A soft smile illuminated his features, drawing her gaze to his face. By anyone’s standards, Michael was an attractive man. Tall, built well enough to make his sheriff’s uniform look like male lingerie, and when you added in the quiet confidence in his broad shoulders and stance, it would be hard for her to imagine any circumstance where he wasn’t the center of attention in a room. And somehow she’d found herself staying in his home alone with him.
Too afraid to question why any of that mattered, she offered him a smile in return.
“Well, as much of a delight as Hannah’s cookies are, they won’t hold you through the night. I’m gonna put a pre-prepped lasagna in the oven. If you want to unpack and get settled in, it should be ready in about an hour.”
“Sounds like a plan,” she answered. “The shower is calling my name. A hot meal after that would be the perfect ending to this very hectic day.”
There was a spark of something odd in his eyes. Something intense that she couldn’t quite make out. There and then gone in a flash, its lingering effects heating up those earlier flames she’d experienced when he touched her.
He didn’t speak right away. He simply nodded. Backing away slowly as if his survival depended on his strategic retreat.
“Sounds like we’ve got a plan, then. See you downstairs.”
He closed the door behind him with a quiet click that somehow clanged against the walls, leaving her with nothing but her thoughts to consider. The universe was playing havoc with her life right now. That was the only explanation she had for how she’d ended up in this sexy man’s house as a guest.
If Janae were here, she’d tell her to have a little pleasure with herwork. Tempted by the idea, Vanessa knew she could never indulge in that fantasy. There was something too intense to describe about Michael. The more time she spent in his presence, the more apparent it became. That kind of power and confidence could ruin a woman. And since she’d spent too many years living the truth of that experience, she’d be damned if she’d willingly invite that kind of chaos into her world now.
Chapter 8
Michael rushed into the kitchen to check onhis lasagna. He’d taken as quick and functional a shower as he could for fear too much time with thoughts of Vanessa naked under the cascade of water would drive him to do something stupid like stroke off at the thought of her again.
Determined that his body would behave, he kept the water cold and his time short so he could dress in sweats and a T-shirt before his food burned to a crisp.
With ten minutes left before the food was ready, he pulled plates and glasses from the cabinets and cutlery and napkins from the drawer. He’d just completed the place setting when he heard a quick rap against the back door before a key turned the locks.
“Dammit, not now.”
A second after he voiced his displeasure in the air, his best friend Adam stepped into the kitchen.
With his locs cascading freely down his shoulder and a broad smile on his face, Adam focused on the dual place settings at the table.
“Is all this for me?”
“Unlikely,” Michael responded, “since I wasn’t expecting you. What are you doing here, anyway?”
Adam folded his arms and gave Michael his usual smirk. “I came over to check on your place in all this rain, making sure nothing happened to your property while you were out protecting and serving. The least you could do is offer me some of whatever it is that smells so good.”
Michael groaned. It was the blessing and curse of having your best friend live three houses down from you. Since Adam’s return to Monroe Hills a few weeks ago, he often checked in on Michael’s property when his schedule as sheriff became a little too hectic. Regrettably, it also meant Adam could pop up at an inconvenient time, like now.
“Not a chance. The house is fine. Thanks for checking. I’ll catch up with you later.”
“Why?” Adam asked, with an even bigger grin showing most of his teeth. “Am I interrupting something?”
The oven timer going off gave Michael an excuse not to answer his friend. With oven mitts on, he concentrated on carefully removing the piping-hot casserole from the oven and placing it safely on top of the cooling rack in the middle of the table.
“Adam, I’m serious, I need you to—”
“Michael, that smells divine.”
Vanessa walked through the kitchen door. Her hair was pulled back into a low ponytail and her gleaming skin was free of the makeup she’d worn earlier. She wore an oversized sweatshirt that left one shoulder bare with a tempting swatch of deep brown skin on display. Her shapely legs were covered in black leggings that outlined all of their thickness.
Michael was suddenly ravenous, and it had nothing to do with the tasty meal he’d prepared for the two of them.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” she said as she realized Michael wasn’t alone. “I didn’t know you had company.” She walked over to where the twomen stood, and Michael pulled his gaze from her gorgeous form to see his friend looking a little too intently at her.
Not that he had the slightest right to be possessive or even a little bit upset. Something rankled in his gut to know that Adam was appreciating her the same way Michael was.
She extended her hand toward Adam to greet him. “Hi, I’m V—”
