She vowed she would not see Ginny again. At least, not alone. Last night, she had come so close to losing herself in Ginny’s soft mouth. She had wanted to touch her. She had wanted to pull her to the forest floor and make love to her. Only Ginny’s frightened eyes had stopped her from taking what she wanted.

And of course, Ginny had no idea how close she had been. Kara wanted her with a passion that surprised even her. Ginny’s body had been soft, yielding and responsive. Ginny’s body had begged to be touched and she probably didn’t even know it herself. Only the look in her eyes had stopped Kara.

And then she was angry. Angry that Ginny had been afraid. Angry for wanting her. Angry that Ginny had made her want her.

"Jesus. Is she straight or what?"

Yes. Of course she was. She had merely been curious. Experimenting, maybe. Sex wasn’t great with Phil, or so she had hinted. Maybe she was just trying to find out how it would feel if she kissed a woman.

Well, Kara didn’t want any part of it. She was too damn old to get mixed up in this kind of game. She didn’t need it. She needed to work. She would go out sketching, every morning and every evening, until she had enough ideas to put to canvas and she would get the hell out of here and go back to Seattle.

Where it was safe, she added.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

"YOU’RE LOOKING BETTER today," Nana said over breakfast.

"You skipped your walk," Ginny accused. "I could have fended for myself."

"I wanted to make sure you were okay. You missed dinner."

Ginny hadn’t left her room the night before. She had slept some. A troubled sleep, but still, she had slept. She had heard Nana moving about in the house, had heard her making dinner, but she didn’t want to join her. She didn’t want to have to answer any questions. So she had stayed in bed, pretending to be asleep. She was hiding from Nana, but she couldn’t hide from her thoughts. Or her dreams.

But she was better this morning. She didn’t get all flushed when she thought about Kara’s kiss, at least. Well, not much anyway. She closed her eyes. I won’t think about it today. I won’t.

They rode to the store together and Ginny stayed busy, doing paper work and trying desperately to occupy her mind. It worked. She was surprised when she glanced at the clock and it was already after twelve.

"Aren’t you going for lunch?" Nana asked.

"I think I’ll just eat it here," she said.

"You’ve been working nonstop. You should get away," Nana said.

Ginny rubbed her head, thinking that if Nana even had a clue as to what was going on inside her, she would not want her to be alone with her thoughts for even one minute.

"No. I don’t really feel like going to the park today," she said.

Nana shrugged. "I’ll make you a sandwich, then."

Ginny opened her mouth to stop her. She wasn’t hungry. But she let Nana walk away. She would force down the sandwich and save herself having to answer to Nana.

"Oh, there’s Kara," Nana said.

Ginny’s heart fluttered in her chest and her palms grew damp as she raised her eyes to the door.

"Well, she didn’t stop," Nana said. "I guess she was out sketching."

Ginny let out a sigh of relief and briefly thanked the heavens for sparing her. She didn’t think she could face Kara. Not yet. And especially not in front of Nana.

"I really like her, Ginny," Nana said when she brought their sandwiches. "Maybe we need to fix her up."

"Fix her up?"

"With a man," Nana explained.

Ginny covered her mouth and suppressed the laughter that threatened to surface. Fix her up with a man?

"Maybe Phil knows some nice man that would be perfect for her." Nana smiled sadly. "She’s already thirty-four. She can’t wait around for ever."

"Nana, I don’t think Kara would appreciate you-"

"Oh, I know she said she wasn’t looking, that she didn’t need anyone, but I don’t believe that for a minute. She’s so attractive. If she would wear a little makeup and grow her hair out, she would have men lining up to ask her out."

Ginny bit into her sandwich to save from answering. It was no use. Nana would never be convinced that a woman could be happy without a man in her life. Of course, Ginny could always tell Nana the truth, that Kara preferred to be with women.

"Oh, well. I guess it’s really none of my business," Nana said. "She’ll be going back to Seattle soon, anyway."

"Yes, she will," Ginny murmured. The sooner, the better, she thought.

Nana fixed her eyes on Ginny. "Why haven’t you called Phil?"

"I… just haven’t."

"Ginny, don’t make the man wait forever. He may lose patience and then what? Maybe he’ll meet someone else and then who will you have?"

"Nana, please don’t start," Ginny pleaded.

"Do I need to call him myself?"

"Don’t you dare!"

Nana stared at her for a moment longer. "Well, I declare. Women nowadays. I’ll never understand you."

Ginny rubbed her temples, trying to ward off the headache that threatened. She wanted to scream out in frustration. Her nerves were on edge and she counted to ten before speaking.

"Nana, we’ve been over this time and again. When I’m ready, I’ll call him," she said quietly. "Now, please. I don’t want to talk about it."

"I’m only concerned-"

"I know you are," she said gently. "And I love you for it."

The bell jingled and a customer came in, a stranger, and Nana got up to help them and Ginny closed her eyes in relief. It was one thing to be worried over these feelings she had for Kara, but at least that she could do silently. Nana’s constant concern over her and Phil’s relationship was slowly wearing her down until she was certain that she was going to snap at her.

"Oh, Ginny. If you happen to talk to Kara, ask her about Sunday," Nana called.

"Sunday?"

"You haven’t forgotten? Settler’s Day is Sunday," Nana reminded her.

Settler’s Day in the park. Ginny had forgotten. The town got together each year to celebrate its founding with food and drink and music. For a mere five dollars a person, all the burgers and fries you could eat and a glass of keg beer would run you only a buck.

"Nana, I don’t think Kara would enjoy it. I mean, it’s burgers," she said.

"Oh, pooh. There’s plenty of other stuff to eat," Nana said, dismissing her lame excuse with a wave of her hand. "She doesn’t know a soul here, Ginny. It would be rude if we didn’t invite her."

"But still…"

"Ginny? Why in the world wouldn’t you want to invite her? There’ll be tons of tourists there. At least, we hope so," she added. "The more people, the more money."

Ginny smiled and nodded. "Okay. If I talk to her, I’ll mention it," she conceded. But, of course, she had no intention of talking to her. Kara would never know about Settler’s Day from her.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

WHAT IS IT THEY say about the best-laid plans? Ginny couldn’t remember, only her plan for Settler’s Day had been shot out the window. She had not seen or spoken to Kara and she assumed that she could spend Sunday in the park without looking over her shoulder, worrying about where Kara was. But no.

"She said she would love to come," Nana said. "And I can’t believe you didn’t call her."

"I forgot," Ginny lied.

"Well, she said she has been busy. That’s why she hasn’t been by. Imagine my surprise to find her on the trail," Nana said and she rambled on about meeting Kara at the lake and how she gotten to watch her sketch but Ginny only pretended to listen. It had been five days since she had seen her. Five days since she had kissed her.

Oh, Lord! Not that again. She could almost get through the day now without vividly remembering her kiss, without her traitorous body still responding. Now she would have to see her. She would have to speak to her. Knowing Nana, she would insist that Kara sit and eat with them, too.

"She asked about you, by the way," Nana said.

Ginny jerked her head up. "What did you say?"

"Well, I told her that you had been sick that one day, but you were feeling better now," Nana said and Ginny closed her eyes and groaned silently. "We need to have her over for dinner again, too. She’s much too thin," Nana said.

Ginny opened her mouth to speak, to tell Nana that, no, she didn’t want Kara over for dinner, but Nana had turned back to the cake that she was frosting. Ginny rubbed her temples and sighed. She could get through it. Just one day. Kara wouldn’t bring up the kiss, Ginny knew. If she had wanted to press the issue, she would have come to the store at some point during the last five days.

And just what had Kara been thinking, anyway? Why had she stayed away? Well, Ginny knew why. Kara thought Ginny had been playing with her. Kara thought Ginny had just been curious. And she had, she told herself. That was all! But she hadn’t been playing with her, toying with her. Ginny would never do that. She was not a tease. She had simply been… what? Attracted? No, she didn’t like that word. She was not attracted to Kara, she stubbornly insisted. She had simply been experimenting. Yes, that was a much safer word!

After much worrying over what to wear, Nana was finally ready to go. Ginny had simply shoved a T-shirt inside her shorts and found her cleanest pair of athletic shoes.

"At my age, shorts are a bit casual," Nana complained.

"Good Lord, Nana. It’s a picnic. Don’t wear a dress."

"I’d hate for people to talk," she said, but she eyed the pair of shorts that Ginny had laid on her bed.