her excuses, and she brought them out in a breathless string. There was no need for both of them to call Tony and Murielle; she would take care of it. She would go by the hospital on her way home, sit with her cousin during Uncle Tony’s surgery since there were a thousand details they needed to discuss. Then she needed to pick up the queen's costume, make an appointment to have her hair and nails done, let the people where she worked know she wouldn't be in today or tomorrow because of all the preparations.
As she spoke, she moved from the boat out onto the dock. Ross followed her out, but stopped at the railing.
“I thought we might drive up to Lake Charles together. Maybe I should be at the hospital in case something goes wrong.”
“Oh, that would be so much trouble. I have my car here. We would have to come all the way back to pick it up.”
“I could call somebody to bring it.”
“But then you would have to drive me around town on my errands. You would hate that. Anyway, it would feel funny, having you waiting for me.”
“I wouldn't mind,” he said quietly.
“No, really, I have so much to do, and so do you if we're going to pull off this king and queen thing. Besides, you have no obligation to me, and I would rather you didn't feel any.”
His lips tightened, and he made a movement as if he would come closer. Abruptly, he stopped. “I think I understand,” he said, the words even. “I suppose I'll see you tonight then.”
“Yes, I suppose,” she echoed, backing away in the direction of her car. It wasn't necessary for him to kiss her good-bye. If she kept enough distance between them, he would realize he needn’t make the effort. Summoning a smile, she went on. “I'm helping decorate the civic center late this afternoon, so will be there already for the rehearsal. I'll just meet you there about seven?”
“Yeah, fine,” he said, though there was a furrow between his brows.
“Good.” She backed away another step, still smiling with aching cheek muscles. “Thanks again for agreeing. I do appreciate it.”
“Don't mention it.” The words were dry.
There was a hard pain just under her heart, but she lifted a hand and turned. She walked quickly away. It was only as she reached her car that she was able to force the desperate curve from her stiff lips.
She had to blink several times in order to clear her vision enough to find her car keys and push them into the ignition. Still, she could see fine, just fine, by the time she had turned her Ford Escort and headed back toward Lake Charles.
Ross stood with his hands on his hips, staring after Caroline's car. What in the name of heaven had he said or done to make her so anxious to get away from him? Try as he might, he couldn't think of a thing.
He had as much ego as the average man, but he didn’t think he’d imagined her response when they made love. He had certainly tried to be sure she enjoyed it as much as he did. She’d seemed to like the boat ride, even with the blow-out of the windscreen. She had shown no signs of being seasick. And he didn't think he had said anything to tick her off.
Maybe he could have held her a little longer there on the sofa, but only at the risk of pressing her into the cushions with his weight. As for the things he could have said, might have said, he had been afraid they were too much and far too soon. They both needed to test the waters a little more. Only teenagers leaped in with both feet at first sign of an accelerated heartbeat.
He was no teenager, nor was Caroline.
On the other hand, neither of them were exactly geriatric cases. They weren’t super-sophisticates, either. They were just a man and a woman carrying their baggage from the past while doing their best to make some sense of the future. That left a great deal of room for misunderstanding.
He hated to think she took off because she had what she wanted from him, his warm body as Mardi Gras king. She didn't seem the type, but then, it
As she spoke, she moved from the boat out onto the dock. Ross followed her out, but stopped at the railing.
“I thought we might drive up to Lake Charles together. Maybe I should be at the hospital in case something goes wrong.”
“Oh, that would be so much trouble. I have my car here. We would have to come all the way back to pick it up.”
“I could call somebody to bring it.”
“But then you would have to drive me around town on my errands. You would hate that. Anyway, it would feel funny, having you waiting for me.”
“I wouldn't mind,” he said quietly.
“No, really, I have so much to do, and so do you if we're going to pull off this king and queen thing. Besides, you have no obligation to me, and I would rather you didn't feel any.”
His lips tightened, and he made a movement as if he would come closer. Abruptly, he stopped. “I think I understand,” he said, the words even. “I suppose I'll see you tonight then.”
“Yes, I suppose,” she echoed, backing away in the direction of her car. It wasn't necessary for him to kiss her good-bye. If she kept enough distance between them, he would realize he needn’t make the effort. Summoning a smile, she went on. “I'm helping decorate the civic center late this afternoon, so will be there already for the rehearsal. I'll just meet you there about seven?”
“Yeah, fine,” he said, though there was a furrow between his brows.
“Good.” She backed away another step, still smiling with aching cheek muscles. “Thanks again for agreeing. I do appreciate it.”
“Don't mention it.” The words were dry.
There was a hard pain just under her heart, but she lifted a hand and turned. She walked quickly away. It was only as she reached her car that she was able to force the desperate curve from her stiff lips.
She had to blink several times in order to clear her vision enough to find her car keys and push them into the ignition. Still, she could see fine, just fine, by the time she had turned her Ford Escort and headed back toward Lake Charles.
Ross stood with his hands on his hips, staring after Caroline's car. What in the name of heaven had he said or done to make her so anxious to get away from him? Try as he might, he couldn't think of a thing.
He had as much ego as the average man, but he didn’t think he’d imagined her response when they made love. He had certainly tried to be sure she enjoyed it as much as he did. She’d seemed to like the boat ride, even with the blow-out of the windscreen. She had shown no signs of being seasick. And he didn't think he had said anything to tick her off.
Maybe he could have held her a little longer there on the sofa, but only at the risk of pressing her into the cushions with his weight. As for the things he could have said, might have said, he had been afraid they were too much and far too soon. They both needed to test the waters a little more. Only teenagers leaped in with both feet at first sign of an accelerated heartbeat.
He was no teenager, nor was Caroline.
On the other hand, neither of them were exactly geriatric cases. They weren’t super-sophisticates, either. They were just a man and a woman carrying their baggage from the past while doing their best to make some sense of the future. That left a great deal of room for misunderstanding.
He hated to think she took off because she had what she wanted from him, his warm body as Mardi Gras king. She didn't seem the type, but then, it
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