Page 19 of Christmas in Whitehorn
“How are you this morning?” he asked.
Under other circumstances it could be considered a reasonable question, but this situation was anything but normal. After all, less than two hours before, they’d been making passionate love in her shower. Last night…
She swallowed, not wanting to think about last night and all the things they’d done.
“I’m, um, what was the question?”
His smile took on a very self-satisfied quality that made her want to smack him. He looked like what he was—a smug male who had just recently sexually pleased a woman.
“About your order?” She grabbed her pad and pencil from her apron.
“The usual. Western omelette, side of bacon. You’ve already brought me the coffee.”
Her protest was automatic. “Mark, you can’t keep eating like this. It’s so unhealthy. Aren’t you worried about dying young or getting heart disease?”
He leaned close. Instinctively she did the same, shifting so that their faces were only a few inches apart.
“I appreciate the concern,” he murmured. “However, in the past day or so, I’ve had a lot of extra exercise and I really need to keep up my strength.”
She glared at him, unable to believe what he’d just said. At the same time, heat flared in her cheeks and she knew that she was blushing. The man could be really annoying…in the most charming way possible.
She turned to leave. He stopped her with a light touch on her arm.
“Why don’t you bring me some pumpkin bread, too. I enjoyed it the last time I had some. Even if itismade with vegetables.”
She hated that he complimented her cooking, mostly because it made her go all soft and mushy inside.
“You’re not playing fair,” she protested.
“I know.”
She walked off without saying anything else. There were more customers who needed her attention and she really had to get away from Mark before she said or did something stupid.
It had been a lot of years since she’d had to deal with the awkwardness of “the morning after.” She remembered the time as being fraught with peril. Apparently her time out of the dating game hadn’t changed that particular fact.
Darcy took orders from new customers, delivered hot food and avoided Mark right up until his breakfast was ready. Then she had no choice but to return to his table. She set down the plate with the omelette, along with two smaller dishes containing the bacon and pumpkin bread.
“Thanks,” he said. “Everything looks great.”
“I’ll pass along the compliment.”
“Especially you.”
Her heart did a quick double beat. “Mark, don’t.”
“Why not? It’s true.” He leaned toward her. “How about tonight?”
Her insides quivered. Did she want this? Him in her house…in her? Heat poured through her at the thought. Impulses weren’t a part of her current life, so why was she so quick to give in now? She wanted to tell herself that she was crazy. She felt crazy. But she also felt excited about something other than finding Dirk a good school for the first time in years. Was that so bad?
“Darcy?”
“I’m thinking.”
“I didn’t imagine the question would be so hard.”
“Well, it is.”
“Why?”
