“Yes, sir. I’ve flagged the email and itinerary for you. Should I send a car?”
Trent sighed. He hadn’t been back a full twenty-four hours yet and he was already feeling stressed and over-scheduled. This trip was supposed to be about Mara. About showing her how committed he was to being with her completely. Instead his father had found a way to derail things and make it all about him as usual.
“Yes. Send a car. But clear my day starting tomorrow. I want a few days where I can focus without distractions.”
“Of course, sir. And if you don’t mind me saying so, it’s nice to have you back in town for a little while.”
He hung up and tossed the phone on the counter. When he looked up, Mara stood in the doorway to the kitchen, the natural light coming through the windows framing her so she looked like an angel.
“Whatever you’re making smells like it's done,” she commented. She walked over, the t-shirt she’d slipped on swaying, showcasing her long legs with every step. She ducked beneath his arm and turned off the gas on the stovetop. “Well done.”
Trent lifted a section of eggs with the spatula to see that the bottoms were completely charred. He sighed and set the spatula down on the counter.
Mara opened the refrigerator, surveying the meager contents. It was such a domestic scene but one that he'd never imagined happening there. It hit him then how much was riding on this trip. If anything happened that made her leave him or if she decided she didn't want their life together, nothing else he had could ever compensate for that loss. A sudden rush of love came over him, so potent he swayed where he was standing.
"Mara?" He waited until she turned around, a bottle of water in her hand. "I'm really glad you're here."
"Me, too." A slow, pleased smile spread across her face. She walked over and kissed him lightly. Then she picked up the pan and dumped the contents in the trash.
“Now, how about I take care of the cooking and you handle everything else?”
Chapter Nine
ALTHOUGH MARA WAS disappointed when Trent told her he had to leave for a meeting, part of her was glad she didn’t have to keep her “happy” face on for much longer. Things had been moving at warp speed over the past few days and she needed a little time alone to think and process. She wasn’t sure what she was feeling and a little solitude would probably help her gain some perspective.
“I wasn’t planning to have to leave you so soon.” Trent yanked at his tie, cursing before he pulled it completely undone and tied it again.
“It’s fine, Trent. It’s not like there’s much trouble for me to get into up here in the ivory tower.” She was joking but she could tell it didn’t make him feel better. Geez, what did he think was going to happen to her while he was gone?
"The housekeeper might come by at some point. She operates like a ghost and tends to be in and out very quickly. She mainly cleans when I'm out of town but since we'll be here for at least a few weeks, it's inevitable that you'll see her eventually."
"Okay. What does she look like?"
He paused, as if he had to really think about the answer. "Um, older lady. Gray hair. A grandmotherly-type I guess you'd say."
"Good." At his quizzical look, she rolled her eyes. "I was imagining some nubile young thing wearing a French maid's uniform."
"Sorry to disappoint." He grinned.
"Is she the one who left the frozen meals?" Mara asked, remembering the neatly stacked containers she'd seen in the freezer.
"Yes. My schedule was always so sporadic when I would come into town that she wanted to be sure that I'd have something available no matter when I showed up. You'll like her."
"Any other random women in your life that I need to be on the lookout for?"
"Funny." He gave her a dark look before going back to messing with his tie.
He’d already dressed but the cuffs of his shirt were still unbuttoned and the matching jacket to the Tom Ford suit he was wearing was tossed lazily over one of the kitchen barstools. Never a connoisseur of men’s clothes, Mara was sure of the brand because she’d shamelessly snooped while he was getting dressed.
It was at turns fascinating and depressing that the beach bum she’d come to love could coexist inside the same man with a closet full of mouthwateringly-sexy men’s couture. He finished with his tie and slipped into the jacket of his suit, the material stretching over his broad shoulders perfectly.
It was so strange to see him like this but she couldn’t deny how incredibly hot it was, too. Which made her even more confused. It felt almost like she was cheating on the Trent she’d loved for years by lusting over this new and different version of him. She supposed it would take time for her mind to equate that they were really the same man.
“Did it ever occur to you that I might need some time alone in this huge place to explore? I’ll be fine here.” She patted his cheek and when his eyes darkened, she hooked a finger under the knot of his tie. “And maybe when you get back you can show me the rest of this sexy wardrobe that I’ve never seen before.”
His face tightened and his eyes roamed over her face, as if he was trying to gauge how serious she was from
her tone. She smiled cheekily up at him and he relaxed, pulling her closer until they ended up a tangle of arms and legs.