Free Secretly Smitten by Diann Hunt Denise Hunter Kristin Billerbeck Colleen Coble Page B

I didn’t want you to know what a slob I am.”
    Impress her? Her spirits rose. “I’m not staying. I wanted to tell you what I found out!” If she didn’t tell someone soon, she was going to explode. “The cemetery where David’s parents are buried is near Burlington.”
    “So they didn’t go far.”
    She shook her head. “I thought I’d go over and see what I can find out. I was going to see if you wanted to come with me, but it looks like you’re busy.”
    “I’m finished.”
    His nearness flooded her with warmth. The musky scent of the cologne she loved filled her senses. If she took his hand, would he jerk away? She didn’t have the nerve to find out.
    “What about Sophia?”
    “We can pick her up from day care on the way out of town. Burlington has a great pizza place if you’re game.”
    “You can probably tell that pizza and I are on a first-name basis.”
    “I like a woman with curves.”
    The intensity in his eyes made her gulp. He’d actually looked at her that way ? She’d spent many nights lately imagining what it would be like to be pressed against that broad chest. She’d wondered how those firm lips would feel against hers, what texture his hair was, how the stubble on his chin in the evening might scrape across her cheeks if he kissed her.
    The moment between them seemed to last an eternity. What did she even say to that remark? She’d had so little experience with men that she didn’t know how to play coy.
    She finally cleared her throat and gave a nervous laugh. “I’ve got plenty of those.”
    “I’ve noticed,” he said softly. His hand reached out and touched the curve of her cheek, trailed down her neck until he twisted a lock of hair in his fingers.
    She forgot to breathe. The sensation curling in the pit of her stomach was something she’d never felt before. Then it dawned on her. Desire . So this was what she’d heard about but never experienced.
    He leaned closer. She lifted her chin an inch and closed her eyes.
    “Mr. Stevenson?” The teenage boy’s voice behind them sounded nervous.
    Tess’s eyes flew open and heat flooded her cheeks. What had Ryan thought of that ridiculous pose? He was probably glad they’d been interrupted. But he didn’t look happy. In fact, he seemed downright snarly.
    “What is it?” he snapped.
    “Uh, the ice cream conveyer broke. Sorry to bother you.”
    “No problem.” Ryan’s voice sounded normal again. He grabbed the phone and barked an order into it, then turned back to the boy. “Max will be along. Show him what’s wrong.”
    “Yes, sir.” The kid gave a nervous glance in Tess’s direction, then turned and practically ran from the room.
    There was no way to recover the moment. Still, Ryan took her hand as they walked to the front, where the customers would be able to take one glance and see there was something between them. And there was , wasn’t there? Or was it just how men acted?

    “Here we are.” Ryan opened the door for her in front of the restaurant. Since they’d wandered through the cemetery the other day, he’d been waiting for this night with eager anticipation.
    The new place on Main Street, Logger’s Run, was packed, but Ryan had called ahead to reserve a table in the back corner. It had once been an old boardinghouse, but the renovation had taken the rustic character and enhanced it with wide plank floors, chairs and tables from hewn wood, and various axes and other tools from the lumber trade hanging on the walls.
    “I hope you don’t mind a change of plans,” he said as they followed the hostess to their spot. “When I heard this was opening tonight, I thought it would be great to support them. We can always go to Stowe another night.” He grinned at her. “And to tell you the truth, I wanted to show you off to everyone here.”
    Her face went pink. “I don’t mind at all.” She thanked him when he pulled out her chair.
    Man, she did that dress proud. It was red and clung in all the right