coffee.”
“I’m a lonely bachelor now, Tanner. My wife of nearly fifty years passed a few years ago. If you find one like her, snatch her up quick. They’re damn rare.”
Grandpa put his arm around Meredith, as if implying she was one of the rare ones. She was tempted to dig her elbow into his side.
“Let’s head to the dining room,” she said quickly.
Gramps positioned Tanner directly across from her. When he winked, she gave him the stink eye. He was probably imagining happy little reporter children running around with black ink in their veins, asking teachers and classmates if the school milk was contaminated. He’d love to have this guy in the family.
She glanced at Jill, who blew her a kiss. Everyone but her seemed happy with the situation.
Okay, that wasn’t fair. Rick-the-Dick had been a journalist, and they hadn’t liked him. Not one bit. Well, they knew bupkis about their dinner guest, so for all they knew, he could be just as bad.
When she glanced over at Tanner, she noticed he was fighting a smile. Oh yeah, he knew exactly what was going on. Amused, was he? Well, haha.
After eating their way through sautéed chicken breasts, garlic mashed potatoes, and asparagus with nacho cheese sauce—so Jill—Meredith rose to help her sister make coffee and serve dessert.
Tanner put a hand on Jill’s shoulder. “I’m sure you make better coffee than I do, but please, let me do something. Meredith, would you mind showing me around your mother’s kitchen?”
She rose since it would look impolite to decline. When the kitchen door swung shut behind her and Tanner, Meredith turned and put her hands on her hips. “You’re awfully helpful.”
He shrugged—all tall, muscular man. “It’s the least I could do.” He filled the coffee pot with water. “Plus, I wanted to be alone with you for a minute, so it seemed like a good plan. Where’s the coffee?”
Meredith pulled the container out of the cherry cupboard. “Why?” she asked, but she already knew. Her heart beat in strong smacks against her ribcage.
He didn’t measure the coffee. “You’re a smart girl, so I’m sure you can figure it out. I’ll tell you anyway, though…I was intrigued by the woman I met at the pool.”
She crossed her arms over her bustier, appalled she was so turned on by something as pedestrian as a man making coffee. “How did you know it was me when we met in the family room? I’ve been swimming for most of my life, and even I have trouble recognizing people when they have their clothes on.”
His lips twitched. “Interesting way of putting it.” He hit the on button.
The sound of percolating water punctuated the silence. When he walked toward her, she stepped back and hit the counter. His smile spread as he moved closer. Pa Rum Pa Pum Pum filled her head again. Her gaze slid to his full lips. He had a small scar near his mouth, but it only made him manlier. Her body tightened as she inhaled the scent of his musky cologne mixed with the smell of coffee.
“You have a mole under your right shoulder blade, and that shirt makes it easy to see it.” His hushed tone raised the hairs on her arms. “You also have another mole I found incredibly sexy, but I couldn’t see it in the family room…” His gaze slid down her body. “Since you have pants on.”
Oh. My.
“Of course, the next time we race, I plan to look for it again.”
When he met her eyes, she licked her dry lips.
Jump him, Divorcée Woman drawled. You know you want to.
Oh, shut up. “So we’re racing again?” She sounded like a breathy harlot.
He leaned closer and ran his hand down her arm, setting off nuclear nerve endings. “Be a shame not to when we match each other so well stroke for stroke.”
Her thigh muscles spasmed. “Are you always this forward?”
“We’re only talking about swimming, Meredith,” he said, his dress shoes nudging her black ballet flats.
She cocked her head, fighting the urge to flick her hair over her
“I’m a lonely bachelor now, Tanner. My wife of nearly fifty years passed a few years ago. If you find one like her, snatch her up quick. They’re damn rare.”
Grandpa put his arm around Meredith, as if implying she was one of the rare ones. She was tempted to dig her elbow into his side.
“Let’s head to the dining room,” she said quickly.
Gramps positioned Tanner directly across from her. When he winked, she gave him the stink eye. He was probably imagining happy little reporter children running around with black ink in their veins, asking teachers and classmates if the school milk was contaminated. He’d love to have this guy in the family.
She glanced at Jill, who blew her a kiss. Everyone but her seemed happy with the situation.
Okay, that wasn’t fair. Rick-the-Dick had been a journalist, and they hadn’t liked him. Not one bit. Well, they knew bupkis about their dinner guest, so for all they knew, he could be just as bad.
When she glanced over at Tanner, she noticed he was fighting a smile. Oh yeah, he knew exactly what was going on. Amused, was he? Well, haha.
After eating their way through sautéed chicken breasts, garlic mashed potatoes, and asparagus with nacho cheese sauce—so Jill—Meredith rose to help her sister make coffee and serve dessert.
Tanner put a hand on Jill’s shoulder. “I’m sure you make better coffee than I do, but please, let me do something. Meredith, would you mind showing me around your mother’s kitchen?”
She rose since it would look impolite to decline. When the kitchen door swung shut behind her and Tanner, Meredith turned and put her hands on her hips. “You’re awfully helpful.”
He shrugged—all tall, muscular man. “It’s the least I could do.” He filled the coffee pot with water. “Plus, I wanted to be alone with you for a minute, so it seemed like a good plan. Where’s the coffee?”
Meredith pulled the container out of the cherry cupboard. “Why?” she asked, but she already knew. Her heart beat in strong smacks against her ribcage.
He didn’t measure the coffee. “You’re a smart girl, so I’m sure you can figure it out. I’ll tell you anyway, though…I was intrigued by the woman I met at the pool.”
She crossed her arms over her bustier, appalled she was so turned on by something as pedestrian as a man making coffee. “How did you know it was me when we met in the family room? I’ve been swimming for most of my life, and even I have trouble recognizing people when they have their clothes on.”
His lips twitched. “Interesting way of putting it.” He hit the on button.
The sound of percolating water punctuated the silence. When he walked toward her, she stepped back and hit the counter. His smile spread as he moved closer. Pa Rum Pa Pum Pum filled her head again. Her gaze slid to his full lips. He had a small scar near his mouth, but it only made him manlier. Her body tightened as she inhaled the scent of his musky cologne mixed with the smell of coffee.
“You have a mole under your right shoulder blade, and that shirt makes it easy to see it.” His hushed tone raised the hairs on her arms. “You also have another mole I found incredibly sexy, but I couldn’t see it in the family room…” His gaze slid down her body. “Since you have pants on.”
Oh. My.
“Of course, the next time we race, I plan to look for it again.”
When he met her eyes, she licked her dry lips.
Jump him, Divorcée Woman drawled. You know you want to.
Oh, shut up. “So we’re racing again?” She sounded like a breathy harlot.
He leaned closer and ran his hand down her arm, setting off nuclear nerve endings. “Be a shame not to when we match each other so well stroke for stroke.”
Her thigh muscles spasmed. “Are you always this forward?”
“We’re only talking about swimming, Meredith,” he said, his dress shoes nudging her black ballet flats.
She cocked her head, fighting the urge to flick her hair over her
Similar Books
