maybe
even with the tension, she couldn’t believe how much she enjoyed visiting with
all of them.
Brent left the living room where everyone chatted but
returned a moment later with his violin. “I promised the lady a song or two,
for taking care of me while my side healed up.”
He held her gaze while he warmed up. Next he eased into a
soulful piece, with beautiful soaring passages. His hands moved expertly,
showing years of practice, and his love of the instrument came through in his
playing. She had never heard a violin played in person and the music filled her
whole being. Tears sprang into her eyes.
With his intense gaze on her, she couldn’t look away from
him. Even while she knew everyone looked between her and him.
She no longer knew what to expect from his man - except that
she had a lot more to learn.
Chapter Seven
Music had been a hobby, one he’d always enjoyed, but tonight
his music became a love song for Missy. He put his feelings for her into his
music, hoping she understood his longing, his need to touch her, his need to
take her breath away.
The others clapped along with her when he finished the last
song, but he looked into her wondrous brown eyes only, gauging her response.
Romance, anyone?
To everyone he said, “Smells like dinner’s done.” He didn’t
want to make a big show of it, and he’d seen what he wanted from Missy. She’d
listened with more than her ears, leaning forward, her face enraptured.
After he carried the turkey to the table, he carved while
everyone filled their plates.
“Did you cook for the rest of the year?” Alice asked Brent
with a laugh, “You don’t think we eat this much, do you?”
He shrugged and glanced at Missy. She returned his smile
with a secretive one, a shared look. With her hair pulled up, she looked different.
Sophisticated, but not aloof like when he’d first met her. It helped that she
wore a soft green sweater and not a silk suit.
Funny thing was, he itched to pull her hair free and watch
it tumble down around her shoulders— after kissing her neck like crazy. He
hadn’t thought of that. Maybe he liked it up... for a while.
“Gonna daydream all day, or are you hungry?” Dale intruded
into his fantasy. One look at Dale grinning at him told Brent his thoughts were
pretty apparent.
“Don’t wait for me, dig in,” he joked right back. He didn’t
care if everyone could tell what was on his mind. As long as Missy got the
hint.
She glanced at him but looked away quickly.
“Pie anyone?” Dale asked, adding to Missy, “You have to try
my apple pie.”
“I’ll try to fit in a piece.”
Brent could see her surprise when she bit into the first
bite. “Can all the men around here cook and bake better than me?”
Brent liked Dale’s pies, but what he really wanted for
dessert was the woman sampling a bite. He watched her savor it, her eyes
fluttering shut, and then opening to look right at him.
A blush crept up her neck and onto her cheeks. He needed to
be careful or she’d start thinking he was some sex starved maniac. Well, truth
be told, he hadn’t even dated for two years so maybe he was. But that wasn’t
really what he wanted from her, or the only thing, anyway. He wanted to touch
her and please her… he just wanted her, all of her.
Brent’s manners insisted he didn’t rush everyone out the
door after dinner, but he couldn’t wait to get Missy alone.
On that thought, he cleared the table and let his company
talk. Glancing back at them, he saw Missy’s gaze on him. His legs. She worked
her way up and seemed to stop right below his belt. He let out his breath when
she moved on to his stomach. She lingered there, too. Then his chest.
She was chewing her lips. Someone help him.
Finally she looked up at his face and went flaming red. Oh,
yeah, baby, I’m watching you, too. He smiled.
Rubbing her neck, she turned back to Alice, who wore a sly
smile.
“Well, I think we need to be getting home.” Alice
even with the tension, she couldn’t believe how much she enjoyed visiting with
all of them.
Brent left the living room where everyone chatted but
returned a moment later with his violin. “I promised the lady a song or two,
for taking care of me while my side healed up.”
He held her gaze while he warmed up. Next he eased into a
soulful piece, with beautiful soaring passages. His hands moved expertly,
showing years of practice, and his love of the instrument came through in his
playing. She had never heard a violin played in person and the music filled her
whole being. Tears sprang into her eyes.
With his intense gaze on her, she couldn’t look away from
him. Even while she knew everyone looked between her and him.
She no longer knew what to expect from his man - except that
she had a lot more to learn.
Chapter Seven
Music had been a hobby, one he’d always enjoyed, but tonight
his music became a love song for Missy. He put his feelings for her into his
music, hoping she understood his longing, his need to touch her, his need to
take her breath away.
The others clapped along with her when he finished the last
song, but he looked into her wondrous brown eyes only, gauging her response.
Romance, anyone?
To everyone he said, “Smells like dinner’s done.” He didn’t
want to make a big show of it, and he’d seen what he wanted from Missy. She’d
listened with more than her ears, leaning forward, her face enraptured.
After he carried the turkey to the table, he carved while
everyone filled their plates.
“Did you cook for the rest of the year?” Alice asked Brent
with a laugh, “You don’t think we eat this much, do you?”
He shrugged and glanced at Missy. She returned his smile
with a secretive one, a shared look. With her hair pulled up, she looked different.
Sophisticated, but not aloof like when he’d first met her. It helped that she
wore a soft green sweater and not a silk suit.
Funny thing was, he itched to pull her hair free and watch
it tumble down around her shoulders— after kissing her neck like crazy. He
hadn’t thought of that. Maybe he liked it up... for a while.
“Gonna daydream all day, or are you hungry?” Dale intruded
into his fantasy. One look at Dale grinning at him told Brent his thoughts were
pretty apparent.
“Don’t wait for me, dig in,” he joked right back. He didn’t
care if everyone could tell what was on his mind. As long as Missy got the
hint.
She glanced at him but looked away quickly.
“Pie anyone?” Dale asked, adding to Missy, “You have to try
my apple pie.”
“I’ll try to fit in a piece.”
Brent could see her surprise when she bit into the first
bite. “Can all the men around here cook and bake better than me?”
Brent liked Dale’s pies, but what he really wanted for
dessert was the woman sampling a bite. He watched her savor it, her eyes
fluttering shut, and then opening to look right at him.
A blush crept up her neck and onto her cheeks. He needed to
be careful or she’d start thinking he was some sex starved maniac. Well, truth
be told, he hadn’t even dated for two years so maybe he was. But that wasn’t
really what he wanted from her, or the only thing, anyway. He wanted to touch
her and please her… he just wanted her, all of her.
Brent’s manners insisted he didn’t rush everyone out the
door after dinner, but he couldn’t wait to get Missy alone.
On that thought, he cleared the table and let his company
talk. Glancing back at them, he saw Missy’s gaze on him. His legs. She worked
her way up and seemed to stop right below his belt. He let out his breath when
she moved on to his stomach. She lingered there, too. Then his chest.
She was chewing her lips. Someone help him.
Finally she looked up at his face and went flaming red. Oh,
yeah, baby, I’m watching you, too. He smiled.
Rubbing her neck, she turned back to Alice, who wore a sly
smile.
“Well, I think we need to be getting home.” Alice
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