Was that disappointment in his voice?
“Yeah, I figured it was time.” It was a navy one-piece suit with white polka dots. It had a cute retro vibe she loved, more appropriate for a forty-three-year-old widow. “Dave and Mike made a comment after one of the meetings, so I decided to go shopping.”
“That wasn’t very nice of them.” Duncan’s eyebrows furrowed in a scowl as they walked to the elevator.
“Oh, it wasn’t a mean comment. They’d never do that. It just made me think maybe the bikini wasn’t appropriate anymore.”
“You should wear what you want.”
“Well, I like having options, too. I felt like bringing this one.” She gave him a flirty wink and smile, trying to hide her confusion. Why was she trying to defend this suit so much? And why would he care? She pressed the call button for the elevator with what she hoped was a nonchalant shrug. “I still have the other one.”
“Good to hear.”
Alone in the elevator, Aurora allowed her eyes to wander over Duncan’s shirtless torso. She’d not allowed herself to look at Jen’s party, but Duncan had his gaze on the numbers counting down the floors. His gray board shorts hung from his hips, showing off a tapered waist and lean abs. What would it feel like to run her hand over his smooth chest, to trace those abs with her fingers…? Aurora shook her head. Likethatwould ever happen.
They had the pool to themselves. It was outdoors on a third-floor balcony overlooking the river. Lights on the water in the distance indicated a slow-moving barge drifting along its route. Car horns, conversations, and a far-off siren barely drifted to their ears. They threw their towels and phones on a chair, then walked down the stairs into the blue water.
Aurora sighed in contentment. The pool was the temperature of a bathtub. She stood near the wall where the shallow end dipped into the deep end and watched Duncan swim a few laps. He skillfully cut a line through the water. He’d been so sweet all day. First, asking her on a date, then supporting her through the decorating process. His worrying when she hurt herself. It was also refreshing to meet a man who was flexible with plans. Jeff had been, too. She gave her head another shake. It wasn’t fair to compare Duncan to her husband. He’d been kind and thoughtful, and they did have shared interests, but Jeff had been her one great love. And the universe only gave you one of those, right?
Aurora wondered if she could still open her eyes underwater. Taking a deep breath and holding her nose, she sank under the water to calm her mind. Underwater swimming had always been her favorite part of lessons. Her teacher would throw brightly colored weighted rings to the bottom of the pool, and she got to fish them out. Even though the rods along her spine now restricted her movement, she could still enjoy the peace she found under the water. Duncan’s swimming created a row of bubbles through which she caught a glimpse of his strong arms. Running out of air, she rose to the surface.
Duncan stopped swimming and was looking frantically for her. “Holy crap, Roar, you scared me.”
“Sorry.”
“How long were you under there?” He walked toward her.
“Only a minute.”
He met her back where he’d left her. Her hair was dark with water, bringing out the green in her hazel eyes. This suit might be more “appropriate,” but what it did to his mind was anythingbut.The neckline curved around her breasts and tied in a bow like a present. She’d fit right into a pin-up calendar. His doubts had washed away with the evening swim. Duncan could seize everything he wanted. He couldn’t go back and un-meet Mariah. And Roar clearly had a good marriage with Jeff. But maybe it could be his turn to be happy now. And he’d do everything he could to make her happy as well, if she’d have him.
A group of kids with an exhausted, hassled dad entered the pool area, shrieking. Duncan twisted around to watch them as a chubby boy of about thirteen leaped into the pool right next to him.
“CANNONBALL!”
Duncan instinctively shielded Aurora with himself, pushing her shoulders against the pool wall. The wave broke against his back and head as the dad screamed at his kid. He called the kid out of the pool for a tongue-lashing.
“Thank you,” Aurora said breathlessly, then chuckled. “This feels like déjà vu.”
“Does it?”
“It was years ago. Maybe you forgot. You pushed me out of the way of a rolling barn duringOklahoma!rehearsal. You left before I could thank you that time though.”
“Because I was a coward.”
“I’d hardly call what you did that night cowardly. You saved me from getting hurt backstage.” Her eyes met his, wide with surprise. “You remember?”
“Of course I remember that night. But that’s not what I meant.” His gaze dropped to her mouth. As he watched, her tongue darted out to moisten her bottom lip.
“What did you mean, then?” Her voice had gone husky, and the rise and fall of her chest quickened.
He moved slowly, to give her time to stop him. Still staring at her lips; he moved one hand around to her back, and the other gently cupped her face.
“I mean this,” he whispered, and finished what he’d started all those years ago.
Duncan pressed his lips to hers. For a moment, they were sixteen again, backstage in the dark as a barn rolled by. The chlorine scent of the pool gave way to the smell of sawdust backstage. It started like a teenager’s kiss, gentle and testing. Her lips were so soft, like he knew they would be. He held her like a precious gem he’d searched for his whole life. Her hands wrapped around his waist under the water. Changing the angle ever so slightly, he deepened the kiss and pressed her tightly to him. She opened her mouth when he slid his tongue along the seam of her lips. She tasted like peanut butter pie as he gently teased her tongue with his. Some part of his brain was aware of the kids causing a commotion in the pool. The father, having given up trying to control them, was reading a book. She sighed as Duncan pulled his lips away. Passion sparked between them, drawing him in once more. As he bent to kiss her again, a phone started ringing. He groaned, and his eyes flashed between Aurora and his phone.
“Is that yours?” she whispered.
