Free MacNamarasLady by N.J. Walters Page A

as another contraction seized her. T.S. swore and held
on to her hips.
    They both lay there totally spent until she
shivered. With her body cooling she was noticing the cool air of the apartment.
She was also becoming aware of her aches and pains and the fact that she was
lying naked in bed with a man she’d never even been on a date with.
    T.S. raised his head. He studied her for
the longest time. Then he smiled. It wasn’t a smug I’ve-just-gotten-laid male
smile. Nor was it the one she saw him use in social settings. No, this one was
different. This was a genuine deep-from-the-soul smile.
    Missy smiled back, unable to resist.
    He eased out of her, being careful to hold
the condom in place. He rolled off the bed and padded naked from the room. She
heard the toilet flush and water run. She shivered again and managed to drag
the covers down and climb beneath them. The sheets were cold. She really should
get a nightgown.
    T.S. came back into the room with a
washcloth in his hands. Not bothering to ask, he pulled back the covers and
proceeded to wipe between her thighs. Missy was too shocked to protest. This
was a first for her. Usually she slipped from the bed to discreetly clean
herself up after sex. She should have known it would be different with T.S.
    He hung the damp cloth over the knob of the
nightstand drawer and crawled in bed with her. She had to shift over to give
him room. He took up a lot of space.
    He eased her into his arms until her head
was resting on his shoulder. She felt him kiss the top of her head. “Sleep.
I’ve got you.”
    As if her body had been waiting to hear
just those words, she closed her eyes and drifted off.

Chapter Six
     
    When Missy woke the next morning she was
alone. She ignored the pang of disappointment that sat like a stone in the pit
of her stomach. It was for the best that T.S. was gone. They’d finally had sex
after months of her speculating what it would be like. It was even better than
she’d ever imagined it would be.
    He’d been there for her when she’d needed
him. That was more than she could have asked of him. But now it was over. Done.
Finished.
    And she was lying to herself.
    A slight banging sound caught her attention
and she frowned. Was he still here? Easing out of bed, she found her bathrobe
lying neatly on the end of the bed and pulled it on. T.S. must have put it
there for her. He was already proving to be a very thoughtful lover.
Anticipation heightened her senses as she belted the robe tight and started
down the short hallway to the kitchen.
    The sight that met her left her slightly
horrified, yet bemused and strangely pleased. Her usual pristine countertop was
piled with bowls, utensils and food. T.S. was cooking her breakfast.
    As if he felt her eyes on him, he turned
and met her gaze. “Hey.” He walked over to her, caught her chin in his hand,
tilted her head upward and kissed her. It was a brief, good morning kiss that
had her bare toes curling into the tile.
    She stood there like an idiot, simply
staring at him. One corner of his mouth turned up and she shook her head. The
man was lethal. He was wearing only a pair of dress pants that were zipped but
not buttoned, exposing way too much potent male flesh for her liking. The
pristine bandage around his arm was a stark reminder of the more unpleasant
aspects of last night.
    “How’s your arm?”
    He shrugged and went back to the stove
where he had eggs cooking. “It’s fine.”
    Obviously, he didn’t want to talk about it.
Missy made sure the belt to her robe was still snug before heading to the
coffee pot. It was full and she needed a hit of caffeine. As she poured herself
a mug and added sugar, she watched T.S. work. He cooked with competence, with
no wasted movements.
    She imagined he was like that when he was
swinging a hammer or using a drill. She wasn’t quite sure what his everyday
routine was like on the job but she figured since he owned his own company he
probably did a lot of jobs,