she dropped them inside as she stripped in the bathroom. Luckily, she'd pulled on some old shorts and a tee shirt and didn't imagine she'd miss them.
Nicole stood in the shower letting the steady stream of water wash away the blood and fatigue. Leaning against the cool tile for several minutes, she tried to ease the ache in her shoulders. She had no idea how long she stood that way, just knew she felt too relaxed to get out.
"Nicole, are you all right?"
Quickly sticking her head out of the shower curtain, she saw the bathroom door stood open a few inches. "I'm fine, thanks. Just finishing."
"Okay, I was getting worried there. Thought you'd fallen asleep standing up," he replied. "Here, I'm going to leave some things for you to wear right on the counter."
She turned the shower off and reached for the towel hanging on a rack by the tub. She watched Wyatt's arm slide in through the slightly open door and drop some clothing on the bathroom vanity. He was obviously being careful not to intrude on her privacy.
"Sorry I took so long, I'll be down in just a minute," she said as she dried her body with the large, fluffy towel.
"No problem," Wyatt said.
Nicole watched as he started to pull the door closed. Before it was completely shut, however, she glanced into the mirror over the vanity. And froze.
Most of the mirror was steamy and clouded, but the edge closest to the door had cleared off somewhat from the cooler air in the hall. Wyatt was clearly visible, standing just outside the door, obviously as surprised as she.
His widened eyes met hers in the mirror. She couldn't help looking at him, though his image was small and distorted from the steam. He wore only a pair of faded jeans. His chest was bare and hard, glistening in the moonlight that shone in from the huge arched windows in the front of the house. His hair was wet as if he'd just taken a shower of his own. She sucked in a deep breath, trying to clear her head which felt drowsy and slow from the long, hot shower and the longer night.
While she watched, a small smile curled his lips upward. She saw him drop his attention from her face, lowering his eyes to study the rest of her reflection. She yanked the bath towel tighter against her body, wondering how far down she'd allowed it to slip while she mindlessly stared at him.
"Guess I'd better let you get dressed before you get all pruney," Wyatt said, a regretful look apparent on his face.
She didn't say a word as he shut the door with a click.
After she quickly dressed in the tee shirt and sweat pants he'd left on the bathroom counter, she quickly ran her fingers through her damp hair. She carried her shoes with her as she went downstairs. Not surprisingly, she found Wyatt sitting in a chair in the kitchen, stroking Winnie's head as the dog slept.
"All clean?" he asked, not even looking up.
"Yes, thank you. I'll get the clothes back to you the next time I come out."
Nicole looked Winnie over one more time, knowing there was not much more she could do for her. She felt confident the dog would be all right. She hoped so, anyway. Considering how attached Wyatt appeared to be to the animal, she certainly didn't want him to lose her.
"I guess I'll head out now," she said as she glanced at her watch. It was after five a.m. She’d be lucky to make it home before the sun came up.
"You are welcome to crash here if you're too tired to drive home," he said. "There are several guest rooms."
Wyatt glanced up at her as he extended the invitation. A tiny smile creased his lips as he saw how long his sweat pants hung on her—she kept hiking them up as she walked. And his tee shirt fell well below her hips. Her very curvy hips.
Damn, she looked sexier than any woman had a right to. And the fact that she’d just spent hours saving Winnie, who was very precious to him, only made her that much more attractive.
Suddenly finding himself regretting his invitation, Wyatt hoped she’d refuse. He didn't think he could standing
Nicole stood in the shower letting the steady stream of water wash away the blood and fatigue. Leaning against the cool tile for several minutes, she tried to ease the ache in her shoulders. She had no idea how long she stood that way, just knew she felt too relaxed to get out.
"Nicole, are you all right?"
Quickly sticking her head out of the shower curtain, she saw the bathroom door stood open a few inches. "I'm fine, thanks. Just finishing."
"Okay, I was getting worried there. Thought you'd fallen asleep standing up," he replied. "Here, I'm going to leave some things for you to wear right on the counter."
She turned the shower off and reached for the towel hanging on a rack by the tub. She watched Wyatt's arm slide in through the slightly open door and drop some clothing on the bathroom vanity. He was obviously being careful not to intrude on her privacy.
"Sorry I took so long, I'll be down in just a minute," she said as she dried her body with the large, fluffy towel.
"No problem," Wyatt said.
Nicole watched as he started to pull the door closed. Before it was completely shut, however, she glanced into the mirror over the vanity. And froze.
Most of the mirror was steamy and clouded, but the edge closest to the door had cleared off somewhat from the cooler air in the hall. Wyatt was clearly visible, standing just outside the door, obviously as surprised as she.
His widened eyes met hers in the mirror. She couldn't help looking at him, though his image was small and distorted from the steam. He wore only a pair of faded jeans. His chest was bare and hard, glistening in the moonlight that shone in from the huge arched windows in the front of the house. His hair was wet as if he'd just taken a shower of his own. She sucked in a deep breath, trying to clear her head which felt drowsy and slow from the long, hot shower and the longer night.
While she watched, a small smile curled his lips upward. She saw him drop his attention from her face, lowering his eyes to study the rest of her reflection. She yanked the bath towel tighter against her body, wondering how far down she'd allowed it to slip while she mindlessly stared at him.
"Guess I'd better let you get dressed before you get all pruney," Wyatt said, a regretful look apparent on his face.
She didn't say a word as he shut the door with a click.
After she quickly dressed in the tee shirt and sweat pants he'd left on the bathroom counter, she quickly ran her fingers through her damp hair. She carried her shoes with her as she went downstairs. Not surprisingly, she found Wyatt sitting in a chair in the kitchen, stroking Winnie's head as the dog slept.
"All clean?" he asked, not even looking up.
"Yes, thank you. I'll get the clothes back to you the next time I come out."
Nicole looked Winnie over one more time, knowing there was not much more she could do for her. She felt confident the dog would be all right. She hoped so, anyway. Considering how attached Wyatt appeared to be to the animal, she certainly didn't want him to lose her.
"I guess I'll head out now," she said as she glanced at her watch. It was after five a.m. She’d be lucky to make it home before the sun came up.
"You are welcome to crash here if you're too tired to drive home," he said. "There are several guest rooms."
Wyatt glanced up at her as he extended the invitation. A tiny smile creased his lips as he saw how long his sweat pants hung on her—she kept hiking them up as she walked. And his tee shirt fell well below her hips. Her very curvy hips.
Damn, she looked sexier than any woman had a right to. And the fact that she’d just spent hours saving Winnie, who was very precious to him, only made her that much more attractive.
Suddenly finding himself regretting his invitation, Wyatt hoped she’d refuse. He didn't think he could standing
Similar Books
It's Always Darkest Before the Fridge Door Opens: Enjoying the Fruits of Middle Age
Phil Callaway, Martha O. Bolton
