the food, making sure all went smoothly.
Marc had to remind himself to eat. Every fiber of his being was aware
of the woman seated across the table from him. Julia appeared
luminous in the candlelight, and he noticed her eyes often strayed in
his direction as well. He wondered if she felt as unsettled at what
happened between them the other night. Marc didn’t know what to
call it, but whatever it was, it left him feeling distracted and
somehow thwarted.
Allowing his eyes to linger on her throughout the dinner, he couldn’t
imagine a more unlikely female to become enamored of. He and Julia
were from different lifestyles, from different worlds. If she were
looking for a relationship, he imagined she’d go for a rich CEO
type, not an unknown starving artist like himself.
Any interest she might have for him, he felt sure, was because he was
convenient. Based on the shadows under her eyes and sometimes pinched
expression, he got the feeling Julia was unhappy, which made her
vulnerable, but he wouldn’t use that to press an advantage.
With that dismal thought, Marc reminded himself to stop staring. He
succeeded until she brought in dessert. Before returning to her
chair, Julia stood behind Brian and wrapped her arms around him. She
pressed her cheek against his temple, exclaiming what a wonderful
brother she had. Light banter and laughter followed while Marc
crumpled his napkin in his hands. The sight of her radiant face made
him wonder what it would be like on the receiving end of her glowing
affection. He knew his response would be anything but brotherly.
Later, they all sat in the living room and talked long into the
evening. Marc did more listening than talking. He remembered he’d
planned on asking Brian about a custom storage unit for his camera
equipment, but somehow never got around to mentioning it. It was
after eleven o’clock when Sara and Brian retired to their room for
the night. He found himself reluctant to leave, and so remained on
the couch waiting to see what Julia would do.
She turned to him and smiled. “I’m glad you could join us
tonight, Marc.”
“Since I was the interloper, thank you . The meal was
wonderful.”
She folded her hands in her lap, murmuring her thanks. “Are you
working on a project right now?”
Marc guessed she really wanted to know if he planned on staying the
night at the B & B. He wondered if she was trying to find a
tactful way to get rid of him. He suppressed a smile. “No.”
Julia stood. “Well then, if you’ll excuse me, it’s a bit late
and I still need to clean up.”
He stood as well. “I’ll help.”
***
When the candles were snuffed out and the table cleared, Julia loaded
the dishwasher to capacity and filled the sink for the extra pots and
pans left over. Marc stood next to her, the sleeves of his black
Henley shirt rolled up, his arms deep in soapsuds. He washed while
she rinsed. Julia was uncomfortably aware of his quiet attention.
All evening long, she’d stifled the impulse to seek him out in any
way. Now that he was so near, she could feel the warmth of his
proximity. When their fingers bumped as he passed her dishes, his
touch affected her more than she wanted to admit. It made no sense.
How could such a simple chore feel so intimate? Julia couldn’t wait
for him to leave so she could regain emotional high ground. She
licked her lips. “Thank you for all your help. This wasn’t part
of the invitation.”
“I know. But after a dinner like that I knew there would be a stack
of dishes at least as big as your effort. I wouldn’t be able to
sleep tonight, thinking of you scrubbing pots into the wee hours of
the morning.”
Julia smiled at his teasing tone. He swiped at his nose with his arm.
The action left a puff of suds on his cheek. She had to fight the
urge to wipe it away.
Marc handed her the last pan and pulled the plug on the
sink. She offered him a clean dishtowel, and out of the corner of her
eye, saw him dry his hands and dab
Marc had to remind himself to eat. Every fiber of his being was aware
of the woman seated across the table from him. Julia appeared
luminous in the candlelight, and he noticed her eyes often strayed in
his direction as well. He wondered if she felt as unsettled at what
happened between them the other night. Marc didn’t know what to
call it, but whatever it was, it left him feeling distracted and
somehow thwarted.
Allowing his eyes to linger on her throughout the dinner, he couldn’t
imagine a more unlikely female to become enamored of. He and Julia
were from different lifestyles, from different worlds. If she were
looking for a relationship, he imagined she’d go for a rich CEO
type, not an unknown starving artist like himself.
Any interest she might have for him, he felt sure, was because he was
convenient. Based on the shadows under her eyes and sometimes pinched
expression, he got the feeling Julia was unhappy, which made her
vulnerable, but he wouldn’t use that to press an advantage.
With that dismal thought, Marc reminded himself to stop staring. He
succeeded until she brought in dessert. Before returning to her
chair, Julia stood behind Brian and wrapped her arms around him. She
pressed her cheek against his temple, exclaiming what a wonderful
brother she had. Light banter and laughter followed while Marc
crumpled his napkin in his hands. The sight of her radiant face made
him wonder what it would be like on the receiving end of her glowing
affection. He knew his response would be anything but brotherly.
Later, they all sat in the living room and talked long into the
evening. Marc did more listening than talking. He remembered he’d
planned on asking Brian about a custom storage unit for his camera
equipment, but somehow never got around to mentioning it. It was
after eleven o’clock when Sara and Brian retired to their room for
the night. He found himself reluctant to leave, and so remained on
the couch waiting to see what Julia would do.
She turned to him and smiled. “I’m glad you could join us
tonight, Marc.”
“Since I was the interloper, thank you . The meal was
wonderful.”
She folded her hands in her lap, murmuring her thanks. “Are you
working on a project right now?”
Marc guessed she really wanted to know if he planned on staying the
night at the B & B. He wondered if she was trying to find a
tactful way to get rid of him. He suppressed a smile. “No.”
Julia stood. “Well then, if you’ll excuse me, it’s a bit late
and I still need to clean up.”
He stood as well. “I’ll help.”
***
When the candles were snuffed out and the table cleared, Julia loaded
the dishwasher to capacity and filled the sink for the extra pots and
pans left over. Marc stood next to her, the sleeves of his black
Henley shirt rolled up, his arms deep in soapsuds. He washed while
she rinsed. Julia was uncomfortably aware of his quiet attention.
All evening long, she’d stifled the impulse to seek him out in any
way. Now that he was so near, she could feel the warmth of his
proximity. When their fingers bumped as he passed her dishes, his
touch affected her more than she wanted to admit. It made no sense.
How could such a simple chore feel so intimate? Julia couldn’t wait
for him to leave so she could regain emotional high ground. She
licked her lips. “Thank you for all your help. This wasn’t part
of the invitation.”
“I know. But after a dinner like that I knew there would be a stack
of dishes at least as big as your effort. I wouldn’t be able to
sleep tonight, thinking of you scrubbing pots into the wee hours of
the morning.”
Julia smiled at his teasing tone. He swiped at his nose with his arm.
The action left a puff of suds on his cheek. She had to fight the
urge to wipe it away.
Marc handed her the last pan and pulled the plug on the
sink. She offered him a clean dishtowel, and out of the corner of her
eye, saw him dry his hands and dab
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