Free Morning After (A Reynolds Security Novel) by Melissa Hale Page A

ducked back behind the counter. He felt a rush of disappointment and tried to shake it off.
    "Done." She sighed as she came out from behind the counter.  "How bout I make you dinner?"  He tried hard to contain the grin threatening to light up his face.
    "You cook?" He tried to sound skeptical.
    "Yes I cook." She playfully punched his arm as she passed by him to flip the lock on the front door. "Though I have to admit I put a pot roast in the crock pot this morning. As far as home cooking goes, it's sort of cheating." She laughed and he grinned.
    "Sounds great to me."
     
    Ethan followed Erica up the stairs appreciating the view as her hips swayed with every step.  He had to take a deep breath to try to refocus the blood rushing to his cock. It wasn't easy but if he understood one thing about her it was that she wasn't going to enter into a physical relationship lightly.
    "You don't mind if I change do you?" She asked as she crossed though her apartment door.
    "Course not." He scanned the apartment out of habit. She returned a few minutes later in stretchy black pants and an oversized t-shirt that slipped low enough off one shoulder to show off a pink bra strap. The sight of that strap caused another tightening in his groin and he forced his gaze away. She was comfortable around him he liked that but at the same time warning bells clanged in his head.  He took off his coat and tie and rolled up his sleeves. If she was going to get comfortable he was too.
    "Can I get you something to drink? A glass of wine, beer, soda?"
    "Whatever you're drinking is fine."  She bit her bottom lip in indecision and his eyes were riveted there.
    "Don't laugh." She said seemingly coming to a decision. She went to the kitchen and returned with a wine glass and handed it to him. He took a sip and frowned unable to place the taste. 
    "It's sparkling cider. I love the stuff and well... it just doesn't seem right to drink it out of anything other than a wine glass." Her cheeks were flushed as if she were embarrassed.
    "It's good." He took another sip and she smiled.
    "I know you said you were starving but there is about an hour left on the slow cooker."
    "That's fine I think I can hold out."
    "Great I am going to make a salad."
    "Need any help?"
    "How are your dicing skills?"
    "My fingers are relatively scar free."  He followed her into the kitchen and she chattered as she began pulling leafy green things out of the fridge. His mind churned with awareness of the domesticity. He never realized how bad he wanted it until that moment. Washing and chopping veggies while he listened to her laugh and talk about nothing important.
    All too soon the meal was over, he insisted she let him clean up but she helped anyway. 
    "You are an exceptional dinner guest." She laughed, "I really hate to do the dishes, so you can come over anytime."
    "Don't say it unless you mean it. I am not crazy about cooking so feeding me is like feeding a stray cat." She laughed and he smiled.
    "Feeding you seems like a small price to pay." Her voice grew serious. "I really don't know how to thank you. You've done more than you ever should have for someone you didn't know. You've become a really good friend."
    Friend; it should be a good thing, he should be happy she thought of him that way, but guys who fell into the friend pool stayed there forever. He couldn't do that.
    "I don't want to be your friend Erica." His voice was low, but she clearly heard him. Her eyes widened and her smile faded.
    "You don't?"
    "No." He stepped closer to her and the counter blocked her when she would have stepped away. "I want to be a lot more than that." He leaned closer so his lips were nearly touching hers.  "I want to be your everything. I want to be the last face you see when you go to sleep and the first face you see when you wake up." He felt her breath stutter against his lips.
    "I'm... I'm not sure I am ready for that."
    "I know and that's okay because I am a very patient man." He brushed