Not because of any possible hot, sexy times. But because he really was giving himself up to her the way she’d fantasized he might since the day she’d lured him to the cottage to repair the toilet she’d broken on purpose.
She liked everything about him. He was not only a pure pleasure to look at, he was a good guy, thoughtful. Kind. With a great sense of humor. Someone who took care of his family and tried to do the right thing.
Even when he pissed her off, she was pretty much all in on Sten.
How could she not be? He treated her like royalty, ferrying her around wherever she wanted to go, putting up with her silly disguises and her paranoia about the possibility that she might be recognized.
Too bad he’d also maintained a certain emotional distance between them.
Until now.
Until tonight.
But...condoms?
Was she ready for that?
She shook her head. “Just to sleep—or is that too weird?”
“Not weird in the least.” He was stifling a chuckle, she just knew it. He kissed the end of her nose. “And yeah, I would love to stay.”
* * *
A phone was ringing—the landline phone.
Madison opened her eyes. The light through the curtains told her it was morning. She picked up the handset. “Hullo?”
“Hey, Madison. It’s Karin. Just wondering if maybe my brother is there?”
Turning her head slowly on the pillow, Madison met a pair of sleepy blue eyes. They grinned at each other. “Who is it?” he asked.
“Karin,” she mouthed at him, and then, into the phone, “Yes, he’s right here.” She handed it to him.
“What?” he grumbled into the mouthpiece. Karin said something that brought a snort from him. “Right... Sure, I’ll ask her.” He covered the speaker with his palm. “My sister says she justhappenedto notice that my truck was in the garage, but I wasn’t at the house. She’s all smug.”
“Smug?”
“She’s been after me to make a move on you since the night you broke the toilet to get my attention.”
“Really?” Karin was on her side. That pleased her no end.
“Really. And we’re invited to breakfast in the downstairs kitchen next door. You like blueberry pancakes?”
“I love them.”
“We’ll be there,” he said to Karin and then went up on an elbow to reach over Madison and drop the phone back on the base. Once that was done, he showed no inclination to return to his side of the bed. “Good morning.”
“Morning.”
He kissed her chin, a quick, sweet little peck, and then they did the eye thing, smiling and staring at each other. “You are gorgeous.”
She smiled wider, knowing she had bedhead and probably morning breath. “Flattery. I’m all for it.”
He dipped closer to nuzzle her neck and nip at the collar of the T-shirt she’d worn to sleep in. “But you have too many clothes on.”
She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek, indulging her imagination, picturing what her life might be, if she could wake up in the same bed with this man every morning for the rest of their lives. “I have two words for you,” she whispered in his ear. “Blueberry. Pancakes.”
He levered up on an elbow. “Seriously? You’d rather have breakfast than me?”
