Not Just The Girl Next Door. Stacy Connelly

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СКАЧАТЬ close to inhale the spicy aroma of the simmering chili.

      “That smells amazing,” he complimented her, and Mollie couldn’t help thinking the same thing—about Zeke.

      She wanted nothing more than to turn in the circle of his arms and breathe him in. To soak in the warm and spicy scent of his aftershave combined with summer sunshine and cedar. To have him look at her the way, well, the way he was currently looking at her chili. Like he wanted to eat her up with a spoon.

      “Just one bite?” he cajoled. “Please...”

      His warm breath teased her ear, and a shiver ran down her spine. With her legs as weak as if she’d just completed a five-mile run through the mountains with Arti, it was all Mollie could do not to melt into a puddle at his feet.

      Instead, she gave him a playful jab in the ribs with her elbow. “Finish setting the table and pour our drinks, would you? I might work with animals, but we’re going to sit down and eat like civilized people.”

      Her parents had never been pet friendly, and when she had announced she wanted to train dogs as a profession, they’d reacted as though she’d announced she planned to don animal skins, eat raw meat and live in the wild. Maybe running around with a bunch of dogs and having a layer of dog hair—and occasionally doggie drool—covering her clothes was not the most glamorous of careers. But she was good at training dogs.

      Zeke’s low chuckle, though, only served as another challenge to just how uncivilized Mollie was feeling at the moment. Fortunately, he backed away before she could make a total fool out of herself.

      Shoring up her trembling legs, she carried the pot of chili over to the oak table and set it amid the bowls of sour cream, green onions, shredded cheese and sliced jalapeños.

      After digging into the chili like he hadn’t had a good meal in ages, Zeke asked, “How are the repairs going at the shelter?”

      “Already underway, thanks to the money made at the fund-raiser last month.” Mollie had operated a booth at the event, promoting her own business as well as bringing attention to the shelter and its needs. Zeke had volunteered, as well, helping her set up and drawing a fair share of female attention to the booth.

      “And the Whitaker sisters told me that Rebekah Taylor, the new shelter director, has applied for a grant, not only for repairs but also for expanding the shelter.”

      “That must be a challenge, to start a new job while the shelter is undergoing construction repairs.”

      Mollie nodded. “I would think so, but if the grant comes through, the tornado might just end up a blessing in disguise.”

      She looked up in time to find Zeke watching her with a hint of an amused smile on his handsome face. “What?” she asked defensively, glancing down at her T-shirt to make sure she hadn’t somehow ended up with half her dinner dribbled down the front. No chili stains, but Mollie winced a little at the muddy paw prints she’d failed to notice earlier.

       Great, just great.

      “Only you would find a silver lining in a tornado.”

      Heat bloomed in Mollie’s cheeks. Growing up, her parents had often warned her about the folly of viewing the world through rose-colored glasses. “You think I’m naive.”

      Zeke shook his head. “I think you’re amazing. Chief and Charlie are the luckiest dogs in the world to have you in their corner.”

      The words took Mollie’s breath away. “Zeke...that’s—” She had to clear the emotional lump in her throat before finishing in a rush. “That’s the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me.”

      “It’s true.” Reaching out, he grasped her hand in his as he gazed into her eyes.

      And even though they had touched thousands of times in the years they had known each other—everything from teasing shoves and friendly hugs to clinging to each other beside her brother’s grave—this felt different.

      Suddenly everything felt different.

      She could feel the warmth from Zeke’s hand radiating up her arm and leaving a delicious trail of goose bumps in its wake. She could hear every beat of her heart, every bated breath she took, magnified in her head. Zeke’s hazel eyes had never seemed so rich, so warm.

      “It hit me out in the backyard earlier...”

      “It did?” The words escaped in a Minnie Mouse–like squeak, but Mollie didn’t care.

      Zeke nodded. “You’re such an amazing woman, Mollie. It makes no sense to me that some lucky guy hasn’t come along to sweep you off your feet.”

      Oh... Oh! It was finally happening. After so many years of dreaming, so many years silently hoping. “Well—” Mollie swallowed “—you’ve probably guessed by now that I’ve been waiting—”

      “And that’s just the thing. You shouldn’t have to wait. Not anymore.”

      “No,” she agreed. “Not anymore. I’m ready, Zeke, I am.”

      Mollie had fallen for him when she was only a kid, on the day they’d rescued Shadow together. And, yes, back then, she had been too young for him. Even as an awkward, lovestruck teenager, she’d been too young. But that was then. Now, a four-year age difference meant nothing. Now, she was a woman and for Zeke to finally see her that way—

      “I know. That’s why I want to fix you up with one of my friends.”

       Chapter Three

      “Wait, what?” Mollie yanked her hand away and jerked back so quickly, she nearly upended her chair. Barely catching herself before she could tumble over backward, she stared across the table. “You wanna what?”

      “I was thinking that I could set you up on a date. You know, with one of the guys from the basketball league. Several of them are single and—look, Mollie, what I’m trying to say is that you’re a great girl, a great catch.”

      Right. Which is why he’d just tossed her overboard.

      Pushing away from the table, she grabbed her bowl of half-eaten chili and stalked over to the kitchen counter. Her face burning in humiliation, Mollie couldn’t bear to look at Zeke. Leave it to her to read his words so completely wrong!

      When it came to dogs, she could interpret every tail wag, every raised ruff, every ear flick. But with people?

      She didn’t know what was worse. That she’d so stupidly fooled herself into thinking he was interested or that he thought she was so desperate that he had to set her up on some kind of pity date.

      Barely restraining the urge to throw the dishes into the sink—or right at Zeke—Mollie set the bowl on the counter and marched back to the table to face him. “This isn’t like your coming over here and working on my house without my permission. I don’t need you to fix my love life!”

      But Zeke didn’t give up easily. Especially not when he was sure that big brain of his was right. “Mollie, this isn’t about fixing anything. СКАЧАТЬ