AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Noooo. I’m not hungry,” Ciara said, a whine surfacing. “I don’t want to go home yet.” Her two friends had already left with their parents.
“The sun will be going down soon,” he said, looking like he was ready to lay down the dad law.
“Hey, you guys,” a voice called to them.
“Harper!” Blake shouted, happy to see her brother coming toward them. “Is this the famous man I saw on that firetruck in the parade?” She gave Harper and his wife, Marni, a quick hug.
“We were just heading over to Albatross,” Marni said. “Why don’t you join us?”
“Is Uncle Phil there?” Ciara asked.
“He sure is,” Harper said. “And he’s got some great specials today. Including a Halloween cake.”
Ciara bounced on her toes. “Yay! Can we go, Daddy?”
“But you just said you weren’t hungry,” Morgan teased her, and Ciara swatted him, making everyone laugh.
It was a short walk down the main drag of Greenport to The Blue Albatross.
Five years ago, Blake and Harper’s Uncle Phil had retired from the FDNY, moved out here to indulge in his two favorite hobbies—fishing and cooking—and put all his savings into opening the bistro. After his beloved wife had passed away, Phil asked Harper to be his partner, and Harper had his own complicated reasons for wanting to leave New York City. Luckily, it worked out and the two men now had a successful business that was also a great gathering place for friends.
The autumn day was overcast, so it was not a big change to step into the soft lighting of the restaurant. The rich red-brown wood of the walls and bar, the murmuring hum of customers, and the yummy scent of the food all seemed to reflect Uncle Phil’s warm persona.
Phil gave Blake a big hug when he saw her, and Ciara asked, “Is he really your uncle?”
“Yes, he is my father’s brother,” Blake said.
Phil greeted Ciara with a bow. “Hail, Princess Ciara.”
She giggled and said, “I’m not a princess. I’m a cosmic witch, and so is Blake.”
“Aha. Now I see,” Phil said, finger in the air.
Harper led them to a six-seater table and Phil joined them.
Harper ran the bar and alcohol side of the restaurant, while Phil handled the food department, not only supervising his hired chefs, but also creating and cooking some of his own recipes. Phil also loved to hang out and chat with customers, only stepping in to troubleshoot when a manager or another employee had a problem they needed him for. His warm presence was one reason The Blue Albatross was never lacking for customers.
Right now Phil and Ciara were having an important discussion about witches and princesses and her nicely painted pumpkin, so the girl ended up sitting between Phil and Morgan.
And that meant Blake was sitting next to Morgan. After living in his house and sometimes cooking together and doing homey things like going with him to Ciara’s Little League games or watching movies with him and Ciara, Blake ought to be immune to the heat of his proximity. She had guessed from the day they met that they were attracted to each other—and that neither had any intention of acting on that.
But after the way he brushed her cheek at the carousel and said she made a beautiful witch, giving her a look that belonged in the bedroom, it was clear something had changed today.
Or had it already started changing over the past couple weeks?
When they passed too close to each other in the kitchen, or handed each other something and their fingers touched.
Or the day Blake had slipped and fallen in the muddy driveway after a soggy rain. Morgan had come rushing out of the house—which meant he’d been watching her. He’d scooped her up in his arms, cradling her against his broad chest, and carried her into the house. His face had been so close to hers, she’d had the feeling that if she’d turned her head toward him he would have kissed her. As soon as they got inside, they’d gone their separate ways and avoided each other for the rest of the day.
But then there was the night a week ago when she had knocked on Morgan’s bedroom door after she’d checked on Ciara and the little girl was not in her room. He had opened the door wearing a towel and nothing else, his six-pack abs above the towel and the taut sculpted muscles of his torso right at her eye level, so it was hard to not to stare. The eye-sex that went on between them was so intense she had momentarily forgotten why she was there.
Of course, since he was obviously naked beneath the towel, she knew his daughter would not be in there, so that canceled her original question and she wound up running at the mouth with, “Ciara’s not in her room. She seemed happy when she went to sleep—so she wouldn’t be running away, right? But what if someone—”
“I would know if there was an intruder. She’s probably in the kitchen getting a snack since the downstairs hall light is on.” He pointed.
Blake grimaced. “I didn’t notice that.” Now she felt like an idiot. “I’m sorry. I’ll go check on her.”
He shook his head. “Wait for me. I know how nervous you get about these things.”
