Cassidy began to ease away, to let him rest while she went back to work on the computer, but his arm tightened around her and he shifted her back against him, needing her even in his sleep.
She took a deep breath. Maybe a short nap would be okay. She was nearly as exhausted as he was. Surely a little more time in bed with him would be all right.
But Cassidy was beginning to wonder if a little more time with Beau would ever be enough.
Chapter Sixteen
A jagged bolt of lightning followed by the crack of thunder split the air, jarring Beau from a deep, troubled sleep. He glanced at the clock on the nightstand. Nine A.M. His hand shot toward the other side of the mattress but the sheets were cold, no sign of Cassidy. He dragged himself out of bed, surprised to discover he could still be tired after so many hours of sleep.
He yawned. Well, at least he’d slept off and on. After their nap, which had stretched into late evening and included another round of incredible sex, they had gone into the kitchen to find something to eat. While he’d rummaged through the pantry and found what he needed to make spaghetti, Cassidy had come up with the ingredients for a seriously delicious Greek salad.
There was always food in the house. His housekeeper, Marge O’Halloran, came by a couple of times a week. She and a helper took care of the cleaning and, like Flo, Marge made sure to keep his shelves well stocked, even resupplied the wine cellar if he left her a list of what he wanted.
After their late supper, they’d gone back to bed, made love again, and he’d fallen asleep. One bad dream had followedanother, most of them hazy now, no longer disturbing. He’d finally gotten some rest, but unlike Linc, who was an early riser, Beau preferred late hours and rarely got into the office before nine in the morning.
There was another crack of lightning as he pulled on a pair of sweatpants and padded barefoot down the hall. One of his nightmares had been that Missy had lost her baby, which had jarred him awake in a cold sweat. He needed to call the hospital, make sure Missy and Evie were okay, make sure there was nothing they needed.
He continued along the hall in search of Cassidy, but she wasn’t in her bedroom. She wasn’t in the study. He found her in the kitchen, reading theMorning Newson her iPad and drinking a cup of coffee. He owned a Keurig, but he liked the taste of freshly ground beans. The familiar rich aroma led him to the pot on the black granite counter.
“Looks like we’re getting a storm,” Beau said, pouring himself a mug, his gaze going from the dark clouds outside the window to the sexy brunette who had been in his bed last night.
She had showered but still wore the white terry robe she’d found hanging in the guest bathroom. Damp mahogany curls fanned around her shoulders, a stray lock clinging to the side of her neck. She looked beautiful and desirable, and a shot of lust hit him so hard, the muscles across his stomach clenched.
It was crazy. He’d made love to her for hours, yet he wanted her again. A faint streak of color rose in her cheeks and he knew she had read his thoughts.
“You . . . umm . . . need to call Charlotte,” she said. “See if you can convince her to talk to us.”
He took a sip of coffee, strong, the way he liked. “It’s after nine. I’ll give her a call. First I want to phone the hospital, see how Missy and Evie are doing.”
“I called earlier. The nurse said they were doing great. The doctor’s releasing them today.”
“That’s good.” But he wanted to check for himself. Padding across the kitchen, he picked up the wireless phone on the counter and dialed information. The hospital put him through to Missy’s room, and he smiled at the sound of her voice.
“It’s Beau,” he said. “How are my girls doing?”
Missy giggled. She was still such a kid. If his dad were alive, Beau would love to kick his ass.
“Evie’s fine. She’s so sweet, Beau. I have the sweetest little girl.”
Emotion filled his chest and his heart felt funny. “Yes, you do,” he said gruffly. “I’ll come see you both as soon as I can.”
She sniffed. He could hear the tears in her voice. “I’m not sorry, Beau. I’ll never be sorry.”
Beau cleared his throat. “I’m not sorry, either. I’ll see you both soon.”
He glanced over at Cassidy, caught her soft smile, and a rush of something hit him that he didn’t want to feel. He turned his attention to the next call he needed to make, found Charlotte’s cell number in the address book on the counter, and punched the numbers into the phone.
It rang three times before she answered.
“Charlotte, it’s Beau. I need to talk to you. I’m hoping I can come over this morning. It won’t take long.”
“All right. I’m available at noon. We could have lunch, or you could just come over to Betsy’s house.”
“I’ll come to the house. Is eleven too early? Cassidy’s with me.”
“Oh. Well, all right. Eleven is fine. I’ll see you then.”
He hung up the phone. When he turned, Cassidy was staring at his naked chest. He stayed in shape. Worked out with a martial arts trainer, still boxed a little, ate healthyfood. Beau knew women. This one was different, but still easy enough to read.
