Page 54 of Sweet Surprises

“Radium Raisin is named for Marie Curie,”he read, “who often adopts an extra calf, if his mama doesn’t want to feed him. It’s not radioactive, but it’s guaranteed to give you a jolt of flavor!”

He chuckled and nodded his head.

“Little House on the Pralineis named in honor of four of our sweetest cows—Laura, Mary, Carrie, and Ma,” he read, looking at the four photos of the pretty Holsteins. “These pioneers are ready to take you to places no ice cream has gone before.”

When he moved to the next photo, he turned back to her.

“This one doesn’t have any,” he said, sounding almost disappointed.

“I thought you and the kids might like to help me with the rest,” she said. “If you like the idea…”

“I love it,” he said firmly.

“You love it?” she echoed.

“How could I not?” he asked, moving around to look at every detail. “I mean look at all this. You… You get it.”

“I love this place,” she told him simply.

He turned to her, his blue eyes twinkling, and the next thing she knew she was wrapped in his arms and he was lifting her up like she was light as a feather, spinning around and laughing with her in his arms.

Her heart soared, and it wasn’t until he stopped spinning that she became aware of his warm arms around her, and the spice of his aftershave.

“You really do love Sugarville Grove,” he said softly without putting her down, his sapphire gaze intense. “Don’t you?”

“I do,” she breathed. “I love everything about it.”

His eyes went to her lips, and she could sense that he wanted to kiss her. The inches between them felt like miles as she waited for him to break the unbearable coil of tension, his jaw tightening as if it was taking all of his resolve to hold up the invisible wall that kept her out.

But for Charlotte, it was the easiest thing in the world to slide her hand up from his shoulder to cup his cheek, and stroke that tight jaw with her thumb as she looked into the eyes of the man she had come to care for and respect so much.

And that small gesture must have been enough to break the wall, because the next thing she knew, his mouth was on hers. The heat of his lips sent shivers down her spine, though his touch was gentle, as if he thought she were made of glass.

“Just about done down here,” Ellis Johnson’s voice boomed as he tromped down the stairs. “I think we’ll be ready well before the weekend for your big re-opening.”

Tag lowered Charlotte to the floor immediately, and she tried to compose herself as her heart pounded wildly in her chest.

“That’s great news about the wiring,” Tag said to Ellis as he appeared in the back of the shop.

“So you saw what she’s been up to, eh?” Ellis asked.

“I sure did,” Tag said.

“What do you think?” Ellis asked.

“I love everything about it,” Tag said.

“Good enough,” Ellis said, nodding and grinning.

It wasn’t until the two men started talking schedules that Charlotte put together that Tag had just echoed what she’d said about his home.

I love everything about it.

Though of course, she hadn’t just been talking about Sugarville Grove, or even Lawrence Dairy Farm. And maybe Tag wasn’t either…

Tag’s eyes flashed to hers over Ellis’s shoulder and her heart fluttered again.

Was that just something that happened in the heat of the moment? Or does this mean something to him too?

---