Free Where You Least Expect It by Tori Carrington Page B

her menu down. “Are you ever going to tell me what your sun sign is?”
    An odd expression passed over his face, then was gone. “No.”
    “Why not?”
    “Because if I do, you’ll pigeonhole me. You’ll use those charts to try to piece me together like some assembly-required toy.”
    “Scorpio.”
    His deep chuckle made her squeeze her thighs together.
    A woman standing next to their table cleared her throat. Penelope’s smile instantly disappeared. Were they going to be asked to leave?
    “Hi, Frannie,” Aidan said easily. “Any specials for tonight?”
    She was the waitress.
    Penelope wanted to crawl under the table. If only the move would allow her to escape herself.
    The young woman wearing a blue T-shirt with the pub’s name across her chest took a pad out of her back pocket. “We have beer-batter shrimp and some lake perch we got fresh this morning.”
    “Sounds good.”
    “You’re Penelope Moon, aren’t you?” the waitress asked.
    Penelope blinked up into her face. “Yes. Yes, I am.”
    She smiled. “I’m Jeanie. I’ve heard great things about your shop. I keep meaning to come by and get a better look inside.”
    “You should,” Aidan said, when Penelope couldn’t think of a response.
    “I think I will.”
    She looked at Penelope expectantly.
    “Would you like me to order for both of us?” Aidan asked.
    Penelope could feel her body deflate as she exhaled the breath she was holding. “Yes. Yes, please.”
    Aidan handed Jeanie his menu. “I’ll have the perch, and why don’t you bring Penelope the shrimp? Oh, and bring us a plate of those fried onions Chef makes so well.”
    “Will do.”
    Jeanie left their table, slid the menus next to the cash register and disappeared into the kitchen.
    Penelope picked up her glass of cola and sipped it.
    “So tell me,” Aidan said, relaxing back into his wood chair. “What is your sign?”
    Penelope raised her brows. “What?”
    He crossed his arms and shrugged. “Well, I figure since you keep asking me about mine that you think yours reveals something about you.”
    Maybe a little too much, Penelope thought. “Capricorn.”
    “The goat, right?”
    She smiled. “Yes, the goat.”
    “Does that mean you’re stubborn?”
    She nearly sprayed the table with her cola. “You’re thinking of Taurus.”
    “No, I’m thinking of Capricorn.”
    “Do you know anything about astrology?”
    “I know about astronomy. And the stories associated with the constellations.” His smile widened. “And I also happen to have been around goats, and they can be just as stubborn as bulls, just smaller.”
     
    Aidan watched Penelope blush prettily. He didn’t know many women past the age of eighteen who blushed anymore. Either they had already heard and seen it all, or they didn’t know how to take a compliment. And while Penelope never openly accepted or voiced appreciation for compliments, she was obviously touched by them. And touching her on an emotional level made him want to touch her on a physical one.
    Would the skin of her stomach flush when he bared it to the night air? Would she shiver if he licked the supple expanse, then blew on it? Would she bite her bottom lip as she tried to keep from calling out, then ultimately give herself over to his attentions and her own emotions?
    Would there ever come a time when he might freely pursue the answer to those questions?
    Someone came to the door of the pub and said something to those inside. There was much screeching as stools were pushed back and a few patrons moved to the open doorway.
    “Were you always a teacher?” Penelope asked him quietly, completely unaware of the activity behind her.
    Aidan moved his napkin and silverware farther to the left, then rested his hands on the table.
    “No.”
    She watched him as if waiting for him to offer more. When he didn’t, she dropped her gaze to his hands.
    “I’m sorry. That was too forward, wasn’t it.”
    So confident in so many ways, it was surprising