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  Renata said, “Did your grandson ever come for a visit, to help you here? I don't like the idea of you being all alone here, doing all the work.”

  Sue Ann said, “Oh, my, yes! He's been here for a week already! Let me get him, I'd love to introduce you!”

  She walked back toward the kitchen, calling, “Ryan, honey, come out and meet some people!”

  Karina smiled, “That's sweet that her grandson came out to help her. I wonder if his parents let him fly alone?”

  Just then, a gorgeous specimen of a man walked out of the kitchen's swinging double doors, causing Karina to catch her breath. He was tall and suntanned, with golden blonde hair and soft, deep brown eyes. His shoulders were broad and his arms well-muscled, and the fit of his jeans told her that his arms weren't the only things about him that were well-proportioned and perfectly shaped. This man looked like a Greek god in cowboy boots!

  Amanda leaned over to Karina, “Gee, Kar, I don't think his parents need to accompany him for much of anything anymore! And, by the way, you may want to pick your jaw up off the floor before he gets over here.”

  This snapped Karina out of her trance somewhat, and she shook her shoulders a bit to bring herself the rest of the way back to reality. To her surprise, it only partially worked. She still felt as if the room around her were actually a dream state, as if she were suddenly in the middle of in a world that wasn't real.

  This doesn't happen to you, she told herself furiously, snap out of it! Sure, you see a hot guy and get the hormone-fueled rush of attraction, but that is limited to heat of the I-Wanna-Bone-You variety. You do NOT, under any circumstance, get twitterpated! EVER! So knock it off!

  Karina's stern lecture to herself had very little effect – if anything, she was even more dumbstruck when Sue Ann and her grandson arrived at their table.

  Sue Ann, with obvious familial pride, said, “I'd like to introduce you Ryan Perkins, my grandson. He'll be around for a while. He's come out here from Montana to help me run the place, and I just couldn't be more tickled about it!”

  Ryan laughed, obviously embarrassed, “Thanks, Grandma. It's really no big deal.”

  Karina felt another wave of lightheadedness hit her when he laughed, and the most adorable dimple appeared in his right cheek. She actually had to consciously stop her arm from raising up of its own accord so that she could brush her fingers over it.

  Sue Ann laughed proudly, “Oh, you stop! It's a big deal! Ryan, this is Mrs. Blackstone and her granddaughter Karina, and this is Amanda Jacobs.”

  Each of the women in turn shook Ryan's hand. As Karina's turn approached, and she anticipated the feel of Ryan's hand in hers, her heart began to beat faster in anticipation, and her cheeks began to flush. When she put her hand out to shake Ryan's, she saw that it was trembling slightly.

  What is wrong with me, she thought wonderingly. This is crazy!

  When the skin of Ryan's palm touched hers and she felt the strong pressure of his fingers on her wrist, a jolt of electricity shot up her arm, so powerful that it existed in a delicious limbo between pleasure and pain.

  The physical shock of it caused her to look up in surprise, and when she did, she saw that he also looked taken aback. Their eyes met, and he smiled, the dimple in full force. It was a grin so big and bright and just flat out sexy, that she got the jolt again. This time, though, it was in a place that was nowhere near as innocent as her arm.

  Ryan drew his hand back slowly, trailing his fingers along the inside of her wrist and palm, never lowering the wattage on his grin, and never breaking eye contact. She heard a small gasp escape her, but was powerless to stop it.

  In a far corner of her brain, she heard Amanda talking, but had to struggle to discern what she was saying.

  “Ryan,” Amanda inquired, “Did you visit your grandma here in Hope Falls one summer, maybe 15 years ago?”

  Ryan reluctantly tore his gaze away from Karina's, and replied, “Yes, I sure did. Great memory!”

  Amanda slapped the table, “Yes, I knew it! I knew you looked familiar. Karina, Ryan was here that summer you went to music camp. I don't think you two ever met.”

  “We didn't,” Ryan assured Karina, locking his eyes back onto hers, “Trust me, I wouldn't have forgotten that.”

  “Well, it wouldn't have mattered,” Renata said matter of factly, “My granddaughter was very serious about her music then, as she is now. No time for young men.”

  “Grandmother!” Karina hissed, embarrassed.

  “Were you not expressing that sentiment only moments ago?” Renata responded placidly.

  “Do you play music?” Ryan asked with interest.

  Karina nodded, trying to get her bearings about her, and hoping that this turn of the conversation to music, a subject that she was more than comfortable with, would help her to get control of herself.

  Sue Ann beamed as she clapped a hand on Ryan's shoulder, “Oh, Ryan plays the guitar, and he writes the most beautiful songs! I had him bring in his guitar to keep in the back, and he's been playing for my customers when it's not too busy in here! I had actually been meaning to introduce you two, because I know that you do music, and my boy here does music, so I thought you might get along real well together!”

  “Oh, I think that was a great idea,” Amanda enthused, “I have a feeling they're going to get along really well together!”

  Karina breathed deeply in an attempt to calm herself down, and in an attempt to distract herself from her powerful wish that the world would open up and swallow her right then and there. This was such a new feeling for her. She was used to being completely in control of situations like this. People got flustered when they met her, not the other way around! This was nuts!

  Amanda said, “Ryan, are you busy tomorrow? My fiancé Justin and I are helping Kar move into her new house. We could use an extra set of hands. And afterwards, pizza and beer?”

  Ryan smiled widely, never taking his eyes from Karina, “Sounds like a good time. I'd love to see where you live,” he said, with an unmistakably sexy undertone to his voice.

  “Great! We'll meet you here at 7. You bring the coffee. We'll bring the...well, you just bring the coffee,” Amanda laughed.

  Sue Ann beamed. She was clearly happy with this turn of events. “Ryan, it's not too busy in here. Why don't you go get your guitar and play a couple of songs?” she suggested.

  At this, Ryan did blush again, much like he had when Sue Ann had enthusiastically introduced him.

  “I don't know, Grandma...” he started, but Amanda interrupted him.

  “Oh, no, Ryan, please do! We'd love to hear you!” she enthused, “Right, Karina?” she added significantly, elbowing Karina in the ribs. Ryan still looked unsure.

  Karina opened her mouth to try to form some kind of clever comeback. Something that would show this gorgeous man that she was a powerful, clever, witty, strong woman. Something that would stick in his mind, make him laugh later when he remembered it, make him start to think of her in the way that she wanted to be seen.

  “Um...yes...” was all she managed to get out.

  However, to her surprise, this seemed to do the trick. A slow smile spread across his features, and he seemed to stand even taller than he was before. “Well, OK, then,” he said cheerfully, and disappeared into the back to get his guitar.

  Amanda followed Karina's gaze, “You hate to see him go, but you love to watch him leave,” she concluded.

  Karina looked over at Amanda with a stupefied gaze, “What the hell was that?” she whispered intensely, “I can't believe myself! I've never behaved like that before! He must think I'm an idiot. Why. Do. I. Care?? What is wrong with me?”

  Karina slapped her palm to her forehead and Amanda laughed. “You're fine! It's infatuation. It happens to the best of us.”

  Renata looked disapproving.

  Karina nodded furiously, “OK, yes, that must be it. Temporary insanity. Look! Now that he's out of the room, it's disappeared completely. I think I'm fine. I'm not
in trouble....I'm good!”

  Ryan came out of the kitchen doors carrying his guitar and perched on a stool on the other end of the room. In one swift movement, he slipped the strap over his neck and balanced the body of the guitar on his knee. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes as he began to strum and pick at the strings.

  Karina recognized the expression on his face, she frequently wore the exact same one. It was the look of someone lost in the music.

  Just then, he opened his mouth and began to sing. His voice was gorgeous, rich and textured, and he used it expertly, exploring every layer and nuance at his disposal. Silky one minute, gravelly the next, then soaring into a falsetto that carried Karina to another world.

  She felt the room around her slip away. She closed her eyes and felt his voice wash over her – warm, velvety, powerful. She felt it like a physical thing, surrounding her, and permeating her.

  She didn't realize until she felt Amanda take her hand, and then felt warm drops splashing onto her forearm, that two large tears had rolled down her cheeks – she had been that transported by Ryan's voice and music, she wasn't even aware that it had made her cry.

  She looked over at Amanda and her eyes widened, nearly in panic as she hastily wiped her face, attempting to be as subtle as possible.

  “Oh, God,” she breathed to her friend, “Maybe I am in trouble!”

  About the Author

  Melanie Shawn is the writing team of sister duo Melanie and Shawna. Sweet Reunion is their debut novel. Originally from Northern California, they now make their home in So Cal – but they wish they lived in Hope Falls!

  You can keep up with all the latest Melanie Shawn news, including new releases and contests, at:

  http://melanieshawn.com

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