Page 24 of California Waves

As they settled on another luxurious mattress, Mila’s heart began to race. She wanted to rip off Hersch’s clothes and run her hands over his impressive body. But they were in public. It was a special kind of scintillating torture.

Again, they shifted their bodies to face each other. Again, she knew they were both imagining what it would feel like if they were under some covers rather than on top of a bare mattress in a store. Again, it took them an age to move on to the third mattress.

When they’d tested them all, Hersch got to his feet and extended a hand. She accepted it, a thrill coursing through her body as she felt his firm grip help her up. He was so darned strong.

“It was the first mattress for me,” he said, and she noted his voice had turned a little husky.

Oddly, it was the same mattress Mila would have chosen, so she was able to give her unqualified approval.

He bought the mattress and arranged to have it delivered, and then as they left the store, he turned to her with a slightly sheepish look. “I know you’ve done so much for me already, Mila, but is there any way I could convince you to come to the house to take a look at the swatches there? All your advice and guidance so far has been so valuable.”

If such a thing were possible, her heart simultaneously soared and sank. She was thrilled that Hersch wanted to spend more time together, even if it was over paint swatches. But she was also mentally going over her to-do list.

He could see her hesitation. “I’m sorry. I’ve taken up too much of your time already. Forgive me for asking.”

But, she decided, there wasn’t anything that couldn’t wait, and if anyone needed her, she had her phone with her. So she said in her flirtiest tone, “How about I do it just because I think you’re cute?”

He opened and then closed his mouth before his cheeks flushed. Clearly, her teasing flustered him. She had to admit she quite liked that she could make this big, muscly astronaut blush.

Chapter Thirteen

For a guy who hated shopping, Hersch had never enjoyed a shopping trip more. Mila was so fun to be with, made everything seem easy, and had a very discerning eye. Or at least it seemed so to a man who had no eye at all for color or fashion or design.

As she unlocked the door to the new property, he recalled that moment when they’d bumped into each other while she was holding a wedding dress and he’d thought she was married. His relief at learning she was single had flooded his veins and filled him with hope that something could happen between them. At the same time, she’d so instantly laughed off the very idea of marriage and said it wasn’t for her. This should have been music to his ears, because that was his position too, but while he hadn’t even kissed her yet, she was all he could think about. There was a secret part of himself that had begun thinking of her as The One.

What a strange reversal that he, who had always been the commitment-phobe, was now faced with somebody at least as bad as he was. The universe had a fine sense of humor.

With an accepted offer in place and hopefully only days before he moved in, Hersch considered himself to be entering his own house. It was a great feeling to look around the gorgeous space and know he’d be living there soon. He noticed little touches he hadn’t seen before—the nice recessed lighting and the way the late afternoon sun lit up the trees at the back of the property. He loved that he didn’t have to do anything but bring his toothbrush and a few clothes, and he’d be home. Naturally, he’d ship over some of his possessions from his other house. Mostly, he liked the idea of some of his photographs upstairs in that big bedroom. He didn’t care at all about views of the ocean, but he always wanted a view of the sky. There was a skylight in his bedroom as well as in the bathroom, and even though there was some fancy roller blind thing on each that worked by remote control, he didn’t think he’d ever use it. He liked the idea of going to bed at night looking up at the stars, and waking up in the morning with the day breaking overhead.

They unloaded the duvet and pillows and things they’d bought earlier that afternoon, and then Mila practically ran up the stairs ahead of him. He loved her enthusiasm.

“I don’t know who likes this house more—me or you,” he joked.

She turned to him, and he was struck by her silhouette in his bedroom doorway, tall and strong and incredibly sexy.

“I just like that I found it for you,” she replied with a smile.

He wanted to race over and pull her into his arms, but before he could act on that impulse, she turned and disappeared into the room.

When he walked in, trying to calm his unsteady breath, she was attempting to spread the enormous duvet on the bed.

“Let me take the other side,” he said, picking up the heavy fabric. Without words, they maneuvered around the bed, smoothing down the duvet in its new sheets, slipping the cases on the brand-new pillows, and resting them against the headboard.

“The color looks great,” she said. “And when you paint the walls that smudgy gray, it’ll look even better.”

“It’s already beginning to feel like this place is really mine.” Saying the words aloud brought a new sense of satisfaction and pleasure. Suddenly, he had an idea. “I’m going to pull out the carpet and have wood floors laid, stained a very dark color.”

“I think that’s a great idea,” she said enthusiastically. “It’ll look sleek, modern, and go really well with your framed photos. And you said you have no design talent.”

He laughed and put a hand to his chest in defense. “It was in the picture I liked. It had dark wood floors.”

“Well, it’s a good idea.” She went back to the bed and began to rearrange the pillows. “There,” she said, stepping back and admiring her handiwork. “It looks perfect.”

“Very inviting,” he agreed, wondering how long he could stand not taking her in his arms and kissing her deeply, over and over again.

And then Mila appeared to take him at his word. She slipped off her shoes and pretty much jumped onto the bed. He couldn’t stop himself. He kicked off his own shoes and lay beside her.

They stared up at the skylight for a moment, and then he said, “This is the worst mattress in the world. It was more comfortable to sleep in a pod in space.”

---