“There’s absolutely no reason why you can’t or you shouldn’t. I guess you just need to be aware that it might be triggering for you, which is probably what is making Tucker so hesitant, because he’s a good guy who obviously cares about your well-being.”

“Yeah, I know. But…it’s me wanting to do it. Not him forcing it on me.”

“Right.” Selena nodded. “And the fact that he’s aware of your history probably makes him the most ideal guy with whom to explore that kind of intimacy, so…put on your big-girl panties and talk to him, Della.”

“Okay, fine.” She sighed. She’d rather just sink to her knees before him and let herself loose. But it looked like they were going to have to have a conversation. A blow job conversation.

Damned if she was wearing her big-girl panties during that, though. In fact, she wasn’t going to wear any panties at all.

…

It was almost one in the morning when Tucker dumped the sack of gourmet birdseed on Mrs. Doyle’s front porch. He’d picked it up for her from the feed store earlier today and handed over a hideous amount of money. Her two parrots—Cheech and Chong—apparently had champagne tastes.

He shouldn’t be letting the old biddy get away with her unspoken blackmail, but she was harmless enough, and it was mutually beneficial. She got a supply of Annie’s pies, bird food, and running repairs, and he got Della, to himself, every night. Their…liaison, kept quiet.

Because it was imperative that it stayed quiet. For Della. The town may have drawn ranks around her when she’d first arrived, but she’d still been an object of speculation, and she didn’t need any more of that in her life.

Especially with her making such great strides in reclaiming it.

And frankly, he really didn’t want this thing to end yet. He wasn’t sure he wanted it to end ever. Yes, he knew it would. Della only wanted it to be a temporary thing, after all. But they’d never put a time frame on it, and she didn’t seem to be in any hurry.

Which begged the question: If nobody knew, then what was the hurry?

He crossed the street, barely aware of the touch of warmth lingering in the April night hinting at the long, hot summer ahead. Aware only of Betty barking and of Della only a few paces away behind that door.

Della, who had opened him right up when she’d told him everything about her marriage. He’d already known a little, and he had contemplated telling her that just to save her from the rerun. But it’d obviously been important to her to get it off her chest, and he’d been honored to be the one with whom she’d shared such intimate details.