The Commitment by Unknown Page A

worth, Mrs. McLain."
    "Don't call me that." Miranda's response was automatic.
    "It suits you." Drake went to the refrigerator. "You may as well get used to it. That's what my housekeeper is going to call you when she meets you in the morning."
    "I'm not going to be here in the morning."
    Drake moved to the center island, selected a large knife, and began to slice, dice, and chop until he had a pile of fresh cut vegetables in front of him.
    "Don't count on it."
    He moved to the freezer and disappeared into a cloud of frost. When he emerged the square box he held was dusted with snow. After brushing it off he opened it to reveal an exquisite layered cake.
    "Ice cream cake for dessert," he explained. "By the time we're ready for it, it will have warmed enough to cut. Right now I'd need a chain saw to cut through it."
    Miranda rotated on her stool every now and then as she followed his progress through the kitchen. What he ended up doing was a more than fair display of Tappan cooking, like she'd seen at her favorite Japanese restaurant. He tossed knives around as if it were second nature. The moment of truth, when he lit the fiery sake with a wooden match causing a whoosh of flame, had her on the edge of her seat.
    At last he piled two plates with the deliciously scented stir-fry and led her through a swinging door into a small dining area. The circular table was set for two as if he'd thought this through ahead of time. The table was in an alcove encased by windows that overlooked the Front Range. During the day the view would be stunning. At sunset she wagered the view would take her breath away.
    He held her seat then sat in the facing chair. All she could do was stare at him. His face glowed as if he'd just had the time of his life.
    "Well?" He frowned. "I should have asked what you wanted. You hate stir fry, don't you?"
    She answered by putting a forkful into her mouth. Delicious. She shut her eyes to savor the explosion of flavors on her tongue as she chewed. When she opened her eyes she found Drake staring at her. "It's great," she said.
    "I'm sure you're embarrassed that your big, tough, wealthy husband cooked it for you." His statement came out flat--a challenge.
    "The only thing that embarrasses me is that I can't cook this well. From now on you have kitchen duty." She gulped from her water glass; what she'd just said implied that she'd be staying.
    "I'll hold you to that. Wait until you see what I can do with eggs at breakfast." His dimple deepened.
    "Just for tonight," Miranda stated. "One night. I'm too tired to argue anymore."
    Drake nodded and drank a tiny cup of sake. She wasn't sure, but Miranda thought he looked pretty pleased with himself.
    He was more than pleased. One night would lead to two, then a weekend, then the next week, and then she'd be so comfortably entrenched that she wouldn't want to leave.
    Watching her enjoy the meal he'd prepared, sitting across from him in his house, filled him with more content than he'd felt in a long time. He'd had damned little contentment with Lucy.
    Lucy. Time to stop comparing the sisters. How could two such different individuals share the same gene pool and upbringing? They were as different as fire and ice. He much preferred Miranda's honest to Lucy's glamour. Miranda's deep-seated intellect to Lucy's charm.
    Miranda looked delicious in red.
    Which reminded him of his other hunger. The one she'd satisfied so unexpectedly last night. He wondered how much was the alcohol. He knew for damned sure she wouldn't have been a willing partner in her own seduction if she'd been sober.
    Shifting in his chair, he poured another tiny cup of warm Japanese wine. "Would you like some sake?" he offered her.
    She lifted on eyebrow, and then surprised him by crossing her eyes. "No thanks. I'm swearing off alcohol for a while."
    "The morning after's a real bear, isn't it?"
    Her blush started at the low neckline of her dress. Fascinated, Drake wondered how far in the opposite direction it