“I’m sorry about the party tonight,” he murmured, and she couldn’t doubt the sincerity in his voice.

  “No, I’m the one who should be sorry. I said so many terrible things to you.” Tipping her head back so she could gaze into his impassioned eyes, she spoke again. “I’m amazed you put up with me.” Lovingly, she traced the proud line of his jaw; a finger paused to investigate the tiny cleft in his chin. Unable to resist, she kissed him there and loved the sound of his groan.

  “Ashley,” he warned, “please, it’s hard enough keeping my hands off you.”

  “It is? Really? Oh, Cooper, really?”

  “Yes, so don’t tease.”

  “I think that’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me.”

  His hand curved around her waist as he brought her down the last step. “Have you eaten dinner?”

  “No, I didn’t have time. You?”

  “I’m starved. Maybe we can dig up something in the kitchen.”

  She couldn’t see why they needed to look for anything. Her mother did the cooking for him, and there were bound to be leftovers. “Mom—”

  “I gave her the rest of the month off,” he explained before she could finish.

  “Well, in that case, I vote for pizza.”

  “Pizza?” He glanced at her, aghast.

  “All right, you choose.” She placed an arm around him and smiled deeply into his dark eyes.

  “Let’s look.” Together they rounded the corner that led to the kitchen. He checked the refrigerator and turned, shaking his head. “I don’t know how we’d manage to make pizza from any of this.”

  “Not make,” she corrected. “Order. All we need to do is phone and wait for the delivery guy.”

  “Amazing.” He tilted his head at an inquiring angle. “Is this something you and this Webber fellow do often?” A denial rose automatically to her lips, but she successfully swallowed it back. “Sometimes. And his name is Dennis Webb.”

  The corner of his mouth lifted in a half smile. “Sorry.” But he didn’t look the least bit repentant.

  “Do you want me to order?”

  He straightened and leaned against the kitchen counter. “Sure, whatever you want.”

  “Canadian bacon, pineapple and olives.”

  His dark eyes widened questioningly, but he nodded his agreement.

  She couldn’t help laughing. “It tastes great, trust me.”

  “I’m afraid I’ll have to.”

  She used the phone in the kitchen. Cooper regarded her suspiciously when she punched in the number without looking it up in the directory.

  “You know the number by heart? Just how often do you do this?”

  “I’m good with numbers.”

  After placing their order, she turned and smiled seductively. “Shall we play a game of chess while we’re waiting?”

  His look was faintly mocking. “I have a feeling I’d better not.”

  “Why?” she asked, batting her long lashes.

  “If I say yes, then no wagers,” he insisted.

  “You take all the fun out of it,” she said, and feigned a pout. “But I’ll manage to whip you anyway.”

  He chuckled and took her hand, leading them into his den.

  While she set up the game board, Cooper lit the logs in the fireplace. Within minutes flickering shadows played across the walls.

  His eyes were serious as he sat down opposite her. As before, each move was measured and thought-filled. At mid-game the advantage was Ashley’s. Then the doorbell chimed, interrupting their concentration.

  Cooper answered and returned with a huge flat box, his look slightly abashed. “You ordered enough for a family of five,” he chastised her.

  “You said you were hungry,” she argued, not lifting her gaze from the game. Her eyes brightened as she moved and captured his knight, lifting it from the board.

  “How’d you do that?” His expression turned serious as he set the pizza on the hearth to keep warm. “I don’t want to stop now. We can eat later.”

  “I’m hungry,” she insisted slyly.

  He waved her away with the flick of his hand, his attention centered on the board. “You go ahead and eat, then.”

  She left the room and returned a minute later with a plate and napkin, sitting on the floor in front of the fire. The aroma of melted cheese and Canadian bacon filled the room when she lifted the lid. “Yum, this is delicious,” she said after swallowing her first bite.

  A frown drove three wide creases into his brow as he glanced up. “You’re eating in here,” he said, as if noticing her for the first time.

  “I’m not supposed to?” Color invaded her face until her cheeks felt hot. She was always doing something she shouldn’t where Cooper was concerned. Her actions had probably shocked him. No doubt he had never in his entire life eaten any place but on a table with a linen cloth. Pizza on the floor made her look childish and gauche.

  His expression softened. “It’s fine, I’m sure. It’s just that I never have.”

  “Oh.” She felt ridiculously close to tears and bowed her head. The pizza suddenly tasted like glue. She closed the lid, then set her plate aside. “The carpet is probably worth a fortune. I wouldn’t want to ruin it,” she said with total sincerity.

  He put a finger under her chin and raised her eyes to his. “Shh,” he whispered, and gently laid his mouth over hers.

  His kiss had been unexpected, catching her off guard, but quickly she became a willing victim.

  “You’re right,” Cooper murmured, then chuckled. “The pizza does taste good.” He lowered himself onto the floor beside her and helped himself to a piece. “Delicious,” he agreed, his eyes smiling.

  “Can I have a taste?” she asked, a faint smile curving her mouth.

  He held out the triangular wedge. She leaned forward and carefully took a bite.

  “Thank you,” she told him seriously.

  With slow, deliberate movements, he placed the pizza box, plates and napkins aside, and reached for her.

  Ashley moved willingly into his arms. Sliding her hands around his neck, she raised her face, eager for his attention. Her mouth was trembling in anticipation when he claimed it. A feeling of warmth wove its way through her and seemed to touch Cooper as the kiss deepened.

  Somewhere, a long way in the distance, a bell began to chime. Fleetingly, she wondered why it had taken so long to hear bells when Cooper kissed her.

  Abruptly, he broke away, grumbling something unintelligible. He briefly touched his mouth to her cheek before he stood and answered the phone.

  Six

  “It’s Claudia,” Cooper said, holding out the receiver.

  Ashley stood, her movements awkward as the lingering effects of Cooper’s kiss continued to stir her senses. “Hello.”

  “Ash, I’m sorry,” Claudia began. “I didn’t know Cooper was going to show up. Is everything okay?”

  “Wonderful.”

  “You two aren’t arguing, are you?”

  “Quite the contrary,” Ashley murmured, closing her eyes as Cooper cupped her cheek with his hand. A kaleidoscope of emotions rippled through her.

  “Are the boys down?” Claudia inquired.

  “The boys?” Ashley jerked her eyes open and straightened. “Yes, they’re both asleep.”

  “Seth and I may be several hours yet. If everything’s peaceful, then don’t feel like you need to stay. I’m sure Cooper can handle things if the boys wake up. But they probably won’t.”

  “Okay,” she agreed. “I’ll talk to you later. Don’t worry about anything.”

  The sound of Claudia’s soft laugh came over the line. “I don’t think I need to. Take care.”

  “Bye,” Ashley said, and replaced the phone. “That was Claudia checking on the boys,” she explained unnecessarily.

  “I thought it might be,” he said, and nuzzled the top of her head. “Let’s finish our dinner,” he suggested, taking her by the hand and leading her back to the fireplace.

  They ate in contented silence. His look was thoughtful as he paused once to ask, “Do you pray?”

  The question was completely unexpected.

  “Yes,” she responded simply. “What makes you ask?”

  He shrugged indifferently, and she had the impression he was far more interested than he wanted to admit. “This is the first time I’ve eaten pizza on the floor with a beautiful woman.”

  “Beautiful woman?” she teased. “Where?”

  His eyes were more serious than she had ever seen them. “You,” he answered, and looked away. The steady tone of his voice revealed how sincere he was.

  “There are a lot of things I haven’t done in my life. Prayer is one of them. Tonight when Johnny had me get down on my knees with him…” He let the rest of what he was going to say fade. “It felt right.” He glanced back at her. “Do you kneel down, too, or is that just something for children?”

  “I do on occasion, but it certainly isn’t necessary.”

  Cooper straightened, leaning back against the ottoman. “How do you pray?”

  Ashley was surprised by the directness of his question. “Whole books have been written on the subject. I don’t know if I’m qualified to answer.”

  “I didn’t ask about anyone else, only you,” he countered.

  “Well,” she began, unsure on how best to answer him. “I don’t know that anyone else does it like me.”

  “I’ve noted on several occasions that you’re a free spirit,” he muttered, doing his best to hide his amusement. “Okay, let’s go at this from a different angle. When do you pray?”

  Answering questions was easier for her. “Mostly in the morning, but any time throughout the day. I pray for little things, parking places at the grocery store, and before I pay bills, and over the mail, and also for the big ones, like everyone in my life staying healthy and happy.”

  “Why mostly in the morning?” He regarded her steadily.

  “That’s when I do my devotions,” she explained patiently.

  “What are devotions?”

  “Bible reading and praying,” she told him. “My private time with the Lord. My day goes better when I’ve had a chance to discuss things with Jesus.”

  “You talk to Him as if He were a regular person?”

  “He is,” she said, more forcefully than she intended.

  He paused and appeared to consider her words thoughtfully. “Do you speak to Him conversationally, then?”

  “Yes and no.”

  “You don’t like talking about this, do you?”

  “It isn’t that,” she tried to explain, a soft catch in her voice. “If I tell you…I guess I’m afraid you’ll think it’s silly.”

  “I won’t.” The wealth of tenderness in his voice assured her he wouldn’t.

  “Usually I set aside a formal time for reading my Bible, other devotional books and praying. After I do my Bible reading, I get down on my knees, close my eyes and picture myself on a beautiful beach.” She glanced up hesitantly, and Cooper nodded. The warmth in his look seemed to caress her, and she continued. “The scene is perfectly set in my mind. The waves are crashing against the sandy shore and easing back into the sea. I envision the tiny bubbles popping against the sand as the water ebbs out. This is where I meet Christ.”

  “Does He talk to you?”

  “Not with words.” She looked away uneasily. “I don’t know how to explain this part. I know He hears me, and I know He answers my prayers. I see the evidence of that every day. But as for Him verbally speaking to me, I’d have to say no, though I hear His voice in other ways.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “I’m not sure I can explain, I just do.”

  Cooper seemed to accept that. “Then all you do is talk. You make it sound too easy.” He seemed unsure, and she hastened to arrest his doubts.

  “No, I spend part of the time thanking Him or…praising Him would be a better description, I guess. Another part is spent going over the previous day and asking His forgiveness for any wrongs I’ve done.”

  “That shouldn’t take a lot of time,” he teased.

  “Longer than I care to admit,” she informed him sheepishly and mentally added that the time had increased since she’d been seeing Cooper. “I also keep a list of requests that I pray about regularly and go down each one.”

  “Am I on your list?” The question was asked so softly that she wasn’t sure he’d even spoken.

  “Yes,” she answered. “I pray for you every day,” she admitted, her voice gaining intensity. She didn’t add that all the people she loved were on her list. To avoid other questions she continued speaking. “For a while I wrote out my prayers. That was years ago, and it became a journal of God’s faithfulness. But I can’t write as fast as I can think, so I found that often I’d lose my train of thought. But I’ve saved those journals and sometimes read over them. When I do, I’m amazed again at God’s goodness to me.”

  A baby’s frantic cry broke into their conversation. “Scotty,” Ashley said, bounding to her feet. “I’ll go see what’s wrong.”

  Scotty was standing in the crib, holding onto the sides. His crying grew louder and more desperate as she hurried into the room.

  “What’s wrong, Scotty?” she asked soothingly. Soft light from the hallway illuminated the dark recess of the bedroom. She lifted him out of the crib and hugged him close. Checking his diaper, she noted that he didn’t seem to be wet. Probably he’d been frightened by a nightmare. Settling him in her arms, she sat in the rocking chair and rocked until she was sure he was back to sleep. With a kiss on the top of his head, she placed him back in his crib.

  Cooper was waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs.

  “He’s asleep again,” she whispered.

  “I made coffee, would you like a cup?”

  She smiled her appreciation. He curved an arm around her narrow waist, bringing her close to his side as he led her back into the den. A silver tea service was set on his desk. She saw that the remains of their dinner had been cleared away, along with their chess game. Biting into her bottom lip to contain her amusement, she decided not to comment on what a neat-freak he was.

  He poured the steaming liquid into the china cups, then offered her one. Her hand shook momentarily as she accepted it. Dainty pieces of delicate china made her nervous, and she would have much preferred a ceramic mug.

  “This set is lovely,” she said, holding the cup in one hand. Tiny pink rosebuds, faded with age, decorated the teacup. She balanced the matching saucer in the palm of her other hand.

  “It was my grandmother’s,” he said proudly. “There are only a few of the original pieces left.”

  “Oh.” Her index finger tightened around the porcelain handle. In her nervousness, her hand wobbled and the boiling hot coffee sloshed over the side onto her hand and her lap, immediately soaking through her thin corduroy jeans. With a gasp of pain, she jumped to her feet. The saucer flew out of her lap and smashed against the leg of the desk, shattering into a thousand pieces.

  “Ashley, are you all right?” Cooper bounded to his feet beside her.

  Stunned, she couldn’t move, her eyes fixed on the broken china as despair filled her. “I’m so sorry,” she mumbled. Her voice cracked, and she swallowed past the huge lump building in her throat.

  “Forget the china,” he said, and took the teacup out of her hand. “It doesn’t matter, none of it matters.”

  “It does matter!” she cried, her voice wobbling uncontrollably. “It matters very much.”

  “You’ve got to get that hand in ice water. What about your leg? Is it badly burned?” He tugged at her elbow, almost dragging her into the kitchen. He brought her to the sink and stuck her hand under the cold water. She looked down to see an angry red patch on the back of her left hand, where the coffee had spilled. Funny, she didn’t feel any pain. Nothing. Only a horrible deep regret.

  “Cooper, please, listen to me. I’m so sorry…your grandmother’s china is ruined because of me.”

  “Keep that hand under the water,” he said, ignoring her words. Then he went to get ice from the automatic dispenser on the refrigerator door.

  Ashley looked away rather than face him. She heard the water splash as he dumped the ice into the sink.

  “What about your leg?” he demanded.

  “It’s fine.” She tilted her chin upward and closed her eyes to forestall the tears. The burns didn’t hurt; if anything, her hand was growing numb with cold. How could she have been so stupid? His grandmother’s china…only a few pieces left. His earlier words echoed in her ears until they were nearly deafening.

  “Ashley,” he whispered, a hand on her shoulder. “Are you all right? You’ve gone pale. Is the pain very bad? Should I take you to a doctor?”

  Talking was impossible, because her throat felt raw and painful, so she shook her head. “Your grandmother’s china,” she said at last, her voice barely above a tortured whisper.

  “Would you quit acting like it’s some great tragedy? You’ve been burned, and that’s far more important than some stupid china.”

  “Do you know what my mother uses for fancy dinners?” she asked in a hoarse voice, then didn’t wait for him to answer. “Dishes she picked up at the grocery store. With every ten dollar purchase she could buy another plate at a discount price.”

  “What has that go to do with anything?” he demanded irritably.

  “Nothing. Everything. I swear I’ll replace the saucer. I’ll contact an antique dealer, I promise…”

  “Ashley, stop.” His firm hands squeezed her shoulders. “Stop right now. I don’t care about a stupid saucer. But I do care about you.” His grip tightened. “The saucer means nothing. Nothing,” he repeated. “Do you understand?”