MM03 - Saturday Mornings Read Online Free PDF Page B

If he hadn't taken on that spoiled poodle, he wouldn't be at the Pirates' Den with Margaret Leigh. Life was just full of unexpected pleasures.
    “Put your head on my shoulder, pretty one.”
    He cupped the back of her head, enjoying the feel of her silky hair, and settled her against his shoulder. She was a little stiff and uncomfortable, but she fit very well.
    “You know what I love about this place?”
    He had to lean close and speak directly in her ear so she could hear him. It gave him the advantage of feeling her soft hair against his cheek and smelling her fragrance.
    “No. Tell me.”
    She twisted slightly, and he found his mouth only inches from hers. Funny, he had never noticed her mouth before. It was full and beautifully defined. Lush. The prim librarian had a lush mouth.
    Her body felt good too. He ran his hand experimentally down her back, enjoying the feel of her blue taffeta dress and the shiver that went through her.
    When he'd seen her in that dress, he'd felt some long-lost innocence bubble up inside him. He hadn't seen a girl put on a party dress to go dancing since his college days. Nowadays, they opted for comfort, mostly old blue jeans and baggy sweaters and sneakers. But Margaret Leigh had worn blue taffeta for him. Somehow that made him feel good.
    He leaned a fraction closer so that his lips were almost touching hers.
     “What I like, Margaret Leigh, is being in the middle of a crowd and feeling entirely alone. It's a strange kind of privacy.”
    Her eyes widened, and a soft flush came into her cheeks. .She’s afraid I’m going to kiss her . He would have if she had been any other woman. But she was Margaret Leigh Jones, wearing a dress of blue taffeta and a cloak of innocence. And so he decided to wait. He had all the time in the world. He wasn't out for a conquest. He was just after a little variety.
    “Sometimes you say the most wonderful things,” she said.
    “That's wonderful?”
    “Yes.” Her smile was shy and beautiful. “Comparing my dress to Christmas... that's poetic.”
    “Thank you.”
    “You could have laughed, you know.”
    “Why?”
    She glanced down at his jeans, T-shirt, and leather jacket. “It appears that I'm terribly overdressed.”
    “I figure a man is never overdressed if he's comfortable. Are you comfortable?”
    “This dress puts me in a party mood. It makes me feel sparkly and sort of young. So yes, I guess you could say I'm comfortable.”
    “Then relax a little more. I don't bite.” He pressed her head against his shoulder once more. “Here. Let me massage your back. Is that better?”
    “Yes.”
    He knew she was lying. She was stiff all the way down to her toes. And that made him feel like a king as well as a scoundrel. He'd have to spend all day tomorrow walking in the woods and trying to figure that out. He wasn't accustomed to ambiguities in his life. Simplicity was more his style.
    He kept her on the dance floor for nearly an hour. The band was in a mellow mood and played nothing but slow jazzy tunes that were nice for cuddling. And there was nothing he enjoyed more than cuddling, unless it was lying in the sunshine listening to his birddogs bay.
    When they finally sat down, Margaret Leigh was dewy-faced and wide-eyed. Looking at her through the haze of blue smoke, Andrew felt invigorated.
    “How about that root beer now?”
    “Sounds good.”
    “I’ll go and get it. Stay right here.”
    “Where would I go?”
    He kept an eye on her as he edged through the crowd toward the bar. When he was halfway across the room, he saw Hooter making his way toward Margaret Leigh. He was torn between going back to the table and going on to the bar.
    Finally he decided to go for the root beer. Margaret Leigh was a grown woman. He didn't want to insult her by acting as If he thought she didn't have enough gumption to take care of herself.
    He leaned across the bar, ordered quickly, then turned around so he could see what Hooter was doing. As far as Andrew