Window on Yesterday Read Online Free PDF Page A

occasionally did she remember to glance through the window to observe the still steadily falling snow.
    “I like the grittiness, the unadorned reality, of modern western art” Karla told Sean later as they all left the table by the windows to resettle in the living room.
    “And painting western scenes is your own field of expertise?” Sean inquired with unfeigned interest.
    “No.” Karla’s smile held a wealth of self-knowledge. “If nothing else, coming back to college has taught me one important thing.” Like Alycia and Andrea, Karla had resumed her education after several years away from the academic community. “I know that I don’t have the talent to be a fine artist.” She lifted her shoulders in a gesture of acceptance. “But I do appear to have a gift for displaying fine art to its best advantage.” She gave Sean an easy smile. “And that’s exactly what I plan to do.”
    “You have my respect,” Sean said with utter sincerity. “There are few who recognize their weaknesses as well as their strengths.”
    “And are you one of the few?” Alycia interjected softly.
    “Probably not.” Sean’s chest heaved in an exaggerated sigh; his lips tilted in a self-mocking smile. “I still like to believe that I can accomplish anything and everything I set my mind to.”
    Karla laughed. “And what do you set your mind to?”
    “Anything and everything.”
    His immediate and dry response drew laughter from the three young women, which had obviously been his intent.
    The conversational ice was not only broken, it was completely melted.
    Pleasantly sated by the delicious meal and relaxed by the delicate wine, Alycia was content to observe and listen to the others from her curled position in one corner of the sofa. When asked a direct question, she replied but, in the main, she merely enjoyed the congenial flow of conversation, and her unobstructed view of the russet-haired man seated at the opposite end of the sofa.
    The wine bottles were long empty before Karla and Andrea excused themselves and retired to their bedrooms. Quiet held the living room in thrall for several seconds before Sean cocked his head and smiled quizzically at Alycia.
    “Is it time for me to go?” he asked quietly.
    “Do you want to go?” she answered with a question.
    “No.”
    Alycia smiled. “Then it’s not yet time for you to go.”
    Her smile was apparently all the invitation Sean required. Setting his glass aside, he slid his body along the sofa, coming to a stop when the length of his thigh rested against hers.
    Suddenly breathless and flustered, Alycia took a deep swallow of wine. The moment she drew the glass from her mouth, Sean leaned over to gently touch his tongue to her lips.
    “Delicious,” he murmured, dipping the tip of his tongue into her mouth.
    Startled, as much by the instant leap of response deep in her body as by the boldness of his move, Alycia drew her head back. “Sean, you mustn’t.” Her protest sounded weak, even to her own ears.
    Sean’s blue eyes brightened and danced with deviltry.
    “Why not?” he whispered. “Don’t you kiss on the first date?”
    All Alycia’s efforts to look repressive dissolved into laughter. “This isn’t even a real date,” she chided as her laughter subsided.
    “But it was fun,” he countered, gently prying the glass from her fingers and setting it aside. “Wasn’t it?” The hand he raised to cup her face was cool from contact with the wineglass.
    A shiver skipped down Alycia’s spine. Telling herself the reaction was caused by the coolness of his hand, not by his touch, she shivered and nodded. “Yes, it was fun.”
    Sean leaned a little closer to her, teasing her breasts with a feather-light touch of his chest. “We’ll have to do it again.” His warm, wine-scented breath misted her lips.
    When? The thought sprang into Alycia’s mind immediately; she bit her lip to keep herself from actually uttering the word out loud. “I—ah—I’d like