Where Their Hearts Collide: Wardham Book #2 by Zoe York Read Free Book Online Page A

and nuzzle his face into her neck. Something ugly and mean twisted in Paul’s gut and he’d drifted back toward the bar. She’d pushed the muscle bound farmer off with a playful grin, but her personal space kept getting invaded. He signaled for another beer after deciding to wait until he could walk her home.
    He had absolutely no right to care about who she socialized with. But he did care, a lot. And the gentle way she flirted, with kindness and without promise, brought their private encounters into sharp contrast. This wasn’t his Karen. This woman was lovely to everyone who approached her, but there was no sexual innuendo, no game.
    She’d made a brief conversation about muffins mean something important, she’d given him that, and he couldn’t walk away from her tonight.
    When he’d gotten back to work that morning, he’d eyed the brown paper bag, shiny with grease spots, and wondered what exactly was in a Morning Glory muffin. It had, in fact, tasted amazing, but in an “extra-long run required to make this worthwhile” kind of way.
    She’d told him to get a raisin bran muffin. She was right. That would have been his choice. Maybe should have been. But he'd gotten the distinct impression that she wasn't just talking about a muffin, and he didn't want her to think for a second that she wasn't wanted.
    Yeah, she was wanted.
    Her hair had been up in some sort of thick, twisty bun that morning. He'd stood behind her trying to figure out how many bobby pins he'd have to pull out before her curls tumbled loose. The thought of her hair spilling into his hands, over her shoulders, maybe over his shoulders if he was close enough...had made him instantly hard.
    And just like that, the memory had the same effect on him again in Danny’s. Watching her have fun. With other men, who meant nothing, but were free to fill the space around her.
     
     
    Fuck . He wanted to be free to tuck her close to him, sit wide on the barstool and tug her between his thighs. Pull her back against his chest and declare to all comers that she was taken. And he was pretty sure she’d let him.
    Because Karen wasn’t playing a game. Games, maybe, for fun, but when it came to a relationship, she’d be straight up. Why hadn’t he found her sooner? Before he was bitter and broken?
    “Hey, is this stool taken?” He glanced up from his beer. The redhead from work.
    “Carrie, hi. Sure, have a seat.”
    “ Uhm.” She shifted in place, biting her lip. “It’s Stella, actually.”
    “Shit, really? Sorry.”
    “It’s okay.”
    “No, it’s not. How long have I been calling you Carrie?”
    She let out a watery laugh. “Like, a month.”
    “I’m an idiot.”
    “You were probably thinking of my cousin’s wife, Carrie Nixon. Well, she’s a Nixon by marriage, but still, it’s close.”
    “Is she the one at the coffee shop?”
    She nodded.
    “Right. Well, I’ve been calling her Stella.”
    She laughed again, this time with more confidence. The bartender heard her and skipped over with a raised eyebrow. “Hey, Stel. Usual?”
    “ Yep, thanks, Mari.”
    He waited until the brunette behind the bar drifted away before broaching the subject. “ Uhm, Stella...should she have carded you?”
    Another laugh, this one dissolving into a giggle. “No. We went to high school together. She knows I’m twenty two.”
    “I’m sorry, it’s just that I might not have remembered your name, but I know that you’re in your first year of college.”
    She shifted again, a faint flush colouring her cheeks. “It took me a while to get there.”
    “Nothing wrong with that.”
    She nodded, and he was glad he hadn’t asked more. They sat together in companionable silence for a moment, picking through the pretzel bowl.
    “How are you liking Wardham so far?”
    He shrugged. “Everyone seems nice. Pretty town, not a lot of a crime.”
    “Is that good, or boring?”
    “Boring is good. I’ve had enough of hunting bad guys every day.”
    She smiled at