Love on the Air(25)

"Once or twice a year." Rick tried for a simplified version of the family situation. "His mom comes out from Las Vegas to see her sister, and I borrow Jason for a night while they go shopping, or see a movie." He saw the curiosity in Christie's face, and appreciated the way she restrained it. Some details were best not discussed in front of six-year-old boys.

"I'm off school 'til after Christmas," Jason said.

"That's a nice long break," Christie said.

"It's a year-round school," Jason said, making another one of his faces. The faces had been coming fast and furious tonight, all in an effort to impress Christie. Rick knew a crush when he saw one.

He couldn't blame Jason. As Christie poured the popcorn into the oversized bowl on the counter, he watched the way the fluorescent light hit the crown of her head, adding a soft halo of warm red highlights to her hair. Rick took a deep breath. The situation was about as G-rated as it could get. But she'd fit so readily into the homey routine, it felt dangerously cozy.

She raised her head, and Rick gave himself a mental shake. If she had STATION PROPERTY emblazoned across the front of her yellow sweater, it would help. "Now," she said, holding the bag of M&Ms over the bowl. "With or without M&Ms?"

Jason jumped up and down. "M&Ms! M&Ms!"

Rick heaved an elaborate sigh. "I know when I'm licked."

Christie poured a generous layer of M&Ms over the popcorn, and Rick leaned over to look at the colorful candies resting on top of the hot, buttery popcorn. The outer shells made a crackling sound from the heat. "That, Miss Becker," he said, "is sin in a bowl."

She smiled tantalizingly. "Wait'll you taste it," she said, grabbing the bowl and heading back into the living room. And what two healthy, red-blooded males wouldn't follow a beautiful redhead with an armload of candy-covered popcorn?

An hour and a half later, Rick eased himself out from under a limp Jason, whose head had dropped onto his shoulder. Christie stood up to make room as Rick slid the boy's head onto one of the throw pillows on the couch, then stretched his legs out into a semi comfortable position. Jason never stirred. Even The Blob hadn't been enough to keep him awake.

"Kids sleep so hard," she said. "Does he usually make it all the way through the movie?"

"About two-thirds of the time. It's harder Friday nights, when I'm on the air. We get a later start. When he comes over on a Saturday, sometimes we even get two movies in." Rick picked up the throw blanket that hung over the back of the couch and draped it over Jason.

In the moment of quiet that followed, Christie became acutely aware that they'd just lost their chaperone. Time to get out of there fast.

But it would be rude to leave without helping Rick gather the empty glasses from the coffee table. Christie picked up her glass along with the big popcorn bowl, now empty except for a few kernels rattling at the bottom. "All the M&Ms are gone," she pointed out.

"Jason made sure of that. But I got my share, too." Rick led the way into the kitchen. The jeans, Christie noticed again, were a nice change from his usual semicasual dress slacks. They made his long, slim legs that much longer and slimmer.

Forget it. "How long is Jason here with you?"

"Just overnight. Sylvia and his mother pick him up tomorrow after lunch."

Finally, a chance to solve her mental game of who's who. "So Sylvia is-"

"Jason's mom's sister. My ex." Rick finished depositing the dishes into the sink, then leaned back against the dishwasher. Why the dishes hadn't just gone in there, Christie wasn't sure, but she wasn't go ing to argue. Besides, she was more interested in the direction the conversation was taking.

"You two must be on pretty decent terms," she said. "I guess when I think of divorce, I picture people yelling and throwing plates at each other."

He smiled ruefully. "No, I didn't throw any plates," he said. "Can I get you another coke? Or I've got some instant hot chocolate."

Now was her cue to make a graceful exit. Instead, she said, "Hot chocolate sounds great." She wasn't sure if Rick was going to get back to the subject, but her curiosity was piqued. And it was only ten-thirty, after all.

Rick walked up, reached for her, and before Christie could choose between panic and pleasure, he nudged her gently aside to open the cabinet behind her head. "Excuse me," he said belatedly, smiling down at her. Had he noticed her reaction? The touch had been completely innocent, yet Christie had to wait for the universe to right itself again.

"It all happened about five years ago." Rick reached up for a box of cocoa mix. She'd forgotten what they were talking about. "I was working seven to midnight-you know, at the L.A. station." He glanced at her, and she nodded. "When you've been married less than two years, that's not a great schedule." He moved to another cabinet to retrieve two mugs. "She had an affair, and she left."