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make several pies for dinner tonight.
A murmur of appreciation went up from the crowd.
Well, scat! The old ladies each reached out and patted Dove s arm in a gesture of
forgiveness before bustling back into the dining room, clucking and clearing the few
remaining dishes.
She looked at Mark. His gaze snapped up from her breasts. What do you know
about hoes?
A grin split his face and his pearly whites dazzled her. Nothing. Want to teach
me?
No.
74
A Lick and a Promise
He trotted after her like a clumsy puppy.
75
Ann Wesley Hardin
Chapter Six
Here. I ll collect berries. You start hoeing. Out in the garden, Dove shoved the
instrument into his hand. With his jerky movements, he d probably crush the delicate
fruit, sending the aunties into fits of despair. He d be better off scraping dirt.
Open mind.
She drew a few calming breaths, trying to enter the Zen of gardening. It was
wonderful to have a day outdoors. Low, blue-bottomed clouds clotted the white, hazy
sky. Watery sunlight filtered through the breaks with the promise of another rain-free
day. She noted that since Mark had shown up, it hadn t rained at all. But stretches of
sunshine weren t uncommon in late spring, once the dreary autumns and winters had
passed.
A native Seattleite, Dove couldn t imagine living anywhere else. It had a youthful,
vibrant, creative energy she thrived on. Not to mention incredible food. Yeah, the rainy
season could be tough, but Dove found satisfaction and contentment in the contrast and
the ever-changing marine clouds scudding like digital artwork across the sky,
providing interest throughout the mild seasons.
Mark looked at the hoe, held it out to his side and jiggled it. Loosely gripping the
end, thumb on top and index finger curved along the side, he stepped into a relaxed
stance and glanced back at her.
The authoritative pose galvanized her the natural, unconscious way he balanced
himself and the hoe. She paused from her task of sorting matching gloves out of a
basket and inspected him tip to toe. Have you fenced? He sure as heck held that hoe
like he had, like it was an extension of his arm.
Of course. My whole life.
A zinging thrill straightened her spine. Me too. Epee.
White teeth flashed. Is there any other weapon?
She smiled back. Nope. Awkward silence descended as sexual awareness
skittered to a deeper interior chamber and an important commonality settled in their
psyches. Do you compete?
He shook his head. Not anymore. I teach. But I haven t done that in a while.
You re a fencing master?
Yes.
A tiny pilot light inside her soul fluttered and flared. I still need some saber.
Expertise in three weapons was required foil, epee and saber. Finding the time and
the energy had been the rub. But she wanted it badly.
76
A Lick and a Promise
I d be happy to work with you, he said quietly.
I d be happy to learn from you. Judging from the chilly side of his nature, he d be an
exacting taskmaster and a fierce opponent on the strip. Had that been where the feeling
of danger came from his warrior side?
It took a hell of a lot of mental and physical grit to become a fencing master. And
she could tell by the way he stood and gripped the hoe that he wasn t lying about it.
Had she utterly and completely misjudged him?
She cleared her throat and looked away, handing him a couple of giant filthy
gloves. He took them, agile fingers fluttering against hers, and slipped them on.
Maybe we could go and free fence some night at Salle Seattle. I m a member there.
I d like that. More than you know.
In fact, the owner is looking to start a kinder group. She choked as his words sank
in. More than you know. DL had said the same thing, with the same tone and inflection
last night. Her pulse thrummed. Perhaps& perhaps you d like to apply for a job? If he
needed extra cash while getting back on his feet and pursuing his studies at the
university, Salle Seattle might be his ticket. His legitimate ticket, she reminded herself.
Fuzzy feelings of hope had crept in and she really didn t want to feel that way right
now. Her head was too messed up probably from trying to keep her mind open. All
sorts of crap could collect in there now.
He frowned slightly, glanced at her and looked away. Perhaps.
Something to consider, anyway. I m going to get Michael involved. He s
interested.
His gaze swiveled back and narrowed. Is he?
It s a popular sport around here. A lot of kids compete, go on to nationals and get
college scholarships. This area is loaded with young talent.
Mark stared at her but she could tell he wasn t seeing her. A sudden image of him
in a fencing costume started her heart pounding. Even dumpy men looked almost
unbearably sexy in the uniform, and unlike the sparkly white student s gear, a fencing [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] - zanotowane.pl
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