Fringe Benefits by Sandy James Page A

half. “Hope you don’t mind. I made one six-egg omelet for us to share.”
    “Mind?” He blew a raspberry. “You’re making me breakfast. Why would I mind?”
    After putting the half omelets on plates, she sprinkled shredded cheddar cheese over them. “Grab that coffee, and we’ll eat right here.” She dropped the plates in front of the barstools that pulled up to the island.
    Nate set the coffee cups by the plates. “I’ll grab the silverware.”
    With a nod, Dani took a seat on one of the stools and took the cutlery he held out to her.
    They ate and sipped their coffee in companionable silence until he suddenly jumped off his chair. “I know what’s missing!”
    “Missing? What are you—”
    After opening the refrigerator door, he snagged the bottle of ketchup. “This!”
    “You’re kidding, right?” There were lots of things that tasted great with ketchup, but eggs? That was a new one.
    “Nope. Where ketchup is concerned, I’m always deadly serious.” He popped the lid open and squirted a generous amount over his omelet.
    Dani’s first reaction was a near gag.
    “You should try it,” he insisted.
    “I’ll pass.” She wrinkled her nose when he spread the ketchup around with his fork. “That looks so gross.”
    All he did was shrug and shovel his ketchup-coated food into his mouth.
    They worked on cleanup side by side, and while Nate finished drying the last pan, Dani rinsed out the sink. “I need a shower; then I should get started on laundry.” When it dawned on her they were sharing the washer and dryer now, she had to add, “Unless you were planning on using it.”
    “Nope. I finished my stuff up last night while you were out with the girls.”
    She whipped the dishtowel from his hand. “The
Ladies
. I’ll throw this in the wash.”
    They stood facing each other, and she thought she should turn and walk away. There were things she needed to do, and staring at Nate Ryan too awfully long was playing with fire.
    Dani wanted him. She was honest enough with herself to admit it. The way he’d made her feel when he’d kissed her haunted her each time she saw him, and it was getting harder and harder to keep from reaching for him.
    Nate eased closer, and she mimicked his action until they were nearly toe-to-toe. He leaned in, his eyes searching hers.
    He was going to kiss her, but he was giving her a chance to back away.
    She wasn’t going to. It was so easy to let him take the lead. Then she didn’t have to feel bad about throwing herself at the man. No,
he
was the one in control; she was merely the target of his attention.
    His face hovered over hers, making her catch and hold her breath. With a smile on her lips, she closed her eyes and waited for his kiss.
    When his lips brushed her cheek, Dani opened her eyes, surprised and confused. He hadn’t given her a real kiss since he moved in. Just chaste pecks on the cheek, and he was starting to frustrate the hell out of her.
    Nate gave her a lopsided grin as he took a step back. “Not this time, Dani.”
    Embarrassment made heat bathe her face, and she found herself too flustered to say anything to his rather terse statement.
    “You were waiting for
me
to kiss
you
. That’s not how it’s gonna be.”
    She found her voice. “What do you mean?”
    After releasing a hefty sigh, he folded his arms over his chest. “I’ve made it pretty clear I’d like to get to know you better.”
    “Which is why I was going to let you kiss me again.”
    “I’m not going to lead this little dance anymore, not when I’m the only one with his feelings involved.” He shook his head and headed to the basement door. “The next time we share a real kiss, you’re going to have to be the one giving it.”
    The man had her too confused to do more than sputter.
    “From the moment I met you, I’ve wanted to get to know you better,” he said. “And not as a colleague. Not as a friend. As a man captivated by a woman who’s not only beautiful but also