Chapter 15
Sierra sighed as she rolled over and stared at the ceiling. The weekend had gone fast, and she’d worked her ass off showing Blake every property in a fifty-mile radius she thought he might be interested in.
She wasn’t sure, but she thought he’d liked a couple. He’d said he needed to speak with his office before he said anything more. Whoever he needed to talk to wouldn’t be in the office until today, at least.
As she lay listening to the water run in the shower, she couldn’t help but wonder if he would take the time to talk to them today or would wait until he went back to Denver.
That would happen either tomorrow night or Wednesday morning, she hadn’t bothered to ask which. She hoped he’d stay until Wednesday, but hadn’t asked because she didn’t want to spend the time, they had together disappointed if he couldn’t stay.
Instead, she chose to live in the moment and to enjoy what time they had together without having the when of his leaving feeling like it was hanging over her head. It was better than counting down the hours until he was gone, and she had nothing to do but miss him.
But that wasn’t entirely true either. Yes, she would miss him, but she did have other things to do. She had a business to run and a book to write. She had a lot of things in her life, though now that she knew Blake, it seemed that the life she’d once thought was full and fulfilling, was missing something.
The water shut off in the bathroom drawing Sierra’s attention back to the present. She rolled to face the door, so she wasn’t twisted weird and looking bizarre as Blake came back in the room.
Plus, she’d been harboring a secret fantasy of him walking in from the bathroom naked so she could watch him, ogle him, and let him know how much she enjoyed the show. Not that she planned to be obnoxious about it. Just maybe jump his bones again.
The bathroom door opened. Sierra’s breath caught in her chest. Blake had a towel wrapped around his hips, slung low. Her mouth watered as she thought about that towel falling off. He was thinking, but he hadn’t noticed she was watching him. Instead, he was rubbing another towel through his hair, his gaze on the far side of the room and his mind obviously somewhere else.
Unable to resist temptation, she waited until he walked by seeing his mind still elsewhere, then reached out and snagged the towel, tossing it out of reach before laying back on the bed and grinning.
Blake startled, then gave her a gentle smile.
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you. I tried to be quiet.”
“I don’t think it was you that woke me. This is later than I normally sleep anyway.” Sierra let him see that she looked him up and down and how much she appreciated what she saw.
“I’d love to indulge in the temptation that look you’re giving me, but I’ve got to make a call. It shouldn’t take long. Not more than ten or fifteen minutes. I’d love to have a chance and explore every thought crossing your mind.”
Sierra sat up in bed, letting the sheet fall away, baring her breasts.
“Are you sure you don’t want to come back to bed with me?”
“It”s not a question of want. I do want to, but need to make this call. I would come over and kiss you first, but I don’t trust that look in your eye.”
He went to where his bag sat on the chair in the corner and dug out a pair of boxer briefs, then his jeans. Sierra found herself curling her fingers into the sheets as she watched his butt flex as he moved. He stepped into his clothes, then turned back to face her.
“I was afraid if I got too close without clothes on, you’d grab hold and not let go. Now I’ve got a little protection between us, I can do this.” He leaned close and kissed her.
Not the long lingering, or deeply passionate kiss Sierra had hoped for, but not a passing peck either.
“I won’t be long,” he said after breaking the kiss. He picked up his phone and headed into the living room where he’d taken a couple of calls over the last few days.
Sierra considered laying there and waiting for him but decided to make use of the time and get a quick shower in. Once he closed the door on his way out, Sierra got up and headed into the bathroom.
* * *
Nearly an hour later, there was no hot water left and they’d had to rinse the last of the soap away with cold water. Sierra shivered as she hurried into the bedroom for her clothes. Drying off had helped, but she was still chilled from the cold water. Still, she couldn’t stop grinning.
Blake came into the bedroom behind her, a towel once more wrapped around his waist. He wasn’t shivering but his smile was almost as wide as hers.
“What’s the plan for today?” He went to the same chair where his luggage sat and pulled on the clothes he’d tossed across it before joining her in the shower.
“I had a few options in mind, depending on what you like to do. Are you into hiking, fishing, historic places?” She flipped through the things hanging in her closet, looking for something she wanted to wear, something warm enough. “There’s also a couple haunted places we could visit if that interests you, or...” Her words trailed off as Blake’s arms slid around her middle and he moved up behind her.
“Sweetheart. You don’t need to entertain me. I can figure out sights to see all on my own or have one of my assistants research it. I stayed today to spend time with you. Doing whatever you want or need to do. What would you be doing if I wasn”t here?”
Sierra pulled a hoodie from a shelf then a pair of leggings from another.
“Probably housework, laundry, maybe some grocery shopping. I might go into Casper to get other shopping done.”
“Then let’s do that. I don’t want my being here to keep you from doing your things. I just want to be with you.”
“Are you sure? None of that is much fun.” She clutched her clothes to her chest and spun in his arms, so he held her facing him. Sierra gazed up at him, trying to tell if he was being honest or just trying to make things easier for her.
He seemed genuine, but how could this man who bought and sold people like her before breakfast, be content with doing whatever she was doing all day long? She didn’t know, but she wasn’t going to question it. If he said that’s what he wanted to do, then that’s what they would do.
Thankfully, she’d cleaned house Friday, knowing he would be here so there wasn’t much to be done. However, she did need to start laundry.
She pulled on her leggings then the hoodie, not bothering with a bra for around the house, then gathered up the things to go in the wash, but Blake took the basket and followed her around. She tried to tell him to go relax and that she could handle it, but he said he wanted to do it with her.
Once they started the laundry, she went into the kitchen to check the shopping list she’d been working on for a couple weeks. It wasn’t a ton, but she was out of a few key things.
“How do you feel about driving into Casper?”
“I don’t mind but why?”
“I have some things I need to pick up, and today is a good day for it. We can pick up something nice for lunch while we’re there then come back, and I’ll cook dinner for us.”
Blake lifted one brow at her. “You’re really not doing this just to entertain me?”
“I’m really not. I’ve been working on this list for a while, and there are a couple things I’d like to have sooner rather than later.” She tapped the mini-legal pad she kept in the kitchen drawer for her list.
Blake watched her a moment longer then nodded. “Let’s go.”
“Let me go change and we’ll leave.”
“Why change?”
“I’m wearing this hoodie and no bra. I’m sure you’d rather I be seen with me in something that looks a little better.”
“I’d love to be seen with you in that.” Blake snagged her around the middle and tugged her closer. “I like you for you, not because of how you look.” He bent and kissed the tip of her nose. “I like you in this because you’re comfortable.” He slid one hand up under the hem of the sweatshirt and ran a knuckle lightly along the underside of one breast. “I love knowing you”re not wearing anything underneath and being the only one who knows it.”
Heat pooled low in her belly. She moved closer, stretched up and kissed him. “Keep saying things like that and we’ll end up back in bed.”
“I do love getting you in bed, but I want to spend time with you out of it too. Come on. Let’s get our shoes on and go.”