A Heart Revealed by Julie Lessman

Author:Julie Lessman
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

“How someone as little as you can eat that much is beyond me.” Sean held the carved wooden door of Nicoletti’s Steak and Pasta while Rose sauntered out with a smug smile, her fur-trimmed coat wrapped tightly around her slim body. The intoxicating scent of Chanel No. 5 collided with the hearty aroma of oregano and garlic, embedding a sensory memory into his mind he wouldn’t forget anytime soon.

“I’m like a shark—I never stop moving,” she said with a sassy smile. Her playful chuckle floated in the cool night air, merging with the blare of car horns and the sultry sound of jazz from the nightclub across the way. She sashayed to her father’s red Cadillac roadster parked at the curb and pivoted to face him, one manicured hand trailing the sleek fender as she gave him a teasing smile. “Of course, that also means I have a very sharp bite.”

He strolled to just short of where she stood and slacked a hip, arms folded while studying her through hooded eyes. A bit of the devil twitched at the corners of his mouth. “Which is exactly why I stay out of the water, young lady. No matter how good a swimmer, a man could get eaten alive by a woman like you.”

Her laughter had the ring of confidence, but he knew the pink in her cheeks stemmed from more than the autumn chill. He glanced at his watch, then gave her a patient smile. “I best be going. Gotta walk off this meal before my basketball game tonight.” The crestfallen look on her face tugged at his heart. He cleared his throat. “Uh, I had a good time, Rose—thanks.”

She took a step forward, a hand fluttering to her throat. “Can I . . . give you a lift home?”

The hope in her eyes almost undid him. “No, no, I need to walk, really. Thanks anyway.”

“Please?”

A lump jerked in her throat, and his stomach twisted at the fragile plea in her tone. He groaned inwardly, hating himself for being such a sucker for a vulnerable woman, especially since Rose Kelly was anything but. And yet there she stood, shivering in the night, appearing to be just that. His jaw tightened in an effort to remain strong, but she reached out to squeeze his hand.

“Please? It seems so cold to just end our evening like this.” Her body stilled, as if she were holding her breath, teetering on just the right words from his lips.

With another silent groan, he inhaled deeply, resignation rising from the pit of his stomach and into his throat. He expelled it in a harsh cloud of air that swirled up in a fog. He was just too blasted nice for his own good, he thought with a clamp of his lips, something Pete ribbed him about all the time. “If you would just treat them a little more rudely, women wouldn’t hound you like they do,” he’d say, giving Sean that smirk that told him loud and clear it was his own blasted fault.

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