Finding Harmony Read Online Free PDF Page B

“Mmm.” She
looked at him. “Aren’t you going to try it?”
    He watched her mouth again. Her lips were rosy in the dim
light of the place, full and moist as she licked them.
    He stabbed at the food with his fork and dipped it in the
orange sauce. The sauce was good, like spicy marmalade. The chicken or whatever
was terrific. It was kind of chewy but very moist and flavorful. He ate few
more pieces as she watched him with a small smile.
    “All right, I admit it,” he said. “This is pretty good. Is
it chicken?”
    “Nope.”
    He stopped in mid-chew, a sense of foreboding coming over
him. “What is it?”
    “It’s alligator.”
    He stared at her. “Alligator?” he asked around a mouthful
of the stuff.
    She nodded and he managed to swallow. She laughed as he
drank deeply of his beer, a contagious, joyous sound. He laughed with her and
wiped his mouth with a napkin.
    “Alligator, huh?” he asked at last. “Well, at least it
wasn’t one those grasshoppers.”
    She laughed harder, reaching out to touch his hand. He
looked at her fingers dancing over his flesh. She stilled and he stared into
her hazel eyes. Her skin was flushed in the light from the stubby candle on the
table, and her luscious lips parted. Laughing Harmony was even better looking
than arguing Harmony.
    She seemed to realize she was touching him and quickly
withdrew. He felt a chill where her hand had been. They returned to their meal,
the alligator bits followed by a big juicy burger she promised was local beef, and
when she offered to order him dessert he didn’t argue. He’d just made sure she
tried hers first.
    “So how long have you worked for the Institute?” he asked
as they dug in.
    She blinked at him, then shrugged. “I’ve worked for the
Institute for nearly six months.”
    Brr. Her tone was chilly. He just nodded at her terse
answer. He wouldn’t push her tonight. Damn, but he was usually able to get
whatever he wanted from a woman. Information, a kiss, a lay. Harmony Brooks
wasn’t like the women he dated in Boston. Nope. He was having the damnedest
time maneuvering around her.
    Some sort of berry tart followed for dessert. It wasn’t
fancy but very delicious. A lot like the girl across from him. He noticed she
took pains to keep from touching him again, but that didn’t stop him from
feeling the pull between them.
    They returned to the Welcome Center and this time she
waited for him to come around and open her door. She stepped out and gasped,
looking up at the sky. He followed her gaze, seeing a purple-blue sky filled
with stars. Some were bright but others were mere twinkles on the canvas. There
seemed to be thousands of them.
    “I’ve never seen so many stars,” he said.
    “It’s because of the lights,” she said, her voice lowered
as if in awe.
    “The lights?”
    “They’re dark-sky lights,” she said. “Special street lights
that shine downward and don’t throw up any light pollution. They’re more expensive
than conventional lighting but they let all the stars shine.”
    He nodded and continued to stare up at a sky filled with
more stars than he’d ever seen. “It’s worth it.”
    “Isn’t it beautiful?”
    He glanced at her then, at the starlight dancing over her
hair, her skin. At the pleasure etched on her face as she drank in that night
sky. “Yeah.”
    “I had a nice time tonight, Rick.” She faced him. “Thanks
for dinner.”
    “My pleasure,” he managed to say.
    He stared at her, at those pretty lips, and let out a
breath. Unable to resist he leaned forward, drawing her scent deep into his
lungs. She gasped and he felt it to his soul. He was so close, he could almost
taste her. He could feel the gentle puff of her breath on his face.
    “Harmony… ” 
    His lips barely brushed hers when she turned away and
hurried to her scooter.
    He straightened in response. “You’re… you’re riding back in
the dark?”
    “Yes.” Her voice sounded a little shaky. “I have a light,”
she added,