Chapter 7

Agatha opened her eyes. It was good that his arms were around her, because she was quite sure she couldn’t stand up right now if they weren’t. She was having trouble getting enough air into her lungs, but she didn’t think it was because he was holding her so tightly.

She realized she hadn’t been prepared for what had happened ... couldn’t have been prepared. It was too new ... too unfamiliar. When his lips had pressed to hers, they’d felt warm and fluid. Hers had been stiff, but when he’d crushed her body to his, all the strength had gone out of all her muscles, including those in her lips. When her lips had relaxed, the sensations had been astonishing.

Within seconds, she felt like she was floating and sunshine was making her whole body warm. His head had twisted slightly, twisting her lips until they came open and his slipped to rub against her teeth. It had felt like it had gone on for years, until he’d finally pulled his face away from hers.

As she’d opened her eyes, his were right in front of her face. She summoned strength from somewhere and put it in her legs, to stiffen them. Some of that strength flowed up to her arms and into her hands, and they moved from his waist to his back. His lips were still right in front of hers.

She closed her eyes and moved her head forward.

The second kiss made her feel like she was about to break apart and fly into little shards, like glass exploding from a dropped bottle. Most of that was because his tongue entered her mouth. She’d never been French kissed before. She’d heard of it but the concept made her feel ill and she didn’t even try to imagine what that might be like. Now, suddenly, it was too delicious to stop. What she’d thought of before as disgusting and salacious was one of the most wonderful things she’d ever felt.

Within fifteen seconds, her own tongue began to tentatively explore.

“I see what you mean,” she said softly.

They were walking back, hand in hand. His fingers were warm.

“I tried to warn you,” he said.

“You did,” she agreed. She felt like she’d just grown up and was finally an adult after all these years.

“You can have that with a man you meet,” he said.

“I didn’t have it with Harry,” she said firmly. “Not like that.” She stopped and he stopped too, after another step almost took their hands apart.

“I hardly know you,” she said.

“True.”

“I can’t believe what I’m feeling right now ... and I hardly know you.”

“I tried to warn you,” he repeated.

“I think that’s why I wanted to do it,” she said. “I knew you weren’t trying to seduce me anymore.”

“Well, that’s changed,” he said, smiling.

Her eyes widened, but then she realized that’s what she’d felt in his kiss. It was so obvious. She felt wonder that she’d never been kissed like that before. What she didn’t feel was fear. The thought flitted through her mind that if a kiss could be so different than what she’d experienced before ... what else might be different.

“I’m not afraid of you,” she said. It sounded stubborn to her own ears.

“It’s not me you need to be afraid of,” he said, still smiling. “It’s your own feelings.”

“That’s nonsense,” she said. She actually felt better than she had before ... stronger, now that he wasn’t holding her so tightly and his lips weren’t on hers.

“Well,” he said. “I’ll try to behave. Do you still want to spend time getting to know me better?”

She started walking again. She didn’t take his hand. They had walked ten or fifteen feet before she spoke.

“Yes.”

The atmosphere at supper was different than it had been the night before, when more people had been there. It was more quiet and calm. The twins ate as long as they could before both babies seemed to want to be fed at the same time, then left to go do that.

Agatha announced that she’d be able to go back home the next day. Mirriam said she imagined Agatha would be happy to get back. Bobby just ate.

After supper, the twins were in the living room, watching TV and holding their babies. Mirriam joined them. Agatha sat down at the puzzle table and found she could concentrate again, even when Bobby sat down next to her.

“You okay?” he asked, his voice obviously toned low so the others wouldn’t hear.

“Of course,” she said. “It was only a kiss.”

“Your knees just give out on you occasionally,” he said, smiling.

“All right, it was a few kisses. Harry never kissed me that way. I was surprised, that’s all.”

“You learn quickly,” he said, his voice teasing.

“Your seduction won’t work, you know,” she said, putting a piece of the puzzle in.

“It won’t?”

“No. I’m on guard now. I know how dangerous you are now.”

“All that from just a few kisses?” He was teasing her again. She realized it felt good to be teased like that.

“I always knew you were dangerous,” she said, teasing him back. “Now I know why.”

“I see,” he said. “So my nefarious plan isn’t going to work. That’s a shame. I had such high hopes for you.”

Agatha decided she liked this teasing a lot.

But the teasing stopped, as did their whispered conversation, as both of them began to pay attention to the puzzle. The only thing left was the sky, when Mirriam stopped and looked at it.

“I’m off to bed,” she said. “Do you need anything before I go?”

Agatha looked up. “I’m fine. Thank you.”

“Do you want me to get you up early?” asked Mirriam. “Do you have things to do?”

“I never have anything to do,” said Agatha automatically. It struck her that that was true. She thought about Bobby’s suggestion that she get involved in volunteer work. It might be good for much more than meeting a man.

“Well then, you’ll have time to come visit occasionally,” said Mirriam.

Agatha felt her throat tighten and tears started to blur her vision. She looked back down, embarrassed that she could be so affected by simple kindness.

“I will,” she said.

“Good night, then,” said her new friend.

Five minutes went by while they worked on separating the blue pieces by shade.

“Your mother isn’t like I always thought she was either,” said Agatha softly.

“She’s a good woman,” said Bobby. “She should have looked for a man again too.”

“She did,” said Agatha, thinking of Theodore.

“She did?” Bobby sounded puzzled.

“Theodore,” said Agatha. She felt her face get hot.

“Oh,” said Bobby. “He didn’t turn out to be the kind of man she could settle down with.”

“You know the father?” asked Agatha, her old tendency to gossip gripping her.

“She just said he wasn’t the kind of man she could marry,” said Bobby, hoping that would be enough.

“Oh.”

“I imagine it was kind of like you and me,” he said. She looked up at him. “I mean, as much as I’d like to seduce you and all,” he grinned, “I suspect that we could never be a real couple.”

“Not in this town,” she said, her voice almost hard.

“Hmmm,” he said. “Sounds like you’re at least thinking about it,” he teased.

She reached with one hand to push him and he rocked to one side. She felt a warmth flood her chest. She’d never bantered with a man before ... never had a man who was a friend.

“You don’t act like you want to seduce me,” she said. “You act more like someone who cares what happens to me.”

“I do care what happens to you,” he said. “Can’t I have a nefarious plan on top of that? I have a reputation to live up to, you know.”

She darted a look at him. “Your reputation is firmly established,” she said, “at least with the women I know. They would do you harm if they could ... just like I was going to.”

“But I won you over with my charm,” he said, grinning.

She didn’t smile back. “Listen to me, Bobby. Those people will seize on the slightest thing to try to hurt you. They’d try to hurt your mother too.”

“They’ve been trying to do that for years,” he said carelessly. “I’ve still made new friends and life has gone on. You don’t need to worry about me. What you need to worry about is getting your life going again.”

“We’ll see,” she said. “That’s easy to say, but in this town it may not be easy to do.”

“There are hundreds of towns,” he said. “You could take classes over in Hutch at the community college there. They have placement programs, I hear, to help you find a job when you’re trained. Sell your house and move away. Make a new start.”

“I couldn’t do that,” she said firmly. “I’ve always lived in Granger. My mother lives here.” She froze and then gasped. “My mother! I didn’t tell her about the furnace! She doesn’t know where I am. What if Ethyl talked to her since I came here?”

“Does Ethyl know you’re here?” he asked.

“No. I don’t think anybody knows I stayed here.”

“Then where you’ve been is nobody’s business but yours,” he said. “Your furnace went out and you had to go somewhere while it was being fixed. If anybody asks you where you went, just don’t answer.”

“My mother would never accept that,” she said.

“You’re a grown woman, Aggie,” he said.

She stared at him. “Nobody has ever called me Aggie,” she said.

“Sorry,” he apologized.

“No, I don’t mind,” she said. “It’s just that so much is new since I met you.”

“Well, from where I sit, you’re all grown up now and you don’t owe anybody any information you don’t want to give them. They can’t live your life for you ... remember? If you want to get a job, it’s nobody’s business but yours. If you want to sell your house and move away, the same thing applies. If they yell at you, tell them to mind their own business.”

“You’re lecturing me,” she said.