Dragging his eyes away from her, he glanced at her home. Bare timber adorned high ceilings so artfully he couldn’t tell if they were decorative or part of the house’s framework. Warm colors bathed the walls, and the earthen-tone furniture added another layer of mountain appeal. Part country, part crisp modern design. Comfortable from every glass-front bookcase to every woven area rug. Granted, he’d only glimpsed a small portion of the sprawling home, but it didn’t take much to recognize her style would span corner-to-corner.
Domestic in every sense of the word.
He swung his attention back to her and the open kitchen she occupied. She was cooking for him. He cleared his throat as it began to tighten.
She looked over her shoulder with a smile that twisted him up inside. “Good morning.”
“Morning,” he managed through his bewilderment, and stumbled up to the granite-topped counter.
“I have to leave for work here in a little bit, but I thought you might be hungry.” She let out a soft laugh. “I know I am, after last night.”
“Yeah.” A lazy grin worked its way free. “You were the only thing on my menu.”
The faint color that touched her cheeks fascinated him. She’d let him explore every inch of her delectable curves. Willingly submitted to his need to control her pleasure. Offered herself, even. Now she was shy?
Suddenly, not knowing her name was unacceptable.
But damn, if he asked, he’d look soft. Like he was more attached than one night should reasonably make him. Why did she matter so much?
Brad didn’t like the answer that crept through his thoughts. Because no woman had ever connected with him like she had last night. No one had opened themselves the way this breathtaking brunette had.
No one had tried.
“Have a seat. I’m almost finished.” She gestured at the counter where two stoneware mugs sat beside a gurgling coffee pot. “Coffee’s done. Do you want cream or sugar?”
Still struggling through a fog he couldn’t logic, Brad shook his head and mumbled, “Black’s good.” What on earth was the matter with him? He’d had incredible sex. This was coffee, eggs, bacon. He was leaving in a few minutes, and he’d never see her again. Her name shouldn’t make a damn bit of difference at this point.
Before he could push his thoughts into line and move to the coffee pot, she was already setting two mugs at the table. He managed to collect himself enough to make it to his seat, but sat heavily, absently frowning as he stared out the window at the snow-covered trees. Uncomfortably, he realized it wasn’t so much that he wanted to know her name, but that he wanted her to know his.
Fuck. What the hell did that mean?
“You okay?” she asked as she pulled out the chair beside him.
It meant he needed more sleep. Grumbling inwardly, Brad shoved his disjointed thoughts aside and grinned. “Just exhausted.”
“Yeah, me too.” She cradled her coffee in both hands, took a long drink, then her eyes crinkled behind the rim of her mug. “Last night was amazing.”
Brad chuckled. “You can say that again.” He glanced down to find a plate in front of him. Momentarily caught off-guard, he blinked. Once more, the full reality of morning hit him in the gut.
They sat at her table, in front of a picturesque landscape, as sunrise lighted the hills with color. Another hour later, he could have easily had the stock report in his hand, perusing it while he psyched himself up for work.
Holy hell this was the living picture of domesticity.
He gulped down that thought, and the tightness behind his ribs eased. “Thank you.” Picking up a strip of crisp bacon, he paused a moment, then met her gaze. “For everything.”
Her eyes twinkled with her sultry smile. “Thank you.”
Once more his gut doubled inward. He popped the bacon into his mouth, determined to write the whole oddness off as a combination of jet lag and mind-boggling sex. In another hour, after he’d returned to his hotel room and showered, everything would be back to normal.
…
Cassie ruffled a towel through her hair and hastily swiped on a touch of mascara. The last thing she needed was to be late today. She’d studied family law in school, but the bulk of her practice’s success came from Chris’s reputation in criminal matters, and most of her time was spent helping him or picking up the lesser, more minor cases.