Kendra prepared herself for some teasing when she and Quinn came back much later than a quick trip for pencils would require. Surely everyone knew they’d been making out.

She hadn’t bothered to put on lipstick before everyone arrived tonight, so the physical evidence wouldn’t be too obvious. But they’d been gone quite a while and chances were good she was flushed. Nobody said a word.

This romance clearly had their blessing. Too bad her sons didn’t feel the same way. She hadn’t mentioned it to Quinn, but that was another reason why, given a chance to cool down, she became hesitant about making the decision to have sex with him.

Although she was a grown woman with the right to make her own choices, she was hesitant about letting her boys know that Quinn had shared her bed. Or that she’d shared his if they chose the cabin, instead. Her boys didn’t seem comfortable with it. Understandable. She wasn’t completely comfortable with it, either.

After hanging Quinn’s jacket on the coat tree next to where he’d put his hat, she reclaimed her place at the table. Then she threw herself into party mode, filling little bags with seed and participating in the conversational threads. Quinn was seated across from her and he immediately started on the tags.

He’d finished several before Faith picked up a finished bag and looked at the tag. “Aw, Quinn, that’s adorable!” She passed the bag to Mandy, who was sitting next to her. “Look at what he drew on the back of the tags.”

Mandy smiled. “Lovebirds. That’s just precious.”

“Oh, look!” Faith showed her another one. “They’re not even all the same!”

“Wow.” April spread several out on the table. “Quinn, this is spectacular. No two are alike. These will become keepsakes.”

Quinn smiled. “There’s no way I could make them all the same, anyway, so might as well make them different on purpose.”

“I get that. When I make a pair of earrings, I try so hard to make them match exactly, but they never do.” She glanced at Kendra. “Which reminds me, are you the one who suggested to Ryker that he could buy me some beads?”

“That was all his idea.”

“That’s even more touching, then.”

Mandy gaped at her. “Ryker bought you beads from Crafty Corner?”

“Yes, and they’re wonderful. A rainbow of colors. I can’t wait to start working with them.” She looked over at Quinn. “Maybe it was partly your doing, then.”

Quinn shook his head. “I did absolutely nothing, except maybe getting him into the store.”

“That alone is a miracle. I doubt he’s set foot in there until today. And he said Badger was taking up scratchboarding thanks to you. You’re a good influence, Quinn.”

“Thank you, ma’am, but I—”

“You absolutely are,” Deidre said. “You can’t get more manly than riding and maintaining a badass Harley. But you’re also an accomplished artist. It’s good for the young guys around here to see that they don’t have to be one-dimensional. Creativity is sexy.”

Kendra expected at least an eyebrow waggling glance in her direction after that remark if not a pointed right, Kendra? Didn’t happen.

Clearly Deidre was exercising restraint and that was unusual. Kendra was dying to ask what that was all about and she got her chance when the favors were almost done and she left the table to organize coffee and dessert. Deidre came in to help but everyone else stayed put.

Evidently that was intentional, because as they took out plates for the large sheet cake Jo had made, Deidre lowered her voice. “I can tell you want to know what’s up.”

“Sure do.” She measured coffee beans and put them in the grinder.

“When Jo sent you off with Quinn, we all had a golden opportunity to discuss this situation.”

Kendra rolled her eyes. “Why am I not surprised you did that?”

“Just be quiet and listen. We all concluded that this was a fabulous opportunity for you, regardless of whether it lasted a few days or ten years. We want you to go for it, even if your boys are acting a wee bit territorial.”

“You can’t blame them. They’ve never seen me involved with a man other than their father, and Ryker and Zane are the only ones who even remember that.”

“Nobody’s blaming them. It’s perfectly natural that they’re feeling protective of you and uneasy about Quinn. We’re just prepared to neutralize their response.”

“What?”

“You have allies, sweetie, women who will run interference for you. Mandy and Jo will double-team Zane. April’s got Ryker covered, Nicole’s going to monitor Bryce, and Faith’s in charge of Cody. Olivia doesn’t anticipate much resistance from Trevor since he’s the one who was urging you to date.”

“But talking about it is a whole different thing from actually seeing it happen. I don’t think he’s as enamored of the idea as he thought he’d be.”

“Doesn’t matter. We understand how difficult it might be for you to face them and assert your right to have a healthy sexual adventure, but we—”

“You’re going to say it like that?” She was horrified.

“Of course not. Everyone will be subtle. The goal is to gently bring them around so you don’t have to be embarrassed about getting it on with that gorgeous man in there.”

Kendra dumped the ground coffee in the basket. “He is gorgeous.”

“No kidding.” Deidre cut and dished the cake with the efficiency of a seasoned hostess. “Do you two have a plan?”

“Uh…”

“No plan?”

“We’ve decided to see how it goes.”

Deidre turned to stare at her. “Seriously?”

“Shh!”

Deidre lowered the volume. “Kendra, the man has obligations. He doesn’t have the luxury of hanging around Wild Creek Ranch for days to see how it goes.”

“I understand that and…and it’s possible that it could be…tonight.” Her heart bounced in her chest like a Mexican jumping bean.

“That’s more like it. Then Mandy and Faith can caution Zane and Cody not to react if they show up to feed and notice Quinn coming out of the house first thing in the morning.”

“He won’t. I’ll send him back to his cabin long before then. That’s if we even have sex tonight. One minute I want to and the next minute I’ve changed my mind.”

Deidre put down the knife and came over to give her a hug. “I know. Keep the lights low for the first time, until you get used to it again. I promise it won’t take long for you to embrace your inner vixen. You’re a lovely, sensual woman and I guarantee he thinks so, too.”

“Thank you.” Deidre’s hug soothed her. “Jo told me to just go for it, but that’s easy for her to say. She’d be as much of a chicken as I am if some man became interested in her.”

Deidre chuckled. “You’ve got that right.”

“You’re not chicken, though. And how we teased you about Jim. I feel bad about that, now.”

“Ah, I didn’t mind. It was all in fun. But let me tell you, I was very nervous the first time with him.”

“How did you handle that?”

“I looked into his eyes. That man wanted me more than he wanted to draw his next breath. Then it wasn’t about me. It was about making him happy and boy, did I ever.” Deidre chuckled. “You’ll make Quinn extremely happy. Focus on that.”

Kendra gazed at her. “You’re a very wise lady.”

“Sometimes.” She grinned. “Other times I’m full of crap. Let’s serve this cake.”

They returned to the dining room. All the bags had been filled and moved to the end of the table where Quinn was still decorating the tags. At the other end sat the Ouija board.

Okay, she wouldn’t panic. Deidre had just assured her that the women in the room wished for a good outcome for her and Quinn. Embarrassing either of them made no sense.

“If you can believe it, April’s the only one who’s ever fooled around with a Ouija board,” Judy said. “Nicole and Olivia were both taught it was woo-woo nonsense, and Mandy—”

“I didn’t think it was nonsense,” Mandy said. “I just didn’t want to know what it might tell me back then. But life’s good, now, so I’m game.”

“I just looked it up on my phone,” Olivia said. “Not everybody thinks it’s nonsense. Some scientists consider it a tool for accessing the subconscious. That’s kind of cool.”

Kendra peeked over at Quinn to see how he was taking this. If his relaxed body language was any indication, he wasn’t the least bit uncomfortable.

As if sensing her interest, he glanced her way. His gray eyes twinkled and his mouth curved in an intimate smile clearly meant only for her.

Her body clenched with a fierce longing that left her breathless. His hands stilled as the twinkle in his eyes gradually changed to fire. And she wanted everyone gone. Immediately if not sooner.

“We’re going to start with Mandy and Faith,” Judy said.

Making a supreme effort, Kendra broke eye contact with Quinn and concentrated on the rest of her guests, who had not magically disappeared, after all.

“The most recently married and the about to be married seems like a good pairing,” Judy continued. “Ladies, place your fingertips on the planchette.”

Faith looked up. “The what?”

“That little footed triangular thing with the magnifier in the middle,” Mandy said.

“We just called it a pointer.” April had left her chair to stand behind Mandy and lean over her shoulder. “But I like calling it a planchette. Makes me feel French.”

As in French kissing. Kendra didn’t look at Quinn in case he’d also been reminded of the activity that had recently taken place on the cabin’s front porch. They couldn’t keep exchanging hot glances without eventually getting caught.

“Light touch, ladies,” Judy said. “Get your questions ready. The Sacred Ouija Board is at your service.”

Soon Faith and Mandy were both giggling as the planchette zipped around the board, seemingly under its own power. They got answers to everything from Is the wedding night all that important? (YES) to When will Mandy get pregnant? (SOON).

Olivia and Nicole took the next turn, peppering the board with their questions. Everyone cheered when Nicole got a YES when she asked whether she and Bryce would have a hit recording in the next year. Olivia smiled after she asked how many children she’d have with Trevor and the answer was 4.

Nicole glanced across the table at her. “I could swear I heard Trevor say he wanted two.”

“We’re still in negotiations. Looks like I might convince him, after all.” She moved out of her chair. “Who’s next?”

Judy looked over at Quinn. “You seem to be finished with the tags.”

“Yes, ma’am. Just did.”

“I’ll bet you’ve never messed around with a Ouija board.”

“Sure haven’t.”

“That makes you the last Ouija board virgin in the group.”

“Can’t have that.” He unfolded himself from his chair and stood. “Kendra, want to show me how it’s done?”