Free Sara's Promise by Deanna Lynn Sletten Page A

courage. "In fact, your house stood out from all the others. It was my favorite. Yesterday, I realized that I was actually in the house of my dreams and I was thrilled."
    William smiled mischievously. "So, you were stalking me?"
    Annie looked up at him, alarmed. "No, nothing like that. Well, maybe I was stalking your house, but I didn't know who lived here."
    William placed his arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer. "I was only teasing. Actually, it's quite a compliment that you picked out my house as your favorite, considering you look at houses through your camera lens for a living."
    Annie smiled up at him. She thought it was best to leave out the part about taking photos of him on the deck. That might make him think twice about holding her close.
    William looked down at Annie's smiling face and sparkling blue-green eyes and could no longer resist the temptation. He leaned down toward her and gently placed a kiss on her lips. Annie didn't resist. He pulled away for just a moment and saw the desire in her eyes—eyes so familiar to him that he became lost in them. When he kissed her again, it was a kiss that held so much passion, he didn't want to stop, and by Annie's reaction, he could tell she didn't want it to end either.
    "Dad, I'm home. Are you out there?" Sam's deep voice calling from the living room made the couple instantly pull away from each other. It took William a moment to calm his breathing before he answered. "Out here on the deck." He looked at Annie apologetically. "Sorry," he whispered.
    Annie hoped he was apologizing about the interruption and not about the kiss.
    "Oh, I didn't know Annie was still here," Sam said as he stepped out onto the deck. "Hi Annie."
    "We were just going inside," William told Sam as he stood. "It's cooling down out here." He reached out his hand to Annie, and she took it, letting him pull her up from the seat.
    "Oh, don't get up because of me," Sam said, looking a little uncomfortable at the closeness his father and Annie seemed to be sharing. The blanket wrapped around them hadn't gone unnoticed either. "I just wanted to let you know I was home. I have to get to bed. I have an early golf game tomorrow."
    "Did you eat dinner?" William asked, following his son into the living room with Annie close behind him, their hands still clasped.
    "Yep. Had sandwiches at the coffeehouse with some friends."
    "Cottage Coffee?" Annie asked. When Sam nodded, she said, "My friend Cherise owns it. They have great sandwiches there. And delicious baked goods."
    Sam nodded. "Really good clam chowder, too."
    Annie smiled at the boy. He looked so much like his father and was so polite and nice. She couldn't help but like him. "The best in town," she said.
    "Hmm, I've never eaten there," William said. "We should go there sometime for lunch," he told Annie.
    Sam knew it was time to leave them alone. "I'm off to bed. Goodnight."
    Both Annie and William bid Sam goodnight as he took the stairs two at a time. The room became quiet, and they both just stood there, staring at each other. Finally, Annie broke the silence. "I should go home," she said. William nodded reluctantly. She collected her purse and William followed her out to her car. "I had a wonderful time," Annie told him.
    "Me, too. Sorry we were interrupted. That's what happens with kids still living at home."
    "Don't worry about it." Annie stood there longer than she needed to. She wanted William to kiss her again. When he finally bent down to touch his lips to hers, it was just a quick brush of the lips, a goodbye kiss.
    "I'm working at home all week," he said softly, barely inches from her face. "Maybe we could have lunch or dinner this week?"
    Annie nodded, unable to trust her voice.
    "I'll call you," William said.
    Again, Annie nodded, then slipped into her car and, with a wave and a smile, drove away.
     

 
     
    Chapter Eight
     
     
    Wednesday afternoon found Annie and William sitting across from each other in a corner booth at