Free Wine and Roses by Ursula Sinclair Page A

the side of a refrigerator. Stepping to her left, the direction Simon had gone in, she spotted an entryway into yet another part of the house. A hallway ran the length of the L, with several doors, two on one side and three on the other. The first room she came to was empty but she could make out the edge of a bed. Simon walked out of the second door down the hall.
    “This room will be yours. You’ll have your own bathroom here and a great view of the river.”
    Simon stepped aside so she could walk in. “What a nice room,” she said, looking around. Again, like the rest of the house, homey. Another colorful Afghan, in autumn colors, rested across this bed, along with a matching rug on the floor. The wood walls were stained a dark brown, with a few photographs of the area adorning them. A large dresser stood in the corner and matching nightstands on either size of the king-sized bed. Who lived here? Eboni knew Simon lived in LA when he wasn’t travelling on assignment. Where were his parents, anyway? God, she didn’t know a thing about him. She frowned. Why not? How come he’d put her here by herself. She turned around to face him. “And where’s your room?” She could not believe the question came out of her mouth.
    “Here if you want me.”

 
     
    Chapter Ten
     
     
    He’d planned on sleeping with her, but thought it best not to outright tell her. This used to be his room. The twins slept down the hall, and his parent’s room had been the first one in the hallway. In truth, he didn’t really know why he’d bought her here. There were questions she’d have he wasn’t prepared to answer. He waited.
    “Simon, I don’t think it’s such a good idea for us to…to….”
    Smiling, he stepped right up to her until they stood toe-to-toe, using his greater size to intimidate, but she didn’t back down, instead she glared up at him. He smiled even more. God he’d missed being near her, around her, inside of her. Raising his hand, he traced his finger from her ear to her cheek then with his thumb he brushed her mouth.
    “Who said we were going to think?” He lowered his head intent on kissing her unfortunately, damn Gunner had other ideas. He jumped up on his legs, pawing at him trying to get his attention. He shifted his focus down to the little dog that looked up at him with his tongue hanging out of his mouth and his dark eyes shining with joy.
    “One sec,” he said to Eboni, picking up the little dog. Alex put some things together for Gunner, too, and left it with the crate. Simon headed for the living room, found the crate, and grabbed the bag, taking both dog and stuff into the kitchen. Eboni came out of the bedroom and followed him. He turned back to grin at her. “Sorry.”
    She smiled back. “Oh, don’t mind me.”
    He put the things down on the table and found two bowls.
    “Can I help?” she inquired. “Do you have food for him?”
    “Check the bag.” He placed one bowl on the table the other he filled with water. When he turned around, Eboni held a bag of dog food already open. He put the dog down on the floor along with the bowl of water, which Gunner lapped up. Eboni placed his food next to it. The dog moved over to the other bowl.
    “There, he should be fine for now.” He turned back to Eboni and took her hand. “Now where were we? Oh yes, I remember.” Without another word, he led her back to the bedroom and closed the door. Moving them both closer to the bed. After all these months of wanting her, he’d have her again.
    Putting his hand in her hair to hold her, he captured her mouth with his. The first touch had her parting her lips, and he slid his tongue inside, tasting the mint she’d eaten earlier in the car, and inhaling the fragrance of cinnamon and vanilla lotion she liked to use. He’d seen a small bottle of it peeking out of her bag and immediately recognized the scent as hers. But most of all, she smelled like home to him. A dangerous thing for someone like him.
    She