Yours Truly

Eight

EIGHT

Annette's palms were moist and she felt as if Peter would be able to hear her chest rattle from the drumbeat inside of her known as her pulse. During the time she was courting, a few of her beaus had kissed her. It made her happy at the time, even if it hadn't left a lasting effect. But she had a feeling that if Peter kissed her, she'd remember it for the rest of her life.

"Has my father been forgetful at work that you've seen?" she asked, keeping the conversation moving, even though she wanted to do something else.

"I haven't noticed, but I'll keep an eye on him from now on." Peter turned his upper body toward her as he touched her clasped hands on her lap.

His touch made her melt, as did his soothing words. "Thank you. I've always thought my father was fortunate to have a friend like you."

"And what about you?" He lifted his hand and his fingers lightly caressed her cheek. "Do you think you're fortunate for having a friend like me?"

She smiled. "Considering, I've never thought of you as a friend until lately... I suppose I feel lucky."

"I'm glad."

"I've never had a male friend."

He shrugged. "I suppose we could be similar to your women friends, but we don't sip tea, and we don't like to sew samplers. In fact, I'm quite certain most of us don't like to cook much, either."

She laughed and bumped her shoulder against him. That's all it took for his arms to wrap around her loosely. Her heartbeat accelerated, and his sultry cologne was making her head spin... or was being this close to him making her swoon? She'd better not.

"Then what qualities do men have for being a woman's friend?"

"We are very skilled at comforting women."

"Hmm... You don't say." She placed her hand on his chest and felt his erratic heartbeat. At least she wasn't the only one being affected right now. "What else can you do?"

"I can assure you that being a male friend, I'll be able to fix your buggy if it breaks, whereas women wouldn't be able to handle that task."

"You know, I think you're right about that."

"Being your friend, I'll be able to scare all the bad men away from you."

"Are you saying I won't be able to tell if a man is bad or not?"

"Some men are very deceiving."

She nodded. "I know that well since several of them have courted me."

"Another thing male friends can do that you won't get from your women friends is that... we can teach you things."

She arched an eyebrow. "Teach me things about what?"

"About what men like and what we don't like."

Her breathing was ragged, but she was so wrapped up in the heated conversation and his mesmerizing eyes that she didn't care. "And what is that?"

"Men like curious women," his fingers trailed from her cheek to her mouth as he softly ran the pad of his thumb across her bottom lip, "especially when it comes to... kissing."

"Tell me more," she said in a lower voice.

"When a man kisses a woman who is still and uncooperative, that lets him know how she'll act during their marriage."

"That's understandable, but what if she is really nervous?"

"It doesn't matter. If she enjoys the kiss, she'll respond. If she doesn't, then the man might as well plan the rest of his life being married to a cold fish."