Now and Forever by Diana Palmer

either. Will you relax, for God’s sake, all I can feel are bones!”
    â€œI can’t help being thin…”
    â€œHere,” he grumbled, shifting her so that her head and breast were resting against his warm, broad chest, her arm caught over his shoulder. “You’re still all knees and elbows.”
    She nuzzled against the soft cotton shirt. This was strangely familiar, the feel and smell of him, so big and warm and protective in the chill of evening, in the silence of night and darkness. She felt safe with Russell as she’d never felt safe with anyone or anything else. Just to know he was in thehouse when it was dark and she was alone was always enough to put her to sleep.
    â€œYou make me feel so safe…” she murmured the words aloud, drowsy as he held her.
    Deep laughter echoed under her ear. “If you were a few years older, that would be the least flattering thing you could say to me,” he said.
    â€œWhy?” she asked innocently.
    â€œAre you going to sleep?” he asked.
    â€œI could. You’re so warm, Russell.”
    â€œWarm isn’t the word for it,” he said. His arm drew her gently closer. “Tell me about Tyler and the beach. What did you do?”
    â€œSwam, talked, listened to his mother, played chess, listened to his mother, went shopping, listened…”
    â€œâ€¦to his mother,” he chuckled. “She looks the type. Possessive?”
    â€œVery. And better than just about anybody, too,” she laughed softly, with a heavy sigh. “When she found out I was one of those Curries she couldn’t do enough to get me together with Frank. That’s why I was invited to the coast.”
    â€œYou were?” he asked darkly. “Or your name? Does she know…?”
    â€œNo!” she said quickly. “And if you…!”
    â€œWill you shut up?” he asked impatiently. “My God, I didn’t bring you home to spend the whole damned two months swapping blows with you.”
    â€œWhy did you bring me home?” she asked, her eyes fighting the darkness as she looked up at him. “Was it really just because of Eileen?”
    His finger touched her mouth softly, gently. “Maybe I missed you, brat.”
    â€œI missed you, too, Russ,” she said honestly.
    He drew her against him hard and sat just holding her, rocking her in his bruising arms, his face buried in the soft hair at her throat. The sensations that swam through her body puzzled her; vague hungers, restless stirrings made her young blood race through her veins. Her short, sharp nails bit into him as she felt him easing her relentlessly closer to his hard body, closer and closer until she felt his ribs through the muscle as the embrace became no longer gentle or affectionate, but deeply and frankly hungry.
    â€œTish, are you out here?” Eileen’s voice came hurtling through the sweet, heady silence, shattering it to lovely splinters.
    Russell’s chest lifted in a harsh sigh as he eased the painful crush of his arms. “We’re here, Lena,” he called. “What is it?”
    She followed the sound of his voice and stopped when she saw the two shadowy forms on the settee. “Gee, whiz,” she murmured impishly. “Isn’t that cute? Russell and his baby…”
    â€œI’ll drown you in ice water while you sleep,” Tish threatened as she stood up quickly, letting her sense of humor chase away the unfulfilled hungers Russell had stirred. “I’ll nail your shoes to the floor. I’ll…!” She ran toward the giggling, retreating teenager, and laughter floated back onto the porch as they ran into the house.

Three
    T he week before Nan Coleman’s party went by in a haze of teas, visiting, and staying out of Russell’s way. Tish couldn’t explain even to herself why that was so important, but she was suddenly tongue-tied and shy around him. To make it