Page 24 of Need Me
“I’m sure it’ll be delicious,” Brookesaid.
“I hopeso.”
He went over to the stove, took the lid off a pot, and stirred its contents. The earthy, tomato scent of sauce filled the kitchen and Brooke’s mouthwatered.
“How long until dinner?” She went to stand by him. “I’mstarving.”
His gaze met hers and then trailed downward. Her cheeks heated under his pointed perusal. “Me,too.”
Tipping her chin up, she ran her fingertips along his freshly shaven jaw. “How about anappetizer?”
Slowly, he lowered his head and pressed his lips to hers in a brief, sweet kiss that did indeed whet her appetite for more. She slid her hand around the back of his neck and urged him back down for anotherkiss.
He wrapped an arm around her waist and melded his mouth to hers. The way that he ran the tip of his tongue along her bottom lip brought butterflies to life in her stomach. Parting her lips, she didn’t resist his gentle invasion into hermouth.
The slow glide of their tongues against each other awakened another kind of hunger. Brooke was amazed that a man who acted so shy could deliver such devastating kisses. Did he know that he was turning her to mush as he delved deeper, filling her mouth with the taste ofwine?
She was a little dazed by the time he leisurely ended the kiss and lifted his head fromhers.
“If that’s what you consider an appetizer, I can hardly wait for the main course,” shesaid.
The seducer was gone, replaced by the shy guy. Robert’s face turned a little pink. “Well, the spaghetti should beready.”
“That’s not what I was talking about and you know it,” sheteased.
He turned his attention to the stove and checked the pasta. “Oh, I know, but I don’t want to burn dinner because I got too carried away. I worked too hard on this half-homemadedinner.”
“You’re right. And Iamhungry,” shesaid.
“Good, because I made plenty.” He opened the oven and the smell of garlic wafted out of it. “Excellent. That’s done,too.”
Pulling out a loaf of garlic bread he sat the cookie sheet off to the side and placed a colander in the sink. Brooke enjoyed watching him as he carefully dumped the spaghetti into the colander. He cut up the garlic bread, put it in a towel-lined wicker basket, and wrapped it up in thetowel.
Turning to her, he said, “Okay. Let’s go to our specially reserved table, shallwe?”
She looked around, but didn’t see what he was talking about. “Is this tableinvisible?”
He picked up the basket of garlic bread and the bottle of wine. “No. Right thisway.”
Going out the kitchen door, he led her onto a large porch that overlooked the pasture, through which a stream ran. The sun was just starting to set and there was a hint of pink to thehorizon.
A small round table was dressed with a burgundy cloth and white tapered candles held court in the center. Robert put the wine in a pretty, silver ice bucket and sat the bread-basketdown.
He pulled out a wooden chair. “Have aseat.”
Brook was touched that he’d gone to so much effort. She let him help seat her and thankedhim.
“I’ll be right back with our plates,” he said and disappearedinside.
Looking out over the pretty view, Brooke shook her head over the way he’d surprised her and couldn’t wait to see what the rest of the night wouldbring.
* * *
“So far, so good,”Robert mumbled as he scooped spaghetti onto theirplates.
As he recalled, Brooke had a healthy appetite, so he gave her a large portion of pasta and several meatballs. Then he ladled thick garlic and basil sauce over it and made his plate. He headed for the porch, but stopped short as he looked out thedoor.
Brooke sat in profile to him, gazing at the pasture. She looked incredibly beautiful in her gauzy lavender blouse, which she wore over a white, spaghetti strap tank sprinkled with silver glitter. Her skinny jeans molded to her slim curves and her white strap sandals showed off her fuchsiatoenails.
