Carolina Fire by Carl T. Smith

Author:Carl T. Smith
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: River Oaks Publishing

20

When dinner was over, Sam and Denny Layne worked together washing and drying the dishes, putting them away and cleaning up the kitchen. Little of import was said, and their physical contact had been almost imperceptible, yet they had entered a comfort zone.

Denny Layne was leaning against the center island. “Would you care for some coffee?” Sam asked, as he hung the dishtowel and washcloth on hooks under the sink and closed the cabinet door that hid them. Denny Layne was smiling as she watched him.

“Are you always this neat or are you just trying to impress company?”

“I don’t audition,” he said and she laughed. “Coffee?”

“I wouldn’t think you’d have to ask. You know me and coffee. Between the outdoors and the wine, I might need it to keep from falling asleep on you.”

“I won’t let you. Besides, I have a surprise for you.”

“I can’t wait.” She left the island and came toward him. She leaned up and kissed him lightly on the lips. He pulled her to him and felt her tongue probe his mouth, and the length of her body collapsing into his strength. They separated and he held her at arms length.

“Coffee,” she said and went into the great room. Sam heard the sliding glass door to the deck open and close. He shook his head and smiled at what had just happened.

He brought a tray with two cups of coffee and two small brandy snifters containing a dark liquid that glowed deep amber when caught in the light emanating from inside the house. He settled the tray on the table between the two chairs. Denny Layne gave him a glowing smile.

“Do you work at being cool, Sam?”

“No. That wouldn’t be very honest, would it?”

“Only you could fly me to the moon with a kiss, let me come out to the deck by myself without questioning why—which I appreciated by the way—and then bring out coffee and whatever this is.” She picked up one of the snifters and took in its fragrance. “What is this?”

“Touaca. It’s a dangerous liqueur from Italy. I have to go to Charleston to get it, but a bottle lasts a long time.”

“Coffee in a china cup and Touaca in a brandy snifter.” She sighed with pleasure.

“Shall we taste it?” he asked. She touched her glass to his. “To Jupiter,” he said, not knowing where that came from. One great question he had faced his whole life long was how his mind worked. Every now and then the most minor things caused a short circuit. Sometimes good and sometimes bad. He believed Denny Layne Kimbrell was good.

“Jupiter?” She looked puzzled.

“You said you had already been to the moon.”

“I look forward to Jupiter,” she said as she put the glass to her lips, never letting her eyes leave his. “Can we stop by the moon on the way?” A few drops of rain began to fall.

“You were right; it does seem to be getting warmer.”

He was getting nervous. That had never happened when he was scouting Robin Streeter.

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