One Night Only (20 page)

“Em
,
no
,
it
’
s
no
t
he
r
birthda
y
.
.
.
I
.
.
.
ar
e
yo
u
trying t
o
chang
e
th
e
subject?
”
h
e
asked
.

“Wha
t
subject
?
M
e
smoking?
”

“
W
ell,
yes,
you
smoking.
Y
ou
know
I
hate
you
smokin
g
an
d
it
’
s
no
t
goo
d
i
f
we’r
e
goin
g
t
o
.
.
.
”

H
e
traile
d
of
f
an
d
a
t
tha
t
momen
t
T
es
s
kne
w
tha
t
her
suspicion
s
wer
e
true
.
Suddenl
y
th
e
deliciou
s
arom
a
of
garli
c
an
d
ginge
r
turne
d
sou
r
,
th
e
win
e
sh
e
ha
d
jus
t
sipped taste
d
bitte
r
an
d
eve
n
th
e
lingerin
g
warmt
h
o
f
hi
s
kiss
mad
e
he
r
shudde
r
.

“Rob
,
I
thin
k
w
e
nee
d
t
o
tal
k
.
.
.
again,
”
sh
e
sai
d
and waite
d
fo
r
hi
s
fac
e
t
o
fal
l
a
s
i
t
alway
s
di
d
whe
n
they broache
d
th
e
whol
e
bab
y
subject
.

“Look
,
I’
m
sorry
!
Jus
t
forge
t
it
.
Let
’
s
no
t
rui
n
what wa
s
suppose
d
t
o
b
e
a
lovel
y
,
romanti
c
evening,
”
h
e
said
.

Sh
e
fel
t
s
o
ba
d
fo
r
him
.
H
e
ha
d
pu
t
s
o
muc
h
effor
t
into th
e
food
,
th
e
wine
,
eve
n
th
e
backgroun
d
musi
c
was tastefu
l
bu
t
th
e
calenda
r
ha
d
jus
t
throw
n
everythin
g
off
th
e
boi
l
an
d
no
w
sh
e
wante
d
t
o
shak
e
hi
m
fo
r
not
listenin
g
t
o
wha
t
wa
s
no
w
beginnin
g
t
o
soun
d
lik
e
a
very
worn-out
,
scrape
d
record
.

“
I
can
’
t
jus
t
forge
t
abou
t
it,
”
sai
d
T
ess
.
“
I
can
’
t
jus
t
sit a
t
th
e
tabl
e
an
d
loo
k
lovingl
y
i
n
you
r
eye
s
whe
n
I
know yo
u
ha
d
a
n
ulterio
r
motiv
e
fo
r
tonight
,
Rob
.
I’
m
o
n
the
pill
,
Rob
!
M
y
ovulatio
n
dat
e
i
s
irrelevant
!
N
o
matte
r
how m
an
y
time
s
yo
u
tr
y
an
d
tric
k
m
e
wit
h
you
r
sper
m
disgui
se
d
b
y
a
romanti
c
dinne
r
,
i
t
won
’
t
mak
e
on
e
blin
d
bi
t
of difference!
”

Th
e
blood
y
calenda
r
wa
s
stil
l
catchin
g
he
r
ey
e
a
t
every
turnaround
.
Sh
e
walke
d
toward
s
i
t
an
d
rippe
d
i
t
down
.

“Wha
t
ar
e
yo
u
doing
,
T
ess
?
Si
t
dow
n
an
d
relax
.
Please
babe
,
forge
t
abou
t
al
l
tha
t
then
.
I
shouldn
’
t
hav
e
.
. .
I
just though
t
.
.
.
”

“
Y
ou
just
thought
of
yourself,”
she
said,
knowing
that
he
r
word
s
wer
e
cuttin
g
hi
m
i
n
tw
o
bu
t
sh
e
couldn
’
t
help it
.
“
Y
o
u
though
t
o
f
yoursel
f
an
d
you
r
ow
n
desire
s
bu
t
you
didn
’
t
eve
n
discus
s
thi
s
wit
h
me
.
I
fee
l
a
s
i
f
yo
u
were sneakin
g
behin
d
m
y
back
.
I
fee
l
lik
e
you’v
e
betraye
d
me, Rob.
”

Hi
s
gorgeou
s
fac
e
crumple
d
no
w
an
d
h
e
couldn
’
t
even
loo
k
he
r
i
n
th
e
eye
.
Sh
e
kne
w
h
e
wante
d
a
bab
y
.
Sh
e
knew
tha
t
fro
m
da
y
on
e
bu
t
h
e
kne
w
tha
t
i
t
woul
d
hav
e
t
o
happen whe
n
the
y
wer
e
bot
h
read
y
an
d
tha
t
wa
s
someth
in
g
th
at
the
y
jus
t
couldn
’
t
agre
e
on
.