Read Online Tony: Alvarez Security Series by Maryann Jordan - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Maryann Jordan
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dying to meet you.”
“Oh,” she said softly, her eyes going misty. “I guess, I was just holding out for a hero. And then I found him.”
“Baby, I’m no hero,” he admitted, a flash of regret passing through his eyes.
“You are to me,” she whispered.
Leaning in, he kissed her softly, promising himself to maintain control. Just then the water began to boil over and they both leapt up as he jogged into the kitchen. Turning down the stove eye, he placed the pasta in to cook. Looking over his shoulder at her standing at the kitchen entrance, he said, “I didn’t know when you might come out but I fixed some dinner.”
“It smells good,” she admitted, watching him pull the chicken out of the oven. Deciding that their serious talk was over for now and she could rest easy knowing they were friends, she found the plates and set the table. Several minutes later, they sat to dinner in companionable silence and he opened one of the bottles of wine she brought.
Eying the other bottles, he lifted his eyebrow at her in question. She could not help but giggle as she said, “I thought I might drown my sorrows in wine while I was here alone.”
“Well, I’m glad you’re not alone to drink all of this,” he quipped.
“Me too,” she added seriously.
Finishing their meal, she offered to clean up since he cooked. Tony stepped outside on the porch to see how the storm was progressing. While out, he made a quick call to Gabe to report that they had both made it and would be in touch when they could, knowing that Gabe would let the others know. His men were like that—all of one mind. Finding more wood piled on the corner of the porch, he brought several loads inside.
Kneeling as he placed more wood into the fire, he could feel her presence behind him. He saw her standing near the sofa, fingers nervously twisting the bottom of her sweatshirt. Hell, I’ve talked more to her in the past hour than I have to anyone in a year…and there’s still so much more to say. Turning back to the fire as the new wood began to catch with flames, he replaced the antique fire screen.
Standing, he faced her, knowing that she was still unsure of what his feelings were.
“What’s it like outside?” she asked quietly, as though trying to find something to say.
He chuckled. “Cold. Windy. And blowing in one helluva of a snow storm.”
Sucking her lips in, she glanced toward the dark window. “I was foolish to come here, wasn’t I?”
“I wouldn’t say foolish, but maybe unprepared. Honestly, honey? I kinda blame Mr. Marks for not checking the weather before offering you his cabin. He shoulda known that your mind wasn’t on looking at the news.”
“I think he was just worried about me. I did receive a text message from him and I let him know I got here safe.”
Nodding toward the sofa, he asked, “You want to sit by the fire for a little bit?”
Her face lit up with a smile and she moved to where she had been sitting before supper. He watched her smile and felt the piercing in his chest once again. Right over his heart. She moved gracefully, everything about her elegant. He did not know how long he stood there just staring at her until she broke his trance.
“Tony? Are you going to sit too?”
Settling his large frame next to hers on the overstuffed cushions, he could not help but smile himself. It felt strange on his face. A smile. Jesus, when was the last time I really smiled? Her hand was resting on the sofa between them. Not too close to seem grasping, but available if he wanted to take her hand again. Small. Delicate. Beckoning.
He reached out and slid his fingers around hers. Just that connection felt right, as though he were beginning to see her as a life-line. Something to hold on to that was real. “Did you…understand what I was trying to say earlier? Before dinner. About us?”
Looking down at their clasped hands, she admitted, “I understand that you were avoiding me because you care for me but
“Oh,” she said softly, her eyes going misty. “I guess, I was just holding out for a hero. And then I found him.”
“Baby, I’m no hero,” he admitted, a flash of regret passing through his eyes.
“You are to me,” she whispered.
Leaning in, he kissed her softly, promising himself to maintain control. Just then the water began to boil over and they both leapt up as he jogged into the kitchen. Turning down the stove eye, he placed the pasta in to cook. Looking over his shoulder at her standing at the kitchen entrance, he said, “I didn’t know when you might come out but I fixed some dinner.”
“It smells good,” she admitted, watching him pull the chicken out of the oven. Deciding that their serious talk was over for now and she could rest easy knowing they were friends, she found the plates and set the table. Several minutes later, they sat to dinner in companionable silence and he opened one of the bottles of wine she brought.
Eying the other bottles, he lifted his eyebrow at her in question. She could not help but giggle as she said, “I thought I might drown my sorrows in wine while I was here alone.”
“Well, I’m glad you’re not alone to drink all of this,” he quipped.
“Me too,” she added seriously.
Finishing their meal, she offered to clean up since he cooked. Tony stepped outside on the porch to see how the storm was progressing. While out, he made a quick call to Gabe to report that they had both made it and would be in touch when they could, knowing that Gabe would let the others know. His men were like that—all of one mind. Finding more wood piled on the corner of the porch, he brought several loads inside.
Kneeling as he placed more wood into the fire, he could feel her presence behind him. He saw her standing near the sofa, fingers nervously twisting the bottom of her sweatshirt. Hell, I’ve talked more to her in the past hour than I have to anyone in a year…and there’s still so much more to say. Turning back to the fire as the new wood began to catch with flames, he replaced the antique fire screen.
Standing, he faced her, knowing that she was still unsure of what his feelings were.
“What’s it like outside?” she asked quietly, as though trying to find something to say.
He chuckled. “Cold. Windy. And blowing in one helluva of a snow storm.”
Sucking her lips in, she glanced toward the dark window. “I was foolish to come here, wasn’t I?”
“I wouldn’t say foolish, but maybe unprepared. Honestly, honey? I kinda blame Mr. Marks for not checking the weather before offering you his cabin. He shoulda known that your mind wasn’t on looking at the news.”
“I think he was just worried about me. I did receive a text message from him and I let him know I got here safe.”
Nodding toward the sofa, he asked, “You want to sit by the fire for a little bit?”
Her face lit up with a smile and she moved to where she had been sitting before supper. He watched her smile and felt the piercing in his chest once again. Right over his heart. She moved gracefully, everything about her elegant. He did not know how long he stood there just staring at her until she broke his trance.
“Tony? Are you going to sit too?”
Settling his large frame next to hers on the overstuffed cushions, he could not help but smile himself. It felt strange on his face. A smile. Jesus, when was the last time I really smiled? Her hand was resting on the sofa between them. Not too close to seem grasping, but available if he wanted to take her hand again. Small. Delicate. Beckoning.
He reached out and slid his fingers around hers. Just that connection felt right, as though he were beginning to see her as a life-line. Something to hold on to that was real. “Did you…understand what I was trying to say earlier? Before dinner. About us?”
Looking down at their clasped hands, she admitted, “I understand that you were avoiding me because you care for me but
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