The Heart of the Matter by Netzel Stacey Joy

Author:Netzel, Stacey Joy [Netzel, Stacey Joy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2011-06-29T06:00:00+00:00

Chapter 11

“Mmm. I love Nino’s chocolate chip cannolis.”

Since the moment Rick picked Allie up, he’d been in a heightened state of awareness. The air was crisper, colors more vibrant, sounds combined to form a background symphony of music. It sounded sappy and stupid, he knew, but that didn’t change the fact that with Allieher, he noticed the gleam of reddish highlights in her auburn hair; the length of her sable lashes framing those beautiful hazel eyes; the sensual curve of her kissable mouth with every soft, sexy smile she directed his way as they playfully argued their way through dinner.

Add her vocal enjoyment of the dessert, and he was completely seduced without a single touch from her chocolate coated fingertips. If she was eating with her fingers just to drive him crazy, it was working. Tearing his gaze from her glistening lips was near impossible, even after his pager buzzed on his hip.

“It’s my answering service—I’ll only be a minute.”

When he returned to the table, he gave Allie a grimace of apology. “Sweet Pea’s in labor and apparently, June doesn’t believe Dana’s a real doctor. I can drop you back at your house on the way.”

Despite the fact that he loved what he did, a bit of annoyance crept in that this was how their first evening together would end. He’d been looking forward to more conversation. And of course, a goodnight kiss that would most likely keep him awake half the night. Especially after those cannolis.

“Can I come with you?” Allie asked.

Rick paused in surprise, then smiled with anticipation while pulling bills from his wallet to set next to the check. “Definitely. June wants the piglets born in a ‘hospital’, so she’s meeting me at the clinic.”

“Too bad Lukas will miss it,” Allie said on their way out.

“He’s seen animals born before, and he’ll get to see them tomorrow, anyway. I’m sure June will insist her pot-bellied princess spend the night.”

Three hours later, after getting Sweet Pea settled under the heat lamp with her nine newborns, and sending June home with a promise that he’d check the piglets through the night, Rick entered the living room at the same time Allie came out of the kitchen with a small tray.

He inhaled the savory aroma of fresh brewed coffee. “You read my mind.”

She smiled. “It seemed a safer bet than a drink.”

Rick tuned the stereo to a soft rock station for background noise and sat next to her on the couch. He added cream and sugar to his mug before sitting back. Balancing his drink in his left hand, he slid down a little into the cushions, letting his leg rest against hers. It seemed natural to reach over and thread his fingers with hers where they lay on her thigh, yet his heart still thudded with the action. She didn’t pull away, and his pulse eased up a little.

Their easy, teasing conversation picked up where it had left off over dinner, and he loved that her impressive intelligence from high school had sharpened and matured.

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