His amazing hazel eyes searched hers. “Should I not have done that?” he asked. “Fair warning, if you say yes, you might see a grown man cry.”
She smiled in spite of her inner turmoil, and he brushed a lock of hair behind her ear.
“The last thing I want to do is move too fast and send you running. I really like you, Sabrina,” he said, voice low and smooth, once again reminding her of expensive whiskey. She felt slightly drunk on him, too. “It’s been a really long time sinceI’ve wanted to let a woman in, but I’d like to let you in. If that’s okay?”
Oh, God.He sounded so hopeful. She’d targeted him because she thought he’d be an easy mark. A lonely, single dad without many, if any, options. But he’d surprised her. Jayson Knight was single because he chose to be. The man was a damn catch and a half. And the chemistry between them? It made her feel like she had bottle rockets going off in her hoo-ha.
“Okay,” she finally whispered, hating herself for lying.
“C’mon. I’ll show you where the guestroom is.”
“Thanks,” she murmured, following him up the stairs. Her gaze dipped to his firm ass, lovingly encased in worn denim, and she forced herself to look away.
It’s just lust,she tried to convince herself,and nothing more.She hadn’t slept with a man in two years and, clearly, it was taking its toll on her neglected libido.
Dammit, she should’ve had a one-night stand before coming to Cielo Springs. A hard, fast fuck to take the edge off and prepare herself for the former Ranger turned silver fox. Because Jayson Knight was a temptation she hadn’t planned on. And one she feared would be extremely hard to resist when the time came to fulfill her mission.
Chapter five
The next morning, Jayson rose with the sun, his waking mind and dreams full of his houseguest. Sabrina slept just down the hall, and he couldn’t help but wonder—hope?—if she’d dreamed about him, too.
It was too early to be productive, and he didn’t hear any movement in the rest of the house, so he forced himself to go back to sleep. And, fuck, he was glad he did. He had quite the tantalizing dream. He was kissing Sabrina, and it felt so damn real. The softness of her lips moving against his, the taste of her mouth as their tongues tangled. The way she moaned, pressing her breasts against his chest. When she started pulling his clothes off, he knew things would end well.
Unfortunately, he woke up—alone—right before things got really good, his blankets tented and his dick raging for release.
Stifling a groan, he shuffled over to the attached bathroom, gait crooked, and took care of business by himself in the shower. But he imagined it was Sabrina’s delicate fingers wrapped around his aching cock, stroking him into orgasm.
Maybe, if he played his cards right…
The quick, cold shower helped cool him down. Spinning the faucet off, he grabbed a fluffy towel and dried off. As he got dressed, he remembered what Emma said about wanting him to be happy. Her encouragement meant the world. He didn’t regret the sacrifices he’d made while raising his daughter, but maybe it would be kind of nice to be able to focus on his own needs.
With a spring in his step, he passed the closed guestroom door and headed down the stairs to whip up some breakfast. Being a single dad meant he’d had to learn how to cook. Over the years, he’d progressed from frozen nuggets and boxed mac and cheese to healthier, heartier meals. Although he wasn’t the best by any means, he knew how to whip up a few pretty decent dishes.
Reaching for a pan, he decided on bacon and scrambled eggs. He also got the old Mr. Coffee cranking, and soon the whole house smelled like breakfast. It wasn’t long before he heard the soft pad of feet approach, and he turned to see a still slightly sleepy-looking Sabrina step inside the kitchen.
“Good morning,” he greeted her, eyes roaming down her cute red and green plaid flannel pajamas. Hell, she looked like Christmas morning. Definitely a gift he wanted to unwrap.
“Morning,” she murmured. “It smells good.”
“Have a seat. I made bacon and eggs. And there’s coffee, if you want some. I also have juice in the fridge.”
“Thank you.” She poured herself a cup of hot coffee and sat down at the kitchen table. “You didn’t have to make me anything.”
“I don’t mind.” Truthfully, he missed having someone to share breakfast with and chat over coffee at the table. And since getting to know Sabrina better was at the top of his agenda, he might as well start now.
Once he plated the food, he carried it over and set a dish in front of her.
“It looks delicious.” She picked up a fork and began eating once he sat down across from her. “Oh, it’s even better than delicious,” she declared, chewing slowly, as though she wanted to savor every flavor.
“I’m glad you like it.” He couldn’t help the broad smile curving his mouth. She appreciated the effort he’d made, even though it was only a simple thing, and it made him feel good. Useful. Something he hadn’t felt much since becoming an empty nester.
“No one’s ever made me breakfast. At least, not since I lived with my dad,” she amended.
He arched a brow, waiting for her to continue, wondering what kind of jerks she’d dated.
She swallowed another bite then took a small sip of coffee. “My mom left when I was only two, so he raised me. He’s been my best friend since I can remember.”
Jayson’s chest tightened. “Kind of sounds like me and Emma.” Sure, it was fairly common for one parent or the other to raise a child, but the similarity to his own situation caught him by surprise. “She never knew her mom.”
