“I scared you?”
She stared at him, then started to laugh. “I’m sorry. I woke up and heard the crash.”
“Yeah, sorry, I broke a mug trying to find your coffee.” He nodded to the pieces in the sink. “I hope it wasn’t a favorite.”
“Not even close,” she said as she admired his shirtless body standing in her kitchen. It was quite a sight…then she caught his eyes traveling the length of her body, and she realized she was hardly wearing anything. “Uh, so…you made coffee?”
“And breakfast,” he said, lips curling into a crooked grin. “Hope you don’t mind.”
She glanced over at the two plates of eggs and bacon. He’d even made toast that was sitting in the toaster, waiting to be taken out. “A man who cooks.”
“Oh, trust me, I do more than just cook.” He gave her a coffee mug, then set his down and proceeded to finish making breakfast. Phoebe took a seat at the counter on the opposite side and watched, not even caring anymore that she, too, was half naked. When was the last time that had even happened? Oh wait, she knew—never. It had never, ever gotten to this point in her relationships.
That left her with more questions than she wanted. What was she supposed to do now? The morning after? She’d half expected him to be gone, anyway, but he’d stayed and made breakfast.
“What are your plans for the rest of the day?” he asked as he slid a plate towards her.
She played with her eggs as she tried to decide what to tell him. Should she make something up? The voice in her head nagged her to make this last as long as possible. “Nothing, really. Just another Saturday.”
“No plans to go on another date with your…other man?” he asked, raising a brow as he shoved a whole piece of bacon in his mouth with half a piece of toast.
Phoebe laughed but shook her head. “No, no such plans exist.”
“Good.”
“Why, what are your plans?”
“I have a few meetings I have to go to. Sadly, those take place on the weekends when we have guests from out of town,” he said.
“Oh.” Phoebe took a long sip of coffee, hoping to hide her disappointment. “That’s all right. I understand.” Typical. You have a freaking awesome night together, but he books it after making you think he might actually hang around…
“Anna, did you hear me?”
“Hmm? Sorry, what?”
“I said, I have those meetings to go to unless there’s a very good reason for me not to go.”
Phoebe stared down at her coffee, then back up at his blue eyes smiling right back at her. “What would be considered a good reason?”
“That depends,” he said. “It’s usually something pretty serious. Something that means I’m unable to get out of my apartment…or someone else’s apartment.”
She wrapped her arms across her chest and pretended to shiver. “I am feeling a bit under the weather. Cold really, right down to the bone. I don’t think I can take care of myself very well today. And I have so much to do around here.”
Ben walked around the counter, looking very concerned. “I can’t leave a very dear friend home alone and sick. I think I should help warm you up first,” he said with a wink. “A shower, maybe?”
“That sounds like a wonderful idea.”
He leaned down and kissed her cheek, then made his way to her lips. Hers parted for him, and they were both lost as their bodies were pulled towards each other. Phoebe laughed and took off down the hall, tossing her t-shirt behind her as she ducked into the bathroom. Ben was right behind her.
***
Riley tried hard to catch his breath as Anna rolled off him in the bed. “You’re a quick learner,” he muttered.
“About some things, it seems.”
He rolled back to his side and pulled her close, kissing her again, feeling the length of her body against his, slicked with sweat from the last hour. His hand trailed down her shoulder and the slope of her breast just so he could see her eyes darken and a shiver pass over her body.
“Glad to see you had a good reason to miss your meetings. You sure you don’t need to answer your cell?” she asked. It had gone off several times throughout the day. Riley had already left several messages with Ben, telling him to find a reason for his CEO to miss some of the most important meetings of the quarter. But being with Anna, a woman who was quickly finding a way into his heart…that was more important than anything else. A woman he could spend the rest of his life with.