She smiled. The last part hadn’t been a question, but a proclamation. He seemed a little distraught and that pleased her, although she couldn’t really believe for two seconds he was seriously upset. Surely a man like him was used to a woman scurrying away in the morning after a night of passion spent in his bed, even if the odds were Eric was the one sneaking out of bed and dashing out the door while the woman still slept. In fact, it had occurred to her that if she left his house, he might think it was very odd for her to return, so his reaction reassured and warmed her.
He looked incredibly sexy standing there, bare-chested and hair mussed. He must have dressed in a hurry before he came downstairs, because the top two buttons of his jeans were still unfastened. The triangle of bare skin exposed above the partially opened fly was paler than his abdomen.
She yanked her gaze to his face.
“I didn’t want to wake you. I wanted to shower, but I didn’t have anything clean to put on. I was thinking about running home to get a few things.”
He stepped toward her and slid her coat off her shoulders. “The easiest solution to that problem would be for you to stay naked all weekend,” he said in a sultry tone.
“Not even you could have that much energy.” She glanced up as he took her coat and noticed his small smile. “All right,” she conceded. “I admit that you just might.”
“Only when truly inspired,” he said gruffly, reaching for her. He kissed her, and she looped her arms around his waist. “I did not like waking up and finding you gone.”
“Hmm, yes, you’ve made that clear. But I need clothes.”
He growled softly and kissed her again. “I’ll take you to your house and you can get what you need for the rest of the weekend.” He deepened their kiss. Colleen went up on her tiptoes, flushing with heat. “But right now, let’s go back to bed,” he mumbled next to her lips a moment later.
“No,” Colleen scolded, even though she was sorely tempted. “It’s the afternoon, and I haven’t even had my morning coffee yet.”
He lifted his head. How could she have ever hated his brooding scowls? She resisted an urge to pull him down again for another kiss. At this point, she knew full well how delicious even his frowns tasted on her hungry lips.
“Okay,” he conceded ungraciously. “I suppose I’ll have to feed you, too.”
“You really are a gentleman.”
He smiled, his dark eyes gleaming. “A gentleman wouldn’t have taken you to bed without taking you on at least one official date.”
“Dinner last night didn’t count?” she murmured.
He shook his head with mock sadness before he kissed her nose. “Nope. I have some karma to make up in the dating department. Give me fifteen minutes to get ready. Afterward, I’ll make up for my callousness by giving you a day you’ll never forget. I’ll do my best, anyway.”
“Your best is pretty damn amazing so far.”
His eyes widened and then smoldered at her honesty. “Are you sure you don’t want to—”
She laughed and gave him a gentle shove. “No. Get going. I can’t wait to see what you come up with to balance your dating karma. Not that I’m putting any pressure on you or anything.”
He grinned and backed out of the foyer, keeping his eyes on her the whole time. “I’m a surgeon, remember? I thrive on pressure.”
She rolled her eyes.
“Fifteen minutes,” he promised.
“I’m timing you.”
He charged for the stairs.
Colleen caught a glimpse of herself in the armoire mirror. She blinked. Her cheeks were flushed and she was grinning like an idiot. It took her a moment to recognize her own face transformed by pure happiness.
Oh, no. Something squirmed in her stomach.
Surely it was a mistake for her to allow herself to be this happy.
Don’t think about that. Just try and live in the moment for once. Don’t you deserve a nice, carefree weekend?
Colleen waited, wondering if the anxiety monster in her belly would rear to life again. When it remained silent, she sighed with relief. Her anticipation for spending time with Eric was free
to build. Nervousness segued to pure excitement.