Read Online Welcome to Bluestone 1 - Bluestone homecoming by MJ Fredrick - Free Book Online Page A

like that.”
    “And a preacher’s daughter.” She saluted him
with her own glass.
    “And here you are in a bar.”
    Her smile widened. “Methodist, not
Baptist.”
    “So you can dance, right?” He shifted to the
edge of the stool.
    “Um.” She glanced from his feet to the
jukebox. “Sure.”
    He held a hand out and she placed hers in
his. A thrill ran though her at the feel of his callused palm
beneath her fingers.
    How long since a man has touched her, given
her that smile with a glint in his eyes that relayed his interest?
So maybe this was a bad idea, letting herself get excited about
being in the arms of this man, a parent at her school, a man she
knew too much about. But her body wouldn’t let her resist the
desire.
    He turned her into his arms as they reached
the corner of the room that served as a dance floor. They were the
only couple on it, and he held her a respectable distance, though
she could feel the heat of his body, the strength of his shoulder
under her palm.
    “It’s been a long time since I danced,” he
said by way of apology.
    She wanted to pursue the statement but didn’t
want to get into a discussion about his wife. “Me, either.”
    “So the men around here are blind?”
    “Preacher’s sister, preacher’s daughter.
Pretty intimidating for most.”
    “Cowards.” He smoothed his hand down to the
small of her back, pulling her close enough to spin her around.
    “And you aren’t afraid of anything, right? I
mean, you’ve been to Afghanistan and Iraq, in the thick of the
fighting. How can anything scare you after that?”
    He lowered his head. “Scared to death right
now.” But he spun her again, belying his words. She held on to his
arms and let her head fall back.
    When she lifted her head and looked at him,
he was holding her closer, his breath warm on her lips, his eyes—no
man had looked at her like that in so long. She lifted her hand
from his shoulder and let it hover, for a moment, near his jaw,
then let it fall back to his arm. God, she wanted to kiss him. What
a mistake that would be. What a wonderful, wonderful mistake.
    She couldn’t take her gaze from his lips,
even though she was aware of the message she was sending.
    The song ended, and no more music was
forthcoming. Leo released her and guided her back to the bar, now
under Quinn’s control. He ordered two more beers, but Trinity waved
hers away.
    “I’m driving. In fact.” She reached for her
purse looped over the back of her chair. “I had a really early
start, so I’m going to head out. Thanks, Leo, for agreeing to make
those calls. And for the dance.” She’d never used his name before,
and it felt a bit awkward.
    “I’ll walk you out.” Leo pushed his
half-drunk glass back toward Quinn and stood. “Early morning for
me—going fishing with Dad and Max.”
    Trinity nodded. “Max loves it. I’ve seen them
head down to the dock the past few weeks, since the ice-out. Your
dad is great with him.”
    Leo realized he hadn’t seen much of his dad
interacting with Max. “I guess that’s the way with grandkids. You
feel like you get a second chance, maybe.”
    “Some people don’t waste their first
chance.”
    He knew she was warning him not to make that
same mistake, but flinched at the truth of her words nonetheless.
They said their good nights to Quinn and Lily and walked out the
door.
    “Where’s your car?” Trinity asked when they
stepped out into the gravel parking lot.
    “I walked, to give my mother peace of
mind.”
    “What a good son. Get in, I’ll drive you
home.”
    He crossed to the passenger door of her
Camry. “I live—”
    “Leo, this is Bluestone. I know where just
about everyone lives.”
    “Right.” He opened the door and folded himse
into the car. “Not used to being down so low.”
    She started the engine. “Trying to be
environmentally responsible here.”
    “Hey, mine is the greenest SUV on the
market.”
    “Not saying much,” she said with a smile as
she backed