Read Online Three Down the Aisle by Sherryl Woods - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Sherryl Woods
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you say that?”
“You remind me of my own dad and, believe me, there’s not a better one on earth. You’re protective and attentive and you listen to Jessie. Most of all, it’s obvious you adore her. She may miss having a mom in her life, but she’s very lucky to have you.”
For an instant this hulking, strong man looked flustered. “I don’t know what to say.”
Melanie grinned at him. “It’s a compliment. All you need to say is thank you.”
Instead, to her astonishment, he leaned down and kissed her—just the slightest grazing of warm lips against hers, but it was enough to send heat spiraling through her.
Then he was out the door. He was halfway to the street when he finally glanced back and caught her with her fingers against her lips. He winked.
“Thanks,” he said.
Now she was the one who was flustered. “Anytime,” she whispered, but only when he was too far away to hear her.
This visit to Rose Cottage was supposed to provide her with a whole new level of serenity, but suddenly Melanie was feeling anything but serene. She’d felt more clear-to-her-toes shock waves from that innocent little kiss than she’d ever felt in Jeremy’s arms. Now wasn’t that interesting?
And dangerous.
Mike had worked like a demon all day, pushing himself in the vain hope that sweat and hard work would make him forget all about that kiss. It had happened on impulse, just a quick little brush of his mouth over hers, mostly to see if it would rattle her half as much as her kind words and solemn expression had rattled him.
The joke had turned out to be on him. His blood had been humming all day long, and the scent of her hadlingered with him. Apparently there wasn’t enough perspiration on the planet to overpower it.
“Hey, Mike, we’re supposed to provide the labor,” Jeff Clayborne shouted.
“I’m just helping out a little,” Mike responded, pausing long enough to wipe his brow with the already-soaked bandanna he’d stuck in his back pocket.
“You help out any more and we’ll be out of jobs,” Jeff retorted. “Take a break, man. I’ve got a Thermos of iced tea here that I’ll share with you.”
Mike knew all about Jeff’s tea. It was so sweet it was enough to send most people into a diabetic coma. Jeff said the key to getting it that way was to boil the sugar right into it. Mike shuddered at the thought.
“I’ll pass on the tea, thanks, but I will take a break. I’ve got bottled water in my truck.” He grabbed a bottle from the cooler in back, then joined the other man in the shade of an oak tree.
Jeff glanced over at him. “Something on your mind?”
“No. Why?”
“You usually work this hard when there’s a problem with Jessie. Otherwise, you loaf around and supervise the rest of us.”
“Very funny,” Mike commented. “And you’re totally off the mark. Jessie’s great, actually.”
“I imagine that has something to do with her new friend,” Jeff said, his expression innocent.
Mike saw where this was going and wondered how word had gotten around so quickly. Then, again, this was a small town.
“What new friend would that be?” he asked, keeping his own expression neutral.
“I heard blond hair and big blue eyes and legs thatwouldn’t quit.” Jeff grinned wickedly. “Oh, wait, she would be your new friend, right?”
“Go to hell,” Mike muttered.
“Heard she’s new in town, that she’s Cornelia Lindsey’s granddaughter and that the three of you were over at the nursery on Saturday, then at the ice cream shop and then the bookstore.”
“It’s a damn good thing we weren’t trying to sneak around,” Mike muttered irritably.
Jeff laughed. “Yeah, well, you definitely picked the wrong place to live if you ever hope to keep your personal life a secret. Besides, an awful lot of people have been trying to set you up ever since you moved here, including my wife. You’ve turned ’em all down. Naturally they’re curious when you managed to find someone
“You remind me of my own dad and, believe me, there’s not a better one on earth. You’re protective and attentive and you listen to Jessie. Most of all, it’s obvious you adore her. She may miss having a mom in her life, but she’s very lucky to have you.”
For an instant this hulking, strong man looked flustered. “I don’t know what to say.”
Melanie grinned at him. “It’s a compliment. All you need to say is thank you.”
Instead, to her astonishment, he leaned down and kissed her—just the slightest grazing of warm lips against hers, but it was enough to send heat spiraling through her.
Then he was out the door. He was halfway to the street when he finally glanced back and caught her with her fingers against her lips. He winked.
“Thanks,” he said.
Now she was the one who was flustered. “Anytime,” she whispered, but only when he was too far away to hear her.
This visit to Rose Cottage was supposed to provide her with a whole new level of serenity, but suddenly Melanie was feeling anything but serene. She’d felt more clear-to-her-toes shock waves from that innocent little kiss than she’d ever felt in Jeremy’s arms. Now wasn’t that interesting?
And dangerous.
Mike had worked like a demon all day, pushing himself in the vain hope that sweat and hard work would make him forget all about that kiss. It had happened on impulse, just a quick little brush of his mouth over hers, mostly to see if it would rattle her half as much as her kind words and solemn expression had rattled him.
The joke had turned out to be on him. His blood had been humming all day long, and the scent of her hadlingered with him. Apparently there wasn’t enough perspiration on the planet to overpower it.
“Hey, Mike, we’re supposed to provide the labor,” Jeff Clayborne shouted.
“I’m just helping out a little,” Mike responded, pausing long enough to wipe his brow with the already-soaked bandanna he’d stuck in his back pocket.
“You help out any more and we’ll be out of jobs,” Jeff retorted. “Take a break, man. I’ve got a Thermos of iced tea here that I’ll share with you.”
Mike knew all about Jeff’s tea. It was so sweet it was enough to send most people into a diabetic coma. Jeff said the key to getting it that way was to boil the sugar right into it. Mike shuddered at the thought.
“I’ll pass on the tea, thanks, but I will take a break. I’ve got bottled water in my truck.” He grabbed a bottle from the cooler in back, then joined the other man in the shade of an oak tree.
Jeff glanced over at him. “Something on your mind?”
“No. Why?”
“You usually work this hard when there’s a problem with Jessie. Otherwise, you loaf around and supervise the rest of us.”
“Very funny,” Mike commented. “And you’re totally off the mark. Jessie’s great, actually.”
“I imagine that has something to do with her new friend,” Jeff said, his expression innocent.
Mike saw where this was going and wondered how word had gotten around so quickly. Then, again, this was a small town.
“What new friend would that be?” he asked, keeping his own expression neutral.
“I heard blond hair and big blue eyes and legs thatwouldn’t quit.” Jeff grinned wickedly. “Oh, wait, she would be your new friend, right?”
“Go to hell,” Mike muttered.
“Heard she’s new in town, that she’s Cornelia Lindsey’s granddaughter and that the three of you were over at the nursery on Saturday, then at the ice cream shop and then the bookstore.”
“It’s a damn good thing we weren’t trying to sneak around,” Mike muttered irritably.
Jeff laughed. “Yeah, well, you definitely picked the wrong place to live if you ever hope to keep your personal life a secret. Besides, an awful lot of people have been trying to set you up ever since you moved here, including my wife. You’ve turned ’em all down. Naturally they’re curious when you managed to find someone
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