Whitney crept downstairs. She thought she heard sounds coming from the back of the house.

“Hello?” she called into the hallway.

“Good morning.” The bathroom door opened and Kyle stood in front of her. Toothbrush in hand. Towel wrapped around his waist.

Holy shit. She wanted to count every indentation on his stomach.

“G-good morning,” she stammered. Her eyes stopped where the towel was tucked at his hipbone.

The water rolled down his chest. The rest of his body was as gorgeous as his rugged face.

Part of her thought yesterday had been a dream. Too much wine. Too much time alone. But here he was. Kyle was standing in front of her half-naked and wet.

“Sleep ok?” he asked. He turned to spit in the sink.

“Mmmhmm. How about you? How was the apartment? Did you freeze? Do you need more blankets?” She should have checked on him.

“Great. Slept like a bear.” He winked at her. “Looks like there’s another storm coming today. What if I tackle some of the inside things? I can’t do as much in the rain.”

She nodded. “Sounds good. I’ll make breakfast.”

She left him to towel off and get dressed while she worked on breakfast. She would need to make a trip into town and buy groceries. But she had enough bacon and eggs to feed him. A man like that must eat a ton.

She threw a few pieces of bacon in a frying pan. In a few minutes they began to sizzle. She started a pot of coffee.

It was nice to cook. It felt natural and normal to make a meal for someone else again. She started to hum as she whipped the eggs in a bowl.

“Smells good.” Kyle appeared in the doorway.

She smiled. She couldn’t help it. It was raining and dreary and cold as hell outside, but she felt like there was something to be happy about with Kyle in the kitchen.

“Want some coffee?” she offered.

“I’ll take a cup.” He sat at the kitchen table.

She poured coffee into a large mug and handed it to him. “I have a realtor coming by later today.”

“Oh yeah?” He watched as she hovered over the stove. She added cream to the eggs and started whisking again.

“I need to get things started to list the house. I have no idea what price to put on it. The property is several acres, the waterfront, the barn, and the house.”

“Hmm. You’re sure you want to sell it? I’ve never seen anything like this place.”

She turned to face him. “It’s too much work. I can’t take care of it by myself. It might be different if…”

She wasn’t sure what would make it all change. If Sam had lived. If her parents were still here. If she had someone in her life to share all of this with.

“You don’t have to explain. I get it.” He sipped the coffee and looked out of the bay window. “The view from here is amazing. Sure beats looking at the desert.”

“It’s like we’re the only people in the world. It’s so isolated. I think that’s why my parents bought it. They wanted a refuge for Sam and me. Someplace we could go that would protect us from the rest of the world.” She poured the eggs into the pan. “I just wish he had been here more.”

“I’m sure he wished that too.” Kyle’s voice was quiet.

She pulled two plates from the cabinet and served bacon, eggs, and toast.

“I don’t know if I can believe that.” Every time she thought about Sam leaving it started the roller coaster of grief again. If only he had stayed.

She sat across from Kyle.

“I don’t know if this will make you feel any better, but your brother died doing something he loved.”

Her eyes shot to his. “It doesn’t.” She instantly regretted snapping at him.

She didn’t think she could explain how she teetered in her grief. One minute she was sad. The next furious, and then nostalgic with memories of Sam. It had been a month since she received the news her brother had died in Razastan.

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t mention it.” Kyle finished his bacon and eggs and pushed back from the table. “I’m going to head to the store. I’ll be back in an hour or so. Need anything?”

He paused in front of the kitchen door.

Whitney shook her head. “No.”

“All right.”

He walked out. She heard his footsteps fade and then the front door close behind him.