NATALIE HANOVER
Natalie put her fingertips against her swollen lips.
A sweet remembrance of Garrett's fierce kiss flooded her with heat. Whew. She was definitely not ready to interpret her feelings, physical or otherwise.
Natalie left the kitchen, but stopped in the hallway, right in front of the last bedroom door in the hall.
She looked longingly at the door.
A little, teensy weensy look wouldn't hurt, would it?
After all, the room was probably just filled with boxes. It probably didn't have anything more interesting in it than stale air and dust.
She grasped the knob, her fingers resting against the brass. She bit her lower lip. If Garrett had wanted to show her the rooms, he would have done it earlier. It would be sneaky to enter without his permission.
She stared at the door's peeling white paint. So, she wouldn't enter. She'd just take a quick look, satisfy her curiosity, and get on with her life.
Taking a deep breath, she twisted the knob and pushed the door open. She peeked inside, fully expecting to see dust and cardboard containers.
It was an artist's studio. Garrett's studio.
This new discovery about Garrett filled her with wonder. This was the "other stuff" he had talked about.
From the sketches she could see, he was very good. Sketch books and crumbled balls of paper littered the floor. The smells of charcoal and pencil shavings mixed with the spring air filtering from a half-open window. Several wooden easels stood in various locations, but only one had a stool in front it.
And its back was facing her.
She was dying to know what Garrett was working on.
Natalie glanced both ways down the hall then crept into the room, quietly shutting the door behind her.
She'd take a quick peek and then leave.
She looked at the sketches as she passed the other easels. One was of the sagging barn. Another was of Rigby. She stopped in front of a half-finished picture. In it, a huge black bird swooped down on mouse trying to hide in a meadow. The bird's wings were missing, but the quivering mouse with huge, wet eyes was complete.
She wondered at the dangerous-looking bird and sad little mouse. It didn't seem like the kind of thing Garrett would draw. Then again, what could she possibly know about what he liked to sketch?
She darted around the easel so she could view Garrett's current work.
A woman's face had emerged from the talented strokes of Garrett's pencil. He hadn't finished the chin or cheekbones, but her smile and sparkling eyes stared at Natalie from the page.
A familiarity nagged at her. Wisps of hair escaped from the woman's braid and freckles were sprinkled across her nose. The eyebrows arched slightly over the woman's eyes. Natalie touched one penciled brow as realization flooded.
It was her.
***|***|***|***|***
NATALIE HANOVER
Natalie stood at her bedroom window looking out into the night.
Whatever Garrett had planned for the children at the farm had been postponed for tomorrow.
What exactly had he planned?
She touched the cool pane with her forefinger, tracing invisible letters on the window.
Her finger skidded against the glass when she realized she had been spelling out Garrett's name.
Was she such a coward that she'd rather lose a chance at some much-needed money than face Garrett?
If she had that money maybe she could start college again. She could buy Mike a new lens. The kids all needed new clothes for school, not to mention Andie went through at least two pair of shoes a month.
"Face it," she whispered, "you need the money."
She frowned. Something niggled at the back of her mind.
Wasn't she supposed to do something tomorrow?
She turned away from the window and crawled into the bed. The kids had come home, eaten dinner and had gone to bed with little fuss.
Even Andie had been tuckered out.
She was tired, too, so why couldn't she sleep?
Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Garrett's face. He hadn't said much to her as they had climbed into the Channel 4 van, but she didn't blame him. She hadn't stopped him from kissing her.
Fear at the intensity of what she had been feeling overcame her. She'd just had to get away. She hadn't meant to hurt Garrett.
Heat washed through her body as she relived the experience. Her breasts felt heavy and her center ached with unrequited desire.
She groaned and rolled onto her stomach, pressing her face into the pillow.
Three more days with Garrett was probably going to kill her. She couldn't help the way she felt. Her body responded to his so easily ... and these sensations were new. How could a thirty-one-year-old mother of three feel like a giddy teenager falling in love for the first time?
Her thoughts drifted to the portrait Garrett had sketched of her. Was that the way he saw her? A beautiful woman with twinkling eyes and a smiling mouth?
Her emotions swirled through her and she wanted to shout with frustration.
Instead, she decided to go to sleep. She relaxed her body and closed her eyes.
When sleep finally came, however, it was only to bring heated dreams of Garrett's kisses.
***|***|***|***|***
GARRETT HART
Garrett took a deep breath before knocking on Natalie's front door. He hadn't slept well. Dreams of Natalie slick and naked underneath him had made him toss and turn all night.
He needed to keep it together. He didn't want to ruin a potential relationship with his high school crush because he couldn't keep his hands off her.
The door opened and Garrett's greeting died on his lips.
Sylvie stood in the doorway smiling at him—painted head to foot in burnished copper.
He only recognized her because of the glint of her braces. His glance swept over her. She wore a copper leotard and ballet shoes. Vines were draped over her shoulders and dangled down her arms and legs. He looked closer. Was that some kind of vegetable on her head?
"Hi, Garrett!
"Hello, Sylvie. Going someplace special?"
"It's the Harvesting Harmony parade today."
Garrett smiled. "Are you required to look like a vegetable to attend?"
She giggled and Garrett noticed a dimple in her right cheek. Sylvie was pretty, he thought. Just like her mother. He looked over her skimpy costume as another thought occurred to him.
"Are there going to be boys there?"
"Are there ever!" she said in an excited voice. "I'm Miss Zucchini and Melissa's Miss Eggplant. She'll be purple. Won't we look cool?"
"Aren't zucchinis green?"
"Not this zucchini," she said, pointing to herself.
Garrett followed Sylvie inside the house, frowning. "Is that all that you're wearing?"
"Yes. Mom made it. She's stuffing Andie into a tomato costume."
"Don't you feel a—a draft or anything?" Garrett asked. He knew what teenage boys thought of pretty girls in skimpy clothes. Panic fluttered inside him. He would punch anyone who even looked in Sylvie's direction.
"Sylvie, maybe you should wear a shirt or a coat over that leotard."
She gave him a surprised look. "Why?"