Free All Through The House by Janice Kay Johnson

silence was
stifling.
    Then Kate said, "Can we go?"
    "Why not?" Nate said, gesturing gallantly.
"Ladies first."
    The trail led on a boardwalk across the wet meadow. Water
trickled beneath the walk and the grass was long and lush. Abigail saw the
small splash of a frog diving in and pointed it out to Kate, who squatted with
the ease of the young, her nose almost down to the water.
    Nate watched her with an odd expression. "I have a
niece about her age," he said finally. "I don't see much of
her."
    "How many brothers and sisters do you have?"
    "One sister, two brothers. We're not close. We get
together on Thanksgiving, that's about it."
    When they were under way again, Abigail said, "My
mother is here in Seattle. I'm grateful for that. Dad's dead, and my sister
lives back East, so we don't see her often. At least Kate has her grandmother."
    "To spoil her rotten?"
    "Grandma gave me this shirt," Kate contributed
from her spot in the lead. "And a My Little Pony shirt, too. It's
pink."
    "Your favorite color?"
    She shook her head and dark curls bobbed. "I like
green. Mommy's eyes are green, you know."
    He glanced at Abigail. "I noticed. They're very
pretty."
    "Thank you," Abigail murmured. She dropped back
just a little when Nate said something to her daughter, and watched the two
together. Kate was small and sturdy, her ponytail bobbing and her voice high.
    In contrast to the child, Nate looked even taller and leaner
and more dangerous. His dark-blond hair was just long enough to curl against
his neck, while a lock wanted to hang over his forehead. He kept shoving it
impatiently back. In faded denim jeans and a gray T-shirt, he reminded Abigail
of the first time she'd seen him, plumbing wrench in hand. He looked like he
should be a workingman, the contractor half of his partnership. Only his hands
gave him away. His brown forearms rippled with an easy play of muscle when he
tugged Kate's ponytail as he said something teasing to her, but his long
fingers were unmarred and expressive. She loved his hands, Abigail thought
dreamily.
    She was brought back to herself by the muted roar of the
river, still full with snow-melt this first day of July. They reached the
stairs up to the timber bridge, but Kate dug in her heels at the bottom.
    "Can we wade?" she pleaded.
    "Why don't we do it on our way down?" Nate suggested.
"Our feet will need a soak then."
    She loved his voice, too, Abigail thought; rough-timbred, it
was unmistakable and very sensual.
    Kate nodded docilely, and Abigail rolled her eyes. If she
had been the one to refuse her daughter, the result would have been different.
Kate might be almost five years old, but she was still capable of throwing
temper tantrums. Or whining at the very least.
    But, no, she took Nate's proffered hand and let him help
boost her up the steep plank steps. After peering through the railing at the
river, she galloped ahead. The wooden bridge thundered under her Ked-clad feet.
    Oh, well. Maybe it was his voice. It was enough to make
Abigail want to do what he suggested, too.
    Pausing right over the river, Abigail took a deep breath and
gazed down at the icy, jade-green water. She could see it through the cracks
between planks beneath her feet, too. The sight was enough to remind her of
another pool of water: on the ballroom floor.
    She lifted her gaze to Nate's. "By the way, how are the
roofers coming along?"
    A muscle in his cheek twitched, but he said equably,
"Done, I think. There were just a few loose shingles. No wonder. That's a
damned steep roof to work on. Someone just got careless."
    "You sound more tolerant than Ed Phillips,"
Abigail commented.
    Nate's expression became shuttered. "Ed doesn't have
much patience for human weakness."
    "I...had that impression, too," she admitted,
wondering if she'd stepped off the straight-and-narrow. She usually didn't
discuss clients. Curiosity drove her to take one more small step. "I also
have the impression that you don't like Ed very much."
    Nate's