Part 16 (1/2)
Sure, he thought as he gulped down more coffee. I'd be nervous, too, if I had some strange man in the house.
”Can I go tell her what Daisy did? Can I, Daddy?”
”Yeah.” His smile was grim as he set his empty mug on the rail. ”Why don't you do that?”
s.n.a.t.c.hing up some more toast, she darted down the steps, calling for Daisy to follow and for Ana to wait.
Boone waited himself until he saw the man stroll outside to join Ana.
He was tall, all right, Boone noted with some resentment. Several inches over six feet. He drew his own shoulders back. His hair was true black, and long enough to curl over his collar and blow-romantically, Boone imagined a woman would think-in the breeze.
He looked tanned, fit and elegant. And the breath hissed out between Boone's teeth when the stranger slipped an arm around Ana's shoulders as if it belonged there.
We'll see about this, Boone decided, and started down the deck stairs with his hands jammed in his pockets. We'll just see about this.
By the time he reached the hedge of roses, Jessie was already chattering a mile a minute about Daisy, and Ana was laughing, her arms tucked intimately around the stranger's waist.
”I'd sit, too, if someone was going to feed me cinnamon toast,” the man said, and winked at Ana.
”You'd sit if anyone was going to feed you anything.” Ana gave him a little squeeze before she noticed Boone at the hedge. ”Oh.” It was useless to curse the faint blush she felt heating her cheeks. ”Good morning.”
”How's it going?” Boone gave her a slow nod. Then his gaze moved suspiciously to the man beside her. ”We didn't mean to interrupt while you have- company.”
”No, that's all right, I-” She broke off, both confused and disconcerted by the tension humming in the air. ”Sebastian, this is Jessie's father, Boone Sawyer. Boone, my cousin, Sebastian Donovan.”
”Cousin?” Boone repeated, and Sebastian didn't bother to control the grin that spread over his face.
”Fortunately you made the introductions quickly, Ana,” he said. ”I like my nose precisely the way it is.” He held out a hand. ”Nice to meet you.
Ana was telling us she had new neighbors.”
”He's the one with horses, Daddy.”
”I remember.” Boone found Sebastian's grip firm and strong. He might have appreciated it if he hadn't seen the gleam of amus.e.m.e.nt in the man's eyes. ”You're recently married?”
”Indeed I am. My-” He turned when the screen door slammed. ”Ah, here she is now. Light of my life.”
A tall, slim woman with short, tousled hair strode over in dusty boots.
”Cut it out, Donovan.”
”My blus.h.i.+ng bride.” It was obvious they were laughing at each other.
He took his wife's hand and kissed it. ”Ana's neighbors, Boone and Jessie Sawyer. My own true love, Mary Ellen.”
”Mel,” she corrected quickly. ”Donovan's the only one with the nerve to call me Mary Ellen. Great-looking house,” she added, with a nod toward the neighboring building.
”I believe Mr. Sawyer writes fairy tales, children's books, much in the manner of Aunt Bryna.”
”Oh, yeah? That's cool.” Mel smiled down at Jessie. ”I bet you like that.”
”He writes the best stories in the world. And this is Daisy. We taught her to sit. Can I come see your horses?”