replaced
common sense, and she lifted the lid.
Dark-red velvet lined the chest and a piece of antique lace was folded
over the top of the contents. Her fingers traced the fabrics, reveling
in the richness of texture as she slowly moved the lace aside. A white
bride’s book lay nestled there, its top embossed with silver wedding bells.
Footsteps suddenly sounded against the hardwood floor, the loose board
at the parlor door squeaking. She slammed the lid closed, then swung
around to find Thomas Emerson standing in the doorway.
“Your grandmother asked me to help you take something to the car.”
His deep voice spun a dizzying web around her senses. She opened her
mouth to speak but barely managed to sputter a no.
He inched inside the room anyway, his masculine presence nearly
overpowering the room.
“Thanks, but I…I can get it.” Rebecca fidgeted atop the small wooden
stool, wishing she could shrink the hope chest and keep it out of sight.
He might think she was hinting at something.
Like the fact that she wanted a husband and family of her own.
His green eyes radiated warmth as he gazed down at her. No wonder all
the ladies in town threw themselves at him. “Come on, Rebecca. I don’t
mind.” He moved around her, planting his big hands on his hips as he
studied the box. “Will it fit in your car?”
She nodded, her palms sweaty as she stood. Oh, heck. She couldn’t very
well deny him or she’d look like an idiot. “In…the back.”
He lifted the chest in one fluid motion, then gestured toward the
doorway. Rebecca grabbed her purse and trotted forward, willing herself
not to fall on her face or break her neck before she reached the car.
On the porch she hugged her grandmother and said a hasty goodbye,
faintly aware most of the other guests had left. Hannah and Mimi were
huddled inside the cluster of their father and mother. Her heart
squeezed with envy. Sometimes she felt closer to her uncle Wiley than
her own father. She searched for her sister to say goodbye, but Suzanne
had apparently left to hit some of the after-Christmas sales with the twins.
Seconds later she managed to find her trusted clunker station wagon at
the foot of the long, winding
drive, where she’d parked between two trees. Thomas’s silver Porsche
convertible was parked across the drive, her father’s Suburban several
yards away by some pines. She watched as Thomas slid the hope chest into
the back, her breath catching at the sight of his dark hair falling over
his eyes.
“There you go.” He raked the lock of hair back in a gesture so manly
that she had to swallow.
“Thanks.” She wanted to say more but her tongue caught on her teeth.
A smile curved his mouth, the wind tousling the lock of hair into
disarray again, making him even more sexy. “Are you in a hurry? We could
grab some coffee and talk.”
Talk?
No, talk was impossible. Her tongue was superglued to her teeth now.
She shook her head. “I…have-” she paused and cleared her throat “-have
to hurry home.”
He jammed his hands in his pockets and studied her as she darted past
him and into the car. “Are you sure? Rebecca…”
She ignored the fact that he followed her to the driver’s side and waved
him off. “Thanks again.” Rebecca’s hands shook as she shoved the keys
into the ignition, her mind tumbling with questions. Had Thomas really
asked her out?
And if so, why?
It didn’t matter. She was a flirting failure and a disaster at the sex
talk most women seemed so comfortable with these days. A real dinosaur
at relationships.
She pressed the clutch, turned the key and sighed
as the engine roared to life. Putting it into reverse, she rolled
backward. Then she glanced in her rearview window and saw Thomas jump aside.
Dear God, she’d almost hit him.
He threw up a hand and waved anyway, and she panicked and pressed the
gas again. But she’d forgotten to shift into drive and
common sense, and she lifted the lid.
Dark-red velvet lined the chest and a piece of antique lace was folded
over the top of the contents. Her fingers traced the fabrics, reveling
in the richness of texture as she slowly moved the lace aside. A white
bride’s book lay nestled there, its top embossed with silver wedding bells.
Footsteps suddenly sounded against the hardwood floor, the loose board
at the parlor door squeaking. She slammed the lid closed, then swung
around to find Thomas Emerson standing in the doorway.
“Your grandmother asked me to help you take something to the car.”
His deep voice spun a dizzying web around her senses. She opened her
mouth to speak but barely managed to sputter a no.
He inched inside the room anyway, his masculine presence nearly
overpowering the room.
“Thanks, but I…I can get it.” Rebecca fidgeted atop the small wooden
stool, wishing she could shrink the hope chest and keep it out of sight.
He might think she was hinting at something.
Like the fact that she wanted a husband and family of her own.
His green eyes radiated warmth as he gazed down at her. No wonder all
the ladies in town threw themselves at him. “Come on, Rebecca. I don’t
mind.” He moved around her, planting his big hands on his hips as he
studied the box. “Will it fit in your car?”
She nodded, her palms sweaty as she stood. Oh, heck. She couldn’t very
well deny him or she’d look like an idiot. “In…the back.”
He lifted the chest in one fluid motion, then gestured toward the
doorway. Rebecca grabbed her purse and trotted forward, willing herself
not to fall on her face or break her neck before she reached the car.
On the porch she hugged her grandmother and said a hasty goodbye,
faintly aware most of the other guests had left. Hannah and Mimi were
huddled inside the cluster of their father and mother. Her heart
squeezed with envy. Sometimes she felt closer to her uncle Wiley than
her own father. She searched for her sister to say goodbye, but Suzanne
had apparently left to hit some of the after-Christmas sales with the twins.
Seconds later she managed to find her trusted clunker station wagon at
the foot of the long, winding
drive, where she’d parked between two trees. Thomas’s silver Porsche
convertible was parked across the drive, her father’s Suburban several
yards away by some pines. She watched as Thomas slid the hope chest into
the back, her breath catching at the sight of his dark hair falling over
his eyes.
“There you go.” He raked the lock of hair back in a gesture so manly
that she had to swallow.
“Thanks.” She wanted to say more but her tongue caught on her teeth.
A smile curved his mouth, the wind tousling the lock of hair into
disarray again, making him even more sexy. “Are you in a hurry? We could
grab some coffee and talk.”
Talk?
No, talk was impossible. Her tongue was superglued to her teeth now.
She shook her head. “I…have-” she paused and cleared her throat “-have
to hurry home.”
He jammed his hands in his pockets and studied her as she darted past
him and into the car. “Are you sure? Rebecca…”
She ignored the fact that he followed her to the driver’s side and waved
him off. “Thanks again.” Rebecca’s hands shook as she shoved the keys
into the ignition, her mind tumbling with questions. Had Thomas really
asked her out?
And if so, why?
It didn’t matter. She was a flirting failure and a disaster at the sex
talk most women seemed so comfortable with these days. A real dinosaur
at relationships.
She pressed the clutch, turned the key and sighed
as the engine roared to life. Putting it into reverse, she rolled
backward. Then she glanced in her rearview window and saw Thomas jump aside.
Dear God, she’d almost hit him.
He threw up a hand and waved anyway, and she panicked and pressed the
gas again. But she’d forgotten to shift into drive and
Similar Books
White Wolf
David Gemmell
OnlyYou
Laura Glenn
Nebulon Horror
Hugh Cave
Hidden Desires
T.J. Vertigo
The Empath (The Above and Beyond Series Book 1)
Jody Klaire
Joan Smith
True Lady
Stumptown Kid
Carol Gorman and Ron J. Findley
Red Jade
Henry Chang
Trackers
Deon Meyer
Kings and Emperors
Dewey Lambdin