you’re hogging the sink?”
“Got it.” Steam rose from the hot noodles as they flopped into the colander. All that lovely spaghetti getting ready to die a horrible death smothered in red tuna sauce.
She shook the noodles and dropped them back into the pot. “I’ll follow you.”
King Edward took the lead. They were greeted with applause when they stepped outside and Charlee couldn’t help her eyes from flittering over the gathering of people in search of a certain dark-headed handyman. Then, across the lawn, she spotted him. He’d changed his work jeans for a fresh pair that were faded and looked soft as velvet hugging his strong thighs and narrow waist. There were holes in the knees and for some reason that made him distinctively sexy as he moved toward her. A tight black tank stretched across his chest and Charlee hadn’t realized she’d come to a screeching halt until she heard King Edward’s voice in her ear. “Oh honey. You do look hungry.”
Charlee blinked several times, feeling the heat rise to her face. Across the lawn, Ian reached down and captured a dandelion. He looked so comfortable, one hand sinking into those snug jeans, the other with the dandelion between his finger and thumb. He looked so at home crossing her property like he owned it. “Well, if our little soldier can stroll a little faster, we might get to eat before it’s cold.”
King Edward clucked his teeth. “I’m sensing some sexual frustration coming from you, Char Char.”
She speared him with her eyes.
King Edward continued to talk, taking no notice of her disapproval. “I wouldn’t call that a stroll. I’d call it a saunter.”
Suddenly, Charlee was aware of the other inhabitants in a semicircle around her. All eyes in the direction of Ian Carlisle. Wilma placed a hand on her shoulder. “Yes, definitely a saunter. Oh or maybe a swagger.”
Wynona agreed. “Swagger. Absolutely. And look how effortless he makes it. My my my, if I’d had a dance partner that smooth, I could have conquered the world.”
Charlee’s heart was a hammer in her chest. But she found it difficult to move from the spot.
“Conquer the world, my darling,” Wynona said again and pointed at Ian. “That’s what a man like that can make you feel like.”
A fresh wave of emotions washed over Charlee. The world spun back into focus. She knew that feeling. Powerful and bulletproof. “Yes. A man like that can. Right before he runs you down like yesterday’s roadkill.”
Wynona sighed.
King Edward placed the sauce on the table. “All I know is it’s going to be one hot summer.”
Charlee hoped not. She was tired and frazzled and the last thing she needed was her already-unsteady equilibrium being shifted further. Too many things were going wrong in her world, and if not wrong, too many things were changing. One of the biggest, the way she felt about the retreat. Every morning she had to drag herself out of bed to face the day. And that wasn’t like her. Love was turning to chore. And across the lawn she saw both an answer and a problem in Ian Carlisle. But of all the things she didn’t know, one thing was clear. Ian needed a little time to adjust to life in the real world. And one thing she could offer was a retreat, a safe place for those who didn’t quite fit into society. Where Charlee was concerned, Ian was just a different type of artist who needed a place to land.
No problem. She was good at that. But she’d guard her heart also. She had a soft spot for soldiers. Charlee needed him to be like her brothers. Like her father, because those were the kinds of men who could never approve of her life’s work and who could never understand it. They were warriors, leaders, fighters. But they weren’t alive inside the way she’d need a man to be. They weren’t artists or passionate or even spontaneous. They were ordered and disciplined. And soon enough, Ian would be driving her crazy with his type A attitude. Of course, he would. And
“Got it.” Steam rose from the hot noodles as they flopped into the colander. All that lovely spaghetti getting ready to die a horrible death smothered in red tuna sauce.
She shook the noodles and dropped them back into the pot. “I’ll follow you.”
King Edward took the lead. They were greeted with applause when they stepped outside and Charlee couldn’t help her eyes from flittering over the gathering of people in search of a certain dark-headed handyman. Then, across the lawn, she spotted him. He’d changed his work jeans for a fresh pair that were faded and looked soft as velvet hugging his strong thighs and narrow waist. There were holes in the knees and for some reason that made him distinctively sexy as he moved toward her. A tight black tank stretched across his chest and Charlee hadn’t realized she’d come to a screeching halt until she heard King Edward’s voice in her ear. “Oh honey. You do look hungry.”
Charlee blinked several times, feeling the heat rise to her face. Across the lawn, Ian reached down and captured a dandelion. He looked so comfortable, one hand sinking into those snug jeans, the other with the dandelion between his finger and thumb. He looked so at home crossing her property like he owned it. “Well, if our little soldier can stroll a little faster, we might get to eat before it’s cold.”
King Edward clucked his teeth. “I’m sensing some sexual frustration coming from you, Char Char.”
She speared him with her eyes.
King Edward continued to talk, taking no notice of her disapproval. “I wouldn’t call that a stroll. I’d call it a saunter.”
Suddenly, Charlee was aware of the other inhabitants in a semicircle around her. All eyes in the direction of Ian Carlisle. Wilma placed a hand on her shoulder. “Yes, definitely a saunter. Oh or maybe a swagger.”
Wynona agreed. “Swagger. Absolutely. And look how effortless he makes it. My my my, if I’d had a dance partner that smooth, I could have conquered the world.”
Charlee’s heart was a hammer in her chest. But she found it difficult to move from the spot.
“Conquer the world, my darling,” Wynona said again and pointed at Ian. “That’s what a man like that can make you feel like.”
A fresh wave of emotions washed over Charlee. The world spun back into focus. She knew that feeling. Powerful and bulletproof. “Yes. A man like that can. Right before he runs you down like yesterday’s roadkill.”
Wynona sighed.
King Edward placed the sauce on the table. “All I know is it’s going to be one hot summer.”
Charlee hoped not. She was tired and frazzled and the last thing she needed was her already-unsteady equilibrium being shifted further. Too many things were going wrong in her world, and if not wrong, too many things were changing. One of the biggest, the way she felt about the retreat. Every morning she had to drag herself out of bed to face the day. And that wasn’t like her. Love was turning to chore. And across the lawn she saw both an answer and a problem in Ian Carlisle. But of all the things she didn’t know, one thing was clear. Ian needed a little time to adjust to life in the real world. And one thing she could offer was a retreat, a safe place for those who didn’t quite fit into society. Where Charlee was concerned, Ian was just a different type of artist who needed a place to land.
No problem. She was good at that. But she’d guard her heart also. She had a soft spot for soldiers. Charlee needed him to be like her brothers. Like her father, because those were the kinds of men who could never approve of her life’s work and who could never understand it. They were warriors, leaders, fighters. But they weren’t alive inside the way she’d need a man to be. They weren’t artists or passionate or even spontaneous. They were ordered and disciplined. And soon enough, Ian would be driving her crazy with his type A attitude. Of course, he would. And
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