"I didn't want them panting after me. It sounds very undignified."
She blushed becomingly and Cage couldn't resist rubbing the back of his hand against her cheek. She averted her head and his hand fell to his side. "I figure a man could lose his dignity over you, Jenny," he said reflectively, then picked up in a lighter vein, "but you didn't go out with any other guys because that would have been unfaithful to Hal."
"That's right."
"Even while the two of you were at Texas Christian?"
"Yes."
"Hm." Cage automatically reached for his pack of cigarettes, remembered, and stuffed them back in his pocket. Never did his eyes leave Jenny. "When did Hal propose?"
"A few years ago. I think we were in our senior year at TCU."
"You think? You don't remember? How could you forget an earth-moving moment like that?"
"Don't tease me, Cage."
"The earth didn't move?"
"It isn't like it is in the movies."
"You've been seeing the wrong kind of movies." His eyebrows bobbed up and down lecherously.
"I know what kind you see," she said, slanting him an accusing glance. "The kind Sammy Ma
c Higgins shows in the back room of his pool hall after hours."
Cage tried to keep a straight face at her lofty tone, gave up the attempt, and let that dazzling smile break across his features. "Ladies are invited. Wanna come with me sometime?"
"No!"
"Why not?"
"Why not? I wouldn't be caught dead seeing that kind of movie. They're disgusting."
He leaned forward and taunted, "How do you know if you've never seen one?" She punched him on the shoulder and he moved back, but not without first filling his head with her fresh, flowery scent. Gradually his smile faded to a somber expression as he searched her eyes. "Jenny, when did Hal ask you to marry him?"
"I told you, it—"
"Where were you? Describe the surroundings. What happened? Did he go down on bended knee? Was it in the backseat of his car? In the daytime? At night? In bed? When?"
"Stop it! I told you I don't remember."
"Did he ever?" His voice was so quiet that she snapped to attention.
"What do you mean?"
"Did he ever voice the words aloud? 'Jenny, will you marry me?'"
Her eyes fell away from his. "We've always known we were going to get married."
"Who's always known? You? Hal? Mother and Dad?"
"Yes. Everybody." She turned her back on him and started back toward the house. "I've got to go in and—"
His warm, hard hand closed around her wrist and brought her up short. "Tell Hal not to go on this fool's trip."
She spun around. "What?"