Lexi's Heart by Delia Latham

Author:Delia Latham [Latham, Delia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: christian Fiction
ISBN: 9781611162752
Publisher: Pelican Ventures Book Group
Published: 2013-09-20T04:00:00+00:00

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Lexi followed her nose—and Pia—down a short hall and into a kitchen done in cheery reds and yellows. The knock-your-boots-off color scheme gave the room a bright, welcoming atmosphere that invited a smile.

But Lexi’s smile had barely started to show itself when she was distracted. At the table, a man sat with his back to the door, coughing hard. David pounded him between the shoulders with sharp blows that looked nothing less than dangerous.

“Breathe, Gaynor!” His fist landed between the other man’s shoulder blades again.

“I’m breathing, I’m breathing.” The poor fellow reached for a glass of tea and sucked down a sizable swallow then managed a deep chuckle. “But if you keep beating me like that, I may need a doctor after all.”

Lexi stood immobile as Pia rushed across the room to check on her guest. She’d recognize that voice anywhere. Besides, she worked with hair five days out of every week, and had never seen the exact, rich color of Mitch’s thick waves anywhere but on his head.

And hadn’t David said “Gaynor”?

“M-Mitch?” She reached for a normal tone but fell far short. Pia had promised her this dinner was not a matchmaking scheme, but what were the chances of this being a coincidence?

Yet her stuttered inquiry elicited expressions of blatant surprise on both Pia’s face and David’s. Even Lexi’s suspicious nature couldn’t deny the authenticity.

Mitch stood and turned to face her. His precisely molded lips twisted into a crooked smile, and just for an instant, undiluted delight lit his blue-gray eyes. Then he hiked one dark eyebrow and winked. Lexi had become far too familiar with that expression over the past weeks.

But she hadn’t expected to see him tonight. There’d been no reason to give herself a preparatory lecture about mistaking his friendliness for something more serious or letting his charming manner get under her skin. She’d had no time to erect a wall between her heart and his powerful masculinity. Tonight, Mitch’s lighthearted…flirtatious?...demeanor jolted her heart into a flurry of irregular beats and frantic flutters.

Ridiculous. One would think she’d never seen a nice-looking man.

Lexi swallowed hard. Male customers made up a healthy chunk of her clientele at Angel Hair, but Mitch’s rugged good looks trumped them all. Hands down.

“Lexi Carlisle, are you stalking me?”

She gasped. Because it had happened more than once already, she was aware that she could easily get lost in the deep rumble of his voice. Right now, though, its uncharacteristic sternness triggered an instinctive defensive reaction, honed by years of necessity. She instantly switched into flight mode, half turning to run away.

Pia laughed, and David joined her. Stunned and hurt, Lexi’s gaze flew to her hostess.

The younger woman’s lovely face revealed no malice. No hint of meanness or desire to harm.

This was not a cruel joke. David and Pia hadn’t been aware that Lexi and Mitch knew one another. And Mitch was not angry. He was teasing. Before she could completely relax, he crossed the room and pulled her into a quick, warm hug.

“Just kidding, Lexi, but for the record, you can stalk me any time you’d like.

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