He was silent until we got into his car and started away.
“I don’t blame you for wanting to be cautious with someone like me.”
“There’s no one like you,” I said. “Besides, it’s not you per se. My father once told me that tasting love is like tasting good wine. You sip. You don’t gulp.”
“Wow. I love that.” He laughed and shook his head as we shot forward into the night. “Thank you, Julia,” he cried, “for drinking too much!”
I smiled to myself.
And then I thought that if there was anyone Ava would target for Daddy, it would be Liam Dolan. He was virile, strong, and sexy, with blood so rich she could taste it yards away from him.
Was that still inside me, still something that drove me to do what I was doing? This need to please my father?
Was I still thinking more of Daddy than of myself?
As we continued on into the darkness, I knew that the answer was lying out there, like some predatory animal waiting to pounce.
14
“I know it probably sounds silly,” Liam said when we pulled in front of the Winston House, “but I had a really good time tonight.”
“Why silly?”
“We didn’t do that much, and you didn’t start out with me. It wasn’t my date.”
“I think it’s safe to say that you made it your date,” I said.
He smiled. “Hope you weren’t disappointed.”
“Are you fishing for a compliment?” I teased.
“Absolutely.”
“I enjoyed myself. Thank you,” I said.
He leaned over to kiss me good night.
“How about I do it right and pick you up tomorrow late in the morning and we go for a ride on our boat? We’ll stop along the coast to have lunch and then just cruise for a while afterward. Pack a change of clothes, and we’ll go back to my house and freshen up, and then I’ll take you out to dinner. Very casual. We’ll make it an early night. Promise,” he quickly added. “I’ve got to go to Boston early in the morning for a job Dad’s won the bid on anyway.”
I could feel the struggle inside myself. The arguments against a yes were so clear and so strong. I really wanted to get settled before starting a relationship. That wasn’t just a quickly thought-up excuse I had used to avoid relationships. I should be more worried. And what about the fact that I had been seriously considering sneaking off into the night and fleeing this place just a short time ago? There was much to worry me. This could end up as badly as it had with Buddy, and I could leave another young man brokenhearted just to save his life. I might leave a string of them as I continued my flight from one place to another. Was there any point?
But the other side of me, a side that had come to life with Buddy, was coming alive again, and if I ever hoped to escape what and who I was, I had to nurture it. I had to see if there was a way to escape from one world into another. I did like Liam. I was very attracted to him. I liked his sister and his father. I loved the idea of the neighborhood, the community. I wanted all of it desperately. I was sure none of my sisters ever wanted anything similar. I was different, and if I didn’t nourish the difference, I would not have an inkling of hope.
“Okay,” I said. “What time?”
“Ten-thirty okay?”
“Yes.”
Elated, he practically leaped out of his car to go around and open my door. He gave me an exaggerated stage bow. “Madam Patio.”
“Thank you, good Sir Dolan,” I said.
Laughing, we walked to the door. He started to speak loudly, and I put my fingers on his lips.
“Got to be quiet. You don’t want to wake up one of your great-aunt’s ghosts.”
“Right,” he whispered. He kissed me again. I expected it to be a second short good-night kiss, but his lips were so demanding and mine were so responsive that our kiss lasted as long as it had in his tree house.