“Don’t be angry,” she whispered.
“I’m not angry,” he said. “Just frustrated. Is your life always this infested with people?”
She had to smile at his choice of words. “Providence is small. It’s hard not to go places and see people you know.”
“There are some people who thrive on seeing and being seen.”
“Not me. I’d have been just as happy if we’d seen no one tonight. This has been one of the longest short workdays I’ve ever put in.”
“You’ll be able to sleep in tomorrow.”
“Knowing me,” she said wryly, “I’ll be up at seven.” She took her keys from her briefcase. “It’s always the days when youcansleep in that you can’t.”
He took the keys from her hand. “Want to run that one by me again?”
Smiling, she shook her head. “Not worth the repetition. Are you on the air tonight?”
“Sure.”
“I’ll listen.”
His features softened. “I’d like that.” He pushed open the door.
She entered the townhouse and disengaged the alarm, then turned back to him. One hand was tight on the strap of her briefcase, the other tight around the key he’d pressed into her palm. “Thanks,” she whispered.
For a long, lingering minute they faced each other in silence. Then, with a visible effort, Jared tore his eyes from hers and returned to his car.
Feeling an incredible sense of loss, Savannah stood in the doorway until the car was gone from sight. She had been hoping that he would kiss her. It looked as though he’d wanted to. She could have sworn she had seen desire in his eyes. She’d certainly felt it herself.
In theory, there was nothing wrong with that. She was a normal, healthy woman and Jared was a man like few others. In some respects, though, it was odd.
For one thing, of the men who had passed through her life in the past few years, none had stirred her this way.
For another, she barely knew Jared.
And for a third, she was afraid of getting in over her head, still she wanted him. Worse, the wanting seemed to grow each time she saw him. Even now it was simmering low in her belly, a knot of expectant nerve ends and unfulfilled need that wasn’t going away. All she had to do was to conjure him up in her mind, hear his voice, remember the touch of his hand, and she was off.
Tired as she was, she suspected she was going to have a devil of a time falling asleep.
***
His voice was low and gritty.“Hi, there. I’m Jared Snow, and you’re tuned to 95.3 FM, WCIC Providence. It’s twelve-oh-four in cool country, that’s four minutes after twelve on a TGIF kind of night. I’ve got good news if you’re takin’ off for the weekend. Skies will be clear through Sunday, with daytime temperatures climbing into the midfifties.”His voice grew deeper.“They say that warm days and cool nights make for perfect maple syrup, and they must be right, ’cause the sap’s sure flowing.”After a suggestive second’s pause, he said,“Here at the hot spot for a little country in the city, 95.3 FM, WCIC Providence, we’re flowin’ into a fearsome foursome from the Judds, Willie Nelson, and Sawyer Brown, kickin’ off with Billy Mata and ‘Macon Georgia Love.’”His purr was low and deep.“Jared Snow here in the heart of the night. Stay close.”
***
Savannah’s sleep was fitful, growing deeper only as morning approached. She was groggy when she opened an eye and looked at her clock, then sank back to her pillow resentfully. Seven o’clock. She’d guessed it.
Then the doorbell rang, and she realized she hadn’t woken on her own. Opening her eye wider, she tried to think of who would be at her door at seven o’clock on Saturday morning, particularlythisSaturday morning. She had wanted to sleep until ten and have time only to shower and dress before picking up Susan. She had wanted as little time as possible to think.
The bell rang again. Climbing from bed, she drew on her robe and hurried downstairs. Whoever was there was going to have some explaining to do.
Drawing back a corner of the shade that covered the sidelight, she felt tiny flares of excitement. Jared was standing on her doorstep looking as she had never seen him look. He was wearing shorts and a damp sweatshirt. His hair lay in wet spikes on his forehead. His cheeks were ruddy. His legs were long and leanly muscular.
He had been running.
Dropping the shade, she quickly opened the door. Her voice, which hadn’t had time to wake up, was deeper than usual. “What are you doing here at this hour?”
Grinning, he brought a bunch of bright yellow tulips from behind his back. “Happy birthday.”
