Holding Strong
Page 106
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“Actually, I’ve been halfway there ever since you handled Pamela so well at the gym. Strong, take-charge women are a big turn-on.”
Quirking her mouth, she said, “That also describes Pamela.”
“Not even close. She’s weak and manipulative and needy. But you’re...”
“What?”
His voice went soft and rough. “Strong, independent, loyal and sexy as hell because of it.”
God, with the way he looked at her, she got entranced by his golden eyes.
Until he turned the car off and gestured. “My house.”
“Oh.” Given the turn of their conversation, she’d barely paid attention to him parking the car. Getting herself together, she peered through the windshield at a beautiful brick ranch. “Your house.” Smiling, she tilted her head, taking it in, then opened her door and stepped out before he could do the gentlemanly thing and open it for her.
He joined her on the walkway to the front porch and took her hand. “What do you think?”
“It’s wonderful.”
That made him laugh. “It’s just a house, not fancy or all that expensive.”
“It’s perfect for you.” The house was simple in design but still looked welcoming, with just enough landscaping to feel homey, but not so much that it’d need a lot of upkeep. When she saw the rosebush, she stopped. “This is clearly a newly built house, so does that mean you planted the roses?”
He tugged at his ear. “Yeah, and the other bushes and stuff.”
The garage opened on the side, but he hadn’t driven into it, choosing to park in the driveway instead. Taking the cobbled walkway, they circled past the front of the double garage to the small porch.
Denver dug out a key, and as soon as they stepped inside he pushed numbers into a security keypad. “Come on, I’ll take you on a quick tour then fix us something to eat.”
Before he could whisk her off, she admired the higher ceilings and the rich hardwood floors. An enormous rug rested beneath two couches, with a big lounge chair that faced a massive flat-screen television. “I see you have your priorities in line.”
Laughing, he said, “Most of my priorities are in the basement.”
“Workout stuff?”
“For when I don’t spend as much time at the rec center as I should.”
Far as she could tell, that never happened. It seemed to her that Denver practically lived in the gym.
They walked toward a big kitchen, but Denver steered her down a short hall to the left and pushed open a door. “Guest bathroom.”
Cherry poked her head inside. “Nice,” she said, though that single word didn’t feel adequate. “I love the tile and the fixtures.”
“Thanks. It opens into both of the smaller bedrooms on either side, but they’re mostly empty.” They went back to the living room and he gestured at the kitchen. “The dining room and breakfast nook are attached. Then over here is my room.”
She stepped inside to tall windows, high ceilings, more hardwood floors and heavy masculine furniture. “Wow, your bed is huge.”
“It’s custom-made, an extra-wide king.”
Extra-wide so he’d have plenty of room for sexual acrobatics? The sting of jealousy made her scowl. “You must’ve felt cramped on my full-size mattress.”
Looping his arms around her, he nuzzled her neck and whispered, “Wrapped around you? Not a chance. I’d sleep on a twin as long as I was sleeping with you.”
Wow, he’d really turned on the charm tonight. She didn’t quite know what to make of that. “That’s a beautiful quilt.”
Still holding her, he propped his chin atop her head. “My mother made it. It was for her and Dad’s bed. When he remarried...”
“Pamela gave it to you?”
He released her and turned away. “She wanted to donate it along with everything else of Mom’s, so I just took it—and a few other things.” He moved to the dresser, opened the top drawer and got out a jewelry box. “I don’t really know what to do with it,” he said as he lifted the lid, showing some pricey pieces along with casual jewelry. “But it didn’t seem right to just ditch it.”
Cherry snuggled up next to him, admiring the tasteful designs. She touched one delicate silver chain that held an onyx teardrop pendant. “Beautiful.”
He smiled. “That was Mom’s favorite. She almost never took it off.”
“Maybe someday you’ll have a daughter and you could give it to her.” Saying it made her think about it, picturing an adorable little girl with Denver’s rich brown hair and intense golden eyes. One thought led to another and she also imagined a baby with her blond hair... Dangerous. Pushing away from the dresser, she pasted on a smile. “Wouldn’t that be nice?”
Quirking her mouth, she said, “That also describes Pamela.”
“Not even close. She’s weak and manipulative and needy. But you’re...”
“What?”
His voice went soft and rough. “Strong, independent, loyal and sexy as hell because of it.”
God, with the way he looked at her, she got entranced by his golden eyes.
Until he turned the car off and gestured. “My house.”
“Oh.” Given the turn of their conversation, she’d barely paid attention to him parking the car. Getting herself together, she peered through the windshield at a beautiful brick ranch. “Your house.” Smiling, she tilted her head, taking it in, then opened her door and stepped out before he could do the gentlemanly thing and open it for her.
He joined her on the walkway to the front porch and took her hand. “What do you think?”
“It’s wonderful.”
That made him laugh. “It’s just a house, not fancy or all that expensive.”
“It’s perfect for you.” The house was simple in design but still looked welcoming, with just enough landscaping to feel homey, but not so much that it’d need a lot of upkeep. When she saw the rosebush, she stopped. “This is clearly a newly built house, so does that mean you planted the roses?”
He tugged at his ear. “Yeah, and the other bushes and stuff.”
The garage opened on the side, but he hadn’t driven into it, choosing to park in the driveway instead. Taking the cobbled walkway, they circled past the front of the double garage to the small porch.
Denver dug out a key, and as soon as they stepped inside he pushed numbers into a security keypad. “Come on, I’ll take you on a quick tour then fix us something to eat.”
Before he could whisk her off, she admired the higher ceilings and the rich hardwood floors. An enormous rug rested beneath two couches, with a big lounge chair that faced a massive flat-screen television. “I see you have your priorities in line.”
Laughing, he said, “Most of my priorities are in the basement.”
“Workout stuff?”
“For when I don’t spend as much time at the rec center as I should.”
Far as she could tell, that never happened. It seemed to her that Denver practically lived in the gym.
They walked toward a big kitchen, but Denver steered her down a short hall to the left and pushed open a door. “Guest bathroom.”
Cherry poked her head inside. “Nice,” she said, though that single word didn’t feel adequate. “I love the tile and the fixtures.”
“Thanks. It opens into both of the smaller bedrooms on either side, but they’re mostly empty.” They went back to the living room and he gestured at the kitchen. “The dining room and breakfast nook are attached. Then over here is my room.”
She stepped inside to tall windows, high ceilings, more hardwood floors and heavy masculine furniture. “Wow, your bed is huge.”
“It’s custom-made, an extra-wide king.”
Extra-wide so he’d have plenty of room for sexual acrobatics? The sting of jealousy made her scowl. “You must’ve felt cramped on my full-size mattress.”
Looping his arms around her, he nuzzled her neck and whispered, “Wrapped around you? Not a chance. I’d sleep on a twin as long as I was sleeping with you.”
Wow, he’d really turned on the charm tonight. She didn’t quite know what to make of that. “That’s a beautiful quilt.”
Still holding her, he propped his chin atop her head. “My mother made it. It was for her and Dad’s bed. When he remarried...”
“Pamela gave it to you?”
He released her and turned away. “She wanted to donate it along with everything else of Mom’s, so I just took it—and a few other things.” He moved to the dresser, opened the top drawer and got out a jewelry box. “I don’t really know what to do with it,” he said as he lifted the lid, showing some pricey pieces along with casual jewelry. “But it didn’t seem right to just ditch it.”
Cherry snuggled up next to him, admiring the tasteful designs. She touched one delicate silver chain that held an onyx teardrop pendant. “Beautiful.”
He smiled. “That was Mom’s favorite. She almost never took it off.”
“Maybe someday you’ll have a daughter and you could give it to her.” Saying it made her think about it, picturing an adorable little girl with Denver’s rich brown hair and intense golden eyes. One thought led to another and she also imagined a baby with her blond hair... Dangerous. Pushing away from the dresser, she pasted on a smile. “Wouldn’t that be nice?”
