When the maid arrived with the newspaper, Jem rolled it up and took his position in the middle of the group.
“Everyone, Mr. Taylor will be ‘it’ first,” Reese said. “I’m going to pretend that I was just ‘it,’ and I will begin the next round.This is important—donotsit down without naming an animal first from one of our players. It can’t be your animal name or the name of the person who is “it.” Does everyone understand?”
They nodded, and Jem held up the rolled newspaper, anticipating the next part of her explanation.
“This is where the game gets hilarious. If you sit down, the person in the middle will tap you on the top of your head with the newspaper, and you will be ‘it’ again.”
Everyone started talking at once, with some saying it wasn’t appropriate for gentlemen to hit females. Reese let them ramble on for a minute, thinking back on all the times she’d been hit by men in her martial arts classes.
“Quiet everyone,” she finally said. “Keep the taps gentle, and no one should be offended. When you hear your animal name called—unless you’re ‘it’—you have to jump to your feet and call out another animal before you get tapped on the head. It calls for fast thinking and quick reflexes. I’ll demonstrate.”
She bent over to sit down and called out Kaitlyn’s animal. She jumped to her feet and cried out Cyrus’s animal. He, in turn, jumped up to shout out Reese’s, with Jem spinning around trying to catch one of them. Reese wasn’t fast enough and he got her. With a broad grin, he handed her the newspaper, touching her hand during the transfer. He sat down without calling an animal name, and she tapped his head. She handed him back the newspaper, smiling smugly.
“Now, let’s try it for real,” she said.
Everyone was reserved at first, and she wondered if they would ever get into the game. Kaitlin saved it with her contagious laughter. Several people, when their animal names were called out, would panic and jump to their feet—but they couldn’t think fast enough and only shouted gibberish.
Cyrus and Jem were little better, shouting with laughter instead of their animal names. Seeing them brought back many fond memories. Reese relaxed. Soon the other men were laughing and eventually even the most reserved of the ladies joined in.
“Oh, my goodness,” Nellie said, fanning herself, when Reese called an end. “A most diverting game, though in some company it would not be considered an appropriate parlor game.” She winked at Reese. “But perfect for one of mine. It is time for those refreshments.”
While some of the guests gathered around the dessert tray, others were already getting out the cards. From the other side of the room, Jem met Reese’s gaze. She found herself caught in the blue of his eyes and wishing to brush aside a strand of his sandy-colored hair that had fallen across his forehead. It only broke when Cyrus called to him to help with one of the tables.
Hardly able to catch her breath, Reese slipped from the room. Once outside, she leaned against the door, willing her heart to stop racing. Her response to him was even more powerful now than it had been two years ago. If only it would be real and not end like this visit to 1850.
Reese started to go up the stairs but remembered she wanted to find a book to read and went to the library instead.
The room wasn’t huge but would probably have given a small-town library a run for its money. It smelled of old leather, paper, and furniture polish. It had the almost-gaudy Gothic decorating found in the rest of the house. She opened the clever, door-like archway guard so she could view the ten shelves of books in one section.
As she was browsing through Nellie’s titles, Reese heard the door open and turned around to find Jem watching her.
“Can’t sleep?” he asked.
“I like to read for a few minutes before bed.” She faced the bookcase again. “Are you looking for a book too?”
“I thought I might see what Nellie has.” He stepped up beside her and gave the appearance of perusing the books, but she didn’t think he was really reading the titles. He had too much energy about him, like he did when something was on his mind.
He shifted a little, and the air around them turned electric. It had been like this that night two years ago. Her senses turned hyper-aware, and her heart gave a little lurch, her pulse quickening. Jem’s hand was so close to hers that it warmed her skin.
Reese wondered if she should leave before it went too far. Maybe it was better to dream and not know for sure. She shifted, but he caught her hand in his and turned to face her.
“Reese,” he began, “I—”
“Jem,” she interrupted, wanting to tell him not to say anything.
His blue eyes held hers, and it was like he saw through her, past all her reasons not to let this happen. Her breath hitched, and all her excuses fled her mind. Jem lifted his free hand and cupped her cheek. He smelled like linen and leather and the masculine scent that was Jem.
Their gazes still locked, he leaned closer but paused, giving her a chance to pull away. She told herself she should . . . but she didn’t want to. Her indecision kept her in place, and he took it as acquiescence. Jem brushed his warm, soft lips against hers.
His touch sent an exhilarating warmth through Reese’s body and a familiar longing. How many times had she dreamed of doing this again? Not only did she welcome his kiss, she slid her arms around his neck and gave herself to it.
She had tried to banish him from her thoughts, worked to convince herself she didn’t care for this man, dated other guys. Something had always been missing though. As he held her in his arms and kissed her mouth, her cheek, she felt like she was whole again.
Jem finally broke the kiss and, breathless, pressed his forehead against hers and whispered, “Oh, Reese.”
Her unsteady legs made it necessary for her to cling to the sleeves of his jacket. How would he explain the creases to his valet? Her own dress must be crushed too, as tight as he’d held her.
“Let’s sit.” Jem took her by the hand and pulled her to the settee. He held her hand between his, running his thumb over the top and making her skin tingle. “I missed you.”
