Chesapeake Blue Read Online Free PDF Page B

you?"
    She flicked him a glance as she arranged the first flowers in a tissue-lined white box. "All of them. I like variety." She tied a deep purple ribbon around the first box. "As it appears you do."
    "I kind of hate to shatter the illusion that I've got a harem going here. Sisters," he said, gesturing toward the flowers. "Though the sunflowers are niece, cousin, sister. The exact relationship's a little murky."
    "Um-hm."
    "My brothers' wives," he explained. "And one of my brothers' oldest daughter. I figured I should clear that up since I'm going to paint you."
    "Are you?" She tied the second box with pink ribbon edged with white lace. "Are you really?"
    He took out his credit card, laid it on the counter while she went to work on the sunflowers. "You're thinking I'm just looking to get you naked, and I wouldn't have any objection to that."
    She drew gold ribbon from its loop. "Why would you?"
    "Exactly. But why don't we start with your face? It's a good face. I really like the shape of your head."
    For the first time, her fingers fumbled a bit. With a half laugh, she stopped and really looked at him again. "The shape of my head?"
    "Sure. You like it, too, or you wouldn't wear your hair that way. Makes a powerful statement with a minimum of fuss."
    She tied off the bow. "You're clever at defining a woman with a few pithy phrases."
    "I like women."
    "I figured that out." As she finished up the red lilies, a pair of customers came in and began to browse.
    A good thing, Dru thought. It was time to move the artistic Mr. Quinn along.
    "I'm flattered you admire the shape of my head." She picked up his credit card to ring up the sale. "And that someone of your talent and reputation would like to paint me. But the business keeps me very busy, and without a great deal of free time. What free time I do have, I'm extremely selfish with."
    She gave him his total, slid the sales slip over for his signature.
    "You close at six daily and don't open on Sundays."
    She should've been annoyed, she thought, but instead she was intrigued. "You don't miss much, do you?"
    "Every detail matters." After signing the receipt, he plucked out one of her gift cards, turned it over to the blank back.
    He drew a quick study of her face as the blossom of a long stemmed flower, then added the phone number at home before he signed it. "In case you change your mind," he said, offering it.
    She studied the card, found her lips quirking. "I could probably sell this on eBay for a tidy little sum."
    "You've got too much class for that." He piled up the boxes, hefted them. "Thanks for the flowers."
    "You're welcome." She came around the counter to open the door for him. "I hope your… sisters enjoy them."
    "They will." He shot her a last look over his shoulder. "I'll be back."
    "I'll be here." Tucking the sketch into her pocket, she closed the door.
    IT HAD been great to see Sybill, to spend an hour alone with her. And to see the pleasure she got from arranging the flowers in a tall, clear vase.
    They were perfect for her, he concluded, just as the house she and Phillip had bought and furnished, the massive old Victorian with all the stylized details, was perfect for her.
    She'd changed her hairstyle over the years, but now it was back to the way he liked it best, swinging sleek nearly to her shoulders with all that richness of color of a pricey mink coat.
    She hadn't bothered with lipstick for the day of working at home, and wore a simple and crisp white shirt with pegged black trousers, what he supposed she thought of as casual wear.
    She was the mother of two active children, as well as being a trained sociologist and successful author. And looked, Seth thought, utterly serene.
    He had reason to know that that serenity had been hard-won.
    She'd grown up in the same household as his mother. Half sisters who were like opposite sides of a coin.
    Since even the thought of Gloria DeLauter clenched his stomach muscles, Seth pushed it aside and concentrated on