Page 35 of Chasing the Sun

“Please.”

She bent into the refrigerator, and her knit pajama pants stretched over her butt. He noticed there weren’t any panty lines showing. He quickly took a sip of coffee to distract himself and sputtered because it was too damn hot!

He was dabbing his mouth with a napkin when she turned back around and started buttering his toast.

“Jelly?” she asked without looking up.

“No thanks.”

“How about eggs?”

She finally looked at him, and he was blown away by how gorgeous she was even without a stitch of makeup on. Her hair was untamed and lay in a reddish-brown mass down her back. He tried not to look any closer lest he discover that she wasn’t wearing a bra.

“Eggs?” she repeated, cocking out a hip.

“The toast is fine.”

She slid the plate across the counter to him and then came around and hopped back up on the stool.

He wasn’t sure which was worse, sitting across from her and looking directly into those warm chocolatey-brown eyes or sitting beside her, knowing that he could easily reach out and touch her.

She seemed intent on finishing her breakfast, though, so he did the same.

After a few minutes, she broke the silence. “I don’t blame you for wanting to be with someone. You must get lonely sometimes, especially when Molly’s gone.”

He swallowed his bite of toast and turned to look at her. “I do.”

She nodded and took a drink of orange juice.

“What about you? Anybody special back at home?” Since they were on the topic, he figured it wouldn’t hurt to show a little interest in her love life too.

She shook her head. “I haven’t dated for a while.”

“Sworn off men?”

“No. Never that.”

“Oh.”

“It’s just that I haven’t found anyone worth spending a lot of time with.”

“Ah. Well, maybe you’re being too picky.”

She giggled. “I don’t think so.”

“What are your criteria, and I’ll be the judge.” Why? Why are you doing this? He couldn’t stop now, though, because he wanted to know what she looked for in a man.

She swiveled around to face him full on, and this time, he noticed. She was definitely going braless. Her pajama top was dark blue, but it didn’t hide the peaks of her nipples, which were now pointing right at him.

Forcing himself to keep his eyes above her neck, he waited.

“Well, for starters, he needs to be employed.”

Check. “Naturally.”

“No smoking or heavy drinking. But a glass of something now and then is fine.”

Check. “Everything in moderation.”