Star of His Heart - Brenda Jackson [35]
“I’ll see you after I get back from church.” She made her way out of the kitchen, then turned around. “Better yet, why don’t you meet me later at Sisters for lunch?” She smiled. “I know for a fact that Jada is working today.”
He nodded briefly, then smiled and said, “I’ll be there.”
Netherland knew she could always depend on the after-church crowd on Sunday to keep things busy at Sisters, and today was no exception.
While at church, the pastor had held her attention while he’d preached a good sermon about the essence of giving. But now at Sisters something else was holding her mind captive, she thought as she watched Ashton enter her establishment.
Her heart thundered in her chest when their gazes locked. Her heartbeat accelerated and she began wavering about how she felt at seeing him. For some reason she couldn’t help but think how lonely her bed had felt the previous night without him holding her through the night in his warm embrace.
She inhaled deeply and tried shaking off those thoughts. She had to stand firm. She couldn’t let Ashton break down her resolve. She’d felt so confident when she had given Rome her spiel that morning at breakfast because she had meant what she’d said. She would give Ashton the fight of his life or die trying.
“Hey, there’s the colonel,” Rome said, smiling. Before she could stop him he had motioned Ashton over to their table. Netherland glared at her brother. He hadn’t been much company since all of his attention had been on Jada since arriving; however, it seemed that he was able to snap out of it long enough to notice Ashton’s entrance. And without asking if it was okay, he had invited him to eat with them.
Ooh-rah, just what I need. The last thing I want is for him to be sitting with me at the table, Netherland thought. “Thanks for asking if I mind Ashton sitting with us, Rome,” she said in a bitter tone.
Rome glanced back at her. He studied her surly expression. “It won’t kill you to be hospitable, Nettie. Did you want him to eat by himself?”
“It wouldn’t bother me in the least if he did. He’s been doing it for the past two weeks or so. Anytime he comes in here he eats alone.” He eats alone and stares at me, she wanted to expound and decided not to. Taking a deep breath she braced herself for Ashton’s arrival.
“Netherland. Rome. How are things going?” he murmured, and the rumble of his voice, deep and sexy, rolled up her spine.
Netherland watched as Ashton took the chair across from her. When he had gotten seated, she glanced into his eyes, and the flicker of desire that suddenly quickened her insides made the hand holding her fork tremble slightly. She placed the eating utensil down. “Things are going well, Ashton,” she managed to get out.
Rome chuckled. “Personally, I’d be doing a whole lot better if I could get one of Nettie’s hostesses to notice me.”
Ashton laughed gently as he glanced around the room and looked at the woman that he knew was the object of Rome’s interest. He then returned his full gaze to Netherland although his words were directed at Rome. “Sometimes you can’t wait for a woman to notice you, Kalloren. Every once in a while you have to take matters into your own hands and do whatever has to be done to make sure she knows that you’re interested. I believe you should always let a woman know when she’s wanted.”
Netherland inhaled sharply as Ashton’s gaze became a heated caress. She tried to think of something to say and couldn’t. So she picked up her fork again and began eating the rest of her meal as she tried to ignore him as well as the comment he’d made.
“So you don’t believe in the subtle approach, Colonel?”
“No. I believe in going after what you