Earth Enchanted by Brynna Curry Page A

rub the sleep away. It was Monday, and she hadn’t heard from Jack since Saturday night, when they’d said goodbye at her door. Still, she didn’t take it personally, or pause to wonder if he had lost interest in her company. She had either been closeted in her room, chained to her computer, or spending time with Ryan.
    She had been inspired after those few short hours with him. When she came inside the house, she barely gave Ryan a cursory greeting, and didn’t even bother to nettle him about waiting up for her. She’d streaked up the stairs and flung open the door to her bedroom. In her haste to write, Liv carelessly tossed the sparkly blue dress over her head, where it slinked silently onto the floor. An oversized t-shirt took its place.
    Trading the heels and stockings for fuzzy bunny slippers, Liv sighed as her toes sang a hallelujah chorus. She couldn’t wait any longer or she’d lose the muse. Sitting at the computer, she worked until she fell asleep sitting at the desk. What Jack had done to spur that driving work, she couldn’t have said.
    Then she’d gone right back to work when she woke, never missing a beat of her story as it poured out of her and onto the screen. Sometime around two in the morning she’d lost it, and went downstairs to forage. Chocolate crullers being the only thing she found in the fridge that looked safe or appealing, she ate two with a soda, vowed to eat a healthy breakfast in the morning, and had gone up back to bed.
    Now she was sitting up in that bed, wondering what to do with the day. Ryan would surely be at work already, though the sun wasn’t high enough for it to be very late. She went into the bath and started the shower, and heard the phone ring. Didn’t it always? Sighing, figuring Ryan had forgotten something at home, she went back to answer it. “Hello?”
    “Hey. It’s Jack. I wondered if you had any plans this afternoon.”
    Jack. What time was it? She took another peek out the window. “Hi stranger, I don’t know. What time is it?”
    Jack smiled into the rear view mirror. “One. How about a picnic at the park?”
    “I’d like that. It’s been awhile since I’ve seen the outside. I’ve been working. What time did you want to leave?”
    “Already gone. I’ll be there in about ten minutes, but I don’t mind waiting for you.”
    Had she forgotten he was so arrogant? At least she was used to arrogance. Credit that to Skye, small blessings. “No need to wait, I’ll be ready. Just don’t expect your Miss America.”
    “See you.”
    The line clicked, and she dove into the shower.
    True to her word she was ready in ten minutes, waiting in the kitchen, with a cup of coffee. She watched him pull up in the drive, poured the drink in the sink, and went out to meet him. She was just locking the door when he got out of the car.
    * * * *
    Jack’s heart stuttered. Had he thought she was beautiful the other night? Words didn’t seem to fit what he thought now. She wore a pair of red cotton shorts that showed miles of long graceful legs. They contrasted with a bright blue sleeveless top she wore in acquiescence to the weather. Her long hair had been tamed into a fluffy ponytail, while dark tortoiseshell sunglasses graced her face and hid her eyes from view. She had left that face naked, her mouth unpainted. Did she know how tempting it was? Had she done it on purpose? He couldn’t speak, could only stay rooted to the spot he stood in, until she spoke and broke the vision.
    “Good day to you, Jack. I hope you’ve packed a big basket, as I’ve been closeted in my room since we last saw one another. You’ve interrupted my plans for breakfast and I’m fair to starving.” She acted as if she’d known him all her life. It made him throw back his head and laugh into the wind.
    “Why?”
    She flashed him a sunny smile. “You inspired me, and my work wouldn’t let me go.”
    “Should I apologize?”
    She bounced down the steps to join him. He had to touch her,