Just One Look (Castleton Hearts)

I stretched my arms above my head. “All of that sounds wonderful.”

“Eggs? Bacon? Toast?” she asked, and I took her hand and kissed it.

“Yes, yes, yes. Sunny side up, crispy, and medium toasted toast.”

“Your wish is my command, princess,” Theo said, giving me another kiss.

I stretched again and then rolled out of bed. I would have stayed under the covers longer, but Theo was in the kitchen and I’d rather be with her.

I found her laying strips of bacon on a tray and tapping her foot to some music that played softly through a small speaker.

Her sleep shirt was so thin that it barely qualified as clothing and her shorts were ratty and barely hanging on.

I’d never seen anyone look sexier in my life.

“You going to stand there and ogle me?” Theo asked. I leaned against the doorway.

“Yes,” I said. “I’m really enjoying this view.”

Theo wiggled her butt and it was so out of character for her that I burst out laughing. Scout ran over to me and licked my hand and barked, as if he was trying to laugh too.

“I was a cheerleader. Ass shaking was part of the program,” she said, shoving the bacon in the oven.

“Is there anything I can do to help?” I asked, walking over and leaning on the kitchen counter.

“No, I’ve got this. Shouldn’t take more than a few minutes. You can go back and lay in bed if you want,” she said.

“I’d rather watch you,” I said.

“Stalker,” Theo said, but she was smiling.

Theo put together the breakfast and cracked the eggs with one hand into the pan with lots of butter and made sure that my toast was medium toasty before putting my plate together and pouring me a cup of coffee with creamer.

Wanting to be cozy, we ate while on the couch and snuggled up against one another.

“How are the eggs?” Theo asked.

“Perfect,” I said, using my toast to get up the last of the yolk.

“I have to open the showroom by ten,” Theo said, nodding up at a clock on the wall that I hadn’t noticed before.

“Of course,” I said, my happiness bubble bursting. Last night wasn’t going to last forever. I wasn’t a princess and Theo wasn’t my dashing rescuer, coming in on a white horse to take me away from my mundane life.

“I’m really glad you stayed last night, Kendra,” Theo said as I set my empty plate on the coffee table.

“Really?” I asked.

She took both my hands in hers. “Really. All that stuff I said about keeping things friendship only? Bullshit.”

“So, you don’t want to be friends with me?” I asked, teasing.

“I do. But I want things other than friendship too. Even if they scare the absolute shit out of me, Kendra. Being with you scares me so much.”

I squeezed her hands. “Does this scare you?” I asked, before I leaned forward and kissed her. She tasted of fresh coffee. “Or this?”

“No,” she said. “It’s everything else that does.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll protect you,” I said against her mouth.

I sent Theo off to work with a million kisses and it didn’t feel like enough. I waved as she and Scout walked over to the showroom to unlock it and I got in my car in my clothes from last night that smelled like Theo’s laundry detergent.

I floated home in a daze and didn’t quite know what to do with myself when I got there.

This is a business text, but when do you want your coffee table delivered? Theo sent.

I grinned as I read it.

Thursday? Will you wear those tight shorts when you deliver it? I asked.

Ma’am, that is not a very business-like response, Theo sent.

Did you just call me ma’am? I asked, but I was laughing. Teasing Theo was always so much fun.

I’m just trying to do my job. Ma’am, she responded.

I’m never having sex again with you if you call me ma’am, I sent.

Not even if I say it in a sexy way? She asked.

She was incorrigible.

Not even then. You want to come over for dinner? I asked.

Sure. I’ll be by after I close the showroom, she replied. I took a quick look at the fridge and figured out what I was going to make. I didn’t want to look like I was trying too hard, but I also wanted to impress her. Now that I had gotten Theo into bed, I had to seduce her completely and show her that she needed me in her life.

Chapter Fifteen

Deciding I should be responsible, I did some work on my business plan for the bookstore, and even did some looking at potential spaces to rent. Seeing the amount I’d have to pay monthly was shocking, but it was something I was going to have to deal with. I wanted my bookstore to be successful, and it couldn’t be if I was losing money. My inheritance from Memma was only going to go so far. If I blew everything she left me, I would never forgive myself.