Page 228 of The Donovan Dynasty

After promising that she’d stop in to see the twins before going to Houston, she ended the call.

Restless, not only because she was alone but also because of the storm, the uncertainty of when she’d leave and the submissive experiences she was still thinking about, she wandered around.The house was enormous and she realized her first impression had been accurate.It wasn’t really lived in.Because so little had changed over the years, it was more like a museum than a warm, welcoming home.She wondered how he did it, staying out here, all alone, with all it entailed.It was a lot for anyone.

Even though she’d just slept with him, she really knew nothing about him.Cade Donovan was as much of a mystery to her as he’d always been.

When she walked into the kitchen, Loopy followed her.The dog plonked herself down behind the bar stools, keeping an eye on Sofia.

Sofia looked again and realized she really had no idea whether or not the dog actually had her eyes open.

She resorted to her usual method of coping, this time, by baking cookies.Fortunately, she found chocolate chips.Even though it was oversized, she decided to use the entire bag.

Not wanting to go all the way upstairs to reclaim her unfinished wine, she grabbed another glass and filled it with the merlot.After a long sip, she gathered the ingredients and began to make the dough.

Over time, the storm eased.Thunderclaps were spaced farther apart.Flashes of lightning didn’t appear as bright.Rain still fell, but it let up to a drizzle for a while before returning again in force.

Even after she’d baked three batches, he still wasn’t back, and night was drawing closer.

Other than the vintage books in the parlor, there was nothing to read, no magazines, no paperbacks.

She ate a couple of cookies, put the rest on a plate and covered them with plastic wrap then decided to go to the turret to read a book on her tablet.

Once up there, she couldn’t help but look for Cade.She saw nothing.Again, she wondered how he managed the sense of isolation.

She read for a while, looked at a few BDSM sites and played a game of solitaire before restlessly returning to the window.In the distance she saw the ATV’s lights.

Her heart did a slow, thudding beat.

She told herself that there would be no way he could see her from the distance.There was no reason for him to look that direction, and the occasional rain would obscure the view.

There were a dozen reasons she couldn’t, shouldn’t take off her clothes and expose herself in the window.Among them was the fact that she didn’t do things like that.Sofia McBride, staid, boring business owner, didn’t set out to seduce men.

As he approached, she amended her thought.

Hadn’t.

Until now, shehadn’tbehaved that way.

With Cade, she was letting her emotions and instincts guide her more than she ever had.Not questioning what the hell had come over her since she’d driven onto the Running Wind, she toed off her boots even as she pulled the overhead chain to turn on the light.

It might have been her imagination, but the ATV seemed to slow.

Succumbing to the feeling of urgency, she finished undressing then she moved to the window.

Gulping back trepidation and nerves, she spread her arms wide, as if she were fastened to restraints as he’d said earlier.

The ATV stopped.

Cade—please God let it be Cade—unzipped the side and exited the cart.

He tipped back his hat and looked up.

She told herself she couldn’t see his eye color from here, but she fancied that she did—dark, steely, intent.

He gave her a thumbs up then returned to the cart.

Now that she’d done that, she wasn’t sure of her next step.

Stay there until he returned?Get dressed?Pretend it hadn’t happened?