Uncovering Annabelle by N. J. Walters Read Free Book Online Page A

dress, which hinted at the
passionate woman hiding beneath the demure clothing.
    When he’d picked her up this evening, he’d
immediately noticed that the dress was pulled tighter than usual,
showcasing her gorgeous breasts to perfection. Most surprising was
the impulse he’d had to loosen the belt or cover her with a wrap.
He didn’t want any other man getting a glimpse of those lush
breasts. In all his years, Mike had never felt this possessive over
a woman. And they’d done nothing more than kiss.
    His own nervousness had caught him by
surprise. He’d dated frequently over the years, but not seriously.
The women he dated were looking for the same thing he was—some fun
and the occasional sexual romp. He enjoyed women and treated them
well.
    This attraction to Annabelle was different.
Never in his life had he put so much effort into getting a date
with a woman. Well, not since Anna White in tenth grade. But this
went way beyond anything he’d ever felt before.
    The strange thing was, rather than worry
about it, he was reveling in it. Maybe it had something to do with
the fact that he’d turned thirty-four a few months back. He owned
his own company, had a home and friends, but now he wanted
more.
    Maybe he’d simply been waiting for
Annabelle. He was smart enough to look beyond a woman’s appearance
to what lay beneath. Annabelle had substance. Not that she wasn’t
pretty. She was, but it was an understated beauty that would only
get better with age.
    He’d taken it upon himself to learn as much
as he could about her, without being too obvious about it. Bringing
up her name casually in conversation with friends had given him
some information, and all of it confirmed what he felt about her.
Annabelle was a kind, intelligent, giving woman. Everyone who knew
her liked her, men and women, young and old, and everyone in
between.
    Right now, she was beginning to look
uncomfortable and he realized he’d been quietly staring at her.
That wouldn’t do. He wanted her to relax, to feel as though she
could let go and be herself around him.
    “Have you eaten here before?” Casual
conversation would put her at ease, and besides, he really wanted
to know everything there was to know about this fascinating
woman.
    Annabelle smiled shyly. “No. I’ve wanted to
try it, but it seemed to be the kind of place you’d wait and go
with someone special.”
    Before Mike could comment, their waiter
arrived at their table with menus. After the waiter took their
order for two glasses of white wine and told them the specials, he
left them alone to peruse the menus. Mike made some suggestions,
having eaten here before, and by the time the waiter returned with
their drinks and a basket of warm yeasty bread and fresh butter,
they had made their selections.
    “We’ll both have garden salads to start with
and the lady will have the spaghetti.” Mike collected Annabelle’s
menu and handed both of them back to the waiter. “I’ll have the
lasagna.” The waiter took their order and left.
    Annabelle sipped nervously at her drink. “I
hope the pasta doesn’t have too much garlic. It makes my breath
awful.” She set her wineglass down with a thump and buried her head
in her hands. “I can’t believe I said that.” She looked at him
imploringly. “Please tell me I didn’t say that.”
    Mike laughed. He couldn’t help himself. “You
said it, but I thought it as well.” He motioned to the basket of
bread sitting in the middle of the table. “Why do you think that’s
not garlic bread?”
    Annabelle giggled and then smiled at him. In
that moment, she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. If he
lived to be a hundred, he didn’t think he’d ever get tired of
looking at her.
    That lighthearted exchange set the tone for
their evening. They both relaxed and talked about their work and
the goings-on in town. Mike was both surprised and pleased to
discover that Annabelle knew his company specialized in renovations
and building