“Not alone,” I pointed out. “She has companions now.”
“Every hero needs allies.”
“And she has her dog.” Loving, irrepressible Toto.
Tim studied me, his glasses reflecting back the candlelight. “You’ll miss your sister when she leaves,” he said out of the blue.
I blinked. “Well, sure. She’s grown up so much. It’s been reallynice spending time with her.” I sighed. “I just wish she had some kind of plan when she gets home.”
“She’ll figure it out.”
“I hope so. She can’t sit around the farmhouse in her pajamas forever.” I pulled a face. “And now I sound like Aunt Em.”
“A woman of good sense,” Tim said, and I smiled.
We walked home along tree-lined streets in the dark, past redbrick houses fronted with iron railings and crumbling stone walls protecting sleek glass entrances. The night air was cool and damp, the streetlamps ringed with light like an Impressionist painting. I went up the stairs first, hoping my butt looked good from behind. Tim stopped me outside his door to kiss, tasting lightly until my lips parted and I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him closer, reveling in the feel of his strong, solid torso. He kissed me, long, hot, deep kisses, pressing me back against the wood until my blood hummed and my thoughts scattered.
“Come inside.”
I thrilled at the husky invitation. “I... Wait. No. I have to...” I twisted my neck, resting my forehead against his chest, rising and falling under his starched shirtfront. I was drugged on the smell of him, clean cotton and warm male. “I promised Reeti we’d talk when I got home.”
He was silent, his hand moving idly over my back, stroking and soothing.
I was so new at setting boundaries, I wasn’t sure how they worked. If they worked. I held my breath.
“Sure,” he said at last, and let me go.
I was filled with relief and disappointment, already missing the imprint of his body, the touch of his hand. “Good. I mean, not good, obviously. I’d like to... You know. Come in. But Reeti needs me.” I sounded so lame. “Sorry,” I added.
“Is she all right?”
I loved that he cared enough to ask. “I think so. I hope so. She says she is. But she’s been sort of grumpy since her”—rishta? boyfriend? match?—“since this guy called yesterday, and I told her I was there for her if she wants to talk or vent or whatever. Sisters before misters.” Oh God, had I actually said that bit out loud? I bumbled on. “Anyway. I promised we’d hang out.”
The smile was back in his eyes. “And you always keep your promises.”
The air charged between us. “I try.” I swallowed. “Thank you for dinner.”
“My pleasure,” he said in that deep, delicious Darcy voice.
Little electrons danced over my skin. “Maybe I could come down later. If it’s not too late.”
“I’m here. If you want to talk. Or...” Another of those almost smiles, amused, affectionate, as if we shared a joke or a secret. “Whatever.”
I glowed from the possibilities in that pause. From the prospect of seeing him again, soon, tonight. From the suggestion that I might, in fact, be someone Tim Woodman considered worth waiting for.
He leaned forward and kissed me on the forehead. “See you,” he said, like a promise, and I ran upstairs with my heart dancing in my chest.
“Something smells wonderful,” I said as I let myself into the apartment.
Reeti turned from the cutting board, where she was smashing garlic with a large knife. “I’m marinating kebabs. For Toni’s party.”
I was touched. “You didn’t have to do that.”
“Yeah, she did,” Toni piped up. “They’re my favorite.”
Reeti thwacked another clove of garlic as if it had personally offended her.
“What can I do?” I asked.
