bittersweet ache reach within and claw at his carefully guarded heart. After easing down beside her, he drew her close and for a while neither of them spoke. The soothing sound of jazz music played in the background, and the warmth of the fire had Jesse’s eyes feeling heavy. She felt so good in his arms and he longed to have her tucked in his bed. “Hey, I’m fading fast.”
“Me, too,” she answered in a drowsy tone.
Not wanting to fall asleep on the floor, he kissed the top of Claire’s head and said, “Are you ready for bed?”
“Yes,” she answered hesitantly.“I’m exhausted. I hope I can make it up the stairs.”
The stairs? Jesse wanted her to sleep with him, but given the circumstances, he didn’t know if he should ask. But the cabin would seem dark and eerie, and sounds of nocturnal wildlife might leave her spooked in the middle of the night.
“Do you have a suggestion as to which room I should choose?”
Mine . . . , he almost said, but stopped himself, and yet the thought of her wide-awake and frightened bothered him more than he wanted it to. He had never felt this way about a woman so quickly, but he told himself it was the unusual set of circumstances and his unstable emotions during the holidays that was messing with his head. He reminded himself that she would soon be gone from his life and having her curled up next to him all night long was too intimate. They had already traveled into dangerous emotional territory. Even though he wanted her next to him, she should sleep in a guest room for both their sakes. “The one directly at the top of the stairs has a big bathroom that connects to it.There are extra toiletries in the medicine cabinet, hopefully including a new toothbrush, so help yourself to anything you might need. Fresh towels are in the linen closet.”
“Thanks,” she answered softly, and damn if there wasn’t a hint of a catch in her voice. When she sat up and reached for her shirt, Jesse wanted to drag her back against him and hold her close. With her back to him he couldn’t help but admire the delicate grace in the slope of her shoulders and the curve of her hips, and he had the strongest urge to brush her hair aside and kiss her neck. Jesse looked at her through the eyes of an artist, deciding that he would love to do a nude sketch of her. He had done so much woodworking that a charcoal drawing would be a welcome change of pace. Not that he would have the nerve to ask . . .
After Claire tugged on the long johns, she stood up and Jesse dragged the cover over himself since the sight of her had him getting aroused all over again. Amazing , he thought, since he was bone tired and seriously spent.When she glanced at the dishes, he shook his head. “I’ll take care of that.You just head on up and get settled.The light switch is on the left.”
Claire nodded. “Okay.”
When she started walking toward the steps, he said,“If you need anything at all, just give me a holler.”
She paused and turned around. “I will. Thank you, Jesse,” she replied, but in the shadows she appeared a little uncertain.
“Claire . . . ,” he began, but she shook her head.
“Don’t,” she said softly. “This is for the best.”
Jesse watched her walk over to pick up her purse and then up the steps and had to grind his teeth in an effort not to go after her. When she disappeared from view, he leaned back on his elbows and inhaled a deep breath, but just when he thought he had himself under control, he looked down and spotted her black thong lying on the white rug.With a groan he closed his eyes, but the image stayed there.
Damn.
He looked up the stairs and reconsidered....
Chapter Seven
C laire flicked on the light in the bedroom and sucked in a breath. “Oh, wow.” A stunning tarnished-copper bed looked elegant next to the rustic log walls. A fluffy snow-white comforter invited Claire to snuggle, and stacks of dark blue pillows added a burst of color that matched the dust
“Me, too,” she answered in a drowsy tone.
Not wanting to fall asleep on the floor, he kissed the top of Claire’s head and said, “Are you ready for bed?”
“Yes,” she answered hesitantly.“I’m exhausted. I hope I can make it up the stairs.”
The stairs? Jesse wanted her to sleep with him, but given the circumstances, he didn’t know if he should ask. But the cabin would seem dark and eerie, and sounds of nocturnal wildlife might leave her spooked in the middle of the night.
“Do you have a suggestion as to which room I should choose?”
Mine . . . , he almost said, but stopped himself, and yet the thought of her wide-awake and frightened bothered him more than he wanted it to. He had never felt this way about a woman so quickly, but he told himself it was the unusual set of circumstances and his unstable emotions during the holidays that was messing with his head. He reminded himself that she would soon be gone from his life and having her curled up next to him all night long was too intimate. They had already traveled into dangerous emotional territory. Even though he wanted her next to him, she should sleep in a guest room for both their sakes. “The one directly at the top of the stairs has a big bathroom that connects to it.There are extra toiletries in the medicine cabinet, hopefully including a new toothbrush, so help yourself to anything you might need. Fresh towels are in the linen closet.”
“Thanks,” she answered softly, and damn if there wasn’t a hint of a catch in her voice. When she sat up and reached for her shirt, Jesse wanted to drag her back against him and hold her close. With her back to him he couldn’t help but admire the delicate grace in the slope of her shoulders and the curve of her hips, and he had the strongest urge to brush her hair aside and kiss her neck. Jesse looked at her through the eyes of an artist, deciding that he would love to do a nude sketch of her. He had done so much woodworking that a charcoal drawing would be a welcome change of pace. Not that he would have the nerve to ask . . .
After Claire tugged on the long johns, she stood up and Jesse dragged the cover over himself since the sight of her had him getting aroused all over again. Amazing , he thought, since he was bone tired and seriously spent.When she glanced at the dishes, he shook his head. “I’ll take care of that.You just head on up and get settled.The light switch is on the left.”
Claire nodded. “Okay.”
When she started walking toward the steps, he said,“If you need anything at all, just give me a holler.”
She paused and turned around. “I will. Thank you, Jesse,” she replied, but in the shadows she appeared a little uncertain.
“Claire . . . ,” he began, but she shook her head.
“Don’t,” she said softly. “This is for the best.”
Jesse watched her walk over to pick up her purse and then up the steps and had to grind his teeth in an effort not to go after her. When she disappeared from view, he leaned back on his elbows and inhaled a deep breath, but just when he thought he had himself under control, he looked down and spotted her black thong lying on the white rug.With a groan he closed his eyes, but the image stayed there.
Damn.
He looked up the stairs and reconsidered....
Chapter Seven
C laire flicked on the light in the bedroom and sucked in a breath. “Oh, wow.” A stunning tarnished-copper bed looked elegant next to the rustic log walls. A fluffy snow-white comforter invited Claire to snuggle, and stacks of dark blue pillows added a burst of color that matched the dust
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