Page 59 of Dreams That Bind Us
And there certainly is plenty to do.
The sunlight filtering through the wooden slats of the Bahama shutters illuminated the pristine white of the new oversized porcelain tub and shower. If Anna could have planned a perfect bathroom, it would be this.
The renovations to the second floor turned out exactly the way she’d explained to James. Taking out two rooms to expand the master bedroom and bathroom had been remarkably easy, considering the difficulty of working on an historic house in Key West. But Gus had helped with the special permitting, so the work had been completed in record time.
Making good on his promise to make her as comfortable in his home as possible, James also had a garage built in his small backyard specifically for her beloved truck. When she'd mentioned in passing she was worried about parking her truck on the street, James got to work and eliminated that problem.
In fact, if any issue arose, or even a minor inconvenient thought, he immediately found a solution. He was determined to have her around as often as possible, which she secretly loved.
A tingle moved insistently up her arm, and Anna stilled, concentrating on the feeling. She’d felt the familiar push several times. But she was still wary of making those connections, so she nudged it away.
She’d sensed for a while that someone wanted to speak with her, or rather through her. And she had a good idea who it was, but she wasn't ready to fully open that door yet. More to the point, she was certain James wasn't ready if her suspicions about the visitor were correct. The time was coming, but it was not now.
Pushing the presence away, she dressed for work, grabbed the blue folder sitting on the bed, and skipped down the stairs. Her eyes closed when the delicious smell of sausage hit her nose. Her stomach growled in response. James enjoyed making her breakfast each day before she left for her workshop.
And what girl wouldn't love that, right?
She’d worked hard over the last few weeks and had cranked through her entire backlist. Now she had time to begin the final order for The Majestic. Today, she’d oversee the pickups for thesold pieces and apply finishing touches to three pieces for the gallery. Easy enough.
"Good morning," she purred to James, who was at the stove clad in only dark gray workout pants that cupped his muscular ass. He looked sexy as ever. She perched on a bar stool, trying not to wince as her delicate parts made contact with the hard wooden seat. Splaying the folder in front of her, she scanned the short order list.
James sent her a searing glance over his shoulder, his brow furrowing when he caught her discomfort. "Morning, Kitten. I was a little rough on you last night, wasn't I? Can I get you some aspirin or ibuprofen?"
"No, I'm fine, but thank you." She took a sip of her coffee as she made notes. "Just doing some homework before I head to the warehouse. I need to prep for your furniture order."
Chewing her bottom lip, she studied the inventory, highlighting the required materials and necessary time frame. If she guessed correctly, it would take her roughly a month, maybe two, if she took her time. And that was if all her supplies arrived as scheduled and she had no other production delays.
"You keep doing that and we're heading back upstairs. You can forget about work for the day."
She lifted her bewildered gaze to James and blinked several times, trying to process what he said. He was facing her, his chest and chiseled abs still glistening from his workout. The sight alone was distracting and enough to fry her brain.
"I’m sorry. What?"
He pointed at her with the spatula. "You nibble on that lip one more time and I'll give you something else to set your teeth on. Like my shoulder while I fuck you on the counter."
She couldn’t hold back the grin that spread across her face. It was tempting to test his threat, but she doubted she could walk today if they performed more bedroom Olympics. Plus she hadtoo much work waiting for her at the warehouse and she had to be there for the delivery pickups. "I'll behave. I promise...for now."
James smirked and turned his attention back to cooking breakfast. If she wasn't mistaken, there had been a hint of disappointment in his gaze. She had no idea where the man found his libido.
"Sorry to disappoint you, James Mitchell. But I'm much too sore for any more of your shenanigans at the moment."
It took her a minute to notice the quiet in the kitchen. She peeked at him and nearly fell off the stool when she found him staring at her, his eyes wide and his chest lifting and falling rapidly.
Anna glanced around, but everything looked normal in the kitchen. "What's wrong?"
"What did you say?" His voice was eerily calm, his eyes focused like lasers on her.
Anna searched her memory but couldn't think of what had spooked him so badly. "I'm too sore?" she repeated, her voice rising in pitch as adrenaline flooded her system. His intensity was scaring her.
He shook his head. "No. Before that."
"Umm…" She frowned, trying to remember, but it was difficult to think under his thunderous gaze.
"You called me James Mitchell. How did you know that name?"
His sharp tone was alarming and Anna felt her shoulders crawl up to her ears, her heart plummeting. "I don't know. It just came out."
"Anna, I'm serious. Where did you hear that name?"
