“You look distracted and you’re frowning. Is everything okay?” He moved to the side to let her pass by him and enter the house.
“Yes, just a message that came through on the way over. It’s okay. I can handle it.” Her phone rang with an incoming message and she stopped to read it.
He closed the door and watched as she typed back a reply.
“Meagan,” he said softly.
“Hmm.” She didn’t look up.
“Meagan,” he said just as soft, but she continued messaging. “Hand me the phone.”
Her head snapped up. “What?”
He held out his hand. “Hand me the phone.”
“I’m finished now.”
“Yes, you are. Give it to me and you’ll get it back before you leave.”
“That’s okay. I’m fine.”
He shook his hand. “Give it.” She sighed, but put the phone in his hand. He turned it off. “Thank you. I know it’s hard to believe, but the world won’t grind to a screeching halt if Meagan Bishop doesn’t answer her phone or reply to a text for the next few hours.”
“I know that, you know.”
“I’m sure you do, but I’m a jealous, jealous man.” He closed the distance between them and lifted her chin so she met his eyes. God, she was gorgeous. “I only have you here with me for a few short hours. Don’t make me share.”
She blinked and her cheeks turned a light pink, which made her only more appealing. “So greedy,” she said, her voice husky.
He shouldn’t be touching her the way he was. She had been very clear about what she did and did not want from him. But at the moment, her eyes were dark and her lips slightly parted. When she looked at him the way she was, he couldn’t keep his hands off her. “Always,” he said in agreement with her earlier statement and ran his thumb along her bottom lip.
She drew it into her mouth and nipped his fingertip, looking him straight in his eyes the entire time.
Damn, but if that didn’t send sparks down his body and make his cock beg for more. “Vixen,” he said, but didn’t move his finger.
“Ass.”
He chuckled and dropped his hand. “Maybe I better give you the tour before we do something we said we shouldn’t.”
She looked just disappointed enough that he seriously contemplated changing his plans for the afternoon and giving her exactly what they both wanted. But no sooner than the thought came to him, he disregarded it. To do something that radical would be to follow the path that had brought them heartache all those years ago. He wanted them to start new.
Which meant he needed to take her on a tour of his house. “Come on, I’ll give you the grand tour.”
The disappointment fled, replaced by curiosity, and he led her down the hall. “This part of the house you saw last week.” He walked past the bedroom she’d changed in, pointed out his bedroom, and made his way into the living room.
As soon as they entered, she made a beeline for the two oil paintings he had displayed in the middle of the far wall. “I saw glimpses of these last week and couldn’t wait to see them close up. They’re obviously the real deal.” She looked up at him. “Maxfield Parrish.”
He looked at her with surprise. “You know of him?”
She nodded. “Art minor. I’d tell you these two pieces belong in a museum or an art gallery, but I have the feeling you know this.”
“I do. In fact, these spent the last few weeks in my gallery downtown. I brought them home so I could enjoy them before trying to find a buyer.”
She turned, clearly surprised. “You’re going to sell them?”
“Yes, there’s so much artwork I like, if I kept everything, you wouldn’t be able to walk in the front door.”
Her resulting laughter took him by surprise. Had she ever laughed at something he said before? He wasn’t sure, but he didn’t ever want her to stop.
But she did when she noticed him staring at her. “What?”
“Your laugh.”
“What about it?”
“I’d like to hear it more often.”
“I guess I’m not the kind of person who laughs a lot.” A strange look crossed her face. “I don’t know why.”
Damn it. How could telling her that he liked her laughter cause all the joy to leave her face? That hadn’t been his intent. “Hey, did I say something? I didn’t mean to upset you.”
“It’s nothing.” She exhaled and gave him a sad smile. “I wish I were the type person who laughed a lot, that’s all.”
“Maybe you are and you’ve just been hanging out with the wrong people.”
“That’s a definite possibility.”
“Let me show you the rest of the house.” He motioned for her to follow him out. No sooner had they stepped into the hallway than the kitchen timer he’d set for the bread went off. “Tour and then eat or eat, then tour?”
“Eat and then tour.”
“A woman after my heart. Let’s go.”
They walked back to the kitchen where she insisted on helping him set the table. He wasn’t in a mood to argue with her and he rather liked having her be all domestic in his house. She looked as if she belonged and the thought made him smile.
She put two bowls on the table. “You’re looking at me funny.”
“Am I?”
“Mm-hmm.”
“How?”
“Like you’re a dog and I’m a bone you’ve just been given.”
“I’d never look at you like you’re a bone.” He leaned back on the countertop and crossed his arms. “Maybe a juicy steak.”