Page 34 of Bold Encounter
"My grandmother would roll over in her grave if I couldn't feed myself properly," he said, then transferred the jambalaya to a pot on the stove."She was Creole through and through.She taught all her grandsons that a man who can't cook is a man who can't take care of a family."
The casual mention of family made Genevieve's heart skip a beat.She tried to imagine Abe as a little boy, standing on a step stool in his grandmother's kitchen, learning to make roux and season gumbo."What else did she teach you?"
"That good food shared with good people is one of life's greatest pleasures," he said, then pulled a bottle of white wine from the refrigerator."That music is the language of the soul.And that when you find someone worth keeping, you fight for them."
He poured two glasses of wine and handed her one, their fingers brushing in the exchange.The touch sent electricity up her arm.
"That's a lot to take in," Genevieve said, then tasted her wine."She must have been a smart woman."
"The smartest."Abe stirred the jambalaya, then turned to face her, leaning against the counter."She would have loved you."
"How can you be so sure?"
"Because you have music in your soul, and she could always recognize that in people."His expression was filled with emotion."And because you make me happy in a way I'd forgotten was possible."
Genevieve looked at her wine glass, overwhelmed by the sincerity in his voice."Abe…"
He stepped close, and she could see the flecks of gold in his brown eyes."I just want you to know how I feel."
The timer on the stove chimed, breaking the moment, and Abe turned to check the food.But the intensity of his gaze lingered in Genevieve's mind as they moved to the dining room.
The jambalaya was delicious, rich with spices and tender shrimp and sausage.They talked easily over dinner, sharing stories about their childhoods, their dreams, and their fears.Genevieve found herself opening up in ways she rarely did, sharing memories and thoughts she'd kept private for years.
"I used to think I was meant to be alone," she said."My music was all I needed."
"And now?"
Genevieve looked across the table at the strong, gentle man who'd appeared in her life at exactly the moment she needed him most.She reached up to touch his cheek."I've changed my mind."
After dinner, they moved to the living room.Abe had a sophisticated sound system that filled the space with rich, warm tones.He scrolled through his music collection, finally settling on a classic B.B.King album.
"Good choice," Genevieve said, curling up on one end of his leather sofa.
"I've been educating myself," he said, sitting beside her."I figured if I was going to understand what makes you tick, then I should understand your music."
"And what have you learned?"
"That blues isn't just about sadness.It's about honesty.About taking pain and transforming it into something beautiful."He reached for his phone."Actually, I have some of your recordings."
Genevieve sat up."You do?"
"I bought them after I heard you sing that first night at the club."He found the track he was looking for."This one is my favorite."
The opening notes of one of her original compositions filled the room.It was a song about heartbreak and hope, about learning to trust again after betrayal.Hearing it with Abe gave it new meaning.
"I wrote that after my second divorce," she said.
"I can hear it in your voice, the pain, but also the strength."He turned to face her fully."You took something that could have destroyed you and turned it into art."
Without conscious thought, Genevieve moved closer to him on the sofa."You really understand, don't you?"
His hand came up to cup her cheek, his thumb brushing across her skin."You're remarkable, Genevieve.Your strength, your talent, your heart… I'm in awe of you."
The words broke down the last of Genevieve's defenses.She leaned into his touch, then reached up to cover his hand with hers."I'm falling for you," she said."I tried not to, but I can't help it."
"That's good to hear," he said, his voice rough with emotion."Because I fell for you pretty fast."
When he kissed her, it was different from the gentle kiss they'd shared the night before.This was deeper, more urgent, full of all the feelings she had held back.Genevieve melted into him, fisting her hands in his shirt as she kissed him back with equal passion.
