River Wolf(39)

Silence greeted her comment, and she found Brett gazing at her, rapt admiration in his eyes as he trailed his gaze down her body and up again.

Fuck me… She still only wore a t-shirt and panties, and she’d just given him a show. “Crap. Sorry.” Slamming the door shut, she leaned against it. Adrenaline burned through the remaining traces of sleepiness—adrenaline and a healthy dose of lust. Having him look at her like that warmed her inside and out.

“Please.” His voice stroked her through the door. “Don’t apologize. I’ll go fix the coffee. Come and find me.”

The invitation had her toes curling, and she bit her lip. “I will,” she said, then added in a low whisper. “I promise.”

“I’ll be waiting.”

A shiver skated over her spine, and she closed her eyes. Maybe she should have invited him inside to go back to bed with her. Inappropriate as hell and impulsive, but she bet Brett would wake her even better than the coffee.

He already has…







Ten minutes and a cold shower later, she changed into a clean shirt, bra and jeans. A glance out the window revealed the rain remained ensconced. She had shorts, but why wear them when the cold drizzle kept the day from warming? After making the bed, she packed her dirty clothes away and padded barefoot from the room. If her hair was longer, she’d braid it to keep it away from her face. As it was, she settled for finger combing it. Styling hair took a little more effort than she wanted to expend.

Not that digging out some pale lip gloss and her mascara hadn’t, but she ignored the why behind the action. The smell of coffee drew her like a magnet. The pot of deep black coffee waited for her as promised, but to her disappointment she didn’t see Brett. Quelling her uncertainty, she poured herself a cup. Cradling the hot mug of nirvana in between sips of the restorative elixir, she walked to the window overlooking the front yard.

Nothing had changed since she’d last glanced outside, yet it seemed different. The rich green of the grass shone even though the band of grey clouds overhead decried any possibility of sunshine. Flowers hung heavy on a trellis near the fence, the rain having pummeled them into submission. Like the backyard, trees lined the area and, though she knew two other houses were nearby, they weren’t immediately visible.

Brett’s place seemed to occupy its own world. The fanciful thought made her smile. Still hugging her coffee mug, she went in search of her elusive host. He’d told her to find him. Not locating him immediately in the sitting room or the room where they’d shared wine the night before—which she’d dubbed the library since it had bookshelves—she considered the stairs then the last hallway she hadn’t ventured down. He had a home office, maybe he’d had to take a call?

Halfway down the hall, a peal of feminine laughter stopped her in her tracks. The answering murmur of Brett’s deep baritone carried traces of affection sent her stomach plummeting. They had company. Correction—he has company… Backing up a step, she considered returning to the kitchen. Who came to see Brett or who he spent time with was none of her business.

The door opened before she could make good her escape. Brett filled the doorway and his gaze latched onto her like a physical caress. “You’re up. And you found the coffee.”

“I am.” Cue the lame response. “Thank you for making the coffee for me.”

“Oh, she’s here!” The sentence preceded the owner of the sweet, feminine voice appearing directly behind Brett. “Hello!”

Sunshine seemed to radiate from the diminutive woman. Despite the delicacy of her bone structure and slender weight, she blazed past Brett as though he weren’t there then extended her hand. Her grip was strong, warm and filled with the same simple incandescence as the woman grinning at her. “I am so delighted to meet you, Colby. It was Colby right?”

“Yes,” she admitted, trying not to let the beauty queen charm her. This is the doctor? Beauty and brains. Good God. Not to mention bright and chipper. Damn. “Doctor Chase?”

“Gillian, please.” She took a deep breath. “Oh, and that coffee smells delicious. Do you mind joining us in the kitchen while I get a cup, too?”

Impossible to say no to that. Colby nodded. “Of course. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“You have no idea how great it is to meet you.” Taking charge, Gillian looped her arm through Colby’s. “I have heard nothing but the most glowing reviews about you.”

Really? “Have you had a chance to check on Luc? I was worried the drive did more harm than good, and I thought the room he was in yesterday had a faint odor of infection, but I couldn’t check him.” The memory plunked some guilty strings in her soul. She’d all but forgotten Luc the night before, when she probably should have insisted on going to see him at the doctor’s place. Brett’s mother, Margie, was a nurse, or so they’d said, but still…