Chapter Six
Jenny woke up to sun shining through the French doors and the wonderful smell of coffee drifting on the air. She looked around and the tantalizing memory of last night came back. She stretched and sighed. The bed was so comfortable. She had slept the whole night through after falling asleep in his arms.
Richard was absent from the bedroom this morning, but the signs of his occupation were all around her. The covers beside her were thrown back where he been the night before. A towel lay on the floor where he had dropped it after his shower, damp and discarded. And a cup of coffee sat on the bedside table next to her, still steaming and meant for her.
She sat up, reached over and took a tentative sip. It was creamy and sweet, just like she liked it. It steadied her nerves but at the same time it dismayed her. How could he know how she liked her coffee? Was she that easy for him to read?
Wherever he was, he was showered and dressed. She was naked, and her clothes were spread out all over the house. She felt more than a twinge of agitation.
She did not know the protocol.
Before anxiety got out of control, he appeared in the doorway. He was dressed in totally disreputable cargo shorts and a faded yellow t-shirt that had seen better days.
He carried her cami in his hand.
She clutched the sheet to her chest and set the cup back on the table. She pushed her hair away from her face.
"You looking for this, babe? " He held the slender straps of her shirt out on one long finger. He strolled toward her. He looked down and tugged the sheet.
She held tight.
He tugged harder and she let go. He gave her one, all-encompassing look and then swiftly put the cami over her head. She lifted her arms and he pulled it down in place.
Richard stood back and saw the way the cotton molded and clung to her breasts. Her nipples tightened as he watched. The scent of sex clung to her from the night before. The musky smell hardened him. The wild mane of her hair begged for his touch. The attraction he felt for her was indisputable. Her allure was undeniable.
But she looked small and vulnerable.
He had taken from her mercilessly. He needed to give her a respite.
"I have some work to do downstairs in the study. Would you like a bath? Take whatever time you need and then we can fix some breakfast, okay? "
"I don't want to be a bother. I need to get home, anyway. "
"Do you have to work on Sunday's? " He was already moving toward the door.
"No, but I-- "
"Do your kids need you today? " He turned and waited.
"No, I just think-- "He cut her off again.
"Get in the tub, Jenny. " He turned and left the room.
Jenny jumped and ran half-naked to the bathroom. Damn, that man was good at giving orders!
She came down the stairs an hour later feeling more in control. She looked around his beautiful home and found him in a room that was no doubt his study. A huge mahogany desk sat in the center of the room and bookshelves lined the walls. State of the art technology was unobtrusive.
The room had a masculine feel, with dark leather furnishings and black and white prints decorating the walls.
The difference between this room and his office in the bar was dramatic. This room was polished, refined. It was the study of a rich man. The office at the bar was utilitarian, non-descript. Its purpose was functional and practical. It was an office used to make money. The office of a businessman.
He heard her approach and looked up. "You all finished, Angel-face? " She was dressed in white shorts and a tight little red shirt. Her hair was soft and newly washed and she had on no make-up that he could tell. Her feet were bare.
She looked gorgeous.
"Yes. " She waited in the doorway.
"Then come here. " He rolled his big chair back away from the desk and patted his lap.