Read Online An Irresistible Impulse by Barbara Delinsky - Free Book Online
Authors: Barbara Delinsky
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you’re so slim, Patsy,” she teased. “Now if you had a little more padding in certain spots…”
“Look who’s talking,” the blonde quipped.
“You’re both crazy,” Louise said as she took a large bite of her sandwich, but Abby was sure she’d seen the beginnings of a smile, and she was satisfied.
Between bits and snatches of light conversation, she found herself relaxing more. By the time she’d finished eating, the morning’s events seemed safely put in perspective. Unfortunately, though, with this gradual release came a renewed awareness of Ben, who sat at the far end of the room, engrossed in quiet discussion with one of the other men.
There were so many questions she suddenly wanted to ask—about his work, histravels, his aspirations. What was it that drew them together? Sheer diversion? The buds of true friendship? Or…or…was it that same something that made her tremble as she recalled how he’d been that morning, all tousled and sweaty and breathtakingly masculine?
When she could take no more of her self-induced torment, she stood and turned her back to stare out the window. The leaves had already begun to turn and would be reaching their peak during the next few weeks. Autumn had always been one of her favorite seasons, a time for coming in and bundling up and setting the first of the logs ablaze in the fireplace. Even now, she could smell the fragrance of dry birch and pine. There was nothing more romantic….
“Penny for your thoughts.”
Abby looked quickly up at Ben’s warm features, then returned to the less dangerous sight of the green beyond the courthouse. “I was just thinking about fall. It’s a beautiful season.”
“That it is. Football…chestnuts…the smell of burning leaves.” He inhaled deeply. “I don’t know, though. It smells different this year. Sweeter…more sophisticated.”
Abby gave him a gentle nudge in the ribs. “That’s my perfume,” she chided, but caughther breath when she felt his lips by her ear.
“I was wondering what was driving me crazy all morning. You did it on purpose, didn’t you?”
“Who…me? But I always wear it….”
“Then I’m in big trouble.” He lengthened the “big” for emphasis.
She shrugged. “You seemed to find the perfect solution just now. All you have to do is to stay on the far side of the room.”
“You missed me,” he said softly, and she knew she had to do something to redirect his thoughts.
“Actually,” she began, turning to lean back on the window sill and face him, “I was looking forward to hearing about this book you’re going to write.”
“Which one?”
At his look of utter innocence, she sighed. “…The one about the jury process.”
“Aaaaaaah… that one.”
She waited, but he said nothing more. “Come on, Ben. That is one of the side benefits to serving on this jury, isn’t it?”
He raised a speculative brow, then let it fall. “Perhaps.”
“You mean to say you haven’t already begun to do research? Wasn’t that what mixing last night at dinner was about…and lunch just now?”
A spark of silver flashed in his eyes. “You did miss me. I think you’re jealous.” He seemed eminently pleased at the possibility.
“Jealous?” she asked, swallowing hard. “Not on your life,” she lied. “I’d just like to know what’s for the sake of research…and what’s for real.” Until she’d said it, she hadn’t quite thought of it that way. But it was the truth. There was a tiny part of her that feared she was part of his study, and the thought hurt.
Ben’s eyes held hers, reading her emotions. When he raised his hand to her cheek, his touch held only tenderness. Again she felt it…that same something that surged between them each time they were together. She could almost forget where they were, that there were others around, that they’d soon be returning to the courtroom. She could almost forget…almost…but not quite.
“Ben…Abby?” Grace broke into
“Look who’s talking,” the blonde quipped.
“You’re both crazy,” Louise said as she took a large bite of her sandwich, but Abby was sure she’d seen the beginnings of a smile, and she was satisfied.
Between bits and snatches of light conversation, she found herself relaxing more. By the time she’d finished eating, the morning’s events seemed safely put in perspective. Unfortunately, though, with this gradual release came a renewed awareness of Ben, who sat at the far end of the room, engrossed in quiet discussion with one of the other men.
There were so many questions she suddenly wanted to ask—about his work, histravels, his aspirations. What was it that drew them together? Sheer diversion? The buds of true friendship? Or…or…was it that same something that made her tremble as she recalled how he’d been that morning, all tousled and sweaty and breathtakingly masculine?
When she could take no more of her self-induced torment, she stood and turned her back to stare out the window. The leaves had already begun to turn and would be reaching their peak during the next few weeks. Autumn had always been one of her favorite seasons, a time for coming in and bundling up and setting the first of the logs ablaze in the fireplace. Even now, she could smell the fragrance of dry birch and pine. There was nothing more romantic….
“Penny for your thoughts.”
Abby looked quickly up at Ben’s warm features, then returned to the less dangerous sight of the green beyond the courthouse. “I was just thinking about fall. It’s a beautiful season.”
“That it is. Football…chestnuts…the smell of burning leaves.” He inhaled deeply. “I don’t know, though. It smells different this year. Sweeter…more sophisticated.”
Abby gave him a gentle nudge in the ribs. “That’s my perfume,” she chided, but caughther breath when she felt his lips by her ear.
“I was wondering what was driving me crazy all morning. You did it on purpose, didn’t you?”
“Who…me? But I always wear it….”
“Then I’m in big trouble.” He lengthened the “big” for emphasis.
She shrugged. “You seemed to find the perfect solution just now. All you have to do is to stay on the far side of the room.”
“You missed me,” he said softly, and she knew she had to do something to redirect his thoughts.
“Actually,” she began, turning to lean back on the window sill and face him, “I was looking forward to hearing about this book you’re going to write.”
“Which one?”
At his look of utter innocence, she sighed. “…The one about the jury process.”
“Aaaaaaah… that one.”
She waited, but he said nothing more. “Come on, Ben. That is one of the side benefits to serving on this jury, isn’t it?”
He raised a speculative brow, then let it fall. “Perhaps.”
“You mean to say you haven’t already begun to do research? Wasn’t that what mixing last night at dinner was about…and lunch just now?”
A spark of silver flashed in his eyes. “You did miss me. I think you’re jealous.” He seemed eminently pleased at the possibility.
“Jealous?” she asked, swallowing hard. “Not on your life,” she lied. “I’d just like to know what’s for the sake of research…and what’s for real.” Until she’d said it, she hadn’t quite thought of it that way. But it was the truth. There was a tiny part of her that feared she was part of his study, and the thought hurt.
Ben’s eyes held hers, reading her emotions. When he raised his hand to her cheek, his touch held only tenderness. Again she felt it…that same something that surged between them each time they were together. She could almost forget where they were, that there were others around, that they’d soon be returning to the courtroom. She could almost forget…almost…but not quite.
“Ben…Abby?” Grace broke into
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