Summer in Eclipse Bay

"No need to analyze it too much. Sex is perfectly natural and there's no reason that two healthy, responsible adults who happen to be single and uncommitted shouldn't enjoy it together."
    She did step back then, slipping out from under his hands. "I'll think about it."
    He did not move. "You'll
think
about it?"
    "Yes." She turned and went down the steps. "I can't give you an answer tonight. I'm not thinking clearly right now, and I don't want to make another rash decision based on overheated emotions. I'm sure you can understand."
    "Now who's panicking?" he asked softly.
    "You think I'm afraid of having an affair with you?"
    "Yeah. That's exactly what I think."
    "Maybe you're right." She sounded regretful but accepting of that possibility. "As you said, I've been under a lot of stress lately. It's difficult to sort out logic and emotions."
    He followed her down the steps, shadowing her to the car. When she stopped beside the vehicle he stopped too, very close behind her. He reached around her, letting his fingers skim across the lush curve of her hip, and opened the door.
    "I'll see you in the morning," he said. "Meanwhile, try to get some sleep."
    She slipped into the front seat. "I'm sure I'll sleep just fine, thank you."
    "Lucky you."
    She started to put the key into the ignition and then paused. "One more thing I wanted to say."
    He gripped the top of the car door. "What's that?"
    "I think you should give Jeremy a call. Invite him out for a beer or whatever men do when they want to talk things over."
    "Now, just why in hell would I want to do that?"
    "Because you were once good friends and there's no reason why you can't be friends again. Deep down, he knows that you didn't have an affair with his wife."
    She turned the key in the ignition, pulled the door shut, and drove away into the night.

Chapter 16
    Nick knew it was going to be a bad day when he drove into the parking lot of the Incandescent Body bakery the following morning shortly after ten and saw the black limo sitting near the front door. The driver was behind the wheel, sipping coffee and reading a newspaper.
    "I don't need this," Nick said to himself while Carson scrambled out of the backseat. "I definitely do not need this."
    Carson looked up at him. "What don't you need, Dad?"
    "You'll find out in a minute." He closed the rear door and started toward the entrance to the bakery.
    "I'm gonna have hot chocolate and an orange muffin this time," Carson announced with relish. "And we can get some coffee and a muffin for Miss Brightwell, too, okay?"
    "I'm gonna have to think about that." He was still feeling pretty pissed off by her parting remarks last night, he thought. She'd had a lot of nerve suggesting that he take the lead in repairing his shattered friendship with Jeremy.
    Carson looked startled. "How come? We always bring her some coffee and a muffin."
    "The situation is getting complicated."
    "But we gotta take her coffee and a muffin. We always take her that stuff. She'spects it now. Dad, you promised you wouldn't do anything to make her mad."
    "Okay, okay, we'll get her coffee and a muffin."
    He opened the door of the bakery. Carson spotted the two men sitting at the small table immediately. Excitement galvanized him into motion. He raced forward at full speed.
    "Great-Granddad."
Carson looked back over his shoulder. "Dad, it's
Great-Granddad.
He's here."
    "I noticed," Nick said. He met Sullivan's eyes over the top of Carson's head. Then he flicked a glance at Mitchell, who was looking smug. "What a surprise."
    He took his time following Carson to the table where the two men sat together over coffee. Two canes were propped against one of the chairs. Misleading, those canes, Nick thought. At first glance you might make the mistake of assuming that they indicated weakness. Nothing could be further from the truth.
    He had seen photos of Mitch and Sullivan when they had been in the military together decades earlier. They had been young men in their prime at the time, strong and competent, ready to take on their futures. But the picture had been taken shortly after they had survived the hell of combat in a far-off jungle, and the experience had left an indelible imprint on them. If you looked closely, you could still see it in their eyes today. These were two very tough men, the kind you wanted at your back if you decided to walk down a dark alley.
    They were also both stubborn as hell and downright bloody-minded when it came to getting their own