Bid Me Now Read Online Free PDF Page B

bland and boring? Worse, why did she even care?
    “Well, at times it is. How long have you lived in Charmford? You have a mixed British and American accent.”  
    “Oh, I’ve been here since I was sixteen. Before that, I lived in London and then we moved here, but now it’s just me.” Her cell phone buzzed. “A text. Do you mind?”  
    “Go ahead.”  
    It was Janice Patterson from the Arts Committee, confirming her one o’clock. It didn’t need a response, but Miri welcomed the opportunity to concentrate on something other than the distraction sitting across from her. Fingers bouncing over the keys, she sent a long text, knowing that Janice would think she’d completely lost it by rambling on about the weather. But hopefully Nick would assume she had pressing business. As she hit “send,” she glanced around to see where the waitress was. The coffee was taking forever. It wasn’t helping that Nick was lazily watching her. Not rudely, like he had at the mill, but enough to work a warm prickle of self-consciousness and a few other sensations down her spine.
    Putting her phone back in her bag, Miri tried her best to sound casual. “That was someone confirming my one o’clock.”  
    Nick leaned back and folded his arms, and Miri promptly forgot about Janice and the one o’clock. It was all she could do not to gape at his thick arms bulging against the short sleeves of his polo shirt.  
    “No problem. So, yesterday you mentioned you were a sculptor?”  
    “Oh, yes. For as long as I can remember, I’ve been making things.”
    He cocked his head inquiringly. “Really. What kind of things do you make?”  
    A simple enough question, but it put Miri’s stay-aloof plan in tatters. Not quite true – it had started unraveling the moment she’d shaken his hand. But at least his question had dragged her mind away from his biceps. Besides, she loved talking about art like other people loved their morning coffee or whatever else got their day started.
    “I make large sculptures, mostly six feet in height, but sometimes as high as twelve.” Of course, she could have omitted that detail, but half the fun lay in the usual astonished reaction.
    He sat up straight, making Miri laugh. “Jesus. Tell me more.”  
    She tried telling herself that it was the art-talk causing the rush of warmth to her cheeks and not his gorgeous eyes, which were looking at her with real interest. “Well, mostly I work in copper and steel, sometimes brass and other media. A local metalwork company helps me with the heavy cutting and welding of the basic frame. The sculptures are abstracts, representing various aspects of the human condition. One series I exhibited in New York was on the seven deadly sins.”
    “Deadly sins, huh.” He stroked his chin as if the possibilities required serious thought. Miri couldn’t help but study the possibilities of that dark stubble against her cheek. So deliciously rough. What would he say if she leaned over and stroked his chin?  
    “Which sin fascinates you the most?” he asked, just as Waitress Tiffany arrived with the coffees. She gaped at Nick as if ready to commit sin with him right there on the table. Carefully setting the tray down, Tiffany backed away, her eyes fastened on Nick like she wanted to devour him, until finally she had no choice but to turn and head for her station.  
    “Oops, she wondered what on earth you were talking about.” Miri laughed, slurping whipped cream from the top of her coffee.  
    He grinned. “Well, you started it by talking about sin. You have cream on your lip.” He held out a paper napkin.  
    Miri tried to ignore the brief contact of his fingers as she took the napkin and dabbed her mouth. “Is it gone?”  
    His grin widened. “It’s gone. Along with your dimples. That’s a pity.”  
    “Sorry…?”  
    “Your dimples come and go. Like a smile barometer. The wider the smile, the deeper the dimples.”
    “Oh, I’ve never liked them much.