An Imperfect Match / Next Comes Love. Kimberly Van Meter

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СКАЧАТЬ with a wide smile that wasn’t the least bit coy or suggestive but suddenly he seemed caught, and when he tore his gaze away from hers, she wondered whether she was imagining things or Dean might actually find her attractive.

      Did she want that? Good God, no. But…a lonely voice protested softly, Dean was one of the good guys. She could feel it in her bones. Her intuition was usually spot-on—having had to dodge creeps and toads on a regular basis growing up—but she’d let her guard down and Thad had somehow gotten past her defenses. She thought of Honey and she couldn’t regret her choice in that regard, but she’d be a liar if she didn’t say that she wished she’d found a decent man to father her child.

      But messing around with the boss was a giant no-no.

      “I see you found a babysitter.”

      Dean’s voice broke into her thoughts, a welcome distraction. She nodded. “Dana is watching her for me on the days that she isn’t working.”

      “You and Dana grew up together, right?”

      “Yeah,” she answered, moving away from Dean and grabbing a handful of files. She wasn’t in the mood to share her dismal upbringing. Besides, he probably already knew all the highlights. No sense in sharing the lowlights as well. “Well, I’d better get started redoing this system or else it’ll take all day.”

      DEAN MOVED to one side of the office and tried to ignore the way Annabelle’s skirt swished around her legs as she went about her business, filing and lightly humming as she went. There was something earthy and comforting about her confidence, in spite of her wardrobe choices. It wasn’t her skirt that was the problem, he thought, averting his eyes, searching for anything that might be more appropriate than what kept drawing his gaze.

      Autumn was in the air but it was still warm enough to cause beads of sweat to coat his brow if he stood in the direct sunlight, which was probably why she had chosen the strappy number clinging to her breasts like a second skin, molding to the firm, plump flesh as if it were painted on, but it was damn distracting and not exactly professional, he groused. Jamming his baseball cap on his head—intent on getting out of there to meet a client at the job site—it took a moment for him to realize that his groin was reacting in a most inappropriate manner, reminding him painfully that he was a man with needs he’d been ignoring for far too long. He’d been sure after Beth’s death that that part of him was pretty much down for the count, too. Apparently, that was not the case.

      Shame at his bodily reaction caused him to inhale sharply, and guilt for thinking of another woman in a sexual manner made him feel that he was no better than Aaron Eagle.

      Echoes of Brandon’s concerns floated into his panicked brain and he spun on his heel toward the door, only to slam his shin into the leg of a chair.

      She turned at the sound to ask, “You okay?” Her eyebrows arched in concern, causing the tiniest wrinkles to mar her otherwise perfect face.

      “Fine,” he answered, biting back the swear words he wanted to yell because his shin was throbbing in time with the blood rushing to his cheeks…and other places. He managed to say, “I’ll be back later,” and then slammed out the door.

      ANNABELLE STARED after Dean as he walked—no, limped—stiffly from the office, and she shook her head. Men. Would she ever understand them?

      Probably not. Annabelle shrugged her shoulders, and said, “I don’t think that man likes me.” Then she turned to the file cabinet and focused on finishing her filing.

      CHAPTER FIVE

      ANNABELLE didn’t mean it to, but a wistful sigh escaped her as she caught a private moment between Dana and Sammy in their kitchen.

      Sammy, his eyes shining with love and desire, feasted on Dana as if she was a rack of lamb and he was a starving man.

      Thad had never looked at her like that. Not truly.

      Sure, she’d seen lust in men’s eyes, but it had never gone further than that, and young as Annabelle was, she’d always known the difference. She’d had no use for men with mouths full of pretty words aimed at only one thing.

      But even as she was slightly envious of the fairy-tale romance Dana seemed to be enjoying, she couldn’t really remain that way. Dana deserved a good man. She’d had a rough childhood, too. That’s probably what bonded the two of them so tightly. She’d do anything for Dana, and vice versa.

      She forced a smile and cleared her throat as she lifted their dirty plates. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt. Just trying to help out.”

      Sammy grinned and pinched Dana’s behind as she tried to move past him. She jumped a little and her cheeks colored, but there was a high flush to her features that made her simply glow. Annabelle’s eyes threatened to water. “You guys have to stop that. I think I’m still hormonal,” she teased, allowing Dana to take the plates from her hand. “Isn’t there some medical text that says a woman’s hormones can go haywire as far as a year and a half after the birth of a baby?”

      Sammy eyed Dana as if he were mentally undressing her and said, “Dunno. But we’ll let you know once I manage to get this girl to squeeze a few out.”

      “Samuel!” Dana exclaimed, whirling long enough to snap him with a dish towel. “Get out of here before you scare my best friend away and she never comes back for dinner.”

      “Whatever you say,” he said, as he sauntered out of the kitchen and went straight for Honey’s makeshift high chair, pulling her out to gobble her little tummy with loud smacking noises. Honey’s delighted giggles faded as the two disappeared to make mischief in the living room.

      Dana’s gaze softened and Annabelle felt her nose stuff up from the tears that weren’t far behind. Damn, where’d all the waterworks come from? She rubbed at her eyes. It hurt knowing Dana wanted a baby so badly yet hadn’t conceived. “Soon,” Annabelle promised, meeting Dana’s stare with absolute conviction. “Just give it time.”

      “I know,” Dana said. “It’s just hard. I see you with Honey and she’s such a wonderful baby and you’re a great mom…I want that, too.”

      “And you will. I’m sure that Halvorsen sperm is pretty industrious. Just give it a little more time. You’ve only been married six months. I mean, you guys should be spending more time getting busy than worrying if you’re ovulating. Takes all the fun out of it, I hear.”

      Not that Annabelle would know about anything like that. She’d gotten pregnant distressingly easily.

      “You got that right,” Dana agreed. Eyes clearing, she linked her arm through Annabelle’s and led her away from the dishes that needed washing and the remains of dinner that still needed to be put away, ignoring Annabelle’s protests to the contrary, saying, “Tell me about working with Dean. I’m dying to know how you two are getting along.”

      “I’d rather wash the dishes,” Annabelle said under her breath. At Dana’s troubled look, Annabelle brightened with a customary grin. “Just kidding. He’s…well, gruff and can’t seem to stand the sight of me, but at least he changed his mind about giving me a job. That’s all that counts in my book.”

      “So practical.” Dana sighed, then gave her a subtle look that bordered on sly if Annabelle was to wager a guess and Annabelle stared her down.

      “Don’t СКАЧАТЬ