Heart of Stone by Marilyn Baxter

Author:Marilyn Baxter
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: christmas, contemporary romance, learning to love again, santa barbara california, a second chance at love, drunk on a plane, he avoids emotional entanglements, he doesnt believe he can ever love again, historic bed and breakfast, jilted at the altar she takes her honeymoon anyway
Publisher: Boroughs Publishing Group

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

After breakfast, Claire spent the morning in the Casa’s game room answering a few emails on her tablet and watching a couple of old reruns of her favorite crime drama. When she felt her stomach begin to rumble, she went upstairs to fetch her sweater and purse from her room.

Getting ready to head out, she spied Mac in the living room, straightening up from the previous evening. He had changed from the flannel pants and T-shirt to a chambray button-up shirt that fit snugly across his muscular shoulders and was tucked into a pair of worn jeans that hugged narrow hips. He had rolled up the sleeves to reveal muscular forearms with a smattering of dark hair.

He paused, one hand full of wrapping paper and the other holding a large trash bag. “Did you decide to go shopping after all? I can drive you somewhere if you’d like.”

“I decided I needed to eat.” Claire’s stomach chose that moment to rumble loudly. “Well actually, my stomach decided.”

“I can fix you something here. Unless you really want to go out.”

“I don’t want to be a bother. I don’t expect the B&B to provide anything but breakfast.”

“We’re flexible. And I can make you that grilled cheese sandwich you were thinking about last night.” One corner of his mouth quirked in a grin.

“Really?”

Mac cleared his throat. “Well, no, but—”

“But I love grilled cheese sandwiches.”

“Really?”

“Sure. It’s comfort food.”

And boy have I needed comfort this week.

“I can heat some soup to go with.”

Soup and a sandwich weren’t Iron Chef fare, but last night’s dinner had been impressive. Claire had to admit she was fascinated and impressed by a man who was comfortable in a kitchen. There was something both charming and sexy as hell about the way Mac moved around with such familiarity and ease. “That’s okay. I really don’t want to put you to any trouble.”

“It’s no trouble,” he insisted. “Myrna has some tomato bisque in the freezer that will knock your socks off, and it won’t take long to thaw and warm up.”

Now that was definitely comfort food.

An hour later, her stomach was full and her mood had been lifted listening to Mac talk about growing up in Santa Barbara, and its resident glitterati.

“And that’s how I met the man who played Daniel Boone on television,” Mac said.

“I watched reruns of that when I was a kid. Boston has its share of celebrities, but it’s different. Not like here.” Claire slid from her chair and began carrying her plate and bowl to the sink.

“Myrna would skin me alive if she saw you clearing your own place from the table. Let me have that.” Mac took the plate and bowl along with the Christmas patterned cloth napkin. He set the dishes in the sink and then turned to retrieve his own from the breakfast nook. “Oh wait,” he said. “You have a little something on…” He pointed to his own face.

Claire raised her fingers to the side of her face and felt around.

“The other side and down a bit lower,” Mac said and moved to face her.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.