Meant To Be by Karen Stivali Read Free Book Online Page A

Her lack of pretense was refreshing.
    “I gotta go,” Justine said. “You home for dinner tonight, or you doing the theater thing again?”
    “Home. The next theater day is Monday.” The five days suddenly seemed much longer.

Chapter Seven

    “Is there anywhere decent to shop around here?” Justine asked Marienne as she carried the platter of fruit into the family room. “Someplace that doesn’t involve the hundreds of malls?”
    They had finished dinner, and Marienne was setting up so they could enjoy chocolate fondue while they watched a movie on the new big screen TV. Daniel and Frank had spent the entire afternoon putting the sound system together, mounting speakers on the walls, hooking up cables. It was Frank’s dream entertainment center. They were bringing the last of the empty packaging into the garage while Justine and Marienne laid out the dessert.
    “Depends what kind of shopping you mean. What are you looking for?” Marienne reached under the fondue pot and adjusted the Sterno lid.
    “Nothing in particular, I just want to shop somewhere that doesn’t have a million identical stores where a million other people are buying the exact same thing.”
    “There’s always New Hope,” Marienne said. “It’s about an hour away, right over the Pennsylvania border. It’s full of galleries and shops. It’s a great walk-around town.”
    “You want to go? Are you free Sunday? I’ll drive.” Justine sounded excited.
    “Sure. We can shop and have lunch.” Marienne smiled, thinking it would be nice to spend a day getting to know Justine better. “Be right back.” She disappeared into the kitchen and returned with a huge bowl of melted chocolate. She was pouring the silky, molten liquid into the fondue pot when Daniel and Frank wandered back into the room.
    ****
    Daniel stopped and stared at the chocolate as it cascaded into the red enameled pot. He hadn’t realized quite how much he missed having dessert. Justine never kept sweets in the house, saying they were too much of a temptation. Other than the occasional candy bar he grabbed between classes or on his ride home, Daniel almost never ate anything sugary anymore. The sight of the chocolate, creamy and inviting, made his mouth water.
    “I forgot the marshmallows,” Marienne said, as she placed the spoon back into the bowl.
    “I’ll get them,” Daniel said, hands extended, offering to take the bowl back into the kitchen for her.
    “Thanks.” She handed it over. “And yes, you can lick the bowl.”
    He laughed. It was like she’d read his mind.
    He headed into the kitchen and was standing at the counter, licking the chocolate-covered spoon, when he heard someone behind him. He turned to see Marienne smirking at him.
    “You look very at home licking a big spoonful of chocolate. I take it this is not your first time.”
    “Hardly. My mum baked all the time and I was the official spoon and bowl licker. Good work if you can get it.”
    “I know. Frank’s not big on desserts, so I’m usually the one left to clean out the bowls.”
    “Well, I live right there.” He pointed toward his house with the now clean spoon. “And I’m available for all sorts of baking bowl emergencies.”
    “Good to know.”
    Daniel tipped the bowl toward her. She swiped a finger full of melted chocolate and quickly brought it to her mouth before it dripped. His breath caught in his throat. It struck him that she seemed to have absolutely no idea how sexy she looked. There was something so natural about her. It attracted him to her in a way he knew it shouldn’t.
    “Oh, the lighter.” She reached past him to grab it. “That’s why I came in here. I got distracted by the chocolate.”
    “Happens all the time.” He was still thinking about her sucking the chocolate off her finger. He shook his head to clear it.
    “Finish up so we can start the movie.” She threw him another playful grin as she headed back to the family room, lighter in hand. “And don’t