Read Online Hidden Riches by Nora Roberts - Free Book Online

got a couple of kids and likes to read books.”
    â€œWhat sort of books?”
    â€œI don’t know.” Why the hell hadn’t he just gone by the florist?
    â€œAll right, then.” Taking pity on him, she patted his arm. “It sounds to me as though we have a busy, dedicatedwoman. A compassionate and a romantic one. A hostess gift,” she mused, tapping her finger to her lip. “It shouldn’t be too personal. Something for the house.” With a nod, she turned away and walked to a corner that was fashioned to resemble an old-fashioned pantry. “I think this would do nicely.” Dora took down a footed wooden jar trimmed in brass.
    Jed frowned over it. His parents hadn’t gone for novelty antiques. “What’s it—like for cookies?”
    â€œHow clever of you.” Dora beamed at him. “It’s a biscuit jar. Victorian. This one’s oak from about 1870. A practical and ornamental gift, and at forty dollars, it won’t cost you more than a dozen long-stem roses or a good French wine.”
    â€œOkay. I guess she’d get a kick out of it.”
    â€œSee? That wasn’t so painful. Can I help you with anything else? A last-minute Christmas gift?”
    â€œNo, that’s it.” He followed her back into the main room. The place smelled—cozy, he decided. Like apples. There was music playing softly. He recognized a movement from The Nutcracker and was surprised that he suddenly felt relaxed. “Where do you get all this stuff?”
    â€œOh, here and there,” she said over her shoulder. “Auctions, flea markets, estate sales.”
    â€œAnd you actually make a living out of this.”
    Amused, she took a box from behind the counter and unfolded it. “People collect, Skimmerhorn. Often they don’t even realize it. Didn’t you ever have marbles as a boy, or comic books, baseball cards?”
    â€œSure.” He’d had to hide them, but he’d had them.
    She lined the box with tissue, working quickly, competently. “And didn’t you ever trade your cards?” She glanced up to find him staring down at her hands.
    â€œSure I did,” he murmured. His gaze lifted, locked on hers. He’d felt something watching her work that had gone straight to the gut like a hot arrow. “Just like you played with dolls.”
    â€œActually, I didn’t” She couldn’t quite manage a smile. For a moment there, he’d looked as though he could’ve taken her in one quick bite. “I never liked them much. I preferred imaginary playmates, because you could change them into any character you wanted at the time.” With more care than necessary she fit the lid with its gold-embossed DORA ’ S PARLOR onto the box. “What I was getting at is that most children collect and trade. Some people never grow out of it. Shall I gift-wrap this for you? There’s no extra charge.”
    â€œYeah, go ahead.”
    He shifted, then moved down the counter. Not that he was interested in what was displayed there, but to give himself some breathing room. The sexual tug he’d felt wasn’t new, but it was the first time he’d experienced it because a woman had pretty hands. And huge brown eyes, he added. Then there was that smile, he thought. She always looked as though she was laughing at some secret joke.
    Obviously he’d been celibate too long if he was attracted to a woman who laughed at him.
    To pass the time he picked up a baseball-shaped item with a hole in the top. The words “Mountain Dew” were painted on the side. Curious, Jed turned it over in his hand. He didn’t think it could be some sort of odd drinking cup for the soft drink.
    â€œInteresting, isn’t it?” Dora set the gaily wrapped package in front of him.
    â€œI was wondering what it was.”
    â€œA match striker.” She put her hands over his on the bowl and guided his thumb to the