CHAPTER SEVEN

Cassie

The soft whoosh of the shower woke her from another full night of deep sleep. She stretched under the covers, and glanced at the clock. 7:40 a.m.

She smiled. Two nights in a row. Almost as good as hot coffee. Almost.

Until she crawled out of bed and into the bathroom to see the shower stall’s fogged glass. With Renner’s toned, muscular everything on full display. Dripping wet.

Yep, I’m awake.

His tanned skin looked darker against the white tiles, except for several scars on his abdomen. Small puncture marks the size of quarters spread out into spider-like webs. Joined by a long, thin white scar. Probably from surgery.

She stood frozen in place, staring. It hadn’t occurred to her that he’d take a shower here, even though she remembered offering the first night. When she’d woken, the shower sound must’ve subconsciously registered as her husband.

Seeing Renner this exposed—it was hard to think.

“Sleep well?”

Her gaze shot to his face, his half-smirk devilishly lopsided. Extremely appealing. He didn’t bother covering himself, and her cheeks burned.

Just as her tongue decided to swell, and lose all motor control.

“As I said before,” Renner began with that silky voice, “God help any man who sees you at your best. ‘Cause that well-rested, cozy morning look on you is heart stopping.”

Cassie opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out.

His eyes lowered for a moment, and his gaze darkened. “If you’re cold, I guarantee it’s warmer in here.”

She looked down and gasped. Her nipples strained against her cotton shirt, traitorous mountains peaked in arousal.

When she looked back at him, so was he.

Fully aroused.

Renner glanced down at himself and rubbed his neck. “He, uh…has a mind of his own. Can you blame him?” A tinge of red graced his cheeks.

She followed her feet out of the bathroom. More like stumbled. Stopping at her door to the hallway, Cassie forced herself to blink. Covering her face was the only way to cool the rising warmth on her skin. Other than dipping her head in a bucket of ice.

Okay, so that part of me is still alive. Good to know.

The image of Renner’s hot-as-hell naked body—wet body—would be impossible to forget. Forever branded to her memory whenever she thought of the need to pleasure herself. Because after the life with her husband—however short it was—and then that profound display of male masculinity, how could she possibly expect a romantic relationship with anyone else?

Right?

She grabbed a sweater from her dresser and yanked it over her head. Her nipples still screamed their ardent approval of the man-siren in her shower. At least now they wouldn’t be as visible. Despite her already overheated body temperature.

He just ruined me. One sultry smile and thirty seconds of in flagrante, and I’m ruined.

An agonizing ten minutes later—and still far too soon—they sat at the breakfast table over steaming coffee. She hardly needed caffeine at this point. Cassie couldn’t look at his face. Too embarrassed to see judgment. Or the questions. Or the urge to follow through with her body’s retaliation for being dormant so long.

Not ready to let go of…everything.

“I think you’ve just invented a new shade of red.”

She risked a glance into his eyes. As much as she’d dreaded facing it, his tawny irises only conveyed the same ease and innocence as last night. “What?”

“Too-Hot-For-Coffee.”

Cassie circled her hands around her mug, failing to hide a smile. “I think that would better describe you.”

Renner laughed. The light-hearted sound lit up the room, then found its way inside her. Even the walls seemed shinier. It’d been a long time since she’d heard that jovial resonance in this house. Full of colors, indeed.

“I didn’t mean to make you that uncomfortable,” he continued. “When you walked in, there was nowhere to hide. I figured you’d already seen a naked man before, so why bother hiding?”

“There’s quite a bit of difference between any naked man and…you.” Her cheeks seared again, which she tried to hide behind a sip of coffee.

His smile was so genuine, it hurt. “Thank you.”

Her husband had been fit, lean and tone. She’d been attracted to him from the very first day she’d met him their sophomore year of college. But Renner’s body—damn. The girth had surprised her the most. And smooth skin, well trimmed and…

She bit her lip. “Does it take a lot of effort to keep up that physique?”

He shrugged with one shoulder. “An hour at the gym every day and a good run. An easy regimen to maintain from my military days. Also helps if I limit the fast food trips.”

“What was that life like? I’m guessing you’re a Marine.” A nice segue from the other topic. Something to keep her from this continuous blush and vivid memory.

The smile he gave this time was different. Almost a grimace. “I loved it.” Renner’s voice dropped. Deeper.

She waited for him to continue, but it took longer than she’d hoped.

“Made some great friends, ones I’ll keep my whole life.” He paused again. “Lost a few, too.” The grip on his mug tightened.

Conversations of lost soldiers, how they died, were very touchy. Most combat men didn’t like to talk about it after they came home. Cassie knew that much. She didn’t want him to feel that way. Not in her home. These walls had seen enough of that recently.

“I definitely don’t miss walking through those sand-covered villages looking for Al Qaeda or ISIS. Those monsters are pure evil. But the Marines taught me how to protect myself. How to protect others. Gave me confidence.”

“And purpose.”

Renner looked into her eyes, instead of the distant gaze over her shoulders. The grimace faded. “And purpose.”

“But you think you’ve lost that.”

He didn’t answer. Just sipped coffee.

Then his phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen and the ease on his face switched off. He morphed into business mode. Knight mode. “I need to head out. Have to talk to my boss.”

She swallowed the lump in her throat. “Another job?”

The look he gave her was hard to decipher. Discretion, discomfort, insecurity… Cassie blinked and remembered the article she’d read online.

As Renner grabbed the bag of goodies he’d brought, she stood and reached for her purse on the counter. “I forgot to tip you. Here’s some cash for—”

“No charge,” he interrupted.

She stared.

“You’re not a client anymore.”

A cold fist gripped her gut, and her lips parted. He’s rejecting me? He doesn’t want to see me anymore? Why did that hurt so much? “Why?”

His deep gaze went straight to her heart. “Because you’re something more.”

She blinked. Tears that’d formed in her eyes dried instantly. She opened her mouth to reply, but once again nothing came out. I’m something more. He wants more. How much more exactly?

The tight squeeze on her stomach released, and her heart felt less heavy.

Cassie followed him to the front door, more on autopilot, because it was still hard to process his statement.

Renner turned at the door. “I’ll be here again tonight, if you want me.”

She frowned. “Won’t I be taking away from your business?”

“Yes,” he replied simply. “See you at seven?”

Cassie nodded, and then realized what he’d said. That she’d said yes.

He grabbed his keys from the table and opened the front door.

“Renner?”

He turned. The morning sun caught his eyes in a light that made them almost green. The glow dazzled her. Nearly taking the breath from her lungs. Heat flooded her face.

Just say it. “You are incredibly attractive. Almost too much.” Almost.

“Thank you.” Renner didn’t smile this time.

It nearly dissolved her bravery.

But he kept staring. Down into her self-conscious self.

“So are you,” Renner breathed. He raised his hand and caressed a strand of her hair. His fingers grazed her cheek. Then cupped her face, his warm calloused hand more comforting than she expected.

Cassie leaned into it, closing her eyes to the soapy scent, fresh and clean. And masculine. The gentle touch of a man, thawing her insides that had been frozen for so long.

His soft lips touched hers, and her heart gasped.

Tender, assertive, but not demanding. Hopeful.

The taste of him was better than she’d imagined. He pulled back too soon, and this time, his face was blushed all the way to his ears.

“See you at seven, Cassie.”