of someone coming in to help brought him comfort that money never could.
It only took a few moments to unload the back of Courtney’s truck. He noticed everything was color-coded in yellow and lime green stickers. Oddly, it made him think of a Sprite commercial. But it fit Courtney perfect. Bright colors for a bright person. She happily carted her things inside, placing them carefully in the entryway to separate the things going into his storage room apart from the things that would go with her.
“You ready to see your room?” Brett asked as he closed the front door.
“Sure,” Courtney answered as Cameron curled up next to her leg. She looked down at him lovingly, already feeling a small bond growing between them.
Cameron looked up at her with a warm smile as if he knew something she did not. They gazed at each other for a quiet, brief moment sharing unspoken admiration.
Courtney was instantly moved. The poor little guy had gone through so much, yet he still had the courage to open his heart and try to love. The thought made Courtney wanted to give this job her best go at it.
Brett caught the exchanged between Courtney and Cameron but didn’t speak on it. Who would have thought that he would end up in this situation? And while he was happy to have her here, he didn’t have the luxury of such open fondness due simply to the sheer number of times he had been roughly disciplined for it. Exhibit A. Amy Black. The last thing that he wanted to do was set himself up for failure again. He would have to by any means necessary back off.
Clearing his throat, Brett breezed past them. “Your room’s just up this way,” he said in a low gruff voice.
His bottom foot hit the stairs with a thud, bringing Courtney out of her gaze. She followed him up, running her hand over the newly polished alabaster staircase as she glimpsed a view of his backside. Brett’s tight, muscular butt fit into his dark, denim jeans with ease and led down to his long, wide legs and the brown, quarter-length hiking boots that added a couple of inches to his already tall build. A faded gray T-shirt stretched across his back, clinging to his muscular form. And his high and tight haircut was Marine Corps perfect . Courtney definitely gave him an A for effort. It wasn’t just the mood that night two weeks ago that had sent her into a frenzy. Brett Black was hot every day.
Brett could feel her looking at him, and it damned near caused a stumble. He repressed a chuckle. Weren’t women supposed to have more couth? When he got to the top of the steps, he looked back at her quickly and watched her eyes move up to his own. A smile quirked at his lips.
“I cleaned it as best I could,” he said, opening the master bedroom door. He stepped aside and allowed her to step past him. “You have your own bathroom, a garden tub and shower, walk-in closet, bay windows that open for fresh air, a king-size bed, Wi-Fi, and you’re right down the hall from Cameron.”
Courtney looked around the room in approval. It was nearly empty, spotless and airy. The white-on-white furniture and walls gave the room a bright but lonely feeling, like something great had once lived here but had since gone away.
Brett leaned against the doorway, refusing to enter like crossing the threshold was his very own brand of kryptonite. With his large arms folded across his broad chest and pain visible on his sun-tanned face, he watched her as she sized up the room and his old life.
“Was this your room?” she asked, turning away from the window to look at him.
The sun caught in her brown hair and lit up her face. It was a warming sight for Brett, so he answered truthfully.
“It used to be…once upon a time.” His rugged voice cared the hum of a country music singer and the pain of the blues.
“And you don’t mind me sleeping in here?” she asked, walking towards him. “You don’t have a guest room?”
Brett’s crystal blue eyes twitched.
It only took a few moments to unload the back of Courtney’s truck. He noticed everything was color-coded in yellow and lime green stickers. Oddly, it made him think of a Sprite commercial. But it fit Courtney perfect. Bright colors for a bright person. She happily carted her things inside, placing them carefully in the entryway to separate the things going into his storage room apart from the things that would go with her.
“You ready to see your room?” Brett asked as he closed the front door.
“Sure,” Courtney answered as Cameron curled up next to her leg. She looked down at him lovingly, already feeling a small bond growing between them.
Cameron looked up at her with a warm smile as if he knew something she did not. They gazed at each other for a quiet, brief moment sharing unspoken admiration.
Courtney was instantly moved. The poor little guy had gone through so much, yet he still had the courage to open his heart and try to love. The thought made Courtney wanted to give this job her best go at it.
Brett caught the exchanged between Courtney and Cameron but didn’t speak on it. Who would have thought that he would end up in this situation? And while he was happy to have her here, he didn’t have the luxury of such open fondness due simply to the sheer number of times he had been roughly disciplined for it. Exhibit A. Amy Black. The last thing that he wanted to do was set himself up for failure again. He would have to by any means necessary back off.
Clearing his throat, Brett breezed past them. “Your room’s just up this way,” he said in a low gruff voice.
His bottom foot hit the stairs with a thud, bringing Courtney out of her gaze. She followed him up, running her hand over the newly polished alabaster staircase as she glimpsed a view of his backside. Brett’s tight, muscular butt fit into his dark, denim jeans with ease and led down to his long, wide legs and the brown, quarter-length hiking boots that added a couple of inches to his already tall build. A faded gray T-shirt stretched across his back, clinging to his muscular form. And his high and tight haircut was Marine Corps perfect . Courtney definitely gave him an A for effort. It wasn’t just the mood that night two weeks ago that had sent her into a frenzy. Brett Black was hot every day.
Brett could feel her looking at him, and it damned near caused a stumble. He repressed a chuckle. Weren’t women supposed to have more couth? When he got to the top of the steps, he looked back at her quickly and watched her eyes move up to his own. A smile quirked at his lips.
“I cleaned it as best I could,” he said, opening the master bedroom door. He stepped aside and allowed her to step past him. “You have your own bathroom, a garden tub and shower, walk-in closet, bay windows that open for fresh air, a king-size bed, Wi-Fi, and you’re right down the hall from Cameron.”
Courtney looked around the room in approval. It was nearly empty, spotless and airy. The white-on-white furniture and walls gave the room a bright but lonely feeling, like something great had once lived here but had since gone away.
Brett leaned against the doorway, refusing to enter like crossing the threshold was his very own brand of kryptonite. With his large arms folded across his broad chest and pain visible on his sun-tanned face, he watched her as she sized up the room and his old life.
“Was this your room?” she asked, turning away from the window to look at him.
The sun caught in her brown hair and lit up her face. It was a warming sight for Brett, so he answered truthfully.
“It used to be…once upon a time.” His rugged voice cared the hum of a country music singer and the pain of the blues.
“And you don’t mind me sleeping in here?” she asked, walking towards him. “You don’t have a guest room?”
Brett’s crystal blue eyes twitched.
Similar Books
