But Evie tiptoed to the door and peeked out. “They’re already downstairs,” she said, groaning. “I gave Cooper a key.” She looked around frantically, then paused, brightening. “You can go out the window! They left the ladder up the other day.”
Noah laughed. Then he realized: she was serious.
“Do you really care if anyone sees us?” he asked, getting out of bed. He padded over to her, barefoot on the cool floor, and wrapped his arms around her. “We are grown adults,” he reminded her, with a very grown-up kiss.
Evie looked breathless when they finally came up for air, but she shook her head stubbornly. “Please?” she said. “Think about it, if you walk out the front door, every person in Sweetbriar Cove will hear about it before lunch. And if that woman from the restaurant’s already been talking about our upcoming wedding—”
He froze, imagining what his family would say. His mom would have a church booked by noon. “Good point. The window it is.”
Noah pulled on his clothes and made his way over to the window. “You’re lucky my ego can survive getting tossed aside like this,” he said, teasing, as he climbed out.
“I’ll make it up to you,” she promised, leaning out after him. “I had the best time,” she added in a whisper, her eyes bright. And suddenly it didn’t seem to matter that he was two stories up, risking life and limb with his pants barely zipped, like some kind of horny teenager sneaking out at first light.
“I have a double shift today,” he said. “But I should be done by dinnertime, if you want—”
“I want,” Evie said before he’d even finished asking.
“Pick you up at six?” Noah found his footing on the ladder and began climbing down. “You can do all that making up you promised,” he added with a smile.
Evie laughed, leaning out even farther to kiss him one last time, soft and sweet, her lips tantalizingly hot. It was a good thing Noah had trained for years climbing up and down tall buildings, because he was pretty sure he would have broken his neck otherwise, the way his head spun from her touch. Finally, he dragged himself away and climbed down to solid ground. He dusted himself off and sauntered around the corner, whistling a merry tune when he came face to face with Cooper.
“Well, hey there,” Cooper said, setting down his toolbox. “You’re out early.”
“Just the man I was looking for,” Noah said. “I could use your help with my truck. I got it stuck in the sand yesterday.”
“I saw it out front,” Cooper said, with a smirk of amusement. “That must have been a long, cold walk home.”
“Sure was,” Noah lied cheerfully, but from the look Cooper gave him, his buddy wasn’t buying the story for a second.
They circled around to the front, and with the help of some of the guys, a tow rope, and a healthy dose of elbow grease, they managed to haul his truck out of the sand. “We’re getting the exterior lights fixed up next,” Cooper said to him when they were finished. “That should keep you from winding up in the mud next time you stay over.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Noah said, grinning.
Cooper laughed. “Sure you don’t. You just happen to take your early-morning strolls wearing last night’s clothing done up wrong.”
Noah glanced down. Sure enough, his shirt buttons were askew, and he’d forgotten to zip his fly. “Gee, can’t imagine how that happened,” he said, climbing into his truck.
“It’s a mystery, for sure,” Cooper said. “But just FYI, we’re usually here by eight-thirty. You know, in case you want to set an alarm next time!”
Next time …
Noah’s smile grew wider as he drove away. Because there would be a next time—and soon. He hadn’t even been away from Evie for all of twenty minutes, and already he was craving to be near her again. Touching her, kissing her …
Hell, just listening to her laugh was enough of a rush to him.
He shook his head wryly, chuckling at himself. Because after months making swift, next-morning escapes, eager to put some distance between him and whatever woman he’d shared his bed with, the tables had well and truly turned.
He had it bad. And it felt damn good.
Evie jumped in the shower and dressed quickly, her body still humming from Noah’s touch. But there wasn’t any time to wallow in the luxurious ache of it all, not with a half dozen burly workmen currently clattering about the house.
Gathering her hair up into a messy bun, Evie practically skipped downstairs. “Cooper, hi,” she greeted him, breezy, like she hadn’t just shoved a man out her bedroom window after a night of delicious debauchery. “Lovely morning, isn’t it? You can just taste the salt in the air, after all that rain.”
“Lovely,” Cooper echoed, looking amused. “You just missed Noah, by the way.”
“Did I? Well, I’m sure I’ll catch him around,” Evie said lightly. “You guys all set here?”
“Just starting in on the floors,” he said. “Eggsy’s bringing the industrial sander. They’ll be gleaming like new by the end of the day.”
“Great!”
Evie put the coffee pot on for them, packed up a notebook and pen, and drove over to the bakery. The research trip yesterday had given her plenty to think about, and she was overflowing with ideas for the inn. But when she settled in at a corner table with a mug of chai and slice of blueberry bundt cake, it wasn’t bathroom decor or afternoon tea menus on her mind. No, Evie’s thoughts kept drifting back to one thing.
One person.
She shivered, remembering the way Noah’s body had slid, sweaty against hers—and how she’d moaned, begging for more. Had she really been so wild, so wanton?
Yes.
And it felt incredible.
“Someone’s in a good mood.”
Evie looked up from her tea to find Mackenzie standing next to her, wearing a smile and a wildly patterned print muumuu.
Mackenzie. Noah’s cousin.
“Hi,” Evie blurted, her cheeks turning hot. Could the redhead tell she’d just been lost in sensual daydreams about a family member? Evie hoped not.
She cleared her throat and tried her best to look innocent. “How’s it going?” she asked.
“Oh, you know, just here for my caffeine fix,” Mackenzie said, holding up her coffee cup with a friendly smile. “I’m a beast until I get my morning mocha. How about you, late night?”
Evie gulped. Late, hot, sexy as hell …
“Not really,” she lied. “I’m just so busy with the inn. There’s a million things to keep track of, getting it ready to open.”
“I’ll bet. Still, you know what they say about all work and no play,” Mackenzie said. “You need to make time for fun, too. Making new friends. Dating …”
Was that a meaningful glint in her eye?
“Have you thought about it?” Mackenzie continued, taking a seat at the table and adding some sugar to her coffee. She took a sip, gazing at Evie over the rim of her mug. “Sweetbriar Cove can be a great place to meet someone new. Or get closer to someone you’ve already met …”