"Oh, Christ. I didn't hurt you, did I?"

"What? No, no. It was amazing. All of it." She snuggled against him and Will could feel the wild beating of her heart against his.

He was the one who should be talking, telling her how beautiful she was, thanking her for the privilege of sharing her body with him, promising her whatever she wanted.

This wasn't some one-night stand, d.a.m.n it.

But like the act of coupling, he needed to go slow. Will didn't want to scare her off or make her think he was a deranged s.e.x fiend.

Which, right now, he was, wondering how long his refractory period was and how soon he could do "all of it" again.

Could he convince her to stay the night?

No, she was a mom who lived with her mom. There were complications, not to mention that William Garrity, Jr. might really not be her type. Maybe she was just slumming. Out for a quick fling with a guy from the wrong side of the tracks.

She kissed his tattoo, which maybe was a hopeful sign.

Or not.

"Will-"

"Alexandra-"

They spoke at the same time.

"You first," she said.

What had he been about to say? Something along the lines of "This was really great but we don't have to do it again." A nice soft letdown for them both.

"I think I could love you if you wanted me to," was what he said instead.

She cleared her throat. "That's just what I wanted to say, but maybe it's too soon. Am I being an idiot again?"

"Only if I'm being an idiot too." He tucked a soft blond strand of hair back behind her ear. "We're not kids anymore. We should know how we feel."

She nodded, her face solemn. "Let's go steady. For a while. To see if it works."

His heart skipped a beat. "Much better than hooking up, although hooking up is pretty fu-um-freaking good too. But I lost my NFA cla.s.s ring on a job."

"That's okay. I don't need a ring." She went back to licking his chest with her perfect, pink pointed tongue and Will shut his eyes so he could only feel.

Then reality invaded. "What about your parents?"

She moved away and sat up. "Not many people know, but my dad has Alzheimer's."

"Ah, Alex. I'm so sorry." And here Will had thought she had it easy. There was nothing easy about Alzheimer's.

She shrugged. "He probably won't ever know who you are, which is kind of awful. My mother-well, let's just say I think she's changed. She's going to like you when she gets to know you."

The dragon lady? Doubtful, but Will wasn't going to try to talk Alex out of this fantastic idea. "What about Emma? I wouldn't try to replace her dad."

Alex snorted. "Oh, feel free. And if you introduce her to Rocky, that should be enough to impress her."

Really? Could everything be this simple?

Maybe it was time for simple.

Chapter 11.

June

Alexandra was nervous. So nervous she had trouble deciding between a cute but faded red gingham bikini left over from college and a plain black one-piece that screamed "depressed middle-aged mom."

Well, she was far from depressed, she wasn't quite thirty yet, and her figure was still good enough to rock the two-piece. It wasn't as if she would be parading around at a public beach-they would just be swimming in Will's farmpond, which was, he a.s.sured her, spring-fed and shallow enough at the edges so Emma wouldn't drown. There was even a little dock and a rowboat. And anyway, she might not even remove her white eyelet cover-up, depending on how the day went.

Today was the day for Emma to meet Will.

Tomorrow, the whole Garrity clan would be over for a Father's Day cookout.

All of them.

She and Will had discussed the weekend strategy at length. Alexandra just wanted to "get it over with," meet everyone en ma.s.se and kind of get lost in the Garrity shuffle. Emma would have plenty of other kids to play with, and there would be lots of distractions.

It would be nothing like next week, when Elizabeth Elliot had decreed a formal sit-down dinner to meet Alexandra's "new friend." Bridget was probably polishing the silver right now.

Will was much more than a friend.

They'd seen each other almost every night since that night. The s.e.x had only gotten better, if that was possible. Alexandra was allowing herself to be happy, although she wanted to knock on wood in the worst way.

What if Emma didn't like Will? She could be shy around strangers. What if Will talked to her in that weird fake voice adults used on kids?

Alexandra felt a twinge between her eyebrows. She was borrowing trouble. There was plenty of built-in trouble already. She was a divorced woman, and Will's family was close-knit and traditional. h.e.l.l, his mother went to ma.s.s at St. Patrick's twice a week. Will told her not to worry, but she couldn't help it. No mother ever thought any woman was good enough for her son.

And an only son? Alexandra shivered, and it wasn't because of the bikini.

"Mommy?"

She turned to see Emma standing in the doorway wearing her new Frozen bathing suit, her water wings already on.

"Hey, dumpling. We still have to ride in the car. Let's take those off and put a shirt on."

"But you said we're going swimming!"

"We are, but we're having a picnic first. You helped Bridget make the sandwiches, remember?" Peanut b.u.t.ter for Emma, roast beef and Swiss for the grown-ups.

"I ate mine already."

"Well, you'll have to be patient. Will will be hungry."

Emma laughed. "Will-will. That's a silly name."

"His real name is William." Alexandra slipped the inflatables off and tucked them in her tote bag.

"Like the prince."

The apple didn't fall far from the tree. Alexandra's mother copped to a serious royalty fetish, and thought Prince Harry was an adorable rascal. Any time Kate appeared on People's cover, the issue somehow found its way into the house along with the more high-brow Vanity Fair, New Yorker and Vogue.

"Exactly like the prince. Except he has lots more hair, and is much more handsome."

"Nana says he's aud-auditing to be my new daddy."

Alexandra was going to strangle her mother.

"Auditioning. And he's not. You have a daddy, even if he lives far away." Rick and Emma were now Skyping once a week, which was strange but better than nothing.

"Are you going to marry William?"

"He hasn't asked me." Yet. But all signs pointed to it. Alexandra rapped her knuckles on the dresser.

If he didn't propose, she would do the honors herself, providing she survived the weekend.

"Can I be a flower girl if he does?"

"Absolutely. In the prettiest dress we can find."

Emma nodded. "Good. I'll go get my shirt and shorts."

Alexandra b.u.t.toned the long eyelet top and gave herself a last appraising look. She'd skipped mascara, and there was a bit of bunny about her face. But Will had seen her without make-up before, and wouldn't be scared off by her blond-tipped lashes. Why, just yesterday he'd washed every inch of her in his shower and got her dirty all over again.

Oh G.o.d. It wouldn't do to relive that particular scene at the moment. She was in mom-mode, and would have to be respectable if it killed her.

The drive to Will's took less than ten minutes down a winding country road. The house was set back, a huge barn next to it. Alexandra had visited the barn-c.u.m-workshop several times, and admired Will's organization skills. He'd come a long way from the smarta.s.s slacker he'd been in high school. He ran a business in less than ideal economic times, and he was doing okay.

His crew was finished at Tonya La.s.siter's, and the addition was spectacular. Tonya had referred his company to a friend in New London, and they were all making the trek to rehab a big shingled house on the beach every morning. Sometimes Alexandra met him after work when she could, and they walked along the sh.o.r.eline. It was too early in the season for crowds, so they usually had the beach to themselves once his guys took off.

They didn't have to talk much, just hold hands and watch the cold waves lap at their ankles. She was more comfortable with Will than she'd been with any man.

It was almost too good to be true. Alexandra was waiting for the shoe to drop-today might be the day.

"Hey." Will stepped out the kitchen door, wearing Hawaiian board shorts and a Patriot's shirt. His hair was damp from a shower, and he had Rocky on a leash. The dog almost yanked him down the steps as he made a beeline for them. Rocky had fallen in love with Alexandra, and the feeling was more or less mutual as long as she had a clothes roller handy.

Her daughter stopped by the Audi and squeezed her hand hard.

"It's okay. Rocky just wants to sniff and kiss you," Will said, staying where he was. "Your mom says you like dogs, but I can put him in his kennel if you want me to."

"In a cage? That's not nice," Emma said, frowning. Her hand relaxed a little in Alexandra's.

"I have to say, Rocky agrees with you. He thinks he owns the whole house. Except for upstairs. He's afraid of the steps."

"I'm not afraid of steps. I'm not afraid of anything."

Alexandra didn't contradict her, though she was fully aware Emma hated spiders, clowns, and thunderstorms.

"Really? I'm afraid of scary movies. Termites. The IRS. A bunch of other stuff, but Rocky protects me." Will winked at Alexandra.

"Does he bite?"

"Nope. Do you want to come over and pet him? I'll make sure he behaves." Will dropped to the gra.s.s and put an arm around the dog. Rocky's tail was wagging like crazy, and his tongue lolled out of his mouth in a deranged doggy smile.

Emma and Alexandra walked slowly over to where they sat. Alexandra went first, smoothing back the velvet fur over Rocky's eyes. "He likes to have his ears scratched," she said to Emma.

After some hesitation, Emma reached out. Rocky licked the little hand and Emma giggled. "He tickles!"

"Tickle him back. You can rub his tummy too."

Alexandra met Will's eyes over her daughter's blond head and Rocky's black and white one. It was going to be...right. The three of them, and Rocky, were going to make this work.

"I have something to ask you," she said.

"That's funny. I have something to ask you too," Will replied. "And I've got something in my pocket you might like. But first, what's this I hear about sandwiches? Rocky loves sandwiches."

Epilogue.