one another. I guess that's asking too much."
Ravyn crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair, purposely keeping her gaze above chest level so she wouldn't see the way the tool belt slanted across his lean hips. "What do you want to know about me? I make candles and jewelry. I have one sister and a mother. I live alone. No pets. I like long walks in the rain and old music… you know, Otis Redding, the Platters, Elvis Presley. Anything else?"
He gave a satisfied smile. "See? Was that so hard? My turn. I work construction, and I have two sisters and two parents. One dog, a golden retriever named Dog. I don't like long walks anywhere , and I'm not crazy about oldies. Not crazy about Elvis's music, although the later stuff was pretty good. I like his movies, though."
"Are we done?"
He let out a low whistle. "Man, chatting with you is more work than repairing these shelves."
"Then maybe you shouldn't try so hard."
"Wanna hear a joke?"
Ravyn blew out a breath and said, "If I listen to your joke, will you let me get back to work? In silence this time?"
"Sure."
When she gave a slight nod, he put his hammer down and leaned a hip against a shelf. He rubbed his hands together and smiled.
"Okay, here goes. There's this little boy sitting on a park bench with a dog lying at his feet. A man walks up and sits down next to him and says, 'Hello, son, does your dog bite?' The little boy says, 'Nope.' The man reaches down to pet the dog. The animal promptly growls and takes a chunk out of the guy's hand. 'Geez!' he shouts, holding his injury. 'I thought you said your dog didn't bite!' 'He doesn't,' the boy says. 'That's not my dog.'"
Ravyn laughed in spite of herself.
Nick smiled. "You have a nice laugh," he told her. "You'd think it'd sound rusty, since you never use it."
"Very funny," she muttered.
Still grinning, Nick straightened and said, "Well, guess I'll let you get back to work."
Ravyn nodded, but she stared at him just a moment longer. She noticed that even when he was joking, there was sadness lurking in his eyes. Was it because of his daughter? Suddenly she wanted to lay her hand over his heart, feel it beating beneath her palm until she knew what put such sorrow there. But just as quickly, the urge was gone and she turned away.
She tried to concentrate on her task, but she was aware of Nick working behind her. Aware of his movements, of his breathing. He didn't try to make conversation again, but she couldn't have been any more aware of him if he'd played a drum solo in the middle of her workbench.
The bell jingled out front. Using it as an excuse, Ravyn went out to help Sorina with the customer. Dealing with people was something she normally avoided like a root canal, but this time it would be a welcome distraction. Things were starting to feel a little too easy with Nick, a little too enjoyable.
She was irritated when Nick followed, but she forced a smile as she stepped out of the back. The smile died on her lips when she saw the man standing just inside the door of the shop. A man she'd thought—hoped—she'd never see again.
----
Chapter Seventeen
Ravyn couldn't breathe. It was as if the newcomer's very presence had sucked all the air from the room. "What are you doing here?" she demanded, her throat aching with the effort it took for her to say those few words. From the corner of her eye she saw Nick flick a glance at her. He was probably deciding she was rude to everyone.
"Come on, baby, you're not happy to see me?" His voice was as smooth as fine whiskey. His hair was a wild mass of gold that would almost have looked like an angel's halo, if she hadn't known he was the Devil himself. He wore a tight black muscle shirt and jeans. A tattoo of a python wrapped his arm from elbow to wrist.
Sorina stood behind the counter, her normally kind face tight with anger. Sorina didn't hate anyone, but if she ever decided to try, Kayne would be at the top of her list.
"What do you want?" Ravyn's lungs felt
Ravyn crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair, purposely keeping her gaze above chest level so she wouldn't see the way the tool belt slanted across his lean hips. "What do you want to know about me? I make candles and jewelry. I have one sister and a mother. I live alone. No pets. I like long walks in the rain and old music… you know, Otis Redding, the Platters, Elvis Presley. Anything else?"
He gave a satisfied smile. "See? Was that so hard? My turn. I work construction, and I have two sisters and two parents. One dog, a golden retriever named Dog. I don't like long walks anywhere , and I'm not crazy about oldies. Not crazy about Elvis's music, although the later stuff was pretty good. I like his movies, though."
"Are we done?"
He let out a low whistle. "Man, chatting with you is more work than repairing these shelves."
"Then maybe you shouldn't try so hard."
"Wanna hear a joke?"
Ravyn blew out a breath and said, "If I listen to your joke, will you let me get back to work? In silence this time?"
"Sure."
When she gave a slight nod, he put his hammer down and leaned a hip against a shelf. He rubbed his hands together and smiled.
"Okay, here goes. There's this little boy sitting on a park bench with a dog lying at his feet. A man walks up and sits down next to him and says, 'Hello, son, does your dog bite?' The little boy says, 'Nope.' The man reaches down to pet the dog. The animal promptly growls and takes a chunk out of the guy's hand. 'Geez!' he shouts, holding his injury. 'I thought you said your dog didn't bite!' 'He doesn't,' the boy says. 'That's not my dog.'"
Ravyn laughed in spite of herself.
Nick smiled. "You have a nice laugh," he told her. "You'd think it'd sound rusty, since you never use it."
"Very funny," she muttered.
Still grinning, Nick straightened and said, "Well, guess I'll let you get back to work."
Ravyn nodded, but she stared at him just a moment longer. She noticed that even when he was joking, there was sadness lurking in his eyes. Was it because of his daughter? Suddenly she wanted to lay her hand over his heart, feel it beating beneath her palm until she knew what put such sorrow there. But just as quickly, the urge was gone and she turned away.
She tried to concentrate on her task, but she was aware of Nick working behind her. Aware of his movements, of his breathing. He didn't try to make conversation again, but she couldn't have been any more aware of him if he'd played a drum solo in the middle of her workbench.
The bell jingled out front. Using it as an excuse, Ravyn went out to help Sorina with the customer. Dealing with people was something she normally avoided like a root canal, but this time it would be a welcome distraction. Things were starting to feel a little too easy with Nick, a little too enjoyable.
She was irritated when Nick followed, but she forced a smile as she stepped out of the back. The smile died on her lips when she saw the man standing just inside the door of the shop. A man she'd thought—hoped—she'd never see again.
----
Chapter Seventeen
Ravyn couldn't breathe. It was as if the newcomer's very presence had sucked all the air from the room. "What are you doing here?" she demanded, her throat aching with the effort it took for her to say those few words. From the corner of her eye she saw Nick flick a glance at her. He was probably deciding she was rude to everyone.
"Come on, baby, you're not happy to see me?" His voice was as smooth as fine whiskey. His hair was a wild mass of gold that would almost have looked like an angel's halo, if she hadn't known he was the Devil himself. He wore a tight black muscle shirt and jeans. A tattoo of a python wrapped his arm from elbow to wrist.
Sorina stood behind the counter, her normally kind face tight with anger. Sorina didn't hate anyone, but if she ever decided to try, Kayne would be at the top of her list.
"What do you want?" Ravyn's lungs felt
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