chuckled. “Be nice and I may give you the plate-glass cost estimates for some light reading this evening.” He took her arm, his touch sending sparks shooting through her flesh as he guided her down the single step and into the large room. They turned right and moved down a wide hallway toward what was obviously a kitchen.
“Hello, Mrs. Webb. Are we too late to do justice to your cooking?”
A heavyset, dark-haired woman turned with a smile to greet them. “No, sir. It will be ready in five minutes.” She glanced at her watch as if to verity the time. It seemed that Kurt Morgan’s house was as organized as his business.
“I’ll show Miss Brown to her room, then.” The placid, smiling housekeeper smiled again in token agreement before turning back to her space-age stove. Kurt silently led the way to the other side of the house, guiding her into a small library where a set of stairs reached to the upper level. “There are two bedrooms on this side and three on the other side of the house.” He spoke in a light, conversational tone, as if discussing the weather instead of the proximity of their sleeping arrangements.
“Are you sure you have enough rooms?’ she replied sweetly as he pushed open the door.
“I only need one, Victoria, when you’re around.
It took her a minute to absorb his words; then a chill went down her spine as his meaning sank into her mind. She smiled sweetly. “In a sow’s ear!”
He ignored her declaration as he walked to the window and opened the chocolate-brown drapes to reveal the most breathtaking view Vicky had ever seen. Unlike the living room, it looked out over the valley, but slightly to the right, on display like a panorama, she could see the lights of the bay. He opened the window and the scents of the sea drifted in, salty-fresh and clean.
Vicky took a deep breath, filling her lungs with it “I love it.”
She turned and looked over the room Kurt had given her. The carpet was a warm tan, the walls tan with white trim. The luxurious bedspread was the true eye catcher, though. It was a velvet patchwork quilt in shades of brown, accented with dark gold, and it covered an enormous bed. She stared at it then back up at Kurt. Visions she didn’t want to acknowledge danced in her head, bringing life to all her other senses; she remembered the smell of him, the feel of his skin under her palm…
“It’s an extra-large king size. Six inches longer and wider than usual. I like lots of space to move around.” He could hardly keep the chuckle from his voice.
“And I suppose you expect me to sleep there with you?” Her calves tightened in readiness to run. She eyed the distance to the door. She didn’t know where she would go, but she certainly wasn’t staying here! What was the matter with her? She had just blithely gone off with a liar and a cheat to become the very thing she had hated all her life! She must have been temporarily insane!
He smiled slowly. “If that’s an invitation, then I accept. If it isn’t, then I’ll just sleep in my room, next door. But it will have to be one or the other, Victoria. I won’t spend another night holding you close to me and not being allowed to touch. I’m not made of iron when it comes to you.” His voice dropped to a husky tone, his eyes warming to blaze over her slim body as he took in her frightened doe-like appearance. “Either way. Your choice. All right?” His mouth quirked into a teasing smile, bringing out the small laugh lines at the comers of his eyes.
Suddenly she let out the breath she had been holding, a sheepish grin replacing her fright. “Thank you,” she said softly.
He was suddenly serious once more. “I want you very much, but I won’t push you. You know that. When you feel you can admit that you want me just as much, then come to me. Tell me, Victoria. Don’t be lonely just because you’re afraid of the alternative.” He gave a small sad smile. “There may be more alternatives than you
“Hello, Mrs. Webb. Are we too late to do justice to your cooking?”
A heavyset, dark-haired woman turned with a smile to greet them. “No, sir. It will be ready in five minutes.” She glanced at her watch as if to verity the time. It seemed that Kurt Morgan’s house was as organized as his business.
“I’ll show Miss Brown to her room, then.” The placid, smiling housekeeper smiled again in token agreement before turning back to her space-age stove. Kurt silently led the way to the other side of the house, guiding her into a small library where a set of stairs reached to the upper level. “There are two bedrooms on this side and three on the other side of the house.” He spoke in a light, conversational tone, as if discussing the weather instead of the proximity of their sleeping arrangements.
“Are you sure you have enough rooms?’ she replied sweetly as he pushed open the door.
“I only need one, Victoria, when you’re around.
It took her a minute to absorb his words; then a chill went down her spine as his meaning sank into her mind. She smiled sweetly. “In a sow’s ear!”
He ignored her declaration as he walked to the window and opened the chocolate-brown drapes to reveal the most breathtaking view Vicky had ever seen. Unlike the living room, it looked out over the valley, but slightly to the right, on display like a panorama, she could see the lights of the bay. He opened the window and the scents of the sea drifted in, salty-fresh and clean.
Vicky took a deep breath, filling her lungs with it “I love it.”
She turned and looked over the room Kurt had given her. The carpet was a warm tan, the walls tan with white trim. The luxurious bedspread was the true eye catcher, though. It was a velvet patchwork quilt in shades of brown, accented with dark gold, and it covered an enormous bed. She stared at it then back up at Kurt. Visions she didn’t want to acknowledge danced in her head, bringing life to all her other senses; she remembered the smell of him, the feel of his skin under her palm…
“It’s an extra-large king size. Six inches longer and wider than usual. I like lots of space to move around.” He could hardly keep the chuckle from his voice.
“And I suppose you expect me to sleep there with you?” Her calves tightened in readiness to run. She eyed the distance to the door. She didn’t know where she would go, but she certainly wasn’t staying here! What was the matter with her? She had just blithely gone off with a liar and a cheat to become the very thing she had hated all her life! She must have been temporarily insane!
He smiled slowly. “If that’s an invitation, then I accept. If it isn’t, then I’ll just sleep in my room, next door. But it will have to be one or the other, Victoria. I won’t spend another night holding you close to me and not being allowed to touch. I’m not made of iron when it comes to you.” His voice dropped to a husky tone, his eyes warming to blaze over her slim body as he took in her frightened doe-like appearance. “Either way. Your choice. All right?” His mouth quirked into a teasing smile, bringing out the small laugh lines at the comers of his eyes.
Suddenly she let out the breath she had been holding, a sheepish grin replacing her fright. “Thank you,” she said softly.
He was suddenly serious once more. “I want you very much, but I won’t push you. You know that. When you feel you can admit that you want me just as much, then come to me. Tell me, Victoria. Don’t be lonely just because you’re afraid of the alternative.” He gave a small sad smile. “There may be more alternatives than you
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