“You lost a husband,” he reminded her.

“Exactly as I said. Nothing very dear.”

He made a sound that was almost a laugh. “Now you got some old vet taking up space in your house.”

“You fit in so well, too. You hardly ever visit that house in Elmore anymore,” she said.

“I almost never go to that house. I keep it as insurance for you.”

She looked over her shoulder at him. “What does that mean?”

“Means I don’t want you to worry none if you start to feel crowded and need your space—there’s a place I can go. But I ain’t got hardly a shirt left over there anymore. I never thought I’d end up living in some woman’s house. Who’d a thought there’d be a woman could put up with me?”

“You’re the easiest man I’ve ever known.”

“No one ever accused me of that before.”

“Rawley, I’ve been happy.” She patted one of the hands that massaged her tight shoulders. “You’re a good man.”

“I’ll do my best never to be a burden.”

“I’m the burden!” she said. “Bad knees, sore back and neck, a family that just seems to grow, friends who count on me, a demanding business!”

He leaned forward and kissed her cheek right below the ear. His lips were dry and his face whiskery, but she leaned back against him for a moment.

“We get along fine,” he said. “And you just tell me when you need something. I’ll help if I can and get out of the way if I can’t. Since we don’t have all that much time, might as well enjoy it.”

“I hope there’s plenty of time!” she said. “I might be getting creaky but I’m not ready to give up. Especially now that life’s gotten so sweet.”

“Maybe I should’ve said, there ain’t likely to be enough time. I know what. Let’s find the lotion and I’ll give you a proper rubdown. Get some of those creaks out.”

“That sounds lovely.”

Carrie went to her bedroom; the lotion was on the bedside table. The television was turned off and Rawley padded into the bedroom in his stocking feet. Carrie lay down on her side and, after just a minute, Rawley lay down behind her, rubbing lotion between his leathery palms. She lifted her pajama top all the way up, almost over her shoulders, baring her back and most of her front.

“My hands are gonna be a little cold,” he said.

“I think maybe you should consider renting that house in Elmore. You could let it bring you some income.”

“You in need of money, girl?”

She sighed. “No, Rawley. For the first time in my life, I think I have everything I need.”

“Then maybe we’ll sell that house. Put the money against retirement.” He put a hand on her shoulder and pulled a little, rolling her toward him. “How many houses we need?”

“Only one, as far as I can see,” she said. “Think anyone really notices?”

“In this town they notice everything,” he said. “Think I really care?”

She laughed with him for a minute, then she rolled back so he could rub her back. He had strong, kind hands, the sort of hands she’d never expected to feel on her bare back. “That’s so nice,” she murmured.

Eight

Troy parked his Jeep behind the flower shop and called Grace. “I’m done at Cooper’s. Is it too late for me to come by?”

“I’m with one of my other boyfriends,” she said.

He grinned at that. “Can you ask him to step aside for a little while?”

“Is this a booty call?”

“No, it’s not, as a matter of fact. I wanted to tell you something, but if you turn it into a booty call, I probably won’t fight you off.”

She laughed. “When will you be here?”

“I’m parked in the alley. And it’s not really so late.”

“Come up!”

He was already standing at the top of the stairs when she opened the door.

“You didn’t work very late tonight,” she said, pulling him inside. She put her arms around his neck, kissing him. “You know what? I really like this boyfriend stuff. It’s very convenient. I was just thinking about a kiss.”

He pulled her closer. “You were, were you?” He nuzzled her neck and pressed against her. He fit so well against her soft curves, even though she was much shorter. He put his hands under her butt and lifted her, lining them up even better. Then he kissed her again.

“I thought you wanted to tell me something,” she whispered against his lips.

“Right,” he said distractedly, kissing her again. “No rush.” Of course he began to grow against her enticing form.

“If you keep this up, you’ll forget what you wanted to tell me,” she warned him.

“No worries. It’ll come back to me. You okay?”

“With you? Always okay.”

He kept kissing, then touching, then gyrating. “Aw, Gracie,” he moaned. “Let’s talk a little later, all right?”

“All right.”

“Bed? Sofa? Table? Floor?” He swallowed. “Wall?”

She giggled.

“I could rip your clothes off right here,” he said.

“Oh? And do you sew?” She pulled his hand from her breast and led him to the bed. “It will be more practical if we just undress. Ripping and tearing could be fun, but problematic.”

“What if I’m feeling a little wild?” he asked, smiling into her pretty eyes.

“You can get a little wild when we’re naked,” she said, dropping her jeans and shedding her denim shirt.

“I can do that,” he said, getting rid of his clothes even faster. She was down to her tiny panties, so sheer and small they almost weren’t there. He followed her onto the bed and reached for those panties with one big hand. “Oops,” he said, ripping a short seam.

“You’re very hard on my underwear.”

“I’m surprised you have any left,” he said.

“I love my panties.”

“Not as much as I do! God, Gracie, I think you were expecting me,” he said, covering her mouth with his and separating her knees with one of his. “You have no idea what you do to me.”

“Just as long as I can do it to you again,” she whispered. “And again...”