Page 22 of Dangerous Secret

It was what it was. What he was going to do about it was the question. She was still fragile, and he didn’t think she was ready for a man like him. It was up to her whether she ever wanted another man in her life, but if and when she did, he was beginning to think he wanted it to be him.

He opened the door after unlocking it and stepped aside to allow her to walk past him. What would she think of his house? He loved it and normally didn’t care if anyone else did, but he found himself wanting her to love it.

“Oh, wow,” she said as she turned in a circle in the middle of his living room. “This is amazing.”

A warm feeling settled in his chest. His gaze followed hers as she took in the great room. The ocean side was all floor-to-ceiling windows and French doors. A bitch to keep the salt off on the outside but worth it. A massive white stone wall featured a long and narrow fireplace with the biggest TV available above it. Facing the TV and fireplace was an oversize, off-white leather sectional. Blue-and-white-striped pillows in assorted shapes and sizes addedcolor to the sofa. On the wall behind the sectional was a large painting of a sailboat on the ocean on an azure-sky day.

“I love this room,” she said.

“Yeah, I’m happy with how it turned out.” The shiplap ceiling was painted white, and the floor on this level was the palest gray ceramic tile that he could find.

“Ooooh.” She headed for the kitchen. “I covet your kitchen.”

It was a great kitchen.

“Do you cook?” she asked as she stared at the six-burner range with a built-in grill.

“I do. It was just me and my dad growing up, and cooking dinner together was something we enjoyed. He was better than me, but I can hold my own.”

“That’s really cool. I always thought it would be romantic for a couple to cook together, but Anthony…” She shook her head. “Nope, not talking about him until I have to. Show me the rest of your amazing home.”

“There’s a powder room here if you need one,” he said, opening the door to the right of the sectional. “There are three bedrooms and an office upstairs.” He led her to the second floor. His bedroom was on the ocean side with a balcony off it. Where he’d used off-white and pale blues downstairs, he’d gone with gray carpets and a dark blue and gray color scheme for his room.

“I love that you have a fireplace in your bedroom.” She peeked into his bathroom and squealed. “You have a claw-foot tub and a shower you could throw a party in. I’m just going to move into your bathroom.”

He chuckled. “No problem. I won’t even charge you rent.” He’d commissioned a claw-foot tub that was half the size larger than a normal one, plenty big enough forthe two of them. He might climb into it with her if she was living in his bathroom.

“You think I’m kidding?” She trailed her fingertips over the edge of the tub.

His eyes followed her fingers as she caressed his damn tub. “Uh, the sun’s setting in a few minutes. Let’s go out to the deck.” Before he pushed his way between those fingers and his tub. And before she noticed his pants were tenting.

By the time they reached his kitchen, he had control of himself again…barely. If you’d told him the little mouse who’d walked into The Phoenix Three would have him reacting to her like a randy teenager, he would have laughed. “Not laughing now,” he muttered.

“Pardon?”

“Would you like a glass of wine?” She stood too close to him, and her vanilla scent wafted to him. He was toast.

“That would be nice.”

He’d uncorked a bottle earlier, and he poured them each a glass. “That’s a pretty dress,” he said as he handed her one. He wanted to tell her she made him think of a beautiful butterfly emerging from its cocoon. That was a little much, so he settled for complimenting her dress.

“Thank you. I went shopping today.”

Hopefully, she bought a whole new wardrobe. “Let’s go out to the deck before we miss the sunset.” This wasn’t a date, but it felt like one. He’d spent the afternoon prepping dinner, and he might have gone a little overboard, but she deserved something special.

The sun was low over the ocean, painting the sky in shades of pink and orange. They settled into the cushioned chairs, sipping their wine, and watching the sky turn dark. They didn’t talk while enjoying nature’s display, and it wasn’t uncomfortable.

“I hope you don’t mind, but I invited my partners to dinner.” He’d done that because the purpose of her being here was to discuss her case, and she needed to be comfortable with Cooper and Liam since they were working for her, too. Now, he wished he hadn’t. He didn’t want to share her.

She leaned her head against the back of her chair and tilted her face toward him. “Tell me about them.”

“You met Cooper.”

“Elmer?”

“Yes. He grew up in Atlanta. Liam’s from Kansas City. I met them both when we were in high school.”

“How did you meet two boys from different parts of the country?”

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