a frilly spreaddotted with lilacs, the antique-white dresser, the immaculate hardwood floors with scattered throw rugs, looked like something from Victorian times. A matching lilac-colored chaise set below one window served as an invitation, a place to curl up with a good book and a cup of tea. Or with a lover on a lazy Sunday afternoon. She swallowed hard.
âWow.â It was all Joanna could manage at the moment. The room was almost twice as big as her old apartment, and no comparison as far as comfort was concerned. Never in her wildest imaginings had she envisioned this lovely place.
Rio laced his hands at his nape, his gorgeous face shining with satisfaction. âYeah, itâs nice. Not exactly my kind of decor, but I didnât have the heart to change anything. It has a personality all its own.â
Joanna couldnât agree more. She walked to the bed and ran one hand down the post. âItâs wonderful.â
He pushed open another door and leaned against the wall next to it. âThe bathroomâs right here. Itâs not very big, and it only has a tub. An old claw-footed tub, but itâs been restored. If youâd rather take a shower, you can use one of the second-floor bathrooms, or you could use mine. Itâs big.â
Joanna locked on to his sensual smile. The image of showering with Rio Madrid arrived in great detail, including fogged-up glass from heavy breathing, not steam. Slick bodies, roving handsâ¦
Good heavens. She didnât need to think about that now. Or ever. âIs there somewhere I can hang these?â
He pointed behind her. âIn the closet.â
She turned. âA closet? Thatâs great. I havenât had one of those in a while.â She hadnât had a lover in a while,either, a fact apparent every time Rio Madrid walked into the room.
After hanging her things in the moderate-size closet, she faced him again. âI guess Iâll go get the rest of the boxes and bring them up.â
âIâll do it in a minute. Care for some lunch?â
âSure. I thought Iâd go to the store and pick up a few groceries.â
He pushed away from the wall. âI had my housekeeper do that yesterday.â
âYou have a housekeeper?â
âYeah. I canât keep this place clean by myself, nor do I want to. She comes in twice a week, during the day.â
âI think Iâve died and gone to heaven.â
His grin resurfaced. âSo your idea of heaven is a housekeeper?â
Joanna strolled to the bed and dropped onto the edge. âOne of my ideas.â Laughing, she fell back and sank into the soft mattress, arms raised above her head. âAnd this bed.â
Rio slipped onto the bed beside her, thankfully not in a prone position. âI agree, a good feather bed qualifies as heavenly. So do other things.â
She stared up at him. âWhat other things?â Had she really asked him such a leading question?
His smile faded into a seriously sensual expression. âWalking barefoot in grass. Swimming naked in a lake. Making love in the moonlight.â
Joannaâs heart lurched hard in her chest. Sheâd only done one of those things, but she hadnât walked barefoot in clover since she was a teenager. âVery poetic, Doctor.â
âNot poetry, just perfection.â
He was perfect, Joanna thought, from head to toe, at least superficially. But she knew soul deep that perfection was only an illusion. Everyone had flaws; Rio Madrid was no exception. But he also had an undeniable aura, a sensual magnetic field, drawing her in as if she were made of iron. She feared she might not be that strong if he made one move toward her.
Bolting from the bed, she stood before him, hands clasped tightly to keep from pulling the band out of his hair to let it completely fall just so she could experience its silky texture. âOkay, so what do you have in mind for lunch?â
The look he gave
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