Page 19 of Quinn

Practically hurling the sack off his shoulder, stumbling over peaches, he managed to lunge forward and grab the arms of the woman beside him. Pulling her against him, he spun about, holding her tightly in front of him. Her weight propelled them both backward until tripping over more fruit, he fell, landing splat on the feed bag.

Instinctively, his grip on the warm body now on top of him tightened.

“What happened?” a soft voice spoke. Not any voice, Eloise.

“We fell.”

One eyebrow shot up as she stared at him a long moment before turning her attention to survey the situation. “Oh, my peaches.” Another second as she looked the other way and her normally sunny disposition faded into a frown. “And the tomatoes.”

“Shopping?”

Her attention back on Quinn, her eyes flew open wide, only now realizing she was sprawled across him, and pushed herself up and off him. “I’m so sorry.”

“Are you okay?” Aunt Eileen and Sally May had come running across the street from the pub and were now hovering over them.

“I’m fine.” Eloise stood upright, brushing non-existent dirt from her arms and torso. “Wish I could say the same for my peaches and tomatoes.”

Sally May was already gathering the wayward produce and putting it back in the bag. “It’s not all ruined. Most of them are barely dirty.”

“Are you planning on spending the rest of the day napping on the ground?” Hiding a smile, his aunt did her best to sound stern.

“No, ma’am.” Quinn stood up and noticed that despite the two of them landing on the feed sack, it had not split open. Thank heaven or that would have been much more time consuming to clean up than the errant produce.

“I’d say you two deserve a good lunch. Put all this mess in your respective vehicles and come on over to the pub for a hot meal.”

Sally May handed Eloise a bag of tomatoes. “Finn’s making Reuben sandwiches.” She pressed her fingertips to her lips and kissed them before bursting her fingers open wide. “To. Die. For.”

“Good idea.” He glanced at Eloise. “You have time?”

All she did was nod before bending over to retrieve the scattered purchases.

“Okay, then.” Aunt Eileen kissed him on the cheek and turning on her heel, she and her friend of a million years sauntered across the street.

Kneeling down to help her pick up the last remnants of her morning shopping trip into a bag, he smiled at her. “Are you okay? You didn’t hurt anything?”

Shaking her head, her mouth teased into a smile. “I had a softer landing than you.”

“Glad to have been of help.”

That made her smile widen into a full-fledged amused grin. “You hurt anything?”

“Just my pride.” It was a miracle that more people weren’t mulling about to see him embarrass himself falling, literally, all over a woman.

“Well,” she glanced around, “weren’t we the graceful ones?”

“I’d rate it a solid eight out of ten.” His hands at his side, he continued to smile. “Extra points for aerial herbs.”

“Sorry about that.” Shifting the rescued bag of tomatoes to the other arm, she pulled the keys from her purse.

“Let me.” He took the keys and unlocked the driver-side door, then leaned over and picked up the other bags, placing them in the back seat of the quad cab.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” How was that for stellar conversation. “I’ll put the feed in my truck and meet you at the pub.”

Her head bobbed, she closed the car door, then locking it, turned to cross the street.

Why was it he could watch that woman do anything for hours?

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