Yours Seductively

Chapter 4.1

   Later that evening, the adults sat in the den, drinking coffee and talking while the children vied for attention. Sitting again on the couch beside Tyler, Jane smiles at Amy, then was surprised when the little girl reached out to her. Jane obligingly took the toddler to her lap. Amy immediately snatched for the heavy silver pendant Jane wore.

  "No, Amy," Tyler said, reaching out to stop her. "You'll break it."

   "She won't hurt it," Jane assured him. "Trust me, it's not that fragile—or particularly valuable."

   Tyler dropped his hand but she was aware that he kept a close eye on Amy as she played with the pendant, babbling happily. Jane really didn't mind the child playing with the necklace, but she prevented her several times from putting it in her mouth. She knew toddlers liked to taste things, but it just didn't seem like a particularly sanitary habit.

   "Do you miss New York, Jane?" Sally asked, distracting her for a moment.

   "I miss the friends I made there, of course. I mis the theater—both as a performer and a patron. There was always something to do and someplace to go. Oh—and the food." She sighed nostalgically. "I'm not crazy about cooking for myself and I miss the convenience and variety of take-out food in New York. Honoria doesn't even have a decent Chinese delivery available, much less a really good deli."

   "We've got pizza," Jay reminded her. "Sometimes Mom lets me order pizza for dinner. But not very often," he added wistfully.

   "I like pizza, but I get tired of it if I have it too often," Jane answered with a smile.

   Jay looked disbelieving that anyone could ever grow tired of pizza.

   "You'd never catch me living in a place like that," Debbie said emphatically. "All that crime and rudeness and pollution—I simply can't see the appeal."

   Jane swallows a chuckle at the stereotypes Debbie so obviously believed. "It really isn't all that bad," she murmured. "By using simple common sense, I always felt quite safe."

   Debbie looked as skeptical as Jay had about the pizza.

   Losing interest in the necklace, Amy lurched forward to reach for one of Jane's dangling silver earrings. Tyler and Jane both made a grab for it and their hand collided, Tyler's covering Jane's.

   Jane felt her stomach muscles contact. Tyler's skin felt unusually warm against hers. His fingers seemed to tighten almost reflexively around her hand.

   Then they both suddenly snatched their hands away, giving Amy an opportunity to take hold of the earring. Jane winced when the baby gave an enthusiastic tug. "Better leave me some ear, Pumpkin," she said, disentangling Amy's fingers. "I might need it sometime."

   "Maybe is better take her," Tyler offered, starting to reach out.

   Jane shot him a frown. "Chill out, Ty. Amy and I are getting along just fine, thank you."

   Amy laughed, as if she found Jane's words hysterically funny. Tyler fell silent.

   Tom tugged at Jane's arm, looking jealous of the attention his sister was getting. "I got new shoes," he said, pointing to his sneakers. "I outgrown my other ones."

   "Did you?" Jane tried to sound suitably impressed. "My goodness, you're growing fast."

   "Daddy said he's going to put a brick on my head," the boy confused with a giggle. "I told him that was silly. I would still grow."

   "Right. And you'd look rather silly walking around with a brick on your head all the time, wouldn't you?"

   He laughed again and scooted an inch closer to her.