He crossed to the cupboards and pulled out two coffee mugs. That he knew his way around her new kitchen made her feel off-kilter and excited at the same time. A little more intimate than she was accustomed to, and yet it also made her toes curl with more of that spine-tingling anticipation she’d been feeling since the moment she’d laid eyes on the Devil in Blue Jeans.
After unpacking the foil-wrapped pan as Jack set out two places at the counter, she slid onto a tall, black upholstered barstool and watched him bustle about her kitchen. He looked good in her new place.
“Who’s your decorator?” she asked.
He dropped a napkin beside her plate and said, “Me. It’s all mail-order. Wasn’t too difficult. They put the whole room together for you in the catalog. All you have to do is provide the credit card and delivery address.”
Somehow she sensed he was selling himself short on this one, not quite divulging the full scoop. She couldn’t help but wonder why he didn’t give himself a little more credit for the nice job he’d done. She’d been the girlfriend of a Mount Sinai surgeon who lived in the lap of luxury, for Christ’s sake. Liza knew quality home décor when she saw it, and she could tell Jack had put quite a lot of thought and money into this place.
Odd for a rental property, now that she thought about it. Which begged the question of why he’d gone to such lengths.
“Am I the first tenant?”
He nodded.
“Did you just finish the place?” The furniture was a classic style, so it was impossible to date it. Could have been purchased yesterday or ten years ago.
He shook his head as he piled a large breakfast burrito stuffed to the gills with scrambled eggs, green chiles, onions, cheese and chorizo on her plate and then reached for the hot sauce he’d produced from Lord only knew where. “It’s been ready to go for some time.”
“Not a big rental market in Wilder?”
A broad shoulder lifted. He seemed to take great interest in removing the lids from the small containers of fresh pico de gallo and guacamole.
When Jack settled next to her at the counter with his own plate, her mouth all but watered at the delicious-looking and smelling breakfast burrito he’d served.
“Where to start?” she quipped as she eyed the massive flour tortilla-wrapped creation. “It’s too amazing for words!”
Jack laughed. “No need to butter me up, darlin’. I’ll fix the faucet and the window. And whatever else needs tending to.”
He shot her a hot look that made her thighs go up in flames like last night. “Oh my,” she whispered under her breath as fire roared through her body. “Little early in the day for volcanic eruptions,” she muttered.
Jack grinned at her, dimple and all.
“Let’s stick with the food, yes?” She dug in, though her heart hammered in her chest as though she’d just run a marathon. Damn, he did the craziest things to her body! She wanted him to do something about it, but she had to admit that a tiny bit of fear held her back. What if she really was getting in over her head?
Then again…what sane woman would pass up a steamy go-around with a man who looked as sinfully delicious as Jack Wade?
They kept the conversation light and, following breakfast, Liza did the dishes while Jack went to work on the leaky faucet. His toolbox sat on the end of her kitchen counter. From her spot at the sink, all she had to do was look over her shoulder and she had a clear shot into the bathroom, where he worked. When he was done with the faucet, he pried open her stuck window with a hammer and a little tool that looked like a flat, metal spatula—something she’d use to frost a cake.
She left the dishes to dry in the rack, having opted not to try out the dishwasher. That might have been a ploy on her part. If the appliances didn’t work, it’d give her an excuse to call Jack back for more repairs.
With nothing left to do, she turned from the sink and watched as he tapped on the cake-frosting tool until the seal on the window broke. The muscles of his back rippled against his tight T-shirt and his biceps flexed as he pushed the window up, then back down, then up again. He repeated the process until the window moved more easily in its grooves and then he closed and locked it.
Apparently satisfied with his handiwork, he turned… And caught her staring at him.
Their eyes locked and it jolted her to the core of her being, making her nipples tighten and her pussy throb. All over again. Just like last night.
She smiled. He smiled back.
Liza knew breakfast wasn’t all she’d be getting from Jack Wade this morning.
Chapter Five
Jack collected his things and left the bathroom, heading into the kitchen. His gaze was on Liza as he dropped his tools into the battered metal box and shut the lid. Her bright green eyes were alight with heat and excitement, conveying her arousal. Though he could see that plain as day because her hard nipples pushed against the material of the white lace tank top she wore. The tight peaks taunted him. Made him want to roll them between his fingers and thumbs. Pinch them gently.
Suck on them.
He felt another erection returning as he imagined taking last night’s flirtation to the next level.