With a sharp intake of breath, Claire rotated out of his reach. A few days ago, she was desperate for his touch. Had gone too long without it. “I’m really tired. It’s been a long day.”
“Okay. Goodnight, Claire.” Turned away, she couldn’t see if her resistance had doused that smolder... or if he was as relieved as she was.
Maybe if her brain would relax a bit, she could catch a few hours of sleep. Claire rolled onto her abdomen and glared out the open curtains at the sliver of silver moon, faint and distorted under the thin layer of clouds. A few long blinks. Maybe she’d fall asleep soon.
Anytime now. Cold air seemed to freeze the life and energy from the muscles and the brain, so sleep ought to be setting in anytime. Soon.
Fuck it. She knew why she wasn’t sleeping. Why Ryder’s hand felt like it didn’t belong on her body. Maybe it wouldn’t have a few days ago either, as the distance between them had multiplied logarithmically these past few months, and they became ships passing in the night rather than lovers. She knew what she had to do. Dinner alone would be a good time to do it.
As her blinks grew longer, it was Grady that filled the preamble of her dreams. Similar eyes, but the passion behind his, the intensity with which he seemed to view everything, melted her insides to molten lava. Similar chiseled jaw, but Grady’s lack of dimples charmed her. The fiercely flexing mastication muscle in his jaw told of all the heavy thoughts he didn’t share. Never quite assimilating to his environment, his hair was always on end as if he struggled to find his balance on uneven terrain.
6
M-O-U-N-T-U-P
Breakfast was not a formal affair at Mallory Mansion. Ooh, she’d better be careful she didn’t say that out loud. Pretentious as the house was, it might come across as disrespectful.
Hattie was in the kitchen scrambling eggs on the stovetop. “Good morning, Claire. Did you sleep well?”
“I slept great, thanks, Hattie. This looks amazing.” She cringed, afraid to find out she’d made a faux pas and breakfast was DIY in Mallory Mansion.
Generously, Hattie nodded to the cupboard above the dishwasher and said, “Grab yourself a plate. I expect Grady will be down at any moment, so I’m making his favorite. There’s plenty here, but if you would like something else, I’ll be happy to make it for you.” Hattie stirred the eggs and added cheese and cracked pepper as they spoke.
Claire helped herself to some coffee. “I would love some of those eggs. If you’re sure that you have enough.” She parked herself at the breakfast bar to visit with Hattie.
“For you, anything. Now, I’ll warn you, I’m not much of a chef. Karl makes lunch and dinner, so I pitch in on breakfast for those who get up early enough, otherwise I think these kids would have lived off sugary cereal growing up, if that. Too busy to stop to eat, but far too active to start the day without a good breakfast. Now, you sit yourself down and tell me all about why you became a veterinarian.” Hattie added another slice of sourdough to the toaster for Claire.
Tingling ran down her spine as she felt Grady coming up behind her. Dammit. Hours since she’d met him, and she could already sense when those aromatically testosterone-laden pheromones got within ten yards of her.
Grady poured himself a steaming cup of black coffee and parked himself next to her at the breakfast bar. “Smells amazing, Hattie.”
He nudged Claire’s knee with his. “You’re up early. Aside from Hattie and me, no one else wakes before dawn on weekends.”
“Nasty habit, I know. I was hoping to check out the horses this morning, maybe see the routine.” She took a sip of the piping hot liquid that warmed her throat, but the heat she felt sitting next to Grady was much further south.
Grady raised his coffee in salute. “Our stablemaster is home with the flu. We have a high schooler that assists her, but he’s caught the same flu. So, you are stuck with me this morning.” Despite his attempt at humor, she swam in the warm, tropical ocean of his eyes, rather unamused and finding herself in deeper water all the time. Oh boy, he was triggering corny thoughts and cornier descriptions. “Ryder texted me a few minutes ago to ask if I’d take you for a ride.”