My Jane Austen Summer by Cindy Jones

Author:Cindy Jones [Jones, Cindy]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: HarperCollins US
Published: 2011-10-07T04:00:00+00:00

Willis spoke and I jumped, caught reading a racy novel. "Do you think Luna is a convincing female?" he asked. He turned in his chair to face me and I put The Monk facedown on my bosom, my heart pounding, while I focused on his question.

"Luna?" I took a deep breath and stretched my arms languorously, the way that had always distracted Martin from ESPN. "You might make her a bit more affected by Father Kitt."

Willis nodded, encouraging me to elaborate. "What do you mean?"

"Luna's passion is not convincing because it's all intellectual; she's not engaged enough." I paused, hoping I wouldn't have to spell it out for him.

"I'm not getting it."

"Physically."

"A cheesy love scene?" Willis looked at me. "You don't want them to have sex in my book, do you?"

"Well," I said slowly, "why don't you let him hold her hand and see where it goes from there."

He looked back at his screen and I resumed reading. I hadn't finished another page when Willis turned to me again, "Don't you think there's a metaphor in there for marriage? Doesn't everyone have to make a decision to take the bite? Plunge into the unknown abyss with one person, or be lonely forever?"

"Willis." I laughed. "That's such a pessimistic view for a priest."

He smiled. "I suppose you prefer happy endings." Willis turned back to his computer.

I closed The Monk and sat up to look out the window. Three stories below, all was quiet. Far down the lawn a young couple posed for a photo, the abyss of the pond in their background, swans slinking in and out of the picture. Willis hadn't noticed I'd stopped reading, so I sighed aloud.

"Everything okay over there?" he asked without turning.

"No," I said, wanting more than anything to drag him to my window seat and replay the black blouse incident once more with feeling.

Willis stopped typing and turned to face me. "Something the matter?"

"Are you sure you want to be a priest?" I asked.

His face changed and he smiled to himself as if I'd stumbled on an inside joke. "You don't waste time on small talk, do you?"

I shrugged. "I'm just curious." I was intensely aware of the texture of the foam cushion under my fingers, the sensation of my feet touching the dirty floor. My stomach clutched in nervous anticipation.

"Just curious," he repeated playfully, rising from his desk, taking the four steps to join me on my cushion, my stomach fluttering with each step. "Just probing a man's deepest thoughts and fears is all."

"You've dropped a few clues." I faced him, my head tilted back, presenting an extended view of my neck and cleavage.

"Such as," he said, stretching.

"Well, there is the vampire novel for one." He was so close I could smell him, soap mingled with perspiration.

"Yes." He smiled.

"And the consideration of impending doom and the business of the abyss."

"You've got me there."

"So, I just thought perhaps there's some discontent generating these ideas." I struck the pose that always made Martin kiss me, but Willis looked out the window.

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