His Arch Enemy's Daughter by Crystal Green

Author:Crystal Green
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Silhouette
Published: 2002-10-15T00:00:00+00:00

Across town, Ashlyn strolled past Meg’s bakery one more time, attempting to seem casual. She’d been working in her studio, sketching ideas for her silver jewelry, when she felt a sudden craving for Meg’s blueberry “boyfriend” pie.

What harm would come of a bite? she’d thought.

But the more Ashlyn thought about it, the more she remembered the way Sam kept his distance from her.

She ran her fingertips over her lips, the fire of Sam’s kiss still singeing her. Not even the space of a few days had allowed her to forget the scratch of his cheek, the pulse of his mouth against hers.

It’d take time to forget her crush, she knew. The trick was to stay away from Sam, to escape his body heat, the memory of his towering shadow.

Ashlyn peeked through the lettering on the bakery window again, hoping no one in the crowd would catch her staring, contemplating that darned blueberry pie.

The door clanged open with the ring of bells. Meg Cassidy smiled out at Ashlyn, her hair piled loosely in a mound of saucy curls. “Are you coming in?”

Ashlyn’s cheeks heated up. Admit it, she thought, Meg’s here a few days a week. You were hoping she’d be in today.

“I guess I could spare a moment,” Ashlyn said.

She ducked through the doorway, following Meg to the Formica-topped counter. A Buddy Holly song played over the aroma of chocolate, apples and pastries.

Meg scooted behind the counter, retying her apron, as Ashlyn perched on a stool, ordering a cup of jasmine tea and a slice of strawberry pie.

“Are you sure you don’t want blueberry?” Meg asked, a glint in her green eyes.

Was Ashlyn that obvious? Even so, she knew her pride wouldn’t allow her to order a slice. “Not today, though I hear you’ve been baking them feverishly.”

“True,” Meg said. She filled Ashlyn’s cup and scooped a slice of pie onto a plate as she talked. “When I’m here, I can’t keep up. Widow Antle refuses to bake them.”

“That’s because everyone expects your magic touch,” Ashlyn said, referring to Meg’s “witchy” reputation.

Blueberry pie, win your guy…

The town used to recite such rhymes about Meg’s and her aunt Valentine’s baking skills. Ashlyn didn’t know how the young bride had kept her head up among all the mean-spirited gossip.

Meg leaned against the counter, smiling at the two employees who helped the customers. “So, how’s life treating you, Ashlyn? I notice you and Sam have been spending a lot of time with Taggert.”

Ashlyn’s soul lit up with thoughts of the brown-eyed boy. “Yeah. If I ever have a child, I’d like him to be just like Tag.”

“He adores you, too. And I think you and Sam are getting along just swimmingly.”

“I wouldn’t go that far.” Forget it. Steer the conversation away from him. “You know, Tag’s so great because I don’t have any reputation with him. He accepts me for who I am.”

Meg laid a warm hand over Ashlyn’s. “Who wouldn’t?”

Ashlyn didn’t want to whip out her mile-long list of people.

Touched by Meg’s comfort, Ashlyn squeezed her fingers.

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