Free Bound By Desire (The Acadian Curse) by Rebecca Lyndon Page B

that she
had created. She was a good doctor and a good professor, and she
was a damn fine friend to a lot of people, but at this very second
she did feel like any of those things. Right now she was just
Sarah, a woman who could make a man as hot and complex as Grant
LaCroix stop and stare, and that was just as satisfying as every
other aspect of her life.
    “I had planned on making us steak and eggs
for breakfast, but I think it might be better if we went out.”
    Sarah leaned against the doorframe. “Why the
change of plans?”
    “We need to talk.”
    “And we can’t do that here?”
    “No, I don’t think we can.” He stared
pointedly at her hand holding the top of the towel closed. Sarah
looked down. She was unconsciously rubbing her thumb back and forth
across the swell of her breast.
    “Yeah, maybe you’re right.” She gave him a
guilty smile. “Do you mind running out to the truck and grabbing my
spare set of clothes?”
    “Of course not.” He downed the last of his
coffee in one giant swig and put the mug in the sink. He headed out
of the kitchen, but stopped just past her. He turned around and
caressed his hand down the length of her arm. His eyes were
swimming with concern, but at least there wasn’t the same amount of
terrible self-loathing she had seen yesterday morning. “Are you all
right?”
    “I’m fine. Better than fine.”
    “I mean, did you check yourself out in the
shower? Is anything…”
    “Broken?” Sarah shook her head. “No. I’m
great.”
    Grant didn’t smile, but the corners of his
eyes lifted as some of his fears were eased. He started down the
hall.
    “Should I be expecting anymore of your nosy
friends sniffing around outside for you?” he asked as he reached
the door.
    “I doubt it. It’s my day off,” she called out
to him.
    “And you think that’s going to stop Linda
Reed’s of the world?”
    Sarah laughed as the door clicked closed
behind him.
    After a few minutes it was obvious that Grant
wasn’t coming right back. Sarah poured herself a cup of coffee and
started to walk through the house. She poked her head into all the
open rooms that she’d missed yesterday. It wasn’t snooping, not
really. If a door was closed she left it that way. She was just
getting a feel for the house, and the man who lived there.
    She found an office lined with bookcases, an
entertainment room that had the biggest television Sarah had ever
seen, and a living room with a wall of windows that looked out over
the pine-covered Cascades. It was obvious that Grant was doing well
with the ranch, better than the Armstrong’s had ever done, but he
didn’t seem to be flaunting his wealth…giant television aside.
    “Do you like what you see?”
    Sarah started at the voice right behind her
and spun around. “I didn’t hear you come back in.”
    “So it seems.” There was laughter in voice
and eyes, even though his lips stayed in their stern line.
    “Sorry. I decided to look around a little
when you didn’t come back right away.”
    He gave a little shake of his head as if to
say it didn’t bother him in the least. “It’s already past seven,
and people have started showing up for work. I had to give
directions for the day since I’m not going to be here.”
    He held out his hands, and Sarah took the
pile of folded clothes from him.
    “Thanks,” she said.
    “You can change in my bedroom.” He put his
hand on her lower back and guided her back down the hall.
    Sarah didn’t waste any time getting dressed.
Her belly was growling, and, after a night spent in a windowless
basement, the thought of fresh air and sunlight was heavenly. In
less than five minutes they were headed down the driveway in his
shiny, new truck. She’d offered to drive, of course, but he’d
refused the offer.
    “I’ve seen the way you drive that thing,”
he’d said.
    Not that he was any better. The second she’d
strapped herself in, he’d taken off towards town like the devil
himself was behind them.