Weekends Required (Danvers #1)(53)
He gave her a kiss on the forehead then released her and pointed towards the bathroom door. The master bath was as beautiful as the rest of the house. A huge marble whirlpool tub dominated one corner of the room, with a separate shower stall and a double sink with a granite top vanity. Claire wrinkled her nose as she inspected her appearance. She looked pale, tired and rumpled. A hot shower was just what she needed to feel human again.
Claire stripped off and slid into the shower. She sighed in pleasure as the spray of the water eased some of the tension in her shoulder. She reached for Jason’s shampoo and lathered her hair and rinsed. Twenty minutes later, she felt like a different person. She located a hair dryer under the vanity and was soon looking for her suitcase. Claire found that Jason had left it right outside for her. The only nightgown she’d packed was a bit dressy, but she didn’t feel like changing back into clothes.
She pulled the long Lilac silk gown over her head, grateful she’d thought to pack the matching robe as well. She belted it tightly around her waist and then pulled a hair clip from her bag and secured her hair in a loose knot at the nape of her neck.
Claire opened the bedroom door and was met with the smell of something delicious. She followed her nose to the kitchen and found Jason at the stove with a kitchen towel thrown over his shoulder and a frying pan in his hand. He had also opted for something casual and wore a pair of low riding blue lounge pants and a South Carolina Gamecocks t-shirt.
She’d seen Jason in expensive suits and in jeans but this was the look that seemed to suit him best. He didn’t look like a rich business owner even with the opulent surroundings; he simply looked like someone you could depend on, someone you could love. Whoaaaa girl, where did that come from? You sleep with a guy a couple of times, and suddenly you’re picking out china and writing his name on your notebook?
Fatigue had apparently affected her more than she realized. She was feeling fragile and entirely too needy where Jason was concerned. It was hard to remember twenty-four hours ago; she was livid at him, ready to pack her bags and never look back. As if in mutual agreement, that subject hadn’t been brought up even though Claire knew it was just on hold and not forgotten.
Jason had been wonderful today, and his support had felt so good. She rarely had anyone to lean on anymore. She did have Suzy, who would do anything for her, but somehow it wasn’t the same. The issues with Jason were far from over and had to be addressed as soon as she had the strength to do it. For now, there was comfort in this moment, pretending that someone loved her.
“I hope you like omelets; it’s the specialty of the house.”
“I love them. It sounds wonderful. I’m impressed at how at home you seem in the kitchen. I figured you for a takeout kind of guy,” laughed Claire.
“Don’t be too impressed, I’ve limited abilities. After awhile, it gets very old to eat out every night. I’m not going to lie; I do have a housekeeper who comes in a couple of times a week and takes care of the grocery shopping and cleaning. If left to my own devices, there would probably be nothing but chips and beer in the kitchen and dirty clothes trickling through the doorways.”
Jason set two plates and glasses in front of the bar stools at the island along with orange juice. Claire poured them both a glass of juice and walked over to the window to look out at the dark ocean. “You must love being able to see this view from almost every room in the house; it’s so relaxing.”
With a smile, Jason said, “I’ve always loved the ocean. It’s one of the reasons I’ve never moved Danvers even though there have been many offers and opportunities. We’d probably grow at a faster pace located elsewhere, but I couldn’t bring myself to leave this area; it's home. I think Charleston is a great place, and I enjoyed growing up there, but Myrtle Beach is where my heart is.”
Jason slid a delicious looking omelet onto her plate. Drinking her juice, Claire waited for him to finish his omelet so that they could eat together. A few moments later, he was settled in next to her, and she dug in as if she were starving. Claire was embarrassed to find that she’d completely cleaned her plate, and Jason was watching her with an amused expression in those beautiful blue eyes. “Guess I was hungrier than I realized.”
“You have barely had anything to eat today. Would you like me to make you another one?”
“Oh no, I’m full now; you’re a great cook.” Jason finished his own and took their plates to the dishwasher. Looking at the wall clock, Claire was surprised to see that it was almost midnight. As if on cue, a big yawn escaped her mouth as fatigue firmly settled in. Jason took her hand and used his other to switch off the lights as they walked back to the bedroom.
Jason stripped off his shirt and left his lounge pants on. Claire went into the bathroom to brush her teeth and left her robe on the hook next to his. Jason took his turn in the bathroom, and she climbed into the bed on the side he indicated. With another yawn, she closed her eyes to rest for a few minutes until he returned.
Suddenly, she felt an arm going around her, and she was being pulled against a hard chest, her head resting in the crook of Jason’s shoulder. She allowed herself to melt against him, and soon settled into a dreamless sleep, secure in the strong arms that held her through the night.
~~~
Sometime later, as the sun was just starting to rise over the ocean, Jason turned her in his arms and made slow, mind-blowing love to her. Every time they were together seemed to burn hotter than the last. Jason brought her to heights that she’d never dreamed existed. After collapsing against him in complete satisfaction, she felt Jason’s warm mouth against her forehead. His hands stroking her back and hair with such tenderness it brought tears to her eyes.