“Sorry, I left my wand at home. Besides, with my luck, you’d end up in a parallel universe.” He walked around to the passenger door and opened it. “Let’s just try it one step at a time, shall we?” He took her hand and helped her out. He gazed at the house, frowning. “Has anyone been staying there while you were gone?”
“Just dust bunnies.” She looked in the same direction. “Oh, the lights. I put a few lamps on timers so it wouldn’t look as if the place was deserted.”
“Good idea.” Mark left her long enough to pull her bag out of the car’s trunk.
He was on her heels as she entered the house.
“Thank you for picking me up,” she said, reaching for her carry-on.
“Wait a minute.” He set the bag down. “You don’t think I’m going to leave without checking the closets and under the bed, do you?”
Nora laughed. “Everything is fine, I’m sure of it.”
“I don’t see the Brumb anywhere around.”
“I wouldn’t have left Brumby alone this long. He’s staying at the Canine Castle,” she said, explaining her dog’s absence.
“Ah.” Mark nodded. “Five-star facilities for the discriminating canine. Since he isn’t around to keep the place safe, I consider it my duty to ensure everything’s all right.” He wandered toward the back of the house.
Nora walked into the family room and set her purse down on a table. She could hear doors opening and closing. She was grateful she’d picked up her clothes before she left for Seattle. Looking around the room, she felt as if she should be doing something, but had no idea what.
Inside, she felt numb. All she wanted was to be left alone so she could lie down and give in to tears. Again.
“All’s safe,” Mark announced, coming into the room.
Nora managed a brief smile although she felt as if her lips were ready to fall apart along with the rest of her.
“Thank you again for picking me up.” She none too subtly herded him toward the front door.
He held up his hand in a stop position. “One more thing. I’ll be right back.” He walked outside.
“Mark!” Her protest was ignored as he walked swiftly down the front walk.
She stood in the open doorway and watched him take something out of the car. He returned carrying a small pink box.
“Ginna asked me to give you this,” he told her, handing her the box.
Nora held the box in one hand and opened it with the other. A soft gasp escaped her lips as she stared at a slice of white cake decorated with delicate lilac flowers. She knew the filling was tart lemon and the frosting rich enough to send anyone into immediate sugar shock. She, Ginna and Cathy, Ginna’s mother, had sampled more than their share of wedding cakes before the final decision was made. She blinked rapidly to keep the tears at bay. It didn’t work. She looked up.
“This is so sweet of her,” she whispered.
“Aw, Nora, don’t cry,” Mark pleaded, getting that panicked look all men get when facing a tearful woman. “I’m no good with tears.” He took the box out of her hand before she dropped it, and gently pushed her toward the family room.
He set the bag on the coffee table and turned to face her.
“You treat injured people for a living. Some of them must cry,” she sniffed. Her face crumbled with fresh tears.
“Yeah, but I don’t know them.” He reached out and pulled her into his arms. He bestowed awkward pats on her back while looking as if he was ready to run at any minute.
“I’m sorry,” she sobbed into his jacket. “Maybe I’m just tired. It’s been a traumatic week.”
“Hey,” he said gently, now softly rubbing her back. “You’ve had a lot going on. Ginna told me she wanted to go with you and you told her no. Maybe you should have let her so you wouldn’t have been alone.”
“And have her postpone her wedding? No, I wanted her to go ahead. There was nothing she could have done in Seattle. Besides, think of the commute from Newport Beach. She had a wedding to attend, since she was the guest of honor.” She tried for a bit of humor, but the stark look of misery in her eyes belied it. The last thing she would have done was ruin her best friend’s wedding.
“There is definitely something she could have done. She would have been with you,” Mark pointed out.
Nora shook her head but said nothing. She wrapped her arms around his waist. It had been a long time since she’d been in a man’s arms. She’d forgotten how good it felt. All week she’d run on sheer nerves and coffee. She’d sat there and watched her grandmother’s spirit leave her. Now she felt as if a big piece of herself had gone missing. Growing up, she’d only had her grandmother to count on when her father left her and her mother. Then her own mother had mentally abandoned her daughter. With her grandmother gone, Nora was now truly alone.
All of a sudden she knew just what she needed.
“Please stay, Mark. I don’t want to be alone tonight,” she whispered against his shirtfront. When she felt his body tense, she started to pull back. “I’m sorry. I’m tired. I don’t know why—” Her words were cut off by the swift descent of his mouth on hers.
NORA’S DREAM involved lying in front of a cozy fire. She felt so comfortable that she thought about stretching out under her lovely soft blanket to keep this comfy feeling.
She smiled as the heat wrapped itself around her. Then her sleepy mind realized something touching her wasn’t all soft and fluffy and comfy. In fact, it felt pretty firm. And male.
Her eyes flew open.
She wasn’t lying in front of a fire. Yes, there was a soft fluffy blanket, but it was draped down around her ankles. The warmth she was experiencing had to do with something more than any flames. A gentle rumble resembling a snore sounded in her ear while a hand settled in a warm possessive position over her breast. She didn’t miss that she hadn’t bothered putting on a nightgown last night. An equally naked male body was lying spoon-fashion against her back. Then she noticed the male body was definitely aroused, and that had her memory replaying everything in living color.
Oh my God! What have I done?
Nora’s first instinct was to jump out of bed and put as much distance between her and temptation as she could. Her second instinct was to snuggle back against the human furnace that was keeping her so warm and toasty. Perhaps give a couple of wiggles to wake the rest of him up. Or maybe she’d just try to breathe, because she was positive all the air had left her lungs.
For now she settled for holding her breath. She stealthily made her way out of bed without waking her companion. She crept into the bathroom and carefully closed the door behind her.
She flipped the light switch and winced as the bright light poured down on her. Perhaps checking herself in the mirror wasn’t such a good idea. She moaned softly as she leaned across the counter to get a closer look at herself.
Her hair looked as if it had been through a wind tunnel, while her cheeks were much too rosy for someone who must have had maybe a good half hour’s sleep for what remained of last night.
This wasn’t the mirrored reflection of a woman who was on the verge of a full-blown panic attack. Her eyes sparkled with brilliant emerald lights, her normally pale skin was flushed with color and, if she wasn’t mistaken, there was the slightest hint of a satisfied smile curving her lips.
“Oh my God,” she moaned again. “I look like a woman who spent last night making the kind of wild incredible love that you only read about in books.” She noted how languid her movements were as she stretched her arms over her head. She stared at her reflection again, leaning over the counter until her nose almost touched the glass.
“It’s