all in beige. Sloane giggled. The man thought of everything! She was happy she fit into the smallest sizes, but appreciated that he had been so generous, so thoughtful. When she had showered and changed, she brushed her long hair and let it remain down her back. She knew David liked to touch it, and she wanted to look especially nice for him since he had been so kind to her, and because he had opened up to her about his mother.
How awful to have lost so much .
Sloane remembered she needed to call her own mother, but opted to send a text instead. She found her phone next to the bed and typed quickly: “Call you later. Busy tonight. Love you.” She hit send and set the phone back on the fancy bedside table.
She took a deep, steadying breath, and headed out the guest room door and down the long stairs to search out the kitchen. The aroma of wood smoke led her straight to the massive stainless steel chef’s kitchen. David stood in front of a brick oven, moving the wood around. He turned to greet her with a huge, mind melting smile when she entered the room.
“Wow, you look great. I’m so glad Veronica got the right items. How’re you feeling?” David strode to her side and looked searchingly into her eyes. Her knees almost gave out, but it wasn’t the accident or its after effects.
David wore a pair of Levi jeans and a white T-shirt. The shirt fit his chest tightly and accentuated the muscles rippling under its soft fabric. The cut of his pants highlighted his flat stomach and slim hips. He looked relaxed and comfortable, and so sexy she wanted to throw herself in his arms and make love to him right there on the kitchen floor.
Instead, she trilled, “I feel fine. Thank you. You needn’t have gone to all the trouble to buy me new things, but I do appreciate it.”
He answered her with a light kiss to the forehead before he took her hand and led her to the counter. He said, “Sit. Please. I’ll make you a cup of tea. How does that sound?”
“Divine.” Sloane smiled, let go his brawny hand, and slid onto the leather barstool perched before the enormous butcher block where David had arranged a plethora of veggies to be cut. “How about I help with dinner?”
He handed her a small paring knife and said, “If you’d like, you can peel the asparagus for me.”
“I’d love to.”
As David made her a cup of lemon tea, Sloane watched him move. Like a sleek jungle cat, he maneuvered soundlessly, assuredly through the space. His tight rear end distracted her so, she almost sliced her finger. Be calm, she silently scolded, and she tore her eyes away from his amazing physique.
“Do you eat fish, Sloane?”
“I eat everything,” she said, blushing.
“That’s promising,” he teased.
Sloane felt her face get hot.
“I have some fresh caught salmon. I thought I’d put it on the fire and steam some asparagus and summer squash. I’ll make a salad, too.”
“A billionaire who cooks. How did I get so lucky to crash my car near dinner time?” She japed, but the mention of the accident made David’s eyes darken.
“I’m sorry to make such a thoughtless joke,” she quickly apologized, and his eyes turned a softer, chocolate color.
“You could never be thoughtless. Please, don’t censor yourself on my account. My mom died a long time ago, when I was just a boy. I’m over it.” But Sloane knew from the sadness in his face, he wasn’t being entirely truthful.
“No one ever gets over a death. We just learn to live with the pain. I still miss my grandparents so much,” she offered and twisted the ring on her pinky finger.
“Is that your grandmother’s ring? It’s a beauty.”
“Yes,” she brightened at his intuitiveness, “She willed it to me. She never wore much jewelry, but she never took off this ring. Now, I don’t take it off. It keeps me close to her. Do you have anything special from your mom?” Sloane regretted the question the minute she asked it.
David’s broad shoulders squared,
How awful to have lost so much .
Sloane remembered she needed to call her own mother, but opted to send a text instead. She found her phone next to the bed and typed quickly: “Call you later. Busy tonight. Love you.” She hit send and set the phone back on the fancy bedside table.
She took a deep, steadying breath, and headed out the guest room door and down the long stairs to search out the kitchen. The aroma of wood smoke led her straight to the massive stainless steel chef’s kitchen. David stood in front of a brick oven, moving the wood around. He turned to greet her with a huge, mind melting smile when she entered the room.
“Wow, you look great. I’m so glad Veronica got the right items. How’re you feeling?” David strode to her side and looked searchingly into her eyes. Her knees almost gave out, but it wasn’t the accident or its after effects.
David wore a pair of Levi jeans and a white T-shirt. The shirt fit his chest tightly and accentuated the muscles rippling under its soft fabric. The cut of his pants highlighted his flat stomach and slim hips. He looked relaxed and comfortable, and so sexy she wanted to throw herself in his arms and make love to him right there on the kitchen floor.
Instead, she trilled, “I feel fine. Thank you. You needn’t have gone to all the trouble to buy me new things, but I do appreciate it.”
He answered her with a light kiss to the forehead before he took her hand and led her to the counter. He said, “Sit. Please. I’ll make you a cup of tea. How does that sound?”
“Divine.” Sloane smiled, let go his brawny hand, and slid onto the leather barstool perched before the enormous butcher block where David had arranged a plethora of veggies to be cut. “How about I help with dinner?”
He handed her a small paring knife and said, “If you’d like, you can peel the asparagus for me.”
“I’d love to.”
As David made her a cup of lemon tea, Sloane watched him move. Like a sleek jungle cat, he maneuvered soundlessly, assuredly through the space. His tight rear end distracted her so, she almost sliced her finger. Be calm, she silently scolded, and she tore her eyes away from his amazing physique.
“Do you eat fish, Sloane?”
“I eat everything,” she said, blushing.
“That’s promising,” he teased.
Sloane felt her face get hot.
“I have some fresh caught salmon. I thought I’d put it on the fire and steam some asparagus and summer squash. I’ll make a salad, too.”
“A billionaire who cooks. How did I get so lucky to crash my car near dinner time?” She japed, but the mention of the accident made David’s eyes darken.
“I’m sorry to make such a thoughtless joke,” she quickly apologized, and his eyes turned a softer, chocolate color.
“You could never be thoughtless. Please, don’t censor yourself on my account. My mom died a long time ago, when I was just a boy. I’m over it.” But Sloane knew from the sadness in his face, he wasn’t being entirely truthful.
“No one ever gets over a death. We just learn to live with the pain. I still miss my grandparents so much,” she offered and twisted the ring on her pinky finger.
“Is that your grandmother’s ring? It’s a beauty.”
“Yes,” she brightened at his intuitiveness, “She willed it to me. She never wore much jewelry, but she never took off this ring. Now, I don’t take it off. It keeps me close to her. Do you have anything special from your mom?” Sloane regretted the question the minute she asked it.
David’s broad shoulders squared,
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