"This is Shay Morrison, Mrs. Higgins. And, Shay, this is the only woman in my life," Ian said, placing an affectionate arm around the woman, who blushed girlishly. "She's refused my proposals of marriage, but I couldn't live without her."
"Hello, Mrs. Higgins," Shay said.
"Hello, Miss Morrison. Welcome. Don't believe a word this boy says. He's always teasing. And he's far too handsome for his own good." She looked at Ian with a scolding expression, but her eyes sparkled fondly. "Would you like coffee now? I baked some gingerbread."
"We'd love some, thank you. But Shay wants to see the house first."
"It'll be ready when you are," the woman called over her shoulder as she turned back toward the kitchen.
"She's a jewel," Shay said as Ian led her into the stately dining room. "Where did you find her?"
"At church. Her husband died right after I came here. All her children had left home and had families of their own. She was deteriorating quickly because she didn't have anyone to fuss over anymore. Her family had been her whole life. So I asked her if she'd be interested in coming in for a few hours every day to cook my meals and do light housekeeping. She was here at seven the next morning." He smiled warmly. "Sometimes I have to shoo her out the door."
"You really are a very nice man," Shay said, tilting her head to the side as though assessing him for the first time. "And Mrs. Higgins was right. You're far too handsome for your own good."
"Prove it." Taking her hand, he dragged her into a tight space between the heavy living-room door and the wall.
"Prove what?" she asked, lightheaded and breathless at the way he anchored her against him.
"That you think I'm handsome." His mouth grazed hers, their noses bumped, their bodies molded together. "Put your arms around my neck." She obliged, using unnecessarily languid movements that caused their stomachs and hips to rub together. He groaned her name softly and buried his face in her neck. "I'm so glad you're here," he whispered.
"Prove it."
"Prove what?"
"That you're glad I'm here. Kiss me long and hard."
"My pleasure."
The tour of the house was delayed a good fifteen minutes. Mrs. Higgins was expressing worry about her gingerbread cooling off by the time they completed the tour and walked arm in arm into the kitchen, feeling flushed and short-winded. Their discomposure had nothing to do with the steep flight of stairs they'd climbed to the second story.
Shay couldn't remember a day she had enjoyed more. The weather was glorious. The sapphire sky provided a contrast to the vibrant fall colors that splashed the landscape like spilled paint on a canvas.
They ate lunch in a sandwich shop owned by a young couple who were members of Ian's church. He took every opportunity to introduce Shay to the many people who spoke to him as he showed her the interesting landmarks of the town. He seemed proud to have her on his arm. She wasn't greeted with the suspicion or censure she had feared, but rather with hopeful curiosity. Apparently everyone in Ian's congregation was concerned about their pastor's single state and hoped he would soon remedy it.
Shay smiled a sad, secret smile. If they were counting on her to fill that void in his life, they were in for a disappointment. She didn't know what the future had in store for them, but she'd never make a minister's wife. A minister's mistress? That, too, was out of the question. Then what was she doing here?
Enjoying myself, she told herself adamantly. No harm can come of this. She pushed all her disturbing thoughts aside, determined not to let them cloud her pleasure in the day.
To her regret, Ian had to spend a couple of hours in the afternoon studying his sermon for the following day. "I've worked on it all week, but I need to go over my notes once more." They were on the front porch of the inn where he had secured her a room. Her bags had already been taken upstairs by the kindly man who served both as desk manager and bellman. "You don't mind being left alone for a while, do you?"
"Of course not. I had to get up early this morning. I think I'll take a nap."
"Okay. I'll be by at six-thirty. If you need anything, call the house. You won't disturb me."
"Then why are you leaving me here? Why can't I just come home with you?"
He hugged her fiercely and growled in her ear, "Because you disturb me."
The church supper was boisterous and fun. The hall behind the sanctuary was jammed with a noisy crowd of people of all ages, from old men discussing the sad state of public affairs to children darting through the adults in a perpetual game of chase. Several ladies of the church had been simmering the thick, rich chowder all day, and it made a warm, filling supper for the nippy evening.
By mid-afternoon, word had spread that Reverend Douglas was bringing a lady friend to the supper that night. Shay had entered the hall with a timidity that irritated her. At one and the same time, she longed for everyone's approval and resented the fact that she wanted it so badly. She needn't have worried. She was accepted warmly into the fold. Within half an hour she felt relaxed and joined freely in the jocularity.
When the last of the dessert cakes had been devoured, Ian brought a microphone to the small stage and asked for everyone's attention.
"We still have a lot of tickets on sale back there," he said. "Remember all proceeds go to the purchase of the old Windsor house, which will be converted into a youth center. I want to provide all you tight-fisted gentlemen with a little incentive. Shay," he called to her behind a curtain, where she was slipping on the mink jacket.
Out she came, swathed in the fur, bundled up like the cutest snow bunny ever to grace the slopes. Wolf whistles and catcalls filled the hall. The men in the audience applauded loudly, while their wives, Shay noticed, cast covetous glances at the luscious fur.