Ronan said, standing up beside her. He leaned close and kissed her cheek. “Sleep well.”
A tiny laugh bubbled up in her throat. “Right. I’m not sure I’ll be doing a lot of sleeping tonight.” Charlie drew a deep breath. “I’m going to lock up downstairs. If you decide to leave, you can just use this door and go down the steps from the porch. There’s a key on the hook by the door.”
“I’ll be fine,” he said. “I don’t think I’ll be going anywhere.”
“Good,” she said. “I’d hate to think we scared you away after only one day.”
He didn’t want to her leave, which was an odd feeling for Ronan. He was usually the kind of guy who used the “early meeting” excuse to avoid waking up with a woman in his bed. But he’d had such a nice day with Charlotte that he wanted it to go on a little longer.
He stood up and grabbed her hands. “You don’t scare me, Charlie.”
She shifted nervously, her gaze fixed on his chest. “You kinda scare me, a little bit.”
He hooked his thumb beneath her chin and tipped her gaze up to meet his. “We’ll have to work on that,” he said. “Baby steps.”
“I’ll see you in the morning,” she said.
“All right.” He kissed her again, softly, his tongue teasing at the crease of her lips. And when he drew back, he pressed his damp lips to her forehead. “You better go while I’m still willing to let you.”
Charlie turned and walked back inside. He watched her in the dim light from the living room lamps and when he heard the door shut behind her, he let out a long breath.
“Charlotte Sibley,” he murmured to himself. He leaned against the railing and stared out at the water. What where his brothers doing right now, he wondered. Were they staring out into the night sky and wondering what changes would come over the next six weeks. Had they found an interesting woman to occupy their thoughts?
If he couldn’t imagine a different life, here in Sibleyville, with Charlotte Sibley, then he had no imagination at all. This place was perfect, Charlie was beautiful, and there was every chance that they’d be sharing a bed before long.
He’d been drifting for so long, trying to find his place in life. Now, suddenly, he felt the gentle tug of an anchor. The wind might blow and the current might catch him, but he was here to stay, at least for a while. And whatever happened between them, Ronan suspected it might just change his life. And yet he didn’t care. His life needed changing, the more, the better. And he’d start with his fear of water.
“Bring it on,” he said, taking a sip of his beer. “I’m ready.”
* * *
T HE STREETS WERE silent as Charlie walked home from the boathouse. She’d decided to leave her truck behind, knowing that the exercise and the time to think would give her at least a shot at sleeping.
A soft breeze rustled the trees above her head, the old streetlamps creating strange shadows on the sidewalk in front of her. Though it was late August, she could feel autumn in the air. It was waiting, just a few weeks away, ready to begin turning the trees and chilling the air and making her favorite season of the year come alive again. It would be nice to share it all with someone new.
Since walking out on Danny, she hadn’t seriously considered getting involved with a man again. There had been a couple possibilities, but neither of them seemed worth the effort it would take. And there just hadn’t been any chemistry.
But Ronan was different. There was something about him that promised excitement and passion and time together that was new and real and special. She felt a tremor course through her body and Charlie rubbed her arms against the goose bumps that prickled her skin.
“Charlotte? Charlotte Sibley, is that you?”
Charlie squinted into the dark and saw a shadowy figure approach with a familiar little dog trotting at her side. Leticia Trowbridge was Sibleyville’s chief matchmaker. Ever since the spell was cast,
A tiny laugh bubbled up in her throat. “Right. I’m not sure I’ll be doing a lot of sleeping tonight.” Charlie drew a deep breath. “I’m going to lock up downstairs. If you decide to leave, you can just use this door and go down the steps from the porch. There’s a key on the hook by the door.”
“I’ll be fine,” he said. “I don’t think I’ll be going anywhere.”
“Good,” she said. “I’d hate to think we scared you away after only one day.”
He didn’t want to her leave, which was an odd feeling for Ronan. He was usually the kind of guy who used the “early meeting” excuse to avoid waking up with a woman in his bed. But he’d had such a nice day with Charlotte that he wanted it to go on a little longer.
He stood up and grabbed her hands. “You don’t scare me, Charlie.”
She shifted nervously, her gaze fixed on his chest. “You kinda scare me, a little bit.”
He hooked his thumb beneath her chin and tipped her gaze up to meet his. “We’ll have to work on that,” he said. “Baby steps.”
“I’ll see you in the morning,” she said.
“All right.” He kissed her again, softly, his tongue teasing at the crease of her lips. And when he drew back, he pressed his damp lips to her forehead. “You better go while I’m still willing to let you.”
Charlie turned and walked back inside. He watched her in the dim light from the living room lamps and when he heard the door shut behind her, he let out a long breath.
“Charlotte Sibley,” he murmured to himself. He leaned against the railing and stared out at the water. What where his brothers doing right now, he wondered. Were they staring out into the night sky and wondering what changes would come over the next six weeks. Had they found an interesting woman to occupy their thoughts?
If he couldn’t imagine a different life, here in Sibleyville, with Charlotte Sibley, then he had no imagination at all. This place was perfect, Charlie was beautiful, and there was every chance that they’d be sharing a bed before long.
He’d been drifting for so long, trying to find his place in life. Now, suddenly, he felt the gentle tug of an anchor. The wind might blow and the current might catch him, but he was here to stay, at least for a while. And whatever happened between them, Ronan suspected it might just change his life. And yet he didn’t care. His life needed changing, the more, the better. And he’d start with his fear of water.
“Bring it on,” he said, taking a sip of his beer. “I’m ready.”
* * *
T HE STREETS WERE silent as Charlie walked home from the boathouse. She’d decided to leave her truck behind, knowing that the exercise and the time to think would give her at least a shot at sleeping.
A soft breeze rustled the trees above her head, the old streetlamps creating strange shadows on the sidewalk in front of her. Though it was late August, she could feel autumn in the air. It was waiting, just a few weeks away, ready to begin turning the trees and chilling the air and making her favorite season of the year come alive again. It would be nice to share it all with someone new.
Since walking out on Danny, she hadn’t seriously considered getting involved with a man again. There had been a couple possibilities, but neither of them seemed worth the effort it would take. And there just hadn’t been any chemistry.
But Ronan was different. There was something about him that promised excitement and passion and time together that was new and real and special. She felt a tremor course through her body and Charlie rubbed her arms against the goose bumps that prickled her skin.
“Charlotte? Charlotte Sibley, is that you?”
Charlie squinted into the dark and saw a shadowy figure approach with a familiar little dog trotting at her side. Leticia Trowbridge was Sibleyville’s chief matchmaker. Ever since the spell was cast,
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