Weddings Collection. Кэрол Мортимер

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СКАЧАТЬ want to be anywhere else in the world.” She was standing too close to him, she realized. And something vibrated inside her. “But you should probably be getting back.”

      That had come out of left field. “Have I overstayed my welcome?”

      She pressed her lips together. That had sounded a little abrupt, as if she was trying to get rid of him. She probably needed a little help in her people skills, she supposed. “No, but if you don’t turn up soon, April might send Max looking for you. It’s about six o’clock.” She took the wet dish towel from his hand and carefully spread it out on the rack to dry. Try as she might, she couldn’t talk him out of doing the dishes with her. The whole thing had seemed oddly intimate and she felt strangely out of focus tonight. “You’ve been here for a good part of the day.”

      Emphasis on “good,” Kevin thought. Besides, April wouldn’t be the one looking for him. He’d promised to spend the night at Alison’s.

      “Have I? It feels as if I just got here.” Which was almost the truth. Even though he hadn’t been aware of the passing of the hours, they still had somehow managed to whiz by. He smiled at her. “Like I said, time seems to stand still up here.”

      She looked up at him and for a second, she thought he was going to kiss her. Or maybe that was just her own wishful thinking. June looked away, glancing at his wrist. “Maybe you need to wear your watch.”

      “Maybe.”

      What he knew was that he needed to leave before it became awkward. Before he found another excuse to stay. Because he wanted one. Wanted an excuse to remain just where he was, talking to her, looking at her.

      He knew what this was. Loneliness, plain and simple, fueled by the sight of what had always been missing from his life. A fresh-faced, beautiful young woman. This was nothing more than his last attempt at snaring a bit of youth and drawing it into his life.

      He knew he should know better.

      He did know better, and yet, here he stood, wishing for a reason to remain. Wanting to take her into his arms and hold her.

      And kiss her.

      “I’d better go,” he agreed, and began to walk to the front door.

      She fell into step beside him.

      The soft music from her radio followed them to the front door, wrapping itself tightly around them with each note. Creating an intimacy that was hard to shake.

      Where were the fast dance numbers when you needed them? June wondered.

      When he stopped at the door and looked down at her, she felt her breath catch in her throat. Was he going to kiss her?

      Oh God, she hoped so.

      Stop it, you can’t think like that. What’s wrong with you?

      Suddenly tongue-tied, she looked for something besides a love ballad to fill the air. “Well, thanks for your help.”

      He glanced around. The entranceway was dark, like the rest of the house. It seemed that the sunlight couldn’t manage to push its way inside despite the windows. “I’ve hardly made a dent.”

      She didn’t understand. He’d done everything she’d asked. More. “What do you mean? The tractor’s running fine and, because of you, I don’t have to struggle with the fence posts anymore.”

      He gestured around the room. Trim needed replacing, walls needed painting, and she could definitely stand to have new windows and doors put in. “Seems to me that this old house could use a bit of work.”

      June opened her mouth instantly. Her first inclination was to deny his assumption, but she was afraid that her nose would grow. If ever a place needed work, it was this one.

      So instead, she merely shrugged and rocked on the balls of her feet. “I’ll get to it by and by.”

      Kevin stuck his hands into his back pockets, wanting to look anywhere but at her face. He couldn’t look anywhere but her face.

      His thoughts took off, multiplying. “Listen, I’m going to be here until the wedding. I told Lily I wanted to help her with the arrangements. She didn’t say anything, but I’ve got the definite feeling that my butting in would be about as welcome as blotches on a supermodel. I hate just hanging around, doing nothing—”

      She knew where this was going and wasn’t all that sure it was a good idea. “You could play tourist.”

      But he shook his head. “I don’t play very well.” It wasn’t that he didn’t think the terrain was beautiful, but he wasn’t the type to take in scenery from dawn to dusk, especially since right now, the time in between lasted forever. “What I’m best at is work. I felt good today for the first time since I sold the business. Since before I sold the business,” he corrected himself.” He took his hands out of his pockets and held them up for her benefit. “Two hands, no waiting. What do you say I put them to work for you? For the house,” Kevin amended in case she thought he meant something a little more handy than he’d actually intended.

      “I can’t pay you—” she began. And she wasn’t into charity, she was going to add, but she never got the opportunity.

      “Did I ask for money?” he wanted to know.

      She wished he’d stop interrupting her. “No, but—”

      He didn’t want to be shot down and the only viable way, apparently, to keep flying was to outtalk her. “Actually, I should be paying you—for allowing me to keep my sanity.”

      The wind left her sails. Maybe she was being too hasty, turning him down. After all, Kevin was family. “When you put it like that, you make it hard to turn you down.”

      A pleased expression took root on his face, growing. “Then don’t.”

      “Okay.” There were times, she decided, when it was best for all just to go along with what was happening. She put her hand out. “You’ve got a deal.”

      His hand closed over hers. The contact was light, but potent nonetheless. Maybe because he was so acutely aware of her. Slowly he dropped his hand, but his eyes never left her face.

      “Last night, when I kissed you,” he began slowly, “I was presuming things. Things I shouldn’t have without asking—”

      They’d already been through this, hadn’t they? “Look, I—”

      He cut her off. “But I’m asking now. June, I’d like to kiss you. Like to very much.” He searched her face, looking for some kind of indication that he wasn’t going too far out on a limb here, that he hadn’t misread the signs. “But if this makes you uncomfortable in any way—”

      She drew her shoulders back. “Talking about it makes me uncomfortable.”

      “Well, then—” He started to turn to go.

      He never made it. June stood up on her toes, her hands going to either side of his face, framing it. “Just shut up and do it,” she told him.

      And then, before he could, she did. Her lips met his first.

      She СКАЧАТЬ