“I have lots of friends back home.”
“Friends from the old life.The Madigan life.Not ones you really like or trust, or you’d be back to visit more often.”
I couldn’t argue with him there.He’d effectively summed up the situation.It actually surprised me that he had, since he’d started the discussion from the other side of the fence.Big city, big name, big bucks—still he was different from the people back home.Maybe it was his background.Maybe it was just him.He didn’t only listen; he heard.I had to respect that.
“Don’t you ever miss the city?”he asked.Thehand that had been on my arm fell down to capture one of my hands.He linked his fingers with mine.I didn’t fight him.His touch was pleasurable.
“No,” I answered lightly, much as I had every time I’d been asked that question during the past nine years.Then I paused.I looked down at our hands.There was something so natural, so honest about the way they were linked that I found myself confessing in a small voice, “Some things.Sometimes.”My eyes quickly sought his.“But they’re small things.Like visiting museums.Going to favorite restaurants.I could do them if I wanted when I go back to visit, but I usually don’t bother, which means that I don’t miss them all that much.”
“Would you have done them with Adam?”
“Sure.Adam and I always had a great time when we did things together.”
“Would you do them with me?”
I took in a deep breath to say, “Sure,” nearly as automatically as I’d said it before, only the sound didn’t come.Certain thoughts intruded, thoughts about opening myself up to grief.After all, Peter wasn’t Adam.
Very softly, I said, “You wouldn’t want to be a stand-in for another man.That’s not your style.”
“Damned right it’s not.I wouldn’t be a standin for Adam, any more than you’d have me for one, and we both know it.”His voice lowered to a dangerously seductive level.“And you won’t scare me off with that line, Jill Moncrieff.I’vetouched you.I’ve kissed you.And you weren’t thinking of Adam when I did.”
He was only part right.Thoughts of Adam had flickered through my mind, but by way of comparison, and Peter had come out ahead each time.That bothered me.
“Would you do it?”he asked softly.
“Do what?”I asked, feeling cross.
“Spend time in the city with me?When you come in for your show, I could take you to—”
“I don’t know if I’ll be going in for the show.I told you that.”
“You could if you wanted to.It’s your decision.We could have a nice time, Jill.”
I could just picture his idea of a nice time.“Oh yeah, in a suite at the Plaza?”
“Why would I want a suite at the Plaza—”
“For the seduction you obviously have in mind.You’re transparent, Peter Hathaway.I have you pegged.”
“I was thinking of taking in the Metropolitan Museum and the Museum of Modern Art, going to a few shows, your taking me to your favorite restaurant and my taking you to mine.And there’d be no reason at all for a suite at the Plaza, when I have a perfectly good place on Central Park South—”
“See?I’mright!You haveonething on your mind.”
“I donot!”He held both of my hands, now tightly.“I have a two-bedroom place, just like you do here, and I meant what I said aboutdoing those other things.I’d enjoy them.”
“You probably do them all the time.”
“I don’t.I’ve been to the Metropolitan Museum six times, and each time it was for a charity benefit.I’ve never been there to see the art.Same for MOMA.”He was the one who seemed cross now.“And if you think I’m proud to be saying that, you’re nuts.But the fact is that I haven’t wanted to do those things alone, but I’ve never found someone I wanted to do them with.”
His crossness added credence to his words, as did the fact that he looked embarrassed by what he’d said.
“You don’t have to sit there looking so smug,” he muttered.“I don’t have the cultural background you do.You were probably eight years old when they took you to a museum for the first time.I never, ever went.I’ve come a long way.I’ve taught myself lots of things over the years.I can hold my own in most any situation, but there are still some where I feel uncomfortable.”
“Art museums?”
“Yes.”
“And I wasn’t looking smug.I’m surprised.That’s all.And touched.”Small snatches of vulnerability in a man so strong were very appealing.I was beginning to feel the force of that appeal building newly inside me.
