Harbor Nights by Marcia Evanick Page A

to spend time with men. Preferably big men. Men like the Porters. If she couldn’t trust Ned, who could she trust?
    â€œI have to warn you; I love pizza.” She gripped the cellophane wrapped around the roses with both hands so Ned wouldn’t notice their trembling. “We might have to go dutch.”
    Ned’s glance skimmed her from head to toe. Laughter was in his brown eyes, but he managed not to smirk. “I think I can afford to feed you, Rose Fairy.”
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    Ned shook his head at Norah’s outstretched hand, paid the vender for the two cherry snow cones, and handed one to Norah. “I told you, my treat.”
    Norah put the money away, took a small bite of the ice treat, and smiled. “You got that same look on your face as you did in Tony’s when I finished my half of the pizza.”
    Ned plucked a couple of napkins out of the dispenser and then moved away from the vender’s cart. A family with four kids, all of them shouting what flavor they wanted to the poor man, were crowding around the cart.
    â€œI just have never seen someone so . . . ” He glanced at her tiny waist and remembered her warning against calling her little. “. . . beautiful eat four slices of pizza before.”
    Norah snorted and took another bite. “I warned you that I love good pizza, and Tony’s makes some of the best pizza I ever tasted.”
    Ned shook his head at her waist and her flowing skirt. What was with Norah and all the long, crinkly skirts and jewelry? Maybe she had gypsy blood running through those fairy veins. “I’ve seen you in jeans.”
    â€œWhat’s that got to do with pizza and snow cones?” Norah moved around a mother pushing a stroller with a screaming toddler in it.
    He cringed when the little girl hit a particularly high note. The town of Sullivan was pulling in a lot more tourists than Misty Harbor. Every shop on Ocean View Street was open, and they were attracting a lot of foot traffic. The arcade at the end of the docks with its fancy merry-go-round and assorted pinball machines and games was a surefire hit with all the kids. Even the fast food place at the edge of town was jam-packed.
    He preferred the peace and quiet of Misty Harbor.
    â€œI was just wondering where you pack it all.” He steadied Norah as she stumbled on an uneven plank on the wooden dock. “Careful, the wood is warped in places.”
    â€œI noticed.” Norah shook her head and sidestepped two teenagers holding hands and walking so close to each other that not an inch of the fading evening light could be seen between them.
    What he’d noticed was that Norah hadn’t flinched when he grabbed her elbow to steady her. He had to wonder if it was because it had happened so fast that she hadn’t had time to think about it, or was it because she knew him better and felt safer? He led her to an empty bench out of the main traffic flow to finish their dessert.
    â€œYou don’t get out much, do you?” Norah tried to look innocent, but she failed miserably.
    â€œWhat’s that supposed to mean?” He got out plenty.
    â€œI know this isn’t a real date or anything, but when you are out with a woman, you aren’t supposed to refer to her eating habits as packing it all away .”
    â€œCan’t blame a guy for commenting, Norah. You matched me slice for slice.” Ned chuckled at the memory of Norah biting into that first slice, rolling her eyes, and moaning in ecstasy. There was definitely something sensual about the way she ate pizza, not that he would tell her that. “I haven’t seen a woman eat that much since my sisters-in-law were pregnant. Barley’s Food Store had to have double shipments in for months, and Paul had to take on a part-time job when Jill carried Hunter.”
    Norah’s laugh could have been declared as the eighth wonder of the world. “You’re making that up. I’ve seen both