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I kept caressing her knee, interested in her answer

"Wednesdays aren’t good for me," she said "There’s a patron who comes in every Wednesday to see the Rare Books Collection--and we don’t let researchers in unaccohed

My aunt sighed "That must be a bit tiresome, but I suppose that’s what customer service is all about"

"I don’t h"

I slipped h? I couldn’t wait to show her just how thorough I could be

"Hoould that Tuesday work?" Linda asked "He doesn’t coe that my aunt wanted to spend time with Abby I rejoiced at how my family accepted her

"Tuesday will be fine," Abby said

"It’s a date then" Linda smiled

I slipped ain Todd askedlocal election He knew I couldn’t keep out of a political debate I didn’t h--it kept everyone’s attention away from where ers Even at this table I can do anything I want

And she’d let me

I passed the bread to Felicia I wouldn’t call her attitude toward me warm, not by any stretch, but she wasn’t as cold as she had been at the hospital Maybe she’d come around eventually

I droppedup to her thigh this time Just to remind her Elaina asked me a question and I picked my silverware up when I answered her I wanted to remind Abby not to draw attention to herself What we did was between us In the eyes ofdinner

But below the table

I reached s were crossed We couldn’t have that I pushed on her upper leg and she spread her knees for her, drew up the helanced around the table--Felicia laughed at so with Elaina

I let ht I’d left instructions for the hotel to--

Abby’s choking brought me back to the present

I slapped her back a few times "Are you okay?"

"Fine," she said, her face flushed with embarrassment "Sorry"

"You know," Todd said from across the table "You’re not supposed to pat people on the back when they’re choking It could be dangerous"

"Thank you, Dr Welling," I said

"Just trying to help"

"Don’t try so hard next tirin "What’s the fun in that?"

The waiter cleared our dishes Abby’s wineglass was empty, so I poured her a bit more I wanted her completely relaxed

"What do you read besides poetry?" I rubbed her upper thigh We were just any other couple showing affection

Sure ere

She took a sip of wine "Just about anything Classics are ame in the library last weekend, I spent so quotes from famous authors I couldn’t wait to show off

"A classic," I said, "is a book which people praise and don’t read Mark Twain"

Abby sht "I cannot think well of a s Jane Austen"

Yes, I supposed I was sporting with her a bit But Jane Austen to my Mark Twain? She did know about the aniht?

I s lady is to be a heine, the perverseness of forty surrounding families cannot prevent her" Take that "Jane Austen"

She didn’t even blink when I slid my hand up her dress, but caler than fiction Mark Twain"

Oh, she gotthe attention of the table "I give up" I set my hands back on the table "You win But only this round"

"Hey, you two," Elaina said to Abby and Felicia "Linda and I are hitting the spa toet our nails done We made you both appointments as well Our treat Will you coest it She’d surprisedshe’d already booked treathtful" I stroked Abby’s knee again I hated to spend the day apart froet to know olf Would you like to go with the girls, Abigail?"

"Sure I’d love to"

Of course she would What woman wouldn’t want a spa day? I looked across the table to Todd

Todd winked atto kick your ass all over the green, Doctor, I hed

"Sorry," I said

I went back to eating, keeping watch on Abby frohout dinner and talked with everyone at the table Nothing shy or self-conscious about her She was beautiful

She was also strung so tightly, it wouldn’t take much to make her pop

I didn’t want that Not yet

I left her alone as we ate our entrées I was next to her It was enough I could daht shift of her body, the gentle rise and fall of her chest