A Rainbow in Paradise by Susan Aylworth Read Free Book Online Page B

slipped past her that, good as he had
looked in formal dress at the wedding or in dress slacks and a
western shirt on their dinner date, he looked even better in snug
blue jeans and a burgundy polo shirt, the heels of his boots
clicking on the floor tiles of her front hallway. Eden swallowed a
sigh and closed the door. "I've sent most of the old furniture
away, but I still have the little table in the breakfast nook and a
couple of chairs, and I made some lemonade this morning."
    "Sounds good," Logan said. "This weather
produces a mighty thirst."
    "That's for sure." She led him into the
kitchen where it took them only a few minutes to set up the lunch.
Though he'd bought a burger and fries for himself, he offered her a
breast-of-chicken sandwich and a side salad. "How'd you know?" she
asked, then answered her own question. "You must have talked to
Sarah."
    "She told me you're a chicken fan," he
admitted. "I wouldn't have known what to bring."
    "Well, you couldn't have done better." The
conversation lagged as they ate and Eden wondered what to say.
    There was that "commitment" Logan had come
here to talk about, but she wasn't in any hurry to bring up that
subject. What else was there? She was just about to resort to the
goats again when Logan finally spoke.
    "I brought something else," he said, "besides
the food, I mean." He held up the bag from the hardware store.
    Eden shrugged. "What is it? I'm not good at
guessing games. You may have to just show me." He opened the bag
and poured out its contents. She gaped. "Paintbrushes?"
    "I hope you don't mind if I stay awhile," he
said.
    She stared at the brushes, then answered
simply, "Stay as long as you like." Maybe this afternoon wasn't
destined to be so bad after all!
    * * * * *
    Logan stretched, reaching his brush full of
dusty rose paint toward the ceiling. They'd finished the ceiling
first. Then, for the past couple of hours, he had taken the high
road, cutting along the edge of the white ceiling, then painting
all the higher parts of the walls while Eden took the lower half.
His height gave him the advantage there, and it was easier for her
not to stretch so hard, or risk balancing on a chair.
    He glanced toward her, hoping he hadn't
offended her by taking off his shirt. He'd asked first, of course,
and though she'd said it was all right, he noticed that she had
colored a little and averted her eyes. Clearly she was as
uncomfortable as he was. I should have thought of a shirt, he told himself as he finished the back wall.
    Conversation hadn't exactly been sparkling.
Perhaps they were both intimidated by the subject they knew they'd
have to address sooner or later, or maybe, as he'd suspected from
the beginning, they really had little in common—besides that
electric rush that seemed to send sparks flying whenever they got
within three feet, or spoke on the phone, or...
    Logan stifled a sigh. He'd never experienced
anything like the magnetic power of their mutual attraction. Now,
if they could just learn to speak. So far their talk had been
pretty much limited to "Pass the paint" and "There's a spot,"
though she had thanked him several times for coming.
    He smiled to himself. He was glad he had
come. He was glad to spend some time near Eden, even if he wasn't
going to be able to stay. Every once in a while he even got close
enough to catch that fresh, clean scent that reminded him of a
desert evening, and sometimes she flashed him a look of electric
blue that hit him like a lightning bolt and sent tremors running
all through him. Yes, it was worth a little hard labor to share a
few more of those looks, a little more time just basking in her
presence.
    He set his jaw. The painful subject they
couldn't avoid would come up sooner or later. For now, it was worth
whatever it took just to smile and enjoy a few moments in
paradise.
    * * * * *
    Eden sneaked another surreptitious glance at
the attractive man working beside her. It always embarrassed her
when he looked her way and found