Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 82940 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 415(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 276(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82940 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 415(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 276(@300wpm)
The day would have been a lot easier if he hadn’t spent most of it thinking about Erin and Nelson. He’d texted Erin three times, which seemed a little crazy, he knew, but he needed updates about Nelson—how he was doing, whether he was eating okay, and did she think he was settling in. Erin’s responses had always been quick and each time she gave him reassuring news. He even received a cute photo of Nelson and Buzzy on the beach. But still, Jay and Nelson had barely got to know each other. He would just hate for the little guy to be confused or sad.
As he drove down the familiar freeway, he found his thoughts turning back to Erin, who right about now would be getting ready for bed. He couldn’t stop himself from wondering what kind of garment she slept in; what side of the bed was hers. One thing he did know for sure—she wouldn’t spend the best part of forty minutes on a complicated skincare routine like other women who had stayed in his home. He loved the idea of Erin locking up the house, switching off the lamps, and getting the dogs ready to settle down for the night. She would probably spend too long reading in bed, unable to stop turning the pages, promising herself it would be just one more chapter, like he did.
He shook his head. How was the thought of Erin so comforting and so sexy at the same time? He’d never experienced anything like it.
He made a sudden decision. He didn’t want to wake up in LA. He wanted to wake up in Carmel-by-the-Sea in his beautiful new house, with the view of the ocean and his dog curled up beside him. What was the point of having a PJ if he couldn’t use it to get himself home? So, he turned the car around and headed for the airport and what he was already starting to think of as home.
It was late when Jay finally pulled into his driveway. In fact, it had been late when he left LA, enough that he didn’t want to wake Erin to tell her he was back a day early. He disabled the burglar alarm and crept into the house so quietly that not even Nelson heard him. After such a long day, Jay was exhausted and headed straight for his bedroom. As he pushed open the door, he could see moonlight coming through the open windows, casting the room in a beautiful silvery glow.
And then he saw her.
Erin was lying in his bed, the two dogs asleep on either side of her. As he gazed at the three of them, something softened inside him and he felt like his heart was expanding outward, filling the rest of his body. She looked—perfect. He finally had to admit to himself that he wanted to find Erin in his bed a lot more often.
And by often he meant always. Instead of the dogs, he wanted to be the one sharing the bed with her.
Nelson stirred, opened his eyes, looked at Jay, and thumped his tail. Then he went back to sleep.
Jay had never felt like this about any woman and the depth of his feelings scared him. It took superhuman strength to stop himself from sliding under the covers with Erin and pulling her close. Her skin would feel buttery soft, her breath warm and enticing on his neck.
He shivered and had a stern word with himself. To follow his urges and slip in beside her would be an idiotic move—she was sleeping and he would never take advantage of her vulnerability. But what if he called her name softly, to let her know he was home, and she invited him into bed?
He stood there another moment, wondering if he’d do it, and then he realized that above all, he wanted Erin to feel safe and secure in his home. So he left her there, sound asleep, and forced himself to go to one of the guest rooms instead.
* * *
Erin woke the next morning thanks to Nelson, who was more efficient than any alarm clock as he rolled around on the bed far earlier than she’d have liked. Buzzy decided that if Nelson was up, he’d better be too, and so Erin was outnumbered by their canine enthusiasm for the day.
“Okay, you two,” she said to the dogs as she stretched her limbs. “You win.”
She swung her legs out of bed, not bothering to don a robe over the cotton shorts and skimpy T-shirt she wore to sleep. It wasn’t until she got downstairs that she realized she wasn’t alone in the house. The smell of coffee permeated the air and when she entered the kitchen, there was Jay, frothing a jug of milk.
He turned. . . and gazed at her skimpy nightwear in frank enjoyment.