Romancing the Bachelor (A Hamilton Family 2)

Proof or it didn’t happen.

Her message was marked as read right away, but he didn’t reply.

After waiting for a few seconds, she gave up and set the phone down. The second it hit the bed, it buzzed. She opened that message faster than the speed of light. When she saw what he’d sent her, she laughed out loud.

It was an image of his arm, flexed, in the bathroom mirror. All his private parts were hidden, but it was still sexy as hell. You want any more than this, you’ll have to wait until tonight.

She took a pouting picture and sent it back with a: Fine.

He didn’t read her message, so she could only assume that he’d gotten in the shower like he said he was going to. After one long, luxurious stretch, she stood up and walked barefoot to her own bathroom. As she turned on the water, she smiled, because down the hall, Eric was in the shower, too, and they were both washing off the remnants of a night well spent.

As she brushed her teeth, she studied herself in the mirror, thinking about what Eric had said last night before he’d fallen asleep.

He’d snuggled in and gotten comfortable, wrapping his arm around her. After a few seconds, he’d stiffened, and asked, “Shit, did you want me to go? I can go.”

“Do you snore?” she’d asked, smiling into the darkness.

“I don’t think so…” His arm flexed around her, and he’d admitted, “I haven’t slept in the same room as anyone else in a long time. Unless my brothers and Brett count. Though, I’ve never asked them if I snored. But no women have ever slept in my bed. They don’t usually stick around after sex, and I don’t usually want them to.”

Her heart twisted. Sometimes she forgot how comfortable he was with casual sex, and leaving the women behind. It’s what she wanted out of him, what she needed, but still…

It came so easily to him.

“Oh, in that case, if you want to go, if you’re more comfortable with leaving, you can. I get it. I won’t be insulted.”

He’d shifted his weight and sighed. “I don’t want to leave. Holding you like this, sleeping with my friend, feels nice. So, if it’s okay with you, then I’d love to stay the night.”

Speechless, she’d nodded, and laid there awake as his breath evened out and his body went lax. And even though she’d barely slept because she’d been too busy enjoying the feel of a man’s arms around her again—not just any man’s, but Eric Hamilton’s arms—she felt more energized than if she’d gone to bed early and gotten twelve hours of sleep.

After she showered, she dressed, blow-dried her hair, and applied her makeup. Once she was completely ready for the day, she sat at her dining room table, coffee at her left hand, phone at her right, and a notepad and pen in the middle. Heart pounding, mind spinning, she picked up her phone and dialed the company that had called her last night.

By the time she got off the phone with them, she had a concrete job offer in Western Texas, in a small town, making more money than she was making here in the city. The same man she’d video conferenced with last week had been the one to call her and extend the offer.

It was a no-brainer, really.

This was everything she wanted, and more.

They’d given her two weeks to think it over, which she intended to use because nothing good came of rushing into decisions. But when she’d spoken with him last week, he’d seemed like a good guy to work for. A fair judge. He’d certainly made her a more than a fair offer.

Smiling, she stood, smoothed her skirt over her thighs, finished the last of her coffee, and headed out the door. When she got to the courthouse, a man wearing a suit came up to her, someone that she didn’t recognize. “Ms. Jefferson?”

“Yes?” she asked hesitantly.

He handed her a coffee and a brown bag. She took it out of reflex. “These are for you, from Eric Hamilton. I’m his assistant.”

Her cheeks heated as she stared at the young man who had come all the way over here to deliver her coffee and a pastry. “He shouldn’t have sent you here to buy me breakfast. I’m so sorry. How much was it? I’ll reimburse you.”

“Mr. Hamilton paid, ma’am.” The young man smiled. “And I don’t mind. It’s nice out today, I appreciated the fresh air, and the coffee and muffin he told me to buy myself, too.”

Of course he bought his assistant breakfast, too.

He was too good of a man not to.

“Well, then, thank you.” She smiled. “Tell your boss I appreciate it, Mister…?”

“James Morgan, ma’am.” He bowed. “Have a good day.”

“You, too,” she said.