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“Katie… wait,” he said. He peeked over his shoulder at the kids
before closing the door behind him.
“What you said last night…” he began. He trailed off, uncertain.
“I didn’t mean it,” she said, her voice soft. “I don’t know what got
into me. I was upset about something else and I took it out on
you.”
“I admit it—it bothered me. Not so much that you said it, but that
you imagined me capable of… that.”
“I don’t think that,” Katie said. “I would never think that about
you.”
He seemed to take that in, but she knew he had more to say.
“I want you to know that I value what we have right now, and
more than anything, I want you to be comfortable. Whatever that
means. I’m sorry for making you feel like I was putting you on the
spot. That wasn’t what I was trying to do.”
“Yes, you were.” She gave him a knowing smile. “A little,
anyway. But it’s okay. I mean, who knows what the future might
bring, right? Like tonight, for instance.”
“Why? What happens tonight?”
She leaned against the doorjamb. “Well, once the kids are asleep
and depending when you get back, it might be too late for me to
ride back to my house. You might just find me in your bed…”
When he realized she wasn’t kidding, he brought a hand to his
chin in mock contemplation. “That is a dilemma.”
“Then again, traffic might be light and you’ll get home early
enough to bring me home.”
“I’m generally a pretty safe driver. As a rule, I don’t like to
speed.”