Read Online Natural-Born Protector / Saved by the Monarch by Carla Cassidy - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Carla Cassidy
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furniture and floor covered with drop cloths, the locksmith had arrived and the morning passed with a flurry of activity.
When the locksmith left she felt a new sense of security. Nobody who Lainie had given a key to the town house would be getting in now. She wasn’t giving a key to anyone.
Mike worked only an hour, then got a phone call and had to leave. He said he’d be back later that afternoon but she told him that would be inconvenient for her. She had shopping to do and pizza to make and she didn’t want anyone in there while she prepared for the night with Hank and Maddie.
By two o’clock Melody had all the groceries she needed for the meal and began making the dough for the crust. She liked to cook, found it cathartic.
As she worked, her thoughts once again returned to Hank. She hoped he didn’t think that she regularly offered herself up for meaningless affairs. She’d never done anything like that before. Maybe the stress she was under accounted for her intense attraction and her uncharacteristic forwardness to a man she hardly knew.
With the dough rising, she went into the living roomwhere she folded up the drop cloths Mike had put down and cleaned the room for company.
There had been little time for friendships in Melody’s life. Lainie had taken the role of sister, friend and confidante, rarely leaving time for anyone else in Melody’s life.
She’d begun to make friendships in Chicago, but there hadn’t been time to foster anything deep and meaningful. For the first time in her life she wished she had a girlfriend, somebody she could call and talk to about Hank and the crazy feelings she was developing for him. But there was nobody. She had to navigate the uncharted waters of pure lust on her own.
By five o’clock she had everything ready for the oven and the salad made and chilling in the refrigerator. She took a long, leisurely shower, then put on a pink sundress and pulled her hair up into a ponytail.
A touch of mascara, a dab of lipstick and simple gold hoops in her ears and she was set for her evening of entertaining.
At precisely six, a knock sounded on the door and she answered to see Maddie and Hank. “We got cheesecake for dessert,” Maddie said as she held a bakery box tight against her chest.
“Hmm, that’s my favorite dessert after chocolate-chip cookies,” Melody said as she took the box from Maddie. She smiled at Hank and instantly a ball of tension knotted up in her stomach.
That kiss.
The sight of him in his jeans and T-shirt, the scent of him as he walked past her into the living room, instantly evoked the memory of that kiss.
“Something smells good,” Hank said. He smiled and in the heat of that smile she had a feeling he was remembering their late-night kiss as well.
“Pizza sauce,” she said. “Come on into the kitchen. I’ve got everything ready but I thought Madeline might want to help me load the pizza before we pop it into the oven.”
“Okay,” she agreed with childish eagerness.
Within minutes they were all in the kitchen, Maddie and Melody at the counter and Hank seated at the table enjoying a cold beer.
“Daddy said you teach third grade,” Maddie said as she decorated the pizza with slices of pepperoni.
“I do,” Melody replied.
“So, you must like kids.”
“Sure, I think kids are terrific,” Melody said.
“Do you like to brush little girls’ hair?” Maddie asked.
Melody shot a glance at Hank, who shrugged his shoulders to indicate he had no idea where the conversation was going. “Would you like me to brush your hair after we eat?” Melody asked.
“Maybe you could put it up in a ponytail like yours?” Maddie asked.
“I think I could manage that,” Melody agreed.
For the next thirty minutes, as the pizza baked, they chatted about mundane things—favorite movies, favorite food and favorite things to do on lazy summer days.
For Melody it felt a bit like foreplay as she learned about the things Hank liked and didn’t
When the locksmith left she felt a new sense of security. Nobody who Lainie had given a key to the town house would be getting in now. She wasn’t giving a key to anyone.
Mike worked only an hour, then got a phone call and had to leave. He said he’d be back later that afternoon but she told him that would be inconvenient for her. She had shopping to do and pizza to make and she didn’t want anyone in there while she prepared for the night with Hank and Maddie.
By two o’clock Melody had all the groceries she needed for the meal and began making the dough for the crust. She liked to cook, found it cathartic.
As she worked, her thoughts once again returned to Hank. She hoped he didn’t think that she regularly offered herself up for meaningless affairs. She’d never done anything like that before. Maybe the stress she was under accounted for her intense attraction and her uncharacteristic forwardness to a man she hardly knew.
With the dough rising, she went into the living roomwhere she folded up the drop cloths Mike had put down and cleaned the room for company.
There had been little time for friendships in Melody’s life. Lainie had taken the role of sister, friend and confidante, rarely leaving time for anyone else in Melody’s life.
She’d begun to make friendships in Chicago, but there hadn’t been time to foster anything deep and meaningful. For the first time in her life she wished she had a girlfriend, somebody she could call and talk to about Hank and the crazy feelings she was developing for him. But there was nobody. She had to navigate the uncharted waters of pure lust on her own.
By five o’clock she had everything ready for the oven and the salad made and chilling in the refrigerator. She took a long, leisurely shower, then put on a pink sundress and pulled her hair up into a ponytail.
A touch of mascara, a dab of lipstick and simple gold hoops in her ears and she was set for her evening of entertaining.
At precisely six, a knock sounded on the door and she answered to see Maddie and Hank. “We got cheesecake for dessert,” Maddie said as she held a bakery box tight against her chest.
“Hmm, that’s my favorite dessert after chocolate-chip cookies,” Melody said as she took the box from Maddie. She smiled at Hank and instantly a ball of tension knotted up in her stomach.
That kiss.
The sight of him in his jeans and T-shirt, the scent of him as he walked past her into the living room, instantly evoked the memory of that kiss.
“Something smells good,” Hank said. He smiled and in the heat of that smile she had a feeling he was remembering their late-night kiss as well.
“Pizza sauce,” she said. “Come on into the kitchen. I’ve got everything ready but I thought Madeline might want to help me load the pizza before we pop it into the oven.”
“Okay,” she agreed with childish eagerness.
Within minutes they were all in the kitchen, Maddie and Melody at the counter and Hank seated at the table enjoying a cold beer.
“Daddy said you teach third grade,” Maddie said as she decorated the pizza with slices of pepperoni.
“I do,” Melody replied.
“So, you must like kids.”
“Sure, I think kids are terrific,” Melody said.
“Do you like to brush little girls’ hair?” Maddie asked.
Melody shot a glance at Hank, who shrugged his shoulders to indicate he had no idea where the conversation was going. “Would you like me to brush your hair after we eat?” Melody asked.
“Maybe you could put it up in a ponytail like yours?” Maddie asked.
“I think I could manage that,” Melody agreed.
For the next thirty minutes, as the pizza baked, they chatted about mundane things—favorite movies, favorite food and favorite things to do on lazy summer days.
For Melody it felt a bit like foreplay as she learned about the things Hank liked and didn’t
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