Free Desire After Dark: A Gansett Island Novel by Marie Force

and then there’s Gansett small,” Quinn said with a small grin.
    Watching their back-and-forth, Erin could see how hard Lizzie was trying to convince her brother-in-law to embrace her project. She wanted him to be the staff physician at the new facility. While Quinn resembled his older brother in looks,he had none of Jared’s easygoing charm or wit. Quinn was more buttoned down, somber.
    Though intrigued by the James family dynamic as talk turned to holiday plans, Erin found herself watching the door, waiting and anticipating. Any minute now. God, she was like a silly teenage girl waiting for her boyfriend to arrive. Could she be any more ridiculous? Except, that was how she felt. Her skinprickled with awareness of him, and he hadn’t even arrived yet. Knowing he was on his way had her heart beating faster. Her face felt warm, and she was probably flushed, giving away her secrets to the room full of friends.
    Eager for a moment alone to get ahold of herself before he got there, she went into the kitchen for a glass of ice water.
    Naturally, Jenny followed her and insistedon getting the water for her.
    Erin took a sip, the cold liquid soothing her parched throat.
    “You going to be all right?” Jenny asked in a teasing tone.
    “I don’t know. I’m all wound up inside over him, and I shouldn’t be. He’s here for a short visit, and then he’s going back to Florida for the rest of the winter. What can possibly come of it?”
    “Erin… Really? You’re honestlyasking that? You’re not indentured to the island and the lighthouse. You could go with him.”
    “I don’t know. Nothing has been decided.”
    “You should go and see what happens. What do you have to lose? If it doesn’t work out, you can come back here for the summer.”
    “I have everything to lose. I can’t… I don’t know if I’m ready for what this could be.”
    Jenny left her perchby the sink and crossed the room to where Erin leaned against the counter. She put her hands on Erin’s shoulders, forcing her to make eye contact. “I’ve been right where you are. When Alex and his ghastly lawn mower came roaring into my life, I wasn’t in any way prepared to contend with him and all the things he wanted from me. In fact, neither was he with everything that was going on with hismom. But look at what we would’ve missed if we hadn’t found the courage to take a chance.”
    Oh God , Erin thought, I’m going to cry . She blinked furiously to keep the tears contained.
    Jenny hugged her. “It’s so frightening to risk more than we can afford to lose. I get that. I get it better than anyone else ever could. But Toby would want us to be happy, Er. I have to believe that,or I wouldn’t be able to get through the day.”
    Clinging to Jenny and her wisdom, Erin nodded.
    “If I can do it, so can you.”
    Erin laughed and drew back from the woman who’d become her touchstone after they lost Toby. “I never would’ve survived without you.”
    “Ditto. But we can do better than survive. We can thrive . And someday, after we’re done here, we’ll see him again.I want him to be proud of me when that day comes.”
    “So do I.” Erin took a deep breath, trying to pull herself together. “I admire you more than anyone. I hope you know that.”
    “The feeling is definitely mutual. And… I think your guy is here.”
    Erin was on the verge of reminding Jenny that he wasn’t her guy when Slim came into the kitchen and made a liar out of her. Her heartnearly leapt from her chest at the sight of his handsome, smiling face as well as the windblown hair and the rugged leather jacket he wore. He was like a fantasy come to life, and his dark eyes drank her in.
    “Is that Alex calling me?” Jenny asked, scooting from the kitchen to give them a moment alone.
    “She’s nothing if not subtle,” he said.
    “Always has been her strong suit.”
    He came over to her, making her entire body go haywire in reaction to his nearness. What. The. Hell .
    Unsure