Much to her amazement, Darcy slept soundly that night. The bed molded around her, seeming to cradle her in comfort. A soft breeze sighed through the slightly open windows, and she snuggled under the blankets. She didn’t dream at all, sweet or otherwise. Her reserves had finally run out, and she gave in to deep, blissful slumber.
It was the quiet of the dawn that eventually woke her. No revving engines, grinding garbage trucks, or wailing sirens filled the air. No neighbors hollered back and forth, no doors slammed.
Instead, a soft symphony of bird song feathered through the air and other than that there was silence. She lay there blinking in the pale golden light, breathing in the tranquility. A sudden flare of curiosity flickered through her. She wanted to see this place in the daylight.
She didn’t waste any time getting out of bed, immediately drawn to the balcony outside the French doors. Slipping a robe on over her nightshirt, she stepped out onto the wooden surface and gasped. She hadn’t expected to see a view like this.
Below, the yard rolled away to a wide band of trees then descended on to a steel-blue lake that spread out like a bottle of spilled ink. A layer of fog lay just above the still surface of the water and golden-rose rays played across the gentle waves lapping against the shoreline.
Darcy was aware of the chill of the frosty morning but was too hypnotized by the view to withdraw. The autumn colors swirled before her, painting a patchwork of patterns and arrays of varying shades and hues.
She held her breath as a half dozen deer tiptoed out from the woods and began to drink at the edge of the lake. Deer, right there in front of her. They almost seemed close enough to reach out and touch.
She watched fascinated until the damp chill began to gnaw at her. She turned, tugging her pink fuzzy robe tighter around her and moved to go back inside. That’s when she saw Nick.
He stood there staring at her. A plaid wool robe did little to disguise his physique. His shoulders rippled beneath the fabric. He worked out, it was obvious from the size of his biceps. A belt cinched the robe around a trim waist and sculpted legs covered in thick, black curls, ending in leather moccasins.
She froze at the sight of him. His eyes were looking at her intently. She couldn’t help but lock gazes with him, her eyes widening as she took in the sight of him framed by the natural background.
A slow grin slid across his face as he assessed the rumpled look of her. Her hair was loose and tumbling, shining in the morning sun, her breasts unbound beneath the robe.
She was suddenly very aware of her boobs, a heaviness swelling their crowns. A low humming throbbed in her lady parts, almost building to a growl. Her amber eyes locked with his pewter ones and they stood for a long moment without speaking.
He was the first to break the silence.
“Good morning, Darcy. Beautiful isn’t it?”
“Absolutely. Incredible.” She brushed a breeze-tossed curl away from her cheek, finally breaking eye contact with him.
“I’ll be happy to show you around more after that breakfast you promised me.”
Darcy’s eyes widened. She was supposed to be fixing breakfast this morning and instead she’d been eyeballing the view, including ogling the man who was supposed to be protecting her. Hell, someone was going to have to protect him from her and her overactive hormones if she didn’t quit that shit.
“I’m on it, boss,” she called back, tossing him a salute. She didn’t want him to see the affect he had on her, so she kept it casual. “See you downstairs.”
Darcy almost ran to her room she was so anxious to escape his macho presence. A quick, cold shower, then she slipped into a pair of comfy jeans and a soft sweater of turquoise blue. She slid her feet into a pair of soft ankle boots and did her hair in a quick braid. A swish of mascara and a touch of lip gloss and she was ready to face the day with Nick.
The cabin was even more impressive in the daylight. She couldn’t help gawking at the space as she made her way to the kitchen. Everything felt timeless like it had been in this rustic setting forever. She was almost sidetracked again by the view out the window but forced herself to keep marching.
She was amazed by the modern kitchen in such a country setting. There was a huge island, a well-stocked pantry, and a six-burner gas stovetop. The kitchen inspired her. She loved to cook, and this space was a cook’s dream. She quickly began whipping up a batch of Belgian waffles and crispy bacon.
Nick came into the kitchen, his hair still damp from the shower. Darcy tried not to eye his body clad in jeans and a flannel shirt. God, he looked hot.
He poured himself a cup of black coffee and sat at the bar while she bustled around. She was aware of his gaze on her the entire time. She almost wanted to scream at him to stop watching her. She turned a piece of bacon and gasped as the grease popped and burned her cheek.
“Ow!” She hollered and raised a hand to her cheek.
Nick was on his feet and around the island in a flash.
“Let me see,” he commanded, pulling her hand down from her face.
“I’m okay,” she protested.
He pulled her close and examined her face carefully. She held her breath as she felt her body pressed between his and the cabinets and his arms clamped around her holding her in place. His silver-blue gaze swept over her face, taking in its blemish-free surface.
“It looks okay.” He spoke quietly.
“It is okay,” she insisted, wriggling in an attempt to escape his closeness, but he didn’t even seem to notice.
“You know,” he continued as his eyes focused on hers, “my mom used to say a kiss would make any owie better.” A smile played across his lips just before he lowered his mouth and placed a gentle kiss on her cheek. “She also believes freckles are places angels kissed.”
Darcy’s eyes fluttered as she felt his lips tenderly brush against her skin. Her heart tripped, and she felt a jolt clear down to her nether regions. God, if just a kiss on her cheek affected her this much, she couldn’t imagine what a full on liplock would do to her.
“I’ve got to turn the bacon.” Her voice sounded breathy to her own ears.
Nick grinned and stepped away from her. She moved around him and focused on the bacon. Damn him, anyway. He was playing with her, and she didn’t appreciate it. He was supposed to be protecting her but what she wanted to know was who was going to protect him from her?
Breakfast finished, Nick encouraged her to grab her coat and come explore outdoors with him. She pulled on a leather bomber jacket and joined him in his survey of the acreage.
The land was amazing. To a city girl used to the urban landscape, it was incredible to walk amongst the tall timbers, to listen to the sounds of nature. The breeze soughed through the trees, almost seeming to sing. She followed Nick down the path through the woods, taking in the natural setting and the peace and tranquility. She paused to let a rabbit hop in front of her. This was a traffic jam here. So much different from the city.
She followed Nick as he followed a trail down to the lakeshore. There was a long dock that led on to the lake, a boat house on the right.
“I’ll be happy to get the boat out and take you around the lake,” Nick informed her, stuffing his hands in the pockets of his blue jeans. Darcy couldn’t help but notice how the fabric pulled tight across his crotch. She changed the direction of her gaze, but the tingle still shot through her.
“That sounds great. How big is the lake?”
“360 acres.” She couldn’t miss the tinge of pride in his voice.
She cast her gaze upward as a flock of geese flew overhead, their honking filling the air.
“Let’s go this afternoon when the fog is gone. You’ll be able to really check out the scenery.”
“Sounds good.” The idea excited her. She loved boats, and the idea of cruising over the lake’s smooth surface was quite the turn on. Like she needed anything else to turn her on, she thought grumpily. Just being close to Nick seemed to make her horny. And the last thing she needed was to hook up with Nick. He was a cop. A nightmare waiting to happen. She had to stop hungering for him and start acting like he was just an ordinary man.
Yeah, right.