Naked Treats Read Free Page B

There couldn’t be any
deviation from the rules outlined in their mutual contract, or her
whole plan would be in jeopardy.
    And she wasn’t about to let Mikey down.
    But as she climbed out of the cab and smiled at
Jeffrey, she found her heart was pounding in a most disconcerting
way.
    ****
    Zack nearly let out a yelp as the buzzer rang and
Jeffrey’s voice on the intercom announced that Rose was on her way
up. Should he let her use her key as usual, or would it be
permissible to show her in, as he would a guest? Somehow, having
her come here in the evening did seem to change the dynamic between
them. He most definitely did feel as if she was more like a
guest.
    He went to the door and listened for her footsteps on
the polished floor of the hallway. Eventually he heard the tip-tap
of her high heels getting closer. His damp palm made the door knob
slippery, and just as he finally managed to turn it, she inserted
her key. He swung the door open hard, pulling her in with it.
    “Oh!” she made a soft sound of surprise as she ran
headlong into his chest. Only the bulk of her coat and the bag of
groceries she carried prevented them from making more intimate
contact. He reached out and steadied her, his hands on her
shoulders. The warmth of her body permeated the coat making his
skin hum.
    “Excuse me,” she said, attempting to back away. He
held her fast.
    “My fault,” he said, getting a whiff of her hair. The
exotic but subtle floral scent immediately bewitched him. He
couldn’t seem to let her go. His eyes locked with hers. He’d never
looked into her eyes before. Up this close, he was amazed at the
rich brown color of her irises. They were like a deep glass of
cognac tinged with firelight.
    Her luxuriant voice. Her sexy brown eyes. What else
had he missed?
    “You’re squashing the groceries,” she whispered.
    “Oh. Right.” He let his hands drop and stepped back,
allowing her to pass.
    He followed her into the entry hall, feeling
strangely awkward. Always before, he would wake to find her
ensconced in his kitchen, sans clothing. What was the protocol here
tonight? Should he offer to take her coat? He didn’t think so. For
all he knew, she didn’t have a stitch on beneath it.
    In the kitchen, she set the groceries on the counter
and began taking items out of the bag. A package wrapped in butcher
paper, lemons, potatoes, lettuce, eggs. He watched as she emptied
everything from the bag. Finally she handed him the bottle of
cabernet.
    “Dinner in one hour. I’ll put you in charge of
opening the wine.” She turned and whisked around the corner to the
powder room off the entry. He heard the door close with a decisive thunk .
    Roaming the length of the massive kitchen island and
back, Zack attempted to regain some semblance of the composure he
had planned to possess tonight. What was wrong with him, anyway? He
didn’t normally freak out in the presence of sexy women. In fact,
the women he knew always chided him for his cool detachment, his
lack of emotion. But lately, around Rose, he’d behaved in a way
that, frankly, had him baffled. Take for instance those rash
proposals of marriage he’d made last Sunday. Luckily she had known
he was only kidding. A less secure woman might have tried to press
her advantage.
    Wait.
    Had he been kidding? Or had some part of him been
testing the water, halfway wanting her to take him seriously?
    He checked in with himself as he poured a generous
amount of scotch into a short glass. No. At thirty-three he was a
confirmed bachelor and that wasn’t likely to change. He’d seen up
close and personal how marriages went bad. He only needed to think
about his four stepmothers to reaffirm that getting hitched would
be a losing proposition. He didn’t figure he had any better chance
of success at long-term commitment than his father.
    So this thing with Rose? Probably nothing more than a
silly, temporary fixation, no doubt enhanced by her unavailability.
Right?
    Yes, that had to be it.