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.Nothing special, just the two of us together, talking.Now, it was Charles giving me what I’d always wanted.My heart felt as though it were expanding to twice its size, and I recognized what I was feeling as happiness.While I had been content in my singleness for the past year and happy with my daughter, I knew something was missing.Something I seemed to be finding in Charles Faulkner, a man I’d disliked for the first few weeks I’d known him.He started to move past where I sat on the counter, but I reached out and snagged his shirt, pulling him to me.He moved between my thighs, his arms coming around me.We simply looked at one another, saying nothing.Then, I kissed him.It was sweet and tender, and it made tears prick the back of my eyelids.Charles released my mouth and one hand came up to tuck my face into the curve of his neck.He held me for a few moments.After a while, he lifted his head and asked, “Better?”I nodded and he kissed my forehead before returning to his culinary duties.I realized he thought I only needed comfort.He had no idea I was well on my way to falling in love with him.I watched as he went about making dinner, thinking that falling in love with Charles wouldn’t be a mistake, even if we didn’t work out.He was the kind of man that would make me a better woman.Suddenly, I was very glad my sister decided to take Carolena for the night.Dinner was delicious.Charles insisted we eat it in the formal dining room and he lit the tapered candles I’d placed in the center as decoration.The steak was perfectly cooked, the potatoes crisp, and I learned that I liked the flavor of broccoli rabe.I also drank two glasses of wine.When we finished eating, Charles carried both of our plates into the kitchen and brought back two bowls of ice cream.He set one in front of me.“I brought gelato from Paciugo.I didn’t know your preferences so I have panna cotta and pistachio.”My mouth began to water.I loved going to Paciugo, especially during the summer.It was like an upscale ice cream shop, only with gelato, which I thought was better than ice cream.“Pistachio is my favorite flavor, but I also love the panna cotta and the tiramisu.”Charles grinned.“Great.”After we finished our gelato, I really was stuffed.“Oh God, I’m full.That was so good, Charles.Thank you.”He chuckled.“All part of my plan.”I narrowed my eyes.“Plan?”“Well, you see, one of my favorite movies came out on DVD this week and I was hoping we could watch it tonight.”“What is it?” I asked, wondering if he was going to make me watch something really gory or violent.“August: Osage County.”I laughed.“I would love to watch that.”He winked at me and carried our bowls into the kitchen.I followed him, thinking I’d tidy up before we began the movie, but Charles grabbed me and steered me toward the living room.“No.You and I are going to sit down, relax, and watch a movie.There will be time to clean the kitchen later.”I didn’t argue as he led me into the living room and sat me on the sofa.He left the room and came back a few minutes later with the DVD.Charles loaded it into the player and turned out the overhead lights, leaving a single lamp lit.As the movie started up, he pulled my feet up and set them on the couch, arranging me so I was lying on the couch, then he squeezed in behind me.“What are you doing?” I asked, holding back a laugh.“Getting comfortable.I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to stretch out and relax.”He was right.I let the tension flow out of my muscles as he spooned up behind me, wrapping an arm around my waist.It was nice and it felt perfect.About fifteen minutes into the movie, I realized there was no way I could concentrate on the film.I had no clue what was going on because my entire being was focused on the sensation of Charles’ body pressed against my back from shoulder to knee and the occasional brush of his fingers on the skin of my stomach where my shirt had ridden up slightly [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]