Son of a Preacher Man - By Arianna Hart Page 0,24
piled up on her head, it left the long line of her throat open and mouth-wateringly vulnerable.
“That’s too bad, because Nadya brought chocolate éclairs from that fancy bakery in Canton.” Mary Ellen gathered the dishes but slapped at Nadya’s hands when she went to help. “Don’t you lift a single dish, Nadya Sarov. You’re company, and company doesn’t clear.”
“I spent as much time in this house as I did my own, I don’t think I’d qualify myself as company anymore.”
“Doesn’t matter. You and J.T. go sit on the porch while Bill and I clean up the kitchen and put the boys to bed. That will give you some time to digest so we can enjoy dessert. Go on with you, shoo.”
J.T. grabbed Nadya’s hand and pulled her out of the bench. “Come on, before she realizes I’m not company anymore either and makes me wash dishes.”
The night air was cooler but still plenty warm, so he turned on the overhead fans on the porch. Nadya headed to the swing and set it in motion. After he lit some citronella candles, he joined her on the bench seat, sitting closer than was strictly necessary.
“No one makes chicken and dumplings like Mary Ellen and her mama,” J.T. said to break the silence.
“I know. I’m going to have to find a gym to work off all the carbs I’ve been consuming since I got here. I’ll never fit back in my work clothes if I keep eating like this.”
“You say that like it’s a bad thing. Don’t tell me the men in New York only like stick-skinny models who look like little boys?”
“It’s more about looking professional than attracting a man. It’s hard to convince someone you’re a competent lawyer if your boobs are popping out of your blouse and you skirt is skin tight across your ass.”
“God save me from competent lawyers then.”
“Jerk.” Nadya elbowed him in the ribs even as she laughed her low, husky laugh.
Instantly, he went rock hard and thanked the powers that be that the candlelight didn’t reveal his condition. “Bill tells me you’re staying with them for a few days. That’s good.”
“I don’t know about a few days. I’m keeping my options open.”
“Seems to me if you’d made a decision, you’d be on the road already.”
“True. I don’t usually vacillate like this. I look at a situation analytically, weigh the pros and cons and make a decision. I just can’t wrap my head around this though.”
“Because nothing about it is logical. You came down thinking you were going to deal with paperwork about your mama, then found out your long-lost daddy had decided to send you a message from beyond the grave. I don’t know about you, but if my whole world view was turned on its head, I might have a little trouble laying the situation out logically too.”
“That’s a little dramatic, don’t you think? I mean, it’s not exactly my world view. I’ll still be the same person no matter who my father is or what he has to say. Nothing in that letter of his is going to make a difference, really.”
“You don’t say.” He tried to hide his grin.
“You shit, you totally played me.”
“Naw, I just steered you in the direction you were already headed. You know who you are. Nothing anyone has ever said has made a difference in that. Why should a letter from the man who fathered you change anything?”
“You’re right. I’ll call Hornblower in the morning. Once I get that over with, I can enjoy some time with Mary Ellen and the boys before I go back to New York.”
“That’ll be good.” His gut clenched at the thought of her leaving, but he’d had a lot of practice hiding his emotions, so he kept his tone light. “I’m off tomorrow, provided the protesters don’t get all riled up again. I can go with you to Hornblower’s office if you’d like.”
“That’s sweet of you.” She turned toward him and laid her hand on his shoulder. “But I think this is something I have to do on my own.”
Her nearness was too much for him to resist, so he no longer tried. Leaning over the scant few inches that separated them, he captured her full lips and drank her in. He’d meant to keep the kiss light, but that plan changed the second she responded to him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and clung to him like he was the only thing anchoring her in a storm. The feel