Page 17 of Miracles and Marriage (Making a Family #5)

Zoe was more concerned about the afternoon. Dinner wasn’t for hours. What would they do in the meantime? Her imagination spiked.

As soon as they reached the cottage, Cal stood on the porch, watching the waves. “Find a couple of blankets and let’s sit outside and watch the storm build.”

Zoe liked the idea. She relished the power of Mother Nature and often sat on the covered porch during summer thunderstorms. No one else in the family cared to brave the elements at this time of year. Had she found a kindred spirit with Cal?

She ran upstairs and brought down two old quilts.

They pulled the rattan love seat closer to the screen where they had an unimpeded view of the breakers.

Sitting side by side, Zoe felt a spark of surprise when Cal tucked the quilt in around her and sat close, his thigh pressing against hers as he tucked the second quilt around his legs, his arms free.

“You’ll get cold,” she warned, feeling anything but cold herself.

“If I do I’ll bundle up more. Or you can keep me warm,” he said, reaching an arm around her shoulders and pulling her even closer. “Now, tell me all about Zoe Blackstone and her very large family.”

They spent the afternoon talking about childhood memories and family vacations. Her stories were vastly different being one of several children. Sometimes Cal commented on how fortunate she was to have a large family.

She knew he missed his uncle. How odd to be the last of a family. She couldn’t imagine it.

Time seemed to fly by. The rain came as expected, blowing enough to force them back from the screen. But not enough to drive them inside.

Zoe grew aware she spoke more than he did as the afternoon passed, but did glean facts she’d never known before. His experiences as an only child fascinated her. She loved hearing him talk about the quiet vacations he and his uncle had taken, how they celebrated holidays and birthdays.

She wished she’d met Hal. He must have been a special kind of man to raise his sister’s child and give Cal such a good basis for growing into adulthood.

Dinner was pleasant, without anyone she recognized in the restaurant.

She worried too much about rumors flying.

She wasn’t doing anything wrong, yet keeping secrets was making her paranoid.

Once assured there was no one to relay details to her parents about the man she brought to the cottage, she relaxed and enjoyed the meal.

As they drew closer to finishing, Zoe grew more and more nervous. Cal said they should get the first time over with. She knew he was right—the longer they delayed, the harder it would be.

Not that making love with Cal would be difficult, but she’d never been one to indulge in casual sex, and didn’t feel she knew him as well as she hoped she would before they slept together.

She liked him, more and more as they got better acquainted.

If she let herself, she’d fantasize about this very sexy boss.

But she was trying to keep an even keel—made more difficult by the impending night.

Thinking about sleeping together had Zoe put down her fork. She couldn’t eat another morsel the anticipation was so strong. She wanted to delay the return to the cottage. She wanted to go right now. She couldn’t make up her mind.

“Had enough?” Cal asked.

“Yes,” she said.

She should have stuck to her original plan to find a man to fall in love with, get married and have a baby. Only it wasn’t always possible to find a husband on demand.

When they reached the cottage, Zoe could hardly think straight. She wasn’t in this alone, Was Cal equally nervous? Glancing at him convinced her otherwise. She doubted anything bothered him. He was cool in crisis situations. And this hardly qualified as a crisis.

“Relax,” he said, closing the cottage door behind him. “We’re not going to do anything you don’t want.”

She jumped and turned to face him. He could read minds. Slipping out of her jacket, she let it fall onto a nearby chair, her gaze locked with his.

“I do want.”

“I want more than just compliance for the bargain’s sake,” he said, stepping closer.

Gently he ran a finger along her cheek, tracing the jawline. She looked into his eyes, reassured by the desire she saw. He wanted her as much as she wanted him.

He leaned over and brushed his lips against hers. Pulling back he met her gaze again.

“Tell me when to stop,” he said softly, brushing his lips along her jaw, giving short, sweet kisses along her throat, pausing at the pulse point at its base.

Never was about right, she thought as she closed her eyes to better savor Cal’s lips against her skin. He put his hands on either side of her head, tilting it up slightly for his kiss—like a man kisses a woman he wanted. She was being seduced and it was heady stuff.

She felt a thrill of excitement and reached out to draw him closer. Her heart pounded and blood rushed through her veins. It might be a bargain made, but she was not thinking of that now, but of the way Cal made her feel—special, cherished, sexy.

Slowly Cal began moving her toward the stairs. When they reached the bottom step, he lifted her into his arms and began to climb.

“I’m too heavy,” she protested, secretly thrilled.

What woman didn’t wish for some dashing man to sweep her off her feet and carry her away? When he didn’t reply, she trailed light kisses along his jaw. The scratchy beard tantalized. She drew in a deep breath, savoring his scent. Her heart pounded so fast she knew he had to feel it.

When they reached the top, he was not even breathing hard. He looked at her.

“Are you sure?”

“Oh, yes,” she said, gazing into his dark eyes.

She’d never felt so right about anything.

He nudged the door to her bedroom and stepped inside, slowly letting her slide from his arms until she stood pressed against him.

She liked the cocooning feeling. Just the two of them, together in the night.

“Come, share my bed,” she whispered, leading him to the edge.

There was no going back.

Sunday morning the sound of rain on the roof woke Zoe. She rolled over and bumped into Cal. Opening her eyes, she looked at him in surprise, the memory of last night flashing into mind. He was still asleep.

For a moment she panicked. Then reason returned. Taking advantage of the situation, she studied Cal as he slept, memorizing the way his eyebrows arched over his eyes, his lean cheeks, not softened by sleep. He could waken and be ready to go in an instant, she thought.

Slowly she eased from bed and snatched up a robe from a nearby chair. She gathered fresh clothes and headed for the bathroom to shower and dress.

What was the morning-after protocol? She should wait for him to waken.

But that would prove too awkward. She’d feel more in control if she was dressed.

And maybe had a couple of cups of coffee to bolster her confidence.

She could have breakfast ready when he came down.

That would be a wifely kind of thing to do.

The bathroom was cool. The outside temperature obviously dropped significantly last night.

She’d have to turn up the furnace. As she stood beneath the hot water, she mentally ran through a checklist of all she wanted to do today, which helped her to keep from dwelling on last night.

On every glorious touch, caress, kiss. It was amazing how much she craved his touch again.

She tilted her face to the cascading water and tried to think of something else.

In a short time she was downstairs, dressed, and warm, the memories of their night accompanied her.

Preparing coffee, she heard the shower running and began to gather ingredients for an omelet.

What time would Cal wish to return to Washington?

She had things she could do to fill the hours if he wanted to leave after lunch.

Glancing out the window, she wished it wasn’t raining. A run on the beach would do wonders.

“Good morning,” he said before she had gathered her thoughts.

“Hi. Coffee’s ready.”

Great opening, she thought. Should she kiss him? They’d made love far into the night and all she could think of was she hoped no one at work would find out. How did coworkers manage affairs?

“Up to a run this morning?” he asked, casually crossing the large kitchen and helping himself to a cup.

“It’s pouring.”

“You don’t run in the rain?” he asked.

“Not when it’s forty degrees. Summer rain, maybe.”

“Then we’ll have to find something else to do today.”

The thought of going back to bed flashed into her mind. She turned away, testing the heat of the pan.

“I thought we’d return to Washington,” Zoe said.

“Time enough tomorrow morning. If we leave early, we can arrive at the office before nine.”

He crossed to her and put a finger beneath her chin, raising her face. Kissing her briefly, he looked deep into her eyes.

“I say we take today for ourselves and face the world again tomorrow.”

“And do what all day? We have some books—”

He put his finger across her mouth.

“We start with breakfast and see where the day takes us.”

Not a very good plan, Zoe thought as she began cooking, but she couldn’t think very well when he was touching her.

Early Monday morning Cal drove them back to Washington.

He’d originally planned to return on Sunday, but after Saturday night would not deny himself more time with Zoe.

Saturday night she’d been responsive and passionate, which had surprised him.

She was an outstanding analyst—detailed, questioning, dissecting facts.

He had superimposed that trait on all aspects of her life, but she’d proved him wrong in that regard.

She didn’t analyze everything. She gave her entire being into the moment, making love with enthusiasm, holding nothing back.

He’d turned his phone on before they left the cottage and it had already rung twice. It rang again and he glanced at the caller ID. Emily. He’d better take this one.

“Yes?” he answered.