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Authors: Carla Cassidy
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was totally unprofessional.”
She ran a hand through her hair, as if giving herself time to steady, then offered him a little half smile that reignited a flame in the pit of his stomach. “Sometimes I like a man who isn’t always professional.”
Her words and the shine in her eyes did little to lessen the heat that burned him from the inside out, but he didn’t want her to get the wrong idea. “Look, Melody, I’ll confess that I’m very attracted to you.”
“I’m attracted to you, too.” Once again her cheeks filled with color.
“But I’m not interested in anything long-term. I had the one big love of my life and I’m not looking for another.”
“As soon as Lainie’s murderer is caught, I’m out of here. And even if he isn’t caught by the end of summer, I have a life to go back to in Chicago,” she replied. “I’m not looking for anything long-term, either, but if you’re interested in a summer fling, then maybe we can talk about it.”
She didn’t wait for his reply. With her cheeks flaming bright red, she escaped out the door and went down the hall to Lainie’s place.
Hank stared after her, torn between his desire for physical release and the need to hold someone warm and feminine in his arms—and a vague feeling that he was already in over his head as far as Melody Thompson was concerned.
Chapter Five
T hat kiss. That unexpected, sizzling kiss played in Melody’s mind until sleep finally claimed her. And it was the first thing she thought of when she opened her eyes the next morning.
But the thought of the kiss didn’t disturb her as much as her offer to him of a meaningless physical fling. Jeez, she thought as she showered, she’d practically offered herself up like a Thanksgiving turkey on a decorative platter.
Minutes later, dressed for the day, she sat at the kitchen table sipping coffee and preparing a list of things she needed to buy at the grocery store for the pizza party that night.
Even though she’d been awake more than half the night, it was just after seven and she felt remarkablyrested. She was embarrassed by her forwardness the night before, but she was looking forward to spending the evening with Hank and Maddie.
By eight she’d finished her list, drunk her coffee and called a locksmith to change the locks she’d forgotten about until last night. He’d told her to expect him within the next hour. She then moved to Lainie’s bedroom to continue the packing.
All the clothes and shoes were now in boxes neatly packed for donation. She’d stripped the bed, and all that was left were the personal items in the drawers and on top of the dresser.
She’d begun packing up the collection of fairies when she heard a knock on the door. It must be the locksmith, she thought as she hurried to answer.
She opened the door to a man wearing a paintsplattered apron and holding a can of paint. He was obviously not the locksmith. “Hi, I’m Mike. Fred sent me, said you needed a wall painted.”
She’d told Fred that she could take care of it, but apparently Fred wanted to help. She would have preferred to do it herself, but she couldn’t very well turn away the offer without appearing ungracious.
“Come on in,” she said and pointed to the living room wall.
“Wow, kind of a shame to cover up a work of art,” Mike said as he set the can of paint down next to him.
She smiled. “To you and me, maybe a work of art. To somebody who wants to buy this place it might be considered an eyesore.”
“Guess you’re right,” he agreed. “I’ve got to go backout to my truck and get some drop cloths and rollers. I’ll be right back.”
Reluctantly, Melody recognized it was probably for the best that Fred had sent Mike to help. She needed to get the place on the market as soon as possible and packing up Lainie’s things was taking longer than she’d expected. Packing up memories always took longer than a person anticipated, she thought.
By the time Mike had all the
She ran a hand through her hair, as if giving herself time to steady, then offered him a little half smile that reignited a flame in the pit of his stomach. “Sometimes I like a man who isn’t always professional.”
Her words and the shine in her eyes did little to lessen the heat that burned him from the inside out, but he didn’t want her to get the wrong idea. “Look, Melody, I’ll confess that I’m very attracted to you.”
“I’m attracted to you, too.” Once again her cheeks filled with color.
“But I’m not interested in anything long-term. I had the one big love of my life and I’m not looking for another.”
“As soon as Lainie’s murderer is caught, I’m out of here. And even if he isn’t caught by the end of summer, I have a life to go back to in Chicago,” she replied. “I’m not looking for anything long-term, either, but if you’re interested in a summer fling, then maybe we can talk about it.”
She didn’t wait for his reply. With her cheeks flaming bright red, she escaped out the door and went down the hall to Lainie’s place.
Hank stared after her, torn between his desire for physical release and the need to hold someone warm and feminine in his arms—and a vague feeling that he was already in over his head as far as Melody Thompson was concerned.
Chapter Five
T hat kiss. That unexpected, sizzling kiss played in Melody’s mind until sleep finally claimed her. And it was the first thing she thought of when she opened her eyes the next morning.
But the thought of the kiss didn’t disturb her as much as her offer to him of a meaningless physical fling. Jeez, she thought as she showered, she’d practically offered herself up like a Thanksgiving turkey on a decorative platter.
Minutes later, dressed for the day, she sat at the kitchen table sipping coffee and preparing a list of things she needed to buy at the grocery store for the pizza party that night.
Even though she’d been awake more than half the night, it was just after seven and she felt remarkablyrested. She was embarrassed by her forwardness the night before, but she was looking forward to spending the evening with Hank and Maddie.
By eight she’d finished her list, drunk her coffee and called a locksmith to change the locks she’d forgotten about until last night. He’d told her to expect him within the next hour. She then moved to Lainie’s bedroom to continue the packing.
All the clothes and shoes were now in boxes neatly packed for donation. She’d stripped the bed, and all that was left were the personal items in the drawers and on top of the dresser.
She’d begun packing up the collection of fairies when she heard a knock on the door. It must be the locksmith, she thought as she hurried to answer.
She opened the door to a man wearing a paintsplattered apron and holding a can of paint. He was obviously not the locksmith. “Hi, I’m Mike. Fred sent me, said you needed a wall painted.”
She’d told Fred that she could take care of it, but apparently Fred wanted to help. She would have preferred to do it herself, but she couldn’t very well turn away the offer without appearing ungracious.
“Come on in,” she said and pointed to the living room wall.
“Wow, kind of a shame to cover up a work of art,” Mike said as he set the can of paint down next to him.
She smiled. “To you and me, maybe a work of art. To somebody who wants to buy this place it might be considered an eyesore.”
“Guess you’re right,” he agreed. “I’ve got to go backout to my truck and get some drop cloths and rollers. I’ll be right back.”
Reluctantly, Melody recognized it was probably for the best that Fred had sent Mike to help. She needed to get the place on the market as soon as possible and packing up Lainie’s things was taking longer than she’d expected. Packing up memories always took longer than a person anticipated, she thought.
By the time Mike had all the
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