All For Love by Bella Andre, Lucy Kevin Read Free Book Online Page A

restaurants. What would it be tonight? Indian? Thai? Local seafood? Though Walker Island was small, the number of tourists who visited meant it had a good selection of restaurants.
    Inevitably, though, Paige settled on Chinese. She looked over the menu, working her way down through the selections to see what caught her eye. What hadn’t she had in a while? She took the menu over to her collection of dance-inspired DVDs, planning to match the food with the video. Flashdance with ginger beef, maybe? Strictly Ballroom with kung pao chicken, perhaps?
    Paige was still contemplating the perfect combination when the doorbell rang. It wouldn’t be one of the family because they all had keys for the house. Could it be that Michael had decided to ring the doorbell, rather than just come in the way he normally did? He was a talented carpenter and builder, and there probably wasn’t a single part of the house that he hadn’t renovated, redecorated, or simply repaired. When he wasn’t doing that, he was helping Grams with her laptop. Sometimes, if he was in the neighborhood, he would simply stop by to say hello. Emily was forever muttering about the way he always seemed to be here, but Paige thought Emily was pretty darn clueless if she hadn’t figured out the real reason behind Michael’s regular appearances. Especially since everyone else in their family could see that he’d been desperately in love with Emily ever since they were teenagers.
    “Coming!”
    She turned on the porch light and opened the door, shocked to find Christian rather than Michael on the front step. He looked so good in a checked shirt and slacks that it took her longer than it should have to realize that he had come bearing gifts. Namely, Chinese takeout in a bag from her favorite Chinese restaurant. Paige could also see he was holding a DVD, and a quick glance confirmed it was Shall We Dance .
    He’d come over with takeout and a dance movie? On the one night when her family wasn’t in? Had he read her mind? Was this all some kind of dream? Because having Christian, Chinese takeout, and her favorite movie all in one evening certainly sounded like a perfect fantasy.
    “I ran into your sister and grandmother in town, and they said they were off to Seattle and that you were home on your own.” Then he added, with a smile, “After today, I realize more than ever that I’m going to need to work not just harder, but smarter, too. So I’ve come up with a plan.”

CHAPTER SEVEN
     
    As Paige stepped back to let him in, Christian got his second view of the Walker house. It felt quiet and more intimate tonight with only Paige at home.
    He noted that her cheeks were beautifully flushed as he explained, “When I saw your grandmother and she asked me how the dancing had progressed today, I couldn’t lie to her. And then I asked both her and Emily if there was anything I could do to make it up to you—apart from trying harder tomorrow.”
    “What did they say?”
    “Your grandmother said to relax and consider tomorrow a brand new start. And then Emily suggested I pick up some Chinese takeout and bring it over as a peace offering. She said you love Chinese takeaway.” He grinned at her, pleased when she grinned back. “So, here I am with shrimp fried rice and sweet and sour chicken.”
    “Which one of them suggested the DVD?”
    “That was actually my idea. After we have dinner, I hope we can watch the movie so that I can get a few pointers from you.”
    “You thought of everything, didn’t you?”
    With her hair down and curling softly around her face, and her eyes bright with pleasure at getting to eat her favorite food and watch one of her favorite movies, it took every ounce of his self-control not to give in to kissing her.
    “I hope so,” he said in a voice that held more emotion than he’d intended to reveal this quickly. The last thing he wanted to do was scare her away, so he followed that up with, “Will this work for you? Me coming over