Chapter Eight
Ava cautiously opened her eyes the next morning, took stock of her body for any aches and pains, and was amazed to find her headache was gone.
She smiled, stretched, and simultaneously became aware of being fully dressed and not alone in her bed. So she turned her head and saw Sean stretched out beside her, asleep.
Her shock left her frozen and speechless for a moment. Her gaze roamed over his face and down to his chest. He slept on top of the covers. He’d taken off his shirt but left his jeans on, zipped up, but the snap was open.
He was absolutely gorgeous. She could tell he worked physically hard. The muscles of his chest, shoulders, and arms were well defined. His skin looked smooth and tanned from days out in the sunshine.
Ava’s eyes jerked down at the hand on her stomach. His hands were large, easily spanning the width of her waist, and his nails were short and clean. What would it feel like to have those hands on her body?
Slowly dragging her gaze back up his body, she gasped when she realized he was awake and watching her eat him up with her eyes. Heat flooded her face, turning it bright red. She’d never been this embarrassed in her life, and it only got worse when he chuckled at her predicament.
She tried pushing his arm off her stomach so she could slide out of bed, only to have him tuck her tighter against his body.
He laughed. “Don’t be embarrassed. I liked you looking at me. I’m thrilled you find me attractive.”
“I never said that.”
He nuzzled the top of her head. “Your eyes told me,” he murmured suggestively and then wiggled his eyebrows.
Snorting, she tried once again to push him away. “Let me go. I have to get ready for work.”
“Hold up a minute. How’s your head feeling?”
She sighed. “It feels good. I’m all better,” she grumbled. “Really, Sean,” she added when he looked skeptical.
“All right,” he said and raised his arm, allowing her to slide out of bed. She saw him watching as she grabbed clothes and went into the bathroom.
****
Sean frowned when he heard the lock engage. He understood that she didn’t fully trust him yet. But it won’t happen when they are in a relationship. There would never be locked doors between them, ever. He also couldn’t wait for her to call him daddy.
Shit. He wiped a hand down his face. He couldn’t start demanding shit like that because he didn’t want to be so controlling she’d run from him.
Rolling out of bed, he reached for his shirt, socks, and boots to hurriedly pull them on. He slipped his gun holster in the back of his jeans and headed to the kitchen, hoping to find ingredients to make her a decent breakfast. She hadn’t eaten dinner last night, and he could guess not much of anything yesterday. First things first, he started the coffee, needing the kick it gave him.
Ava was fixing the scarf around her neck when she walked into the kitchen. He saw her stop abruptly in the doorway when she found him putting two plates with omelets and toast on the small table in her kitchen.
He noticed her frozen and wide-eyed in the doorway.
“Come on, baby. Sit down and eat.” He walked to her and pulled her into his arms when she teared up. “What? Did I do something?”
She wrapped her arms around him and shook her head, seemingly unable to talk through her emotional tears.
He tried to move her away to see her face but stopped when her arms tightened around him, preventing him from seeing her expression.
“Then what’s wrong?” he asked.
He leaned down to hear her softly spoken words.
“No one’s ever made me breakfast. Not since my mom died.”
He smiled and raised a hand, holding her head to his chest, and rubbed his stubbled cheek against her head. He wished he never had to let her go. Ava felt right in his arms, perfect. “I’m planning on cooking for you a lot.”
He reluctantly released her when she backed up, then pushed her hands away from her face when she tried to hide her tears and used his thumbs to wipe them for her.
“Now, let’s get you fed and to work before you’re late.”