At ten past seven, she turned down Stryker’s street in an upscale neighborhood of Great Falls and stopped in front of his estate.Whoa, that’s impressive.The magnificent stone-front, two-story home boasted impeccable gardens and a freshly-mowed, landscaped lawn. She’d envisioned him in something less…regal.
With a bottle of wine in hand, she made her way up the driveway.
For a woman who rarely got rattled, her heart was hammering away when she rang the doorbell. Part nerves, part excitement.Is this a date? No, it’s a working dinner and it’s no big deal.In truth, it was a big deal. She liked him, a lot.
He swung open the front door, and her heart ka-thumped in her chest. He’d worn a pair of baggy shorts, a tight gray T-shirt that accentuated his bulging biceps, and had pulled his hair up into a bun. She loved that he was barefoot. Chill Stryker was scorching hot.
“You look amazing,” he said as she crossed the threshold.
He shut the door, wrapped those strapping arms around her, and kissed her breathless.
“Wow, that was intense,” she murmured.
“We need to get in bed and stay there. I’m done with fucking reality.”
“That bad?”
As he walked toward his kitchen, she admired the open floor plan. Modern décor filled the living and family rooms, the modern furniture perfectly suited to each space. His kitchen was downright spectacular. Masculine, yet filled with warmth. Dark-grain cabinets paired with a white marble backsplash, white marble counters and an oversized island with four elegant bar stools. Over the center island, dangling lights twinkled like stars. The stainless-steel appliances shone like new.
“Wow, your home is…it’s beautiful. I love this kitchen.”
“I bought the house as an investment. All I do is crash here and eat breakfast. I’m too busy to enjoy it.”
“Did you furnish it?”
“My sister picked everything out. She did a great job.”
Two New York Strip steaks waited on the counter beside several washed vegetables. Two large russet potatoes baked in the oven.
For the first time in years, Emerson wanted this to be a date. A regular date with a regular guy, but as she eyed the god of a man before her, she knew that Stryker was anything but regular.
“Steaks, potatoes, salad.” His smile melted her. “You good with that?”
“Sounds perfect.” She held out the Chianti. “For you.”
“One of my favorite wineries.” He set the bottle on the counter, lifted her onto the island, wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her. “I can’t stop thinking about you.”
She kissed him back. “I know the feeling.”
“Everything agitates the hell out of me, except you.”
That made her smile. “I was once at the top of that list.”
“And now, you’re my sanctuary.”
Oh, my God.Her heart soared. “So romantic.” She tugged him close and kissed him. “You’re mine, too,” she whispered.
After holding her close, he kissed her temple. Without another word, he broke away to uncork the wine bottle. That’s when she glimpsed the anguish in his eyes. The divot between his brows was there, too. Whatever demons haunted this man, they were always present.
He poured two glasses and offered her one. “To chasing justice,” she said.
For some reason, that made him smile. “Chasing justice.” He tapped her glass and they both drank down a mouthful.
“Good stuff,” he said. “Thanks for bringing this.”
“What’s got you so angry?”
He pulled out a wooden cutting board and started slicing the hell out of a celery stalk. She put her hand on his shoulder. “Talk to me.”
