His Temporary Assistant

“I didn’t mean to. Just this is a lot of house for a single guy.”

“Still wondering if I have a wife stashed away somewhere? Maybe a couple of kids?”

“Can you blame me for wondering how a catch like you isn’t taken?”

“Probably because I’m trying desperately to make up for my perceived inadequacies. Come on.” He headed down a couple of steps into a huge sunken living room with more walls of windows and a fireplace with a carved mantlepiece meant for hanging Christmas stockings.

I took a minute to get myself back in line. PMS unnerved me, and when I was off-balance, I tended to say snarky things. But I couldn’t help considering why a man who’d been single for so long would buy a large house created with a family in mind.

Unless that was what his end game was. Work himself to death now, settle down with two-point-five kids later.

And a tripod cat, who was currently nowhere in sight.

I reached up to grip one of my dangling smoky quartz earrings. They would start me on the path to grounding myself, but I clearly should’ve stacked on my armor. Bracelets, necklace, possibly a giant She-Ra style belt made of fluorite.

A blur of gray shot down the stairs and into the foyer. Was I seeing spooks? Then I realized what I’d witnessed wasn’t a ghost.

“Hiya Smoky.”

He pranced over with his three-legged grace to sit on my sandal. I rubbed his head. “I was wondering where you’d sequestered yourself.”

“Probably one of the closets.” PMS turned around in the living room to look at us. “He’s been enjoying exploring. This morning, I found him on top of the curtain rod.”

I laughed and picked up the cat, tucking him against my chest. To my surprise, he decided to settle himself over my shoulder, so I turned around to let him face PMS.

“That cat loves you.” He sounded resigned. “Are you sure he wasn’t meant to be yours instead?”

“No, he was meant to be—”

Ours. The sentence formed in my head without conscious thought. But conscious thought was sure as hell keeping me from saying it.

“Cat got your tongue?”

“Haha. Funny.

” I tipped my head against Smoky. “Let’s take a tour so you can feed me. I hope you’re well stocked. I had a microwave meal for lunch so I’m famished.”

“Yeah, well, I ate half a sandwich outside the judge’s chambers this afternoon. I think we’re equally hungry.”

Somehow when his voice dipped, I wasn’t thinking of food.

I cupped Smoky against me more securely as we roamed through the house, but he seemed perfectly happy with his new perch. And I liked having him to hold on to.

Together, we examined the place. Gleaming dark wood was offset by neutral colors that created a serene oasis, sheltered from the outside world while still bringing it inside through the myriad windows. There were a couple of fireplaces and I even spotted a windowseat in the den, piled with cream-colored pillows that looked like they’d never been used. There was a wall of bookshelves filled with colorful leather bound books, and I yearned to roll over the library-style ladder to explore.

But instead of focusing on most of Preston’s beautiful home, I was far too aware of how often his elbow bumped against mine or the feel of his broad palm low on my back as we climbed the stairs to the next floor. His warm breath fluttering against my ear while he pointed out the view from the master bedroom made me think of things that had nothing to do with the glittering curve of Crescent Lake in the distance. I wanted to check out the view from the telescope on the balcony but I was clutching the cat for all I was worth. Something about the gigantic bed with its pale blue, obviously high thread count sheets intimidated me and I couldn’t stop staring at it.

“Tired?” He stroked the cat, his gaze locked on my face. “You didn’t sleep long earlier.”

“I’m not in the habit of sleeping at dinner time, so no, I’m fine.”

“Maybe you’re thinking of other reasons one might use a bed…”

“No,” I said too quickly, and he laughed as he led me down the hall to yet more bedrooms, all with high ceilings and massive windows that let in the maximum amount of light. Night had fallen now, so he turned on lamps as he went.

Making my throat ache with every step, even if I had no clue why.

“Are you planning on having a baseball team? I can’t see any reason for so many rooms.”