Restoration by Kim Loraine Read Free Book Online

feel of her soft curves as she’d pressed against him caused his fingers to itch with the need to touch her.

Chapter 6
    Grace spent the rest of the morning sitting at the kitchen table going over blueprints, legal documents, and historic maps of the area. She hoped if she kept herself busy, she’d be able to take her mind off that amazing kiss.
    It was just about noon when she finally took a break from her work. Standing and stretching, she went to the kitchen to make herself some lunch and caught sight of the Likes Time Lords mug setting on her drying rack. Her fingers came up to her lips as she remembered the feel of his hands around her face and in her hair.
    She jumped as her phone vibrated loudly on the counter.
    “H . . . Hello?”
    “Grace? What’s wrong?” Valerie’s voice was filled with concern.
    “Nothing,” she said hastily. “I’m fine. I was just in the middle of a blueprint comparison. Your call surprised me.”
    Valerie sighed on the other end of the line. “It’s Saturday. You’re allowed to take the weekend off, you know. Go soak up some sun before the cold weather takes over.”
    Grace smiled and nodded as Valerie continued chattering.
    “Anyway, the reason I’m calling is to make sure the groceries arrived. I went in this morning to get some stuff and Drew said he’d deliver them.”
    Grace’s eyebrows rose. That’s a slightly different story from Drew’s .
    “Yep, he delivered them all right. I was in the bath!” She couldn’t keep the annoyance out of her voice.
    Valerie tried to stifle a laugh, but managed a snort instead. “That must have been interesting. Sorry.”
    “Did you need anything else?”
    “Now that you mention it, I’m going to be home late tonight. We’re having a great time. London is so amazing! Would you mind stopping at Ten’s and getting me a few things I forgot? I can text you the list.”
    Grace’s heart flipped at the thought of seeing Drew. “I guess I could, sure. Send me the list. It’s that or keep working on blueprints.”
    “Thanks, Grace. You’re a star.” Valerie hung up before she could answer.
    How had Valerie suddenly become the boss?
    Grace grabbed her purse and slipped on a pair of shoes. A quick glance in the hall mirror to see if she was presentable showed bright eyes, slightly flushed cheeks, and tousled but stylish hair.
    “Not bad, Miss McConnell. You’ve looked worse,” she said to her reflection as she grabbed a raincoat and headed out into the crisp afternoon.
    Walking slowly down the street, she took in the picturesque town she now called home. It was nearing the end of September, the leaves on the trees lining the streets were just beginning to change color at their tips. The air had a slight bite to it; not cold, just a hint of fall chill. The sun shone through sparse clouds, casting a lovely glow on the trees. In the distance, the clouds of an oncoming storm loomed.
    She’d decided to head to the local library to take a look at their selection of light reading before braving Ten’s grocery. For all her professionalism and no-nonsense attitude, she was a romantic at heart. She loved to escape into a fluffy romance or a bit of chic-lit now and then.
    The library was situated at the opposite end of the town square from her house, which resulted in a leisurely walk through rows of shops, cafés, and of course, Ten’s grocery. As she walked past Ten’s, her heart sped up and she glanced quickly around for any sign of Drew. Not seeing him, she quickened her pace and made her way into the library.
    When she entered the small brick building, she immediately took in the familiar smell of paper, and turned the corner to see it was crammed full of books. Every possible inch of space, save the aisles, was loaded with tall shelves overflowing with literature.
    “Can I help you find something, miss?” a woman’s voice called from behind a towering stack of books at the librarian’s desk.
    “Um, no. No, thanks. I’m just