wn light. She swallowed. This was the kind of moment that deserved to be preserved.
Quickly, she grabbed a sheet of paper and a pencil from the desk and started sketching him. They weren’t the best materials, but she hadn’t brought her art supplies, so they’d have to do.
Several bold lines captured the lean symmetry of his physique. She didn’t attempt to realize every little detail. Her wrist and hand moved fast, creating little shadows where his ribs and the ridges of abdomen were. A few deft brushings of her thumb smudged the lines of his face, and his high cheekbones appeared more prominent, his jaw became dark with stubble.
Twenty minutes later, she put the sketch in a leather portfolio she’d brought along and stood up to shower. The bathroom was fully stocked with the products she liked. One good thing about having Josephine was that she knew all the best items for Amandine’s skin and hair type. It was almost like she was a mistress in charge of a harem, ensuring all the women—or in this case, just Amandine—looked and smelled good for Gavin.
Shaking her head at the whimsical, silly thought, Amandine put on a white waffle-weave robe and stepped outside. She stopped short at the sight of Gavin sitting propped up against pillows.
“Did I wake you up?”
“No. You know I don’t sleep much.”
That was true enough. She couldn’t remember the last time he’d gone to bed before midnight or slept in. He stretched with a yawn. “Coffee should be up soon.”
“Perfect.”
When she got to the bed, he pulled her onto his lap to cuddle. “You okay to have it?”
She nodded. “Only one small cup a day, no more.”
“I should shower and shave.” He dragged a palm across his jaw. “Your skin’s so soft. Don’t want to hurt you.”
She settled into a plush raw silk armchair by the balcony while he got himself ready. Her iPod played a new Bach mp3 she’d bought before the trip. An article on relaxation had said Bach or Mozart was the best for pregnant women, so… She closed her eyes as the mellow sound of a cello filled her head. Could her baby even notice? It had been so small when Dr. Silverman did the sonogram, nothing more than a pea-sized dot.
Amazing how such a tiny little life could disrupt so much, pluck so many emotions out of her.
There was a gentle touch on her shoulder, and she opened her eyes.
Gavin was looking at her curiously. His strong jaw was cleanly shaven now, his damp hair darker. “What are you listening to?”
She pulled out one earbud and put it into his ear. His eyes widened. “I didn’t know you liked Bach.”
“It’s supposed to be good for the baby. But I also listen to it when I paint. Well, not this particular piece, but something else.”
“Which one?”
“Some scary and dramatic pipe-organ piece. I can’t remember the name. But the article I read said this was better.”
“Who’s the cellist?” Gavin asked, returning the earbud to her.
“I don’t know. I bought the first one that popped up. There were like a million mp3s of this.”
“I see.” He went to the sound system.
While he fiddled with it, Fern came in with a big tray full of scrambled eggs, cheese slices, croissants with warm butter, fresh fruit salad and yogurt plus a pot of coffee and a pitcher of freshly squeezed orange juice.
“I wasn’t sure what you wanted,” she said, placing the tray on the coffee table in front of Amandine. “This is what Mr. Gavin eats for breakfast whenever he visits. If you’d like something else, just let me know.”
“This is great.” Amandine smiled at the housekeeper. “Thank you.”
Fern gave her a nod that was almost a bow and left. Gavin returned and took the other armchair as the room filled with the cello piece she’d been listening to earlier. They ate their eggs and croissants while the music went on, then restarted. When Gavin didn’t get up to check the player, she frowned. He wasn’t the type to listen to the same thing over and over again. Oh wait. Something was different… Maybe a different performer?
“This isn’t the same file, is it?” she asked, hating not knowing.
“Correct.” He looked at her over the rim of his coffee mug. “Which do you like better?”
She considered. “This one.”