Dill My Pickle (Sample - First 5 Chapters)

2 Addison

He was staring at me. I could feel it even now on the back of my neck as I stood over the stove in the kitchen. It was beginning to irritate me. I had noticed it first in the yard when he had been standing with my brothers, friends, and little sister. He hadn't been paying an ounce of attention to their conversation, just staring right at me as though I couldn't see him doing it and, as far as I was concerned, he hadn't taken his eyes off of me since. Not when Jenny had run over to hug me and introduce us, not when my brothers had clapped him on the back and ushered him inside for lunch, and especially not when he had taken his seat between Wesley and Knox and I had served him the stew I'd worked on all morning. As aggravating as the attention was, it was flattering in an odd sort of way as well. I imagined a well to do man like him didn't see many country girls like me. I expected I was a sort of curiosity for him. That didn't bother me. I'd been far worse to much lesser men.

"This stew is incredible as always, Miss Addison," Wyatt said kindly and I glanced up to see that familiar red flush spreading up his neck from beneath his collar. I shot him a smile.

"Why, thank you Wyatt. I tried to make it as delicious as you," I told him with a wink and he turned scarlet as he smiled and cast his eyes back to the bowl in front of him. I watched the lawyer glance from me to Wyatt where they remained curiously on the round, pink object of my flirtation, undoubtedly wondering what the boy had done to earn it. Knox just snorted and elbowed his friend in the ribs.

"Suck up," he muttered dryly before turning to me, smiling broadly. I knew nearly what he was going to say before he said it. "The stew's good, Addie, but I'd rather have a sweet slice of cake."

I tossed my head back laughing when Knox gestured toward my behind and pumped his eyebrows twice.

"Too far, Knox," Wesley said with a frown and narrowed eyes. The hilarity on Knox's face died in an instant and he turned back to his stew with a stern countenance.

"Sorry, Wes," he muttered. I strolled out of the kitchen with another piping hot bowl and sat it down in front of my brother, tossing an arm around his shoulders as I did.

"Aw, let the boy have his fun, Wesley," I said. "He knows he couldn't handle my... cake anyway."

They all burst out laughing at that. Even the lawyer was smirking as his piercing dark eyes followed me back to the kitchen. Jenny followed me as well, perching herself onto the counter next to me and slurping her stew. I patted her leg and smiled. It was always nice when Jenny came home.

"So, Mr. Taylor," Wesley began in the tone of a man conducting business and I finally felt the weight of our visitor's gaze removed from me as it found my oldest brother. "Jenny tells us you're here to help us with this property dispute situation. You come highly recommended."

The lawyer smiled kindly and I tried not to notice the dimples in his cheeks when he did. I leaned against the counter beside Jenny, arms folded across my chest, and allowed myself to really take in the strange man now that his eyes were no longer on me.

He was handsome, that was undeniable, with dark, well groomed hair that parted like a wave across his forehead and cheekbones that would make a pageant girl jealous. He seemed to be hiding a muscular frame beneath that expensive designer suit and his hands seemed deft and strong as they pushed the bowl of stew away for discussion. There was a hint of dark stubble around his jawline in utter contrast to the rest of his tidy appearance. It seemed to indicate a man working too hard to worry over a bit of a five o' clock shadow and something about that was appealing. He glanced my way suddenly and I looked down to my nails. Get it together, Addison Harris, no sense in panting over the first man to enter this house who isn't a brother or a childhood friend.