She liked wrapping her arms around a man and feeling like she could hug him over and over again and never get enough.
Having him at her side, his warmth around her shoulders, was almost a dream come true.
It was the first time that he’d touched her other than to shake her hand when they’d met.
It was one thing to have a crush on her next-door neighbor and see him in passing from time to time.
It was quite another to get within touching distance.
And smelling the difference.
The man smelled like wood, fresh cut, sanded wood.
Pine.
Her favorite scent, outside of fresh baked treats.
And she hoped that his scent would stay on her clothes after he took his arm away.
Which was bound to happen sooner than later.
Right?
“You know,” Nick’s hand squeezed her shoulder, and she tipped her head back to look at him, “it’s kind of nosey… noisy in here today. Missus Guthrie, I’ll email you and CC Ruth’s email tonight, and you can send her all of the information she’ll need right?”
Missus Guthrie looked at both of them over the top edge of her glasses. “I guess I could, but-”
“Wonderful!” Nick’s voice was probably a tad too loud, but he was already steering her away, so Ruth didn't have any idea how the other woman had reacted to his words or their quick exit.
But really, she couldn't seem to care.
Nick Stone had his arm around her and the longer he left it there, the easier it was to feel the warmth of his body.
She shivered, remembering her reaction the first time she'd stepped into the dance school.
Nick's soft laughter felt like it tickled across her cheek.
When he leaned heavier on her shoulder she pulled in a breath.
"Sorry."
He laughed again and she realized she hadn't seen him smile much around her. Laugh? Never.
"I know you didn't expect me to kidnap you like that, but I had the feeling the dragon was going to give you a hard time."
Dragon?
Ruth smiled at that description. "She did seem to have an issue with me helping because I'm not related to Katie."
Nick grumbled under his breath. "Meddling busy body."
Ruth lifted a hand to hide her own laugh as they stopped near the two-way mirror for the dance studio that Katie had disappeared into.
"She takes her job a little too seriously if you ask me. She's run off a number of volunteers that could have been good to keep around, that's why I stepped in. I didn't want her to make you leave crying."
"Crying?" Ruth shook her head. "Hardly. I'm made of tougher stuff than that."
The music in the room started again and Ruth was left transfixed.
