The sight of Jonas’s ass encased in tight denim pleasantly distracted Deanna. Well, if she had to be awake at such an ungodly hour, at least a pleasant view and yummy treats awaited her. Or was that a yummy view and pleasant treats? She shrugged and followed the exquisite sight and smell. When she entered the kitchen, Jonas already had several napkins out of the bag and began to set a doughnut on top of one for her.
She licked her lips but didn’t dig in. Not until she knew the real reason behind the kind gesture. “Is this like a bribe or something?”
Jonas chuckled and straddled a chair across from the table. “You are too suspicious. It’s breakfast, Deanna, nothing more.”
Drawn by the promise of sweet, chocolate filling, Deanna grabbed a chair and sat. Okay, I’m weak. Who wouldn’t be when faced with chocolate cream filling? She picked up the doughnut and bit into it, then proceeded to moan. “These are the best doughnuts in the world.”
“I knew you liked that little doughnut shop, but I’ve never actually been there until today.”
“What made you go today?”
“I asked Wade about your favorite breakfast food. He told me you rarely eat breakfast, but if yo
u do, then it comes from Donut World.”
She swallowed before asking, “You’re getting information about me from my brother now?”
“Whatever it takes, kitten.” He picked up a doughnut and frowned. “And can you believe I’ve never had a chocolate-cream-filled doughnut before?”
She wanted to tell him to stop using the endearment with her, but she became distracted by Jonas’s sensual mouth closing around the powdered treat. All too easily, she imagined those lips closing around her breast. Deanna had to clear the lump out of her throat in order to speak. “Well?”
Jonas took another bite, then one more to finish it off. A few seconds later, he sat back and swiped a napkin over his mouth. “I’ve seriously been missing out.”
“Yep.” They didn’t say anything else. Simply sat and ate. By the time they were finished, Jonas had polished off three to her two.
“So, tell me the truth,” Deanna said. “Why’d you really come over?”
Jonas crossed his arms over his chest. “Do I need a reason?”
She cocked her head to the side. “Yes, I think you do.”
“Okay, there is something I want to ask you. But before I do, I want your word that you won’t say no without at least giving it some thought.”
Deanna stood and began cleaning up their mess. “Is this about decorating your apartment? I’ve already made up my mind about that.” For months, Jonas had been attempting to get her to redecorate his apartment. She kept telling him no, but he still persisted.
“It’s not about that, but now that you bring it up, why won’t you decorate my apartment? I told you I’d pay you if money is the issue.”
“That’s not the problem.” She couldn’t possibly tell him the real reason: her very real fear of getting that close to Jonas’s bed. Every time she thought of it, her insides turned to molten lava. “I just don’t want to. Let it go.”
“One of these days, I’m going to get you into my place. Mark my words.”
She ignored that tantalizing thought. Or tried to. “Get to the point, Jonas.”
“I want you to come to Miami with me.”
She dropped the bag along with their used napkins into the trash before his words registered. No way had she heard him correctly. Deanna turned around and pinned him with an icy glare. “You want to take me to your little love shack? The one you and my brother own?”
Jonas stood and moved toward her. “It’s not a love shack.” Deanna gave him her best “yeah, right” expression. “Look, you told me last night that you think I’m nothing more than a playboy. That all I want is sex.”
“I know what I said, Jonas.”
He glanced at her breasts, then quickly looked away. So brief that Deanna wouldn’t have noticed if she hadn’t been watching him so intently. “Come to Miami with me for the weekend and let me show you that I’m not the man you think I am. Let me prove to you that I want more than a few hot and sweaty moments between the sheets.”
Deanna started to speak, but cool air against her upper chest stopped her. Looking down, she cringed at the way her robe had begun to gape. Geez, her breasts were barely covered. She could feel her cheeks heat with embarrassment as she drew the front closed.
“I’m not an idiot, Jonas,” she said, picking up the conversation as she did her best to pretend she hadn’t been about to flash him. “I know you and my brother use your place in Miami for weekend sex fests.” She thought about her brother and how happy he’d been since meeting Gracie. “Well, not so much Wade now that he’s met Gracie.”
“I won’t deny that we’ve brought women there in the past, but it’s more to us than that. It’s always been a place where we could get away from all the stress. To unwind.”