Page 5 of Seducing Daddy

See how high she flies

Woo-hoo, witchy woman

She got the moon in her eyes.

It was perfect.

Right here in the craft show, surrounded by braids of garlic, bundles of herbs, beeswax products and the smell of smoky, cured meats, she had me under her spell.

I was sick and tired of waiting for her to notice I was half-crazy for her.

Sometimes I wondered if she bathed in preacher repellant morning, noon, and night and was blind to the fact that I couldn’t stay away from her, or maybe she simply refused to see the intangible bond between us.

But tonight, that was going to change.

Without looking, I grabbed a plastic bottle—one of the potions off of her vendor’s table and handed it over so she could ring it up, seeking any excuse to be around her a bit longer.

Curiously, amusement flickered in the expression that met mine when she handed over the neatly wrapped package. “So, you enjoy the Nearly Naked line, do you, Reverend? It’s all organic and guaranteed to stimulate.”

I hesitated, blinking with bafflement, and asked, “Nearly Naked?” There was an air of efficiency about her that I found fascinating as the book of Psalms. “What did I just buy?”

“It’s a dual-purpose lubricant and pleasure enhancer. One of our best-selling items in our all-natural, sensual brand.”

I felt my mouth twitch with amusement. “Wow. Who knew our little town of Briarville was on the cutting edge of sex positivity?”

There was both a strength and delicacy to her face, and I found myself having the overwhelming urge to lick her.

She cooed at me, “What’s the matter, Rex? Are you opposed to sins of the flesh?”

Before I could prove Jolene wrong and ask her on a date, the lovable Nonna came over to greet me. “Reverend Pritchett. I’d say I wish it could be you delivering mass every Sunday—offering your cowboy version of eye candy up with the host.” She placed her hand on my forearm and winked at me. “But Catholic celibacy would mean taking these brawny arms off the market, and we couldn’t have that.”

Jolene rolled her eyes and turned away, and for a moment, the shock of defeat made me mute.

I put my hand on Nonna’s shoulder, my determination like a rock inside me, making my appeal to her like a prayer. “I’m here today with open hands and an open heart, ready to depend on you to help me.”

Sensing a shared secret at hand, she leaned in and placed her gnarled fingers on the table, balancing herself atop the skyscraper-high heels she insisted on wearing everywhere. “I’m at your service, Reverend.” She hunched over even further than usual and whispered conspiratorially, “Say the word.”

“What will it take to get that woman”—I punch-pointed at Jolene—“to realize I’m interested in her? As more than just a member of my flock?” I asked.

Nonna rested her chin on one hand, the beginning of a smile touching the corners of her mouth, and she whispered so only I could hear. “Jolene is like the Fico d’India.”

I stared at her, baffled.

She continued. “You know, the fruit you call the prickly pear? Bristly on the outside but soft and sweet on the inside.” A flash of humor crossed her face. “You have to figure out a way to remove her thorns without getting hurt.”

Her words made sense, and I replied, “I’m pretty tough. I can handle a few thorns.”

Nonna took my arm. “Well, then. You’re just the kind of man she needs. A type she hasn’t encountered yet. She runs off every suitor, and they leave with their tale between their legs, proving her assumption that they weren’t ever serious in the first place.” She closed her hand over mine where I held her elbow. We strolled together past handmade soaps and knitted scarves, and I wondered about how many hearts Nonna must have broken in her prime. “What Jolene needs is a patient man. A loving man. Someone willing to take his time with her and not be scared off every time she goes as slimy as a snake.”

Her statement confused me. “Slimy? Are you trying to say as mean as a snake?”

She swooped an arm in front of her. “That’s it. You have to become like the snake charmer.”

My heart sank in my chest a bit. “I think my charm is lost on her, Nonna.”

“See. There you go,” she said, with the sense of conviction that was part of her character. “What I’m trying to tell you is, don’t be like the others. Don’t give up on her just because she pushes you away.”

Chapter 4

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