Read Online Seasons of Sugarcreek 03. Autumn's Promise by Shelley Shepard Gray - Free Book Online
Authors: Shelley Shepard Gray
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him wanted to do far different things than simply hold her close. He wanted her in his arms. He wanted to kiss her. He wanted to run his hands through her curls. He wanted to press his lips to the pulse point on her neck. To wrap his arms around her…
He wanted to feel love. But of course, he could never say such things. Certainly, he could never act on them.
“Buying you the cat makes me happy,” he said simply.
“I’m glad you like it.”
“I love it. This is the best day ever.”
He agreed. He was glad he’d ignored Abe’s warnings and had followed his instincts. “There’s popcorn over there. Maybe caramel apples, too. What say you we get some?”
“I’d like that very much.”
Lifting the basket, he handed it to her. “You carry the cat. I’ll lead the way.”
For a moment, their eyes met. Her usual laughing brown eyes clouded for a moment. Filled with something more…something full of promise. Her lips parted slightly.
He couldn’t look away. It had been too long since he’d kissed a woman.
It had been so very long since he’d kissed Grace. Then she swallowed and hugged the basket. “That’s a great idea,” she murmured. “You lead and I’ll follow.”
Robert turned away and walked ahead. Perhaps if he did that, he wouldn’t catch her scent again.
Or dwell on his sudden urge to hold her hand. On his sudden urge to taste her lips.
Chapter 6
Used to be, she would have called home to ask for permission to have a cat. And, if her parents had told her no, Lilly would’ve listened and told Robert that she couldn’t accept his gift, no matter how badly she wanted to cuddle a tiny six-week-old kitten.
But that was not the case anymore. She’d grown up. And though she’d only recently turned nineteen, and though she was still living with her parents, Lilly felt as mature as any other woman in Sugarcreek.
Having a miscarriage did that to a person.
After sharing a bag of piping hot popcorn, but skipping the caramel apples, they wandered down another aisle of the market. Every so often, they stopped and inspected a homemade craft or a farmer’s fall bounty.
As she cuddled the tiny ball of fur close, Lilly knew she needed that cat more than she’d needed just about anything else in her life. And as it looked at her with its sweet black-as-midnight face, her heart melted. In mere seconds, she’d fallen in love.
Beside her, Robert fidgeted. “What would you care to do now?” he asked.
“Anything. I’m happy doing whatever you want to do now.”
“Now? What do you mean?”
Finally depositing the kitten into the basket, she shrugged. “Oh, you know. First, you bought me a kitten, and then you bought us popcorn. Just a few minutes ago, you stood there patiently while I looked at quilting material. I’m sure there’s other things you’d like to do.”
When he still looked confused, Lilly explained, though she was starting to feel pretty silly. “I just don’t want you to be bored.” But even as she said that, she knew she meant something far more personal. What she really meant was that she didn’t want him to regret taking her out.
His blue eyes gleamed. “This trip to the market is my gift to you. I am happy just being by your side.”
His words were so earnest, her mouth went dry. “I see.”
“ Gut . Now, where would you care to go next?”
His complete attention on her needs made her flustered. Never before had she been with a man who was so focused on her happiness. “So it’s all about me?” she joked.
“Of course.”
If she was more comfortable with him, Lilly would have grabbed his hand and dragged him to the stall selling handmade Amish dolls, just to watch him attempt to look interested.
If things between them were different, she would have told him that she wanted to look at the home remedies for colds—and the newest home cleaners, too.
She would have laughed and teased him, and done her best to make him laugh, too.
But that wasn’t who
He wanted to feel love. But of course, he could never say such things. Certainly, he could never act on them.
“Buying you the cat makes me happy,” he said simply.
“I’m glad you like it.”
“I love it. This is the best day ever.”
He agreed. He was glad he’d ignored Abe’s warnings and had followed his instincts. “There’s popcorn over there. Maybe caramel apples, too. What say you we get some?”
“I’d like that very much.”
Lifting the basket, he handed it to her. “You carry the cat. I’ll lead the way.”
For a moment, their eyes met. Her usual laughing brown eyes clouded for a moment. Filled with something more…something full of promise. Her lips parted slightly.
He couldn’t look away. It had been too long since he’d kissed a woman.
It had been so very long since he’d kissed Grace. Then she swallowed and hugged the basket. “That’s a great idea,” she murmured. “You lead and I’ll follow.”
Robert turned away and walked ahead. Perhaps if he did that, he wouldn’t catch her scent again.
Or dwell on his sudden urge to hold her hand. On his sudden urge to taste her lips.
Chapter 6
Used to be, she would have called home to ask for permission to have a cat. And, if her parents had told her no, Lilly would’ve listened and told Robert that she couldn’t accept his gift, no matter how badly she wanted to cuddle a tiny six-week-old kitten.
But that was not the case anymore. She’d grown up. And though she’d only recently turned nineteen, and though she was still living with her parents, Lilly felt as mature as any other woman in Sugarcreek.
Having a miscarriage did that to a person.
After sharing a bag of piping hot popcorn, but skipping the caramel apples, they wandered down another aisle of the market. Every so often, they stopped and inspected a homemade craft or a farmer’s fall bounty.
As she cuddled the tiny ball of fur close, Lilly knew she needed that cat more than she’d needed just about anything else in her life. And as it looked at her with its sweet black-as-midnight face, her heart melted. In mere seconds, she’d fallen in love.
Beside her, Robert fidgeted. “What would you care to do now?” he asked.
“Anything. I’m happy doing whatever you want to do now.”
“Now? What do you mean?”
Finally depositing the kitten into the basket, she shrugged. “Oh, you know. First, you bought me a kitten, and then you bought us popcorn. Just a few minutes ago, you stood there patiently while I looked at quilting material. I’m sure there’s other things you’d like to do.”
When he still looked confused, Lilly explained, though she was starting to feel pretty silly. “I just don’t want you to be bored.” But even as she said that, she knew she meant something far more personal. What she really meant was that she didn’t want him to regret taking her out.
His blue eyes gleamed. “This trip to the market is my gift to you. I am happy just being by your side.”
His words were so earnest, her mouth went dry. “I see.”
“ Gut . Now, where would you care to go next?”
His complete attention on her needs made her flustered. Never before had she been with a man who was so focused on her happiness. “So it’s all about me?” she joked.
“Of course.”
If she was more comfortable with him, Lilly would have grabbed his hand and dragged him to the stall selling handmade Amish dolls, just to watch him attempt to look interested.
If things between them were different, she would have told him that she wanted to look at the home remedies for colds—and the newest home cleaners, too.
She would have laughed and teased him, and done her best to make him laugh, too.
But that wasn’t who
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