Free Simply Being Belle by Rosemarie Naramore Page B

might have mentioned Dare would be joining them this
evening.  Now she understood why Lacey had insisted she wear the multi-colored
sundress that apparently brought out her eyes. 
    She felt awkward beside
Dare, with the clusters of people crowding against them and forcing them closer
than she would have liked—well, she had to admit, she liked his close proximity
just fine, which she found oddly disconcerting.  Why would she want to be
anywhere near the man when he’d stolen her case, her job—for the short term
anyway—and even her prized coffee cup? 
    She eyed him
furtively, wondering at the waves of heat that seemed to radiate from the well-muscled
bicep that was currently plied against her bare shoulder.  He was dressed
casually in khaki pants and a blue polo shirt, and she couldn’t help but notice
how the fabric of the shirt strained against his chest.  She was so acutely aware
of him, she wondered what this heightened awareness meant.     
    Suddenly, she was
pulled from her thoughts when Dare’s blue eyes caught hers.  “Does that sound
all right to you?” he asked, smiling.
    “What?” 
    “Did you hear
anything we’ve been talking about?” Lacey asked in a fatigued voice.
    “Uh…well…no,” she
admitted.  “What were you saying?”
    She heard Dare’s
deep, throaty chuckle beside her.  Had he realized she was practically staring
at his chest? Her face suddenly flamed red.
    “What?” she
repeated, her brows furrowed in a frown.
    Lacey let out a
frustrated sigh.  “I was suggesting we barbecue at your place.  It’s plenty
warm out tonight, and you have the best backyard for a get together…”  She
abruptly raised a dismissive hand and slid a glance over to Steven and Dare.  “Nope. 
Bad idea.  This evening is about getting Belle out of her yard.  If we go to
her place, she’ll probably fire up the lawn mower instead of the grill…”
    Belle shot Lacey a
bewildered glance that morphed into a dirty look.  The whole evening was
about getting her out of her yard.   Really?  
    “We can head over
to my place,” Dare suggested.  “My yard isn’t as big as Belle’s, but I have a
nice patio out back.  I’ll gladly fire up the barbecue…”
    “No, no.  Tonight
is all about rest and relaxation,” Lacey murmured.  “No one should be cooking. 
How about…?  I know!  Steven and I can pick up something through a drive-thru
and meet you there.  What sounds good?”  Lacey directed the question to Belle.
    She shrugged.  “Anything.”
    “Burgers, chicken,
fish…” she listed. 
    She shook her head
and glanced at Dare.  “Uh … chicken,” she said with a shrug.
    Lacey grabbed a
hold of Steven’s hand and hauled him off the bench.  “Come on.  It’s your fault
we don’t have a reservation…”  Her words trailed off as she hurried out of the
restaurant, with Steven at her heels.
    Dare turned to
Belle and smiled.  “Ready to go?”
    She nodded, and suddenly,
someone bumped against her, causing her to launch against his rock hard chest. 
Instinctively, he reached out to steady her, his warm hands bracing her arms. 
“Wow, this place is crowded,” he observed with a wince, but Belle realized he
made no move to release her.    
    She nodded and
tugged away from him, turning on her heel, and making her way to the front of the
restaurant and out the door.  She stepped into the cool night air, relieved to
be out of the mingling crowds inside the over-warm restaurant.
    “Follow me to my
place?” Dare said.
    Ten minutes later,
Belle found herself parked in front of his cottage, only blocks from her
house.  She had no sooner parked her car when her phone rang.  It was Lacey. 
“Belle, forgive me, but Steven and I aren’t going to make it tonight.  He isn’t
feeling very well.  I think he has a fever.”
    “What?  He was
just fine a few minutes ago.”
    “No, he wasn’t. 
He had a headache, and I half suspect he’s coming down with