Hearts Awakened Read Online Free PDF Page B

handed over the bags without touching her fingers. The warm scent of fresh produce drifted to her nose, and she peeked in the bags—rosy tomatoes, fresh squash, Vidalia onions. Her mouth watered. Why hadn’t she let Mama teach her how to cook?
    She arranged the bags in the trunk and closed the lid. He hadn’t moved away yet and his warmth suffused her. She shut her eyes, that weird tingle pricking her belly and between her thighs again. She remembered this. High school, Steve Wilson meeting her at her locker to walk her to class. He’d placed his arm against the locker next to hers and leaned close, his body heat and a trace of aftershave floating over her. And this same awareness quivering through her. The sweet memory of a time when she’d felt innocent, untainted, brought a lump to her throat.
    The infatuation with Steve hadn’t lasted long, but she hadn’t felt the sensation since. Until now, with Cookie close to her. The lump grew. Why him? Angry because her hands shook, she snatched the key from the lock and turned to face him, her chin tilted with defiance. “Ready?”
    He stepped back. “When you are.”
    Why didn’t he smile? His stoic expression tautened her nerves and she took deep, even breaths, focusing as she walked to her door and slid behind the wheel. He settled beside her and the oxygen level in the car shrank to nothing. A mere breath separated their shoulders.
    She swallowed. “Seatbelt, please.”
    He twisted in the seat for it, his T-shirt rustling against her fabric upholstery. His knee bumped the dash. Her own belt fastened, she turned the key, the engine purring to life. He crooked his knee, keeping his leg clear of the dashboard. Glancing over her shoulder, she reached for the gearshift. Her wrist brushed his thigh. He jerked and heat flushed her face. She yanked the car into drive.
    Her window remained open and she released a relieved sigh. He smelled warm and male, a little sweaty, and she kept her gaze on the road, both hands on the wheel. She didn’t have to look at him to be aware of every move he made or didn’t make. For the most part, he remained still, hands on his knees. Cripes, she could feel him breathing .
    She couldn’t think of anything to say to break the silence, and the urge to cry gripped her. Instead, she dug her fingernails into the steering wheel.
    The countryside faded into the suburbs around town, low brick ranch houses mixed with a hodgepodge of Spanish and Colonial styles. The Winn-Dixie and an auto-parts store signaled the real beginnings of town. As she drove deeper into the small city, the silence hung around them. Two left turns later, she pulled into their parking lot and zipped to a stop in front of his apartment.
    She pushed the door open, the silence unnerving her. When she attempted to step from the low-slung car, the seatbelt jerked her back. Oh Lord, she hadn’t just done that. Her face flaming, she fumbled with the clasp, finally released the belt and stumbled from the car. It took three tries before she got the key in the trunk lock. Thankfully, she didn’t think he saw that, since he’d taken his time unfolding himself from the car.
    Popping the lid, she grabbed his bags and thrust them at him. At this point, a smile was beyond her. She couldn’t even look him in the face. “Here you go.”
    “Thanks.” He twisted the plastic handles around his hand. “Have you eaten?”
    “What?” She jerked her head up. His face remained expressionless. Shaking her head, she ran a hand through her hair. “Uh, no. Not yet.”
    “Why don’t you come over for dinner?” The words sounded harsh and strangled, and he cleared his throat. “I owe you for the ride…I mean, let me cook for you. As a thank-you.”
    Dinner? With him? She cast a wistful glance toward his front window. To see what Mark Cook’s inner sanctum looked like. Temptation twisted its wicked way through her. Say no, Tori. Don’t do this. This could hurt, really, really bad. She took a