An Unsinkable Love(37)
He leaned his head down close to her ear. His breath tickled as he laughed. "Not everyone, but I've been cooped 127
An Unsinkable Love
by Terri Benson
up here as long as you. The difference is they let me move around. In fact, they kept getting after me not to fall asleep. I took to walking the halls to stay awake. I've met most of the people who work in this wing, and have gotten to know the families of other Titanic survivors who were brought here." He straightened up and turned down another hall.
Bree wanted him to lean back down. His essence was clean and manly, a rich blend of musk and spice. Definitely not the antiseptic odor permeating her room. She decided to keep him talking. "There are a lot of women who work here." She glanced over her shoulder and found his eyes on her. "They seem to like you."
She bit her lip as he grinned. "Don't act so surprised. I'm a very likeable fellow. What can I say?"
"Are there a lot of Titanic passengers here?
"More than one hundred to begin with. Almost everyone has left, but there are a few stragglers, like you and me." He bent down again and she caught her breath. "I've heard," he whispered, sending chills down her back, "they're going to run us out of here tomorrow."
She turned quickly in excitement, and her lips met his.
Shocked by the soft warmth, she stared into his amused blue eyes. He made no attempt to move, and she knew she'd waited a few seconds longer than propriety allowed before turning away. A massive wave of heat rolled up her neck, clear to her forehead. She squeezed her eyes shut in mortification, expecting Malcolm to say something that would embarrass her even more.
Instead, he said, "We're here."
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An Unsinkable Love
by Terri Benson
They turned into a large cafeteria dotted with tables and chairs. Bree wasn't sure if she was more upset about the inadvertent kiss, or the fact he didn't even seem to notice.
He noted her silence. "Are you all right?" He stopped the chair and stepped in front of her. "You're a little flushed. It's not a fever is it?" He laid his large hand on her forehead, like her mother used to do. "You don't feel hot." The corners of his mouth quirked up. "If you're not sick, what else could it be?"
Bree glared at him. Obviously, he had noticed their kiss and knew exactly what caused her rosy cheeks. Before she could think of a suitable retort, he slipped behind and wheeled her over to a table. Malcolm sat in the nearest chair and drew her attention to a printed menu on the table. "What would you like for dinner? I can't promise you gourmet, but it will probably be better than what you've gotten in those horrid trays they deliver."
Still trying to figure out if he deliberately teased her, or wasn't affected in any way by the unexpected kiss, Bree tried to concentrate on the printed words. "I'd about give my arm for a nice pot roast," she said.
"I don't believe the prices are quite that steep. One post roast coming up, my lady." He bowed again and headed for the counter where he spoke to a plump woman in a tall white hat. She smiled at Bree and nodded. Malcolm returned and sat. He seemed intent on disarming her, keeping up a running monologue on the different passengers and their families he'd met, what their injuries were, where they were from, and other bits of their lives.
129
An Unsinkable Love
by Terri Benson
Even after plates heaped with food were set in front of them, he kept talking, stopping only to urge her to eat. And eat she did.
"You really were hungry for a decent meal, weren't you?"
He observed her nearly spotless plate.
Bree bit her lip. What would he think of her? She'd shoveled her food down nearly as fast as her brothers had.
She quickly looked down at her bosom, praying she wasn't as sloppy as them when eating. With relief, she saw only her pristine nightgown.
"I'm glad to see you have an appetite. I hate skinny women. In France, it seems all the models they use for the fashion shows are near death from lack of food. Besides, I'd wager to say you've lost more than a pound or two in the last week."
Again, Bree felt off center, unsure. She gazed into his eyes, the color of the deep Atlantic at midday. "I'm sorry. I wasn't paying any attention to the food, I mean, while you were talking, I just..." She groaned. It seemed she couldn't say anything right.
Malcolm reached out and patted her hand.