Crystal lay on Rory’s chest and listened to his heartbeat. She’d been right, he worked out a lot. His chest was the most impressive display of manhood she’d ever seen firsthand.

“If we tried that again too soon, I think I might be in jeopardy of a heart attack,” he joked.

She leaned up and looked down at him. “Your heart is strong.” She smiled, and his hand reached up and brushed her hair away from her face.

“So my doctor says.” He gently pulled her closer with his other hand. “As much as I’d like to stay in here with you all night, it’s a bit chilly in here, don’t you think?”

She looked around and sighed, then nodded. “I haven’t turned on the heat again.” She quickly got up and walked over to the controls and flipped the heater on.

“How about some of that pie I smelled walking through the kitchen?” He was already tugging on his jeans when she looked back around.

“I suppose we can dig into one of them and save the other for tomorrow’s dinner.” She wrapped herself in a long sweater shawl she kept out there for when she got chilled. She started walking towards the door, but he stopped her.

“You’re not going out there in just that?” he asked. She turned and smiled.

“Why not? It’s my backyard. Besides, it’s only a few feet to the backdoor.”

He pulled the sweater down, then put his T-shirt over her head. He gently untucked her hair from the shirt and wrapped the shawl around her again. “There, that should keep you warm.”

“What about you?” she asked, enjoying the feel and smell of his shirt wrapped around her.

“I’ll be okay,” he said as he swung her up into his arms.

“Rory.” She laughed.

“You didn’t put on your shoes.” He nodded to the place her slippers sat at the end of the sofa. “I’ll carry you over the cold stones.” He had already stepped outside. He paused as she flipped off the lights and shut the door.

“Just because we had sex, doesn’t mean you have to cart me around,” she joked.

“I cart you around because I enjoy it.” He smiled down at her and she felt her heart jump. He hadn’t shaved that evening during his shower, and she reached up to run her hand over his stubbly face. “I should have shaved.” He frowned down at her. She could feel the razor burn on her chin, but enjoyed the sensation.

“I like it.” She ran a hand over his face. “It makes you look dangerous.”

He chuckled as he let them into the house.

“God, that smells wonderful.” He set her down on the countertop, then leaned in for another kiss. She wrapped her legs around him before he could step away. She deepened the kiss as she ran her hands over him once more.

She could get used to having his muscles under her fingertips. She’d been with all sorts of other men before, but none of them compared to Rory.

He was stronger, sexier, manlier than she’d ever dreamed. The only other man who’d made her feel like this before was Johnathan. She’d had too little time with him to really appreciate the joy he’d brought her.

She planned on taking as much as she could with Rory while he was there.

“Crystal,” he moaned against her skin. “You’re trying to kill me.”

She chuckled and pulled back. “Pie first, then you can take me upstairs and we’ll enjoy a slow… hot… shower… together.” She kissed him between each word and watched his eyes heat. She jumped off the countertop and pulled out two plates and proceeded to slice one of the pies she’d made hours earlier.

“You couldn’t sleep?” she asked over her shoulder as she heated some water for tea.

“I had a few fires to put out.” He was standing in the same spot, watching her work around the kitchen in nothing but his T-shirt.

“Nothing too bad I hope?” She set the pie down and then handed him the cup of tea.

“No, a client of mine is getting a divorce and wanted me to ‘hide’ some assets,” he said using air quotes around the word hide.

“How horrible.” She sat down and waited until he sat next to her. “You didn’t, did you?”

“No, of course not. Besides being highly illegal, it’s immoral. So, naturally, he’s pissed at me. Threatened to ruin me and my business.” He sipped the tea and then dug into the pie. “Wow, this is amazing.” He took another bite.

“It was my great-grandmother’s recipe.” She took a bite and smiled. “Of course, she would have homemade ice cream to top it off.”

“Mmm. I feel like a kid having a midnight snack.”

“Midnight snacks are good for the soul.” She took another bite.

“So is that what we did in your studio?” he joked, causing her to smile.

“You’ve changed.” She could tell her statement surprised him.

“What do you mean?”

“Since you’ve been here. When you first stepped inside my home, you were… uptight.” Her eyes ran over him. “Being here is good for you.” She leaned closer and nodded. “Your eyes have cleared.” She leaned back again. “I’d wager your health issues have started to dissipate.”

His smile fell slightly. “I… hadn’t thought about it. It must be the meds.”

“Right,” she said slowly. “Or the fresh air, the country living, good food, the sex?” She tilted her head slightly.

His smile returned. “Whatever it is, I’ll take it.”

He pushed his empty plate aside. “Especially if I can eat like that and feel better than when I was stuck eating rabbit food.”

She finished off her pie and took the plates to the sink. She wasn’t surprised when his hands wrapped around her waist and spun her around.

“And, if I can continue doing this.” He leaned down and covered her lips with his.

Once again, she melted against him. She felt her entire essence shift, fade, and melt with his as he lifted her to the edge of the countertop once more.

This time when he slid into her, she braced for the onslaught of emotions. Passion, desire, and want flooded her so quickly, she became dizzy.

“Rory,” she sighed, holding onto his bare shoulders.

“Come with me,” he said into her ear.

At that moment, there wasn’t a power on earth strong enough for her to fight his wishes. She felt the shift in the earth’s axis and knew that there would be no returning from that moment.

* * *

Rory felt Crystal shift and leave the soft bed. He tried to reach for her, but she was too fast.

“Hmm,” he groaned and cracked opened an eye.

“Sorry, go back to sleep. My yoga class starts in half an hour.”

He watched her with one eye as she rushed around the room and threw on another yoga outfit, then pulled on her shoes and a long sweater.

“I’ll have to run.” She smiled down at him. “But it was worth it.” She leaned down and kissed him. “Sleep.” He nodded.

The next time he woke, he could hear the shower running in the next room. Crawling out of her bed, he glanced around the massive room and smiled.

It had been too dark last night to notice her room, and he’d been focused only on Crystal’s beauty.

Here was her personality. There were so many colors, so many unique designs, he wondered his eyes didn’t hurt from the sight.

The headboard of her bed was a sea green, while her comforter and sheets were pink and orange. Somehow, with all the brightly colored pillows, it all worked together.

Thick brightly colored curtains hung from the four-poster rails in teal, green, orange, and pink.

There was a lime green antique dresser with a brightly colored painting hanging over it and small orange and pink vases. He moved closer and smiled when he noticed her mark on the painting.

A dark purple chair sat next to a bright blue sofa underneath a very large bay window. Colored lamps hung around the room, along with other paintings he assumed were hers.

Then he noticed that each wall was painted a different bright color. A colorful rug sat over hardwood floors.

Any one piece would have been too much by itself, but all together, it worked and the room quickly grew on him.

When he stepped into her bathroom, his smile grew. Here, too, was color, from the colored towels that hung on hooks to the rugs and paintings around the space.

The shower was much like the one downstairs—tile and glass—but here, there was a mix of tiny colorful tiles, every color under the sun, added into the cream-colored mix.

When he stepped into the shower behind her, she turned and wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

“How was class?” he asked.

“I feel more centered.” She rested her head against his shoulder. “I can show you those moves, after our shower.”

He thought about it and decided it couldn’t hurt.

“Sure, why not.” He moved her back until her shoulders were pressed up against the brightly colored tile. “But, for now, I’ll show you a couple of mine first.” She smiled as he kissed her.

Over an hour later, they sat crossed legged on the living room floor, and she showed him a few breathing exercises.

“Close your eyes,” she said. “Now take deep breaths, slowly.”

He did everything she asked, but after a few minutes of silence, he opened his eyes. “I thought you were going to show me yoga moves?”

“I am, but sometimes first you have to learn how to breathe.”

So, he closed his eyes again and sat on the floor, breathing.

“Now, I’ll show you a few basics.” She ran through a few moves, rattling off the names as she went. He tried to follow along, but his body just wouldn’t move like hers.

“Here.” She laid a hand on his back and helped him into position. “Hold this for a full minute.”

“Sure,” he said, thinking he’d have no problems, but less than fifteen seconds later, his arms were shaking and his back muscles bunched up.

“Breathe,” she suggested.

“Right.” He grunted and closed his eyes to do as she said.

By the time he was done going through a half dozen moves, he felt like he’d spent the last hour lifting at the gym.

“It’s not as easy as you thought, huh?” She smiled over her shoulder at him as they walked into the kitchen.

“I… didn’t know what to think, until now.”

“So?” She pulled a pan from the fridge.

“Now I’m wondering where you get all the energy to jog to class, do this for forty minutes, then jog back and start your full day.”

She set the pan on the stove as she chuckled. “This gives me more energy.”

“Right.” He walked over and looked down at the pan. “Is that… blueberry rolls?”

“Blueberry lemon sweet rolls.” She smiled over at him.

“I think I’m in love with you,” he joked as he wrapped his arms around her waist.