Read Online More Than This by Shannyn Schroeder - Free Book Online
Authors: Shannyn Schroeder
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it was therapy. The rhythm of the whisk scraping the side of the bowl
combined with the beat of the music. Her mind relaxed and let the sounds take her
back to childhood.
The ringing door buzzer startled her. Who would come to her house on a Saturday morning?
She had few visitors regardless of time or day. She turned the flame lower on the
chocolate so it wouldn’t scorch and pressed the call box. “Yes?”
“Good morning, Quinn. It’s Ryan. Can I come up?”
She rubbed the back of her hand over her cheek. Why was he here? She never should’ve
let him drive her home. “Why?”
“You said we could have coffee. I brought the coffee to you.”
The end of the night blurred a bit, but she knew she hadn’t made a date. She sighed,
knowing he wouldn’t disappear if she ignored him. She buzzed him up.
Quinn waited nervously at her door for the elevator when the stairwell door flung
open. She jumped and turned to see Ryan holding two paper cups. She crossed her arms
over her chest to steady herself as the desire to bolt into her loft surged in her
chest. She masked her face as well as she knew how. “Hi. I don’t remember making a
date, most definitely not for today.”
“I didn’t say we made a date for today. You said maybe we could have coffee sometime.
I figured you might need coffee, so I stopped by before going to work. How are you
feeling?”
The tone of his voice always seemed like he had a joke he was dying to tell, and as
it coasted over her, she felt the tense muscles in her shoulders relax.
He stood two short feet away, deep blue eyes smiling down at her. He smelled good.
His aftershave mixed with the aroma of chocolate and caffeine. It was intoxicating.
Then it hit her. This man was like her Comfort Cookies, without the calories. Way
too good to be true.
“I’m fine.”
“Is now a bad time?”
“Uh, no. I just started baking cookies.” She was torn. Invite him in or ask him to
leave? She glanced over her shoulder, knowing she needed to mix the chocolate. “Come
on in.”
She kicked the door wider and walked back to the kitchen.
“No hangover?”
She couldn’t help but smirk. “No, someone suggested I drink lots of water before going
to bed. It helped tremendously. I woke up with only a slight headache.” His visit
doubly surprised her now because of the reason. He wanted to check on her?
She kept her back to him as she tried to sort out this new information. She was beginning
to see Ryan in a new light. He was a nice guy in addition to being charming. This
could be her downfall. She turned the flame back up on the chocolate and gave it a
stir.
“Here.” Ryan reached from behind her and pushed a cup at her. His voice was hesitant,
and if Quinn didn’t think it impossible, a little nervous. “I didn’t know how you
take coffee, or if you even drink it. I took a chance on a light, sweet mocha. It
smells like you like chocolate, so I think I did good.”
Quinn accepted the cup and inhaled deeply. She leaned the spoon on the edge of the
pan. “You can never go wrong with chocolate.” She took a small sip, allowing the caffeine
to hit her system. As the warm, chocolatey coffee slid across her tongue, thick and
rich, she closed her eyes and let a small moan of ecstasy escape her throat.
Ryan laughed quietly and her eyes popped open.
“Thank you. This is really good.”
“Sounds like it.” He looked around the mess on her counters. “Can I help?”
“Huh?”
“Making cookies. Can I help?”
Could he? The only person she’d ever baked with besides her mother was Indy. And Indy
usually just ate the raw dough. She’d always enjoyed the solitary nature of it, but
here was Ryan asking to be included in this personal process. Behind him, her list
glared at her.
Step out of your comfort zone.
“Sure.” She handed him a spoon. “Stir the chocolate until it’s a smooth pool of yumminess.”
“Sounds easy
combined with the beat of the music. Her mind relaxed and let the sounds take her
back to childhood.
The ringing door buzzer startled her. Who would come to her house on a Saturday morning?
She had few visitors regardless of time or day. She turned the flame lower on the
chocolate so it wouldn’t scorch and pressed the call box. “Yes?”
“Good morning, Quinn. It’s Ryan. Can I come up?”
She rubbed the back of her hand over her cheek. Why was he here? She never should’ve
let him drive her home. “Why?”
“You said we could have coffee. I brought the coffee to you.”
The end of the night blurred a bit, but she knew she hadn’t made a date. She sighed,
knowing he wouldn’t disappear if she ignored him. She buzzed him up.
Quinn waited nervously at her door for the elevator when the stairwell door flung
open. She jumped and turned to see Ryan holding two paper cups. She crossed her arms
over her chest to steady herself as the desire to bolt into her loft surged in her
chest. She masked her face as well as she knew how. “Hi. I don’t remember making a
date, most definitely not for today.”
“I didn’t say we made a date for today. You said maybe we could have coffee sometime.
I figured you might need coffee, so I stopped by before going to work. How are you
feeling?”
The tone of his voice always seemed like he had a joke he was dying to tell, and as
it coasted over her, she felt the tense muscles in her shoulders relax.
He stood two short feet away, deep blue eyes smiling down at her. He smelled good.
His aftershave mixed with the aroma of chocolate and caffeine. It was intoxicating.
Then it hit her. This man was like her Comfort Cookies, without the calories. Way
too good to be true.
“I’m fine.”
“Is now a bad time?”
“Uh, no. I just started baking cookies.” She was torn. Invite him in or ask him to
leave? She glanced over her shoulder, knowing she needed to mix the chocolate. “Come
on in.”
She kicked the door wider and walked back to the kitchen.
“No hangover?”
She couldn’t help but smirk. “No, someone suggested I drink lots of water before going
to bed. It helped tremendously. I woke up with only a slight headache.” His visit
doubly surprised her now because of the reason. He wanted to check on her?
She kept her back to him as she tried to sort out this new information. She was beginning
to see Ryan in a new light. He was a nice guy in addition to being charming. This
could be her downfall. She turned the flame back up on the chocolate and gave it a
stir.
“Here.” Ryan reached from behind her and pushed a cup at her. His voice was hesitant,
and if Quinn didn’t think it impossible, a little nervous. “I didn’t know how you
take coffee, or if you even drink it. I took a chance on a light, sweet mocha. It
smells like you like chocolate, so I think I did good.”
Quinn accepted the cup and inhaled deeply. She leaned the spoon on the edge of the
pan. “You can never go wrong with chocolate.” She took a small sip, allowing the caffeine
to hit her system. As the warm, chocolatey coffee slid across her tongue, thick and
rich, she closed her eyes and let a small moan of ecstasy escape her throat.
Ryan laughed quietly and her eyes popped open.
“Thank you. This is really good.”
“Sounds like it.” He looked around the mess on her counters. “Can I help?”
“Huh?”
“Making cookies. Can I help?”
Could he? The only person she’d ever baked with besides her mother was Indy. And Indy
usually just ate the raw dough. She’d always enjoyed the solitary nature of it, but
here was Ryan asking to be included in this personal process. Behind him, her list
glared at her.
Step out of your comfort zone.
“Sure.” She handed him a spoon. “Stir the chocolate until it’s a smooth pool of yumminess.”
“Sounds easy
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