Chapter Seven
After her rendition of Little Big Town’s heartbreaker, “Girl Crush”—CMA’s song of the year in 2015—Penny slid into her chair next to the most handsome man in the room. She could sense Del’s gaze when she had been on stage, and her entire body shivered in delight, in spite of the hot spotlights. His arm up against the back of the chair warmed her, and she nestled up against him. A moment later, his arm draped over her shoulders casually, but Penny’s body reacted as if he had placed a hot band of steel around her, sizzling her skin. She momentarily lost her breath. When she stared into his blue eyes, she quit breathing altogether.
He dipped his head and kissed her, softly brushing her mouth with his.
She tasted the wine still on his lips from dinner and craved more. Despite the gentleness, Penny’s body responded, and her heart raced. She’d never experienced a more perfect kiss.
Until she kissed him back. His tongue touched the corner of her mouth, and she opened herself to him. He swooped in, and their tongues played a cat-and-mouse game for several minutes. When they finally broke apart and she glanced around, Penny was stunned no one in the bar expressed concern. She had been certain the earth shook.
“Save my seat. My turn at the mike is next. I hope I don’t totally embarrass myself.” Del groaned and rose, leaned over for one more kiss, and strode to the front of the bar.
As if I’d let anyone take his seat. She squirmed in place, her hormones popping.
Del chose John Lennon’s “Imagine” and sang beautifully, in a deep, full, baritone.
At the end of his performance, several of the women in the bar gave wolf whistles.
Back off, ladies. This man is all mine.
He returned to his seat and kissed her again.
From a nearby table, she overheard a woman mutter, “Darn it all. The good ones are always taken.” Penny scooted her seat closer.
Their drinks were almost empty when Del nudged her. “Murphy’s is fun, but a bit too crowded and noisy. The Sea Crest Inn, as I recall, has five different fireplaces. I’m sure we can find one where we can be alone for a bit. Why don’t we head there and have another drink?”
Again, she gazed into his ice blue eyes. Eyes that discovered so much beauty in the world and captured that loveliness on canvas. How could she say no to this man? The man she had loved as a boy? She ought to take a chance. “I agree, the bar is noisy. I’d like to sit in front of a warm fire and get better acquainted. Let’s go back to Mariner’s and pick up our cars. Then I’ll meet you at the Sea Crest.”
The night had gotten colder, so Penny layered on her coat and scarf, and tugged on her gloves for the short trek from Murphy’s back to where she parked her car behind Maggie’s.
Del wrapped one of her hands around his arm as they strode.
She risked laying her head on his shoulder. “I’ll stay for a while, Del, but I need to get home soon, and to bed. Every day from now until Christmas will be pretty busy at the shop.”
He brushed her hair from her face. “You haven’t told me yet where home is. You’re not still living with your folks, are you?”
Penny smiled up at him. “No, I’ve got my own place. When Abbey and I bought the building where the shop is, the upstairs had already been converted into a small apartment. I decided the location couldn’t be beat, and I could stay on top of things at the shop.”
“That’s taking the meaning of ‘on top of things’ to a whole new level.” Del chuckled as he steered her in the direction of the parking lot.
Her body temperature rose at his nearness, and she wondered when he’d kiss her again. Or if he would. The drive to the Sea Crest Inn took only minutes, and they quickly found a vacant fireplace with a loveseat in front of it.
“May I help you off with your coat?”
Penny shivered, not due to the outside temperature at all. The man standing behind her, helping her out of her coat, had brushed her hair out of the way and grazed the back of her neck with a soft kiss. If he hadn’t had his hands on her shoulders, she would have melted into the floor. And she had a feeling the best part of the evening had not yet happened.
They settled into the loveseat.
Penny took a deep breath. And took a huge chance. Suck it up, Buttercup. “You’ve got a really nice voice, Del. If you’ll remember, Lobster Cove residents celebrate the Christmas holiday each year by gathering at the gazebo in the park and singing carols. It’s scheduled for next weekend. Will you be in town?”
He draped one arm around her shoulders. “I’m not going anywhere any time soon. I checked into the Frenchman Bay Motel before I met you for dinner, and I’ll stay there until I can move into my house. There’s no one I’d rather be with than the karaoke queen when I’m singing carols. Count me in, but only if I can be your date.”
Yes! The best part of the evening had not yet happened, just as Penny had hoped.