clothes.
“I woke you,” she apologized, stepping past him. “I wanted to catch you before you started your day.”
“No, it’s fine,” Darius said. As long as we get this over with quickly. “What can I do for you?”
Cindy wheeled around on her dainty heels, her smile widening. “I’d like to invite you to breakfast and then show you our beautiful city.”
The irony that her ploy mirrored the one he’d sprung on Rowyn the day before amused him. At least he’d brought coffee, while Cindy had shown up empty-handed.
“That’s very considerate of you, but actually, I toured Boston yesterday.” He slid his hands into the front pockets of his pants. “And you’re right. Your city is beautiful.”
“Oh.” She pouted, and he had a hard time determining if her disappointment was genuine. “Well, the offer for breakfast is still open. I would love to treat you to a hot meal and spend time getting to know you before you leave.” She moved closer to him, lowering her lids as she raised a hand and laid her fingers on his chest. “We won’t have an opportunity to be alone at Daddy’s party tonight.” She lifted her lashes and traced a small pattern over his skin. “I really would like that…quality time with you.”
Well…shit. Wasn’t this just…awkward.
“Cindy,” he said and moved backward. Her arm fell to her side, and a faintly puzzled frown creased her brow, as if she couldn’t comprehend his lack of response to her touch. “I appreciate the offer. I do. But I have to decline. Thank you, though.”
“I don’t understand—” Then she narrowed her gaze on the table beside him. The table where he’d place the two coffee mugs before answering the door. A moment of silence passed as her scrutiny skipped over the couch and—dammit—landed on the discarded clothes that draped across the sofa arm.
Fuck.
Her hazel eyes returned to him. He braced himself for indignation and was taken aback by the delight that twinkled in her eyes. She smiled, and an inexplicable sense of foreboding quivered in his stomach.
“It seems I do understand after all,” she murmured. “Rain check on the breakfast? Maybe the next time you’re in town?”
Darius nodded, still confused by her reaction, but the man in him, who cringed at the thought of female hysterics, was grateful. “Count on it.”
“I’ll see you tonight, then.” She turned and, with a wiggle of her fingers, waved good-bye and left the suite.
Darius remained rooted next to the couch. Bemused, he stared at the spot where Cindy had stood. And he’d considered Rowyn an enigma. Apparently her stepsister shared that trait. With a shrug he picked up the still-warm cups and headed toward the bedroom. And the woman sleeping there. And thoughts of waking her up with coffee. Followed by hours of sex, sweat, and tangled sheets.
With the skill a juggler would have envied, he balanced the two mugs in one hand and twisted the doorknob with the other. The second shock of the day resonated through him. A feeling that smacked of panic nipped at its heels. He imagined how he appeared, standing in the doorway, holding coffee and staring at Rowyn as she roamed about the room in the robe the hotel provided. Preparing to run. Again.
Hurt and anger grappled for dominance until he couldn’t distinguish one from the other. They melded into a fiery mass that lodged itself under his breastbone.
After what they’d shared yesterday and last night, she would still run from him. Still jump from their bed and leave him as if he were still that one-night stand, when she had become so much more to him.
“Going somewhere?” he asked, brow arched as he set the cups on the long dresser nearest the door. His mild tone didn’t betray the emotion that blistered his chest.
“That was Cindy,” she said and crossed her arms over her chest in a gesture that seemed less defiant and more protective. “I have to get out of here.”
“Your sister is gone.” He dropped
“I woke you,” she apologized, stepping past him. “I wanted to catch you before you started your day.”
“No, it’s fine,” Darius said. As long as we get this over with quickly. “What can I do for you?”
Cindy wheeled around on her dainty heels, her smile widening. “I’d like to invite you to breakfast and then show you our beautiful city.”
The irony that her ploy mirrored the one he’d sprung on Rowyn the day before amused him. At least he’d brought coffee, while Cindy had shown up empty-handed.
“That’s very considerate of you, but actually, I toured Boston yesterday.” He slid his hands into the front pockets of his pants. “And you’re right. Your city is beautiful.”
“Oh.” She pouted, and he had a hard time determining if her disappointment was genuine. “Well, the offer for breakfast is still open. I would love to treat you to a hot meal and spend time getting to know you before you leave.” She moved closer to him, lowering her lids as she raised a hand and laid her fingers on his chest. “We won’t have an opportunity to be alone at Daddy’s party tonight.” She lifted her lashes and traced a small pattern over his skin. “I really would like that…quality time with you.”
Well…shit. Wasn’t this just…awkward.
“Cindy,” he said and moved backward. Her arm fell to her side, and a faintly puzzled frown creased her brow, as if she couldn’t comprehend his lack of response to her touch. “I appreciate the offer. I do. But I have to decline. Thank you, though.”
“I don’t understand—” Then she narrowed her gaze on the table beside him. The table where he’d place the two coffee mugs before answering the door. A moment of silence passed as her scrutiny skipped over the couch and—dammit—landed on the discarded clothes that draped across the sofa arm.
Fuck.
Her hazel eyes returned to him. He braced himself for indignation and was taken aback by the delight that twinkled in her eyes. She smiled, and an inexplicable sense of foreboding quivered in his stomach.
“It seems I do understand after all,” she murmured. “Rain check on the breakfast? Maybe the next time you’re in town?”
Darius nodded, still confused by her reaction, but the man in him, who cringed at the thought of female hysterics, was grateful. “Count on it.”
“I’ll see you tonight, then.” She turned and, with a wiggle of her fingers, waved good-bye and left the suite.
Darius remained rooted next to the couch. Bemused, he stared at the spot where Cindy had stood. And he’d considered Rowyn an enigma. Apparently her stepsister shared that trait. With a shrug he picked up the still-warm cups and headed toward the bedroom. And the woman sleeping there. And thoughts of waking her up with coffee. Followed by hours of sex, sweat, and tangled sheets.
With the skill a juggler would have envied, he balanced the two mugs in one hand and twisted the doorknob with the other. The second shock of the day resonated through him. A feeling that smacked of panic nipped at its heels. He imagined how he appeared, standing in the doorway, holding coffee and staring at Rowyn as she roamed about the room in the robe the hotel provided. Preparing to run. Again.
Hurt and anger grappled for dominance until he couldn’t distinguish one from the other. They melded into a fiery mass that lodged itself under his breastbone.
After what they’d shared yesterday and last night, she would still run from him. Still jump from their bed and leave him as if he were still that one-night stand, when she had become so much more to him.
“Going somewhere?” he asked, brow arched as he set the cups on the long dresser nearest the door. His mild tone didn’t betray the emotion that blistered his chest.
“That was Cindy,” she said and crossed her arms over her chest in a gesture that seemed less defiant and more protective. “I have to get out of here.”
“Your sister is gone.” He dropped
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