Local Hero

wife and a new baby on the way, and Julia’s in Atlanta. She’s a disc jockey.”
    “No kidding?”
    “Wake up, Atlanta, it’s 6:00 a.m., time for three hits in a row.” She laughed a little as she thought of her sister. “I’d give anything to take Rad down for a visit.”
    “Miss them?”
    “It’s just hard thinking how spread out we all are. I know how nice it would be for Rad to have more family close by.”
    “What about Hester?”
    She looked over at him, a bit surprised to see how natural Radley looked dozing in the crook of his arm. “I have Rad.”
    “And that’s enough?”
    “More than.” She smiled; then, uncurling her legs, she rose. “And speaking of Rad, I’d better take him in to bed.”
    Mitch picked the boy up and settled him over his shoulder. “I’ll carry him.”
    “Oh, that’s all right. I do it all the time.”
    “I’ve got him.” Radley turned his face into Mitch’s neck. What an amazing feeling, he thought, a little shaken by it. “Just show me where.”
    Telling herself it was silly to feel odd, Hester led him into Radley’s bedroom. The bed had been made à la Rad, which meant the
Star Wars
spread was pulled up over rumpled sheets. Mitch narrowly missed stepping on a pint-size robot and a worn rag dog. There was a night-light burning by the dresser, because for all Radley’s bravado he was still a bit leery about what might or might not be in the closet.
    Mitch laid him down on the bed, then began to help Hester take off the boy’s sneakers. “You don’t have to bother.” Hester untangled a knot in the laces with the ease of experience.
    “It’s not a bother. Does he use pajamas?” Mitch was already tugging off Radley’s jeans. In silence, Hester moved over to Radley’s dresser and took out his favorites. Mitch studied the bold imprint of Commander Zark. “Good taste. It always ticked me off they didn’t come in my size.”
    The laugh relaxed her again. Hester bundled the top over Radley’s head while Mitch pulled the bottoms over his legs.
    “Kid sleeps like a rock.”
    “I know. He always has. He rarely woke up during the night even as a baby.” As a matter of habit, she picked up the rag dog and tucked it in beside him before kissing his cheek. “Don’t mention Fido,” she murmured. “Radley’s a bit sensitive about still sleeping with him.”
    “I never saw a thing.” Then, giving in to the need, he brushed a hand over Radley’s hair. “Pretty special, isn’t he?”
    “Yes, he is.”
    “So are you.” Mitch turned and touched her hair in turn. “Don’t close up on me, Hester,” he said as she shifted her gaze away from his. “The best way to accept a compliment is to say thank you. Give it a shot.”
    Embarrassed more by her reaction to him than by his words, she made herself look at him. “Thank you.”
    “That’s a good start. Now let’s try it again.” He slipped his arms around her. “I’ve been thinking about kissing you again for almost a week.”
    “Mitch, I—”
    “Did you forget your line?” She’d lifted her hands to his shoulders to hold him off. But her eyes . . . He much preferred the message he read in them. “That was another compliment. I don’t make a habit of thinking about a woman who goes out of her way to avoid me.”
    “I haven’t been. Exactly.”
    “That’s okay, because I figured it was because you couldn’t trust yourself around me.”
    That had her eyes locking on his again, strong and steady. “You have an amazing ego.”
    “Thanks. Let’s try another angle, then.” As he spoke, he moved his hand up and down her spine, lighting little fingers of heat. “Kiss me again, and if the bombs don’t go off this time, I’ll figure I was wrong.”
    “No.” But despite herself she couldn’t dredge up the will to push him away. “Radley’s—”
    “Sleeping like a rock, remember?” He touched his lips, very gently, to the swelling under her eye. “And even if he woke up, I don’t think the sight of me kissing his mother would give him nightmares.”
    She started to speak again, but the words were only a sigh as his mouth met hers. He was patient this time, even . . . tender. Yet the bombs went off. She would have sworn they shook the floor beneath her as she dug her fingers hard into his shoulders.
    It was incredible. Impossible. But the need was there, instant, incendiary. It had never been so strong before, not for anyone. Once, when she’d been very young, she’d had