision to travel alone. He seemed to consider asking another question about it, then shrugged, and she felt her stress lessen. She hoped she would be safe from any interrogations that she might not be able to face honestly.
“What made you want to become a teacher?” he asked.
It wasn’t a perfect question, but it was different enough to allow her to avoid a lie. “I love learning, I guess. I had several tutors when I was young, and I always noticed when one topic was interesting to me and another was not, and my reflections showed that it often had more to do with the tutor than the subject. And I have always loved children. I think I was born to teach.”
She had not expected to say so much, but his open look and curious gaze invited confidence. He tilted his head slightly as she finished, and asked, “Private tutors? Your family must have been quite wealthy.”
Dangerous territory again. Why hadn’t she continued only responding with short answers? She just nodded.
“Were they unhappy when you packed up and moved out West to teach?”
She laughed involuntarily, nodding again. He had no idea how right he was on that score.
He chuckled, too, infected by her amusement, and her heart danced a little. She felt pulled to him, as worrisome as that was, but she couldn’t stop herself from enjoying the moment. Then his eyes turned serious, almost pleading, and he asked, “If you love children so much, why have you not married and had any yourself?”
The air around her seemed to warm and thicken until it was difficult to breathe. She had wanted children. So very much. But things did not go as she had planned, and she faced the consequences of that every day. She answered, her words slow and halting. “I… have not found the right man with whom to have them, I suppose.” Truer words were never spoken.
The way his eyes bore into her made her feel naked, vulnerable. The air was still thick and tight in her throat. She could feel his thoughts emanating from him as if they raked across her skin.
If she were smart, she would get up and ask to be taken home. It was not a good idea to be around this man any more than necessary. Especially when they were alone and he was staring at her like that. Even just going to check on Joe would be a valid excuse to escape his sensual scrutiny of her face and body. Despite her clear escape routes, though, she took none of them.
She liked the way he was looking at her, if she was honest. It sent pleasant trills of sensation through her body, warming a spot low in her belly. She
Then she thought about what he had actually asked her, which made her spine tingle again, but this time with anxiety. She had no desire to discuss her past—not with anyone. But she knew it would be odd to leave the question unanswered. She decided to say as little as possible. “I am from Vermont. I lived there most of my life, before I came to Shasta.”
She hoped that would be enough to close the subject, but he leaned forward, interested, and her spirit sank lower. “And you moved out here alone?”
She nodded, hoping that would be enough. His brows contracted together as if he was puzzled. “A young woman traveling across the country all by herself… that is quite unexpected. What prompted you to do that?”
He was perceptive. This could definitely be a problem. She disliked lying, but he was pushing her to the point where she had very little choice. She chose her words with care, choosing the safest responses that were also technically true. “I wanted to teach out West, and I was tired of life over there. The winters were too cold.”
She begged, shouting the thoughts at him, as if that would help, that he would ask nothing more about her decision to travel alone. He seemed to consider asking another question about it, then shrugged, and she felt her stress lessen. She hoped she would be safe from any interrogations that she might not be able to face honestly.
“What made you want to become a teacher?” he asked.
It wasn’t a perfect question, but it was different enough to allow her to avoid a lie. “I love learning, I guess. I had several tutors when I was young, and I always noticed when one topic was interesting to me and another was not, and my reflections showed that it often had more to do with the tutor than the subject. And I have always loved children. I think I was born to teach.”
She had not expected to say so much, but his open look and curious gaze invited confidence. He tilted his head slightly as she finished, and asked, “Private tutors? Your family must have been quite wealthy.”
Dangerous territory again. Why hadn’t she continued only responding with short answers? She just nodded.
“Were they unhappy when you packed up and moved out West to teach?”
She laughed involuntarily, nodding again. He had no idea how right he was on that score.
He chuckled, too, infected by her amusement, and her heart danced a little. She felt pulled to him, as worrisome as that was, but she couldn’t stop herself from enjoying the moment. Then his eyes turned serious, almost pleading, and he asked, “If you love children so much, why have you not married and had any yourself?”
The air around her seemed to warm and thicken until it was difficult to breathe. She had wanted children. So very much. But things did not go as she had planned, and she faced the consequences of that every day. She answered, her words slow and halting. “I… have not found the right man with whom to have them, I suppose.” Truer words were never spoken.
The way his eyes bore into her made her feel naked, vulnerable. The air was still thick and tight in her throat. She could feel his thoughts emanating from him as if they raked across her skin.
If she were smart, she would get up and ask to be taken home. It was not a good idea to be around this man any more than necessary. Especially when they were alone and he was staring at her like that. Even just going to check on Joe would be a valid excuse to escape his sensual scrutiny of her face and body. Despite her clear escape routes, though, she took none of them.
She liked the way he was looking at her, if she was honest. It sent pleasant trills of sensation through her body, warming a spot low in her belly. She
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