“We should stop,” he blurted.
Her smile broadened, even through the regret of having to stop something so magnificent. “That’s what I was going to say.”
He nodded, looking her up and down where she rested on the counter.
“What did youthinkI was going to say?” she razzed.
Blayze shook his head while he helped her down. “Nothing.”
“No, not nothing. Tell me.”
His face reddened. He turned away from her, took a sudden interest in the dishwasher panel, though the thing wasn’t even running.
“Come on,” she pled, catching his face between her hands and forcing him to look at her.
Blayze shook his head. “It’s like you’re my kryptonite, or something.”
Sophia considered that. “Like on Superman?”
He nodded, dragged a hand over his face. “I’ve never felt so… out of control.”
Sophia shouldn’t even admit it to herself, but she loved hearing that. “Well, if it makes you feel any better, I’m not exactly the woman of steel around you either.”
He chuckled. “Good to know.” He snatched an iPad off the counter top and strode toward the seating area by the rock-mantled fireplace.
Sophia fetched a fresh washcloth from the nearby drawer and dunked it into the heated suds. For a moment, the two remained quiet. Blayze hovered over the screen of his device, Sophia wiping the table and countertops.
“Didn’t you say you were going to take a bath tonight?” he asked from his spot on the couch.
“Are you trying to get rid of me?” she asked with a laugh.
Blayze’s mouth dropped open, but he snapped it shut and glanced down at the screen in his hand.
“Are you looking over the suspects?” she asked. Earlier that day, Blayze had told her he wanted to go over them with her after dinner.
“Yes,” he said.
“Why don’t we go over them before I hop in the bathtub?”
Blayze eyed the door leading to the garage before glancing back at her. “Because I’m still thinking about getting you back on that counter and picking up where we left off.”
The words sent a delicious thrill through her chest, the tingling sensation carrying over her skin.
“I’m sure you and I can agree that that wouldn’t be the best idea under the circumstances,” Blayze continued, as if he were still trying to convince himself.
Sophia nodded. “All right then. I’ll go take a bath.” She held back the smile that threatened, but only until she made it to the loft. While retrieving her bath bag and other needed items, Sophia allowed the grin to come on full force, feeling satisfied that perhaps Blayze’s feelings for her were similar to hers after all.
Chapter 15
Morning sun poured through the small window in the loft, a bright spot of it seeming to zero in on his closed lids. Not that it mattered. He’d already been awake. In fact, Blayze hadn’t slept so much as a wink all night. Thoughts of making his way to Sophia’s bedside taunting him to no end. He’d tossed. Turned. Kicked off the covers and forced them back on, glancing over to see if Sophia was stirring too.
She hadn’t been. In fact, she hadn’t so much as made the slightest creak the whole nightlong.
With an irritated groan, Blayze shrugged from his back to his side, and gave his pillow a good, hard punch before resting into it once more.
“Good morning, sleepy head,” Sophia crooned.
“His eyes shot open, revealing the subject of his endless thoughts. “Hi,” he grumbled.
