Page 6 of Sugar Rush

Not so I could intrude on other families and definitelynotso I could think about a tall, broad southern man with hazel eyes and a deep voice.

“Please sit,” Jenny encouraged, nodding at the closest chair, and I did so as the big concertina door at the other end of the kitchen opened.

It was as if I had summoned Rick just by thinking about him.

He was framed by the doorway, hair rumpled, eyes soft and sleepy.The hem of his t-shirt was askew, riding up to reveal a sliver of his lower belly, lightly furred with an arrow of dark gold hair.

My mouth went dry.

“Mornin’,” he half-muttered, half-grunted, running a hand through his already ruffled hair.His hazy stare found me, zeroed in.“You sleep okay?”

I tore my gaze away from his belly, looking into his sleep-softened eyes.My toes curled imagining waking up next to him looking like that, tousled and warm right out of bed.

“Yes.Thank you.I would’ve taken the sofa, honestly.”

Rick chuckled, shook his head, and made a beeline for the Keurig.“And risk the wrath of my mother?No, thanks all the same.Guests don’t sleep on the couch.”He stopped by the coffee machine and stretched, giving me a tantalising glimpse at the tattoo just under his ribcage.

I swallowed back a surge of lust, wanting to get a closer look Who wouldn’t have wanted to be up close with all that golden tan skin?He should have been a model.He should have been illegal.

Jenny nudged me.“You’re staring,” she whispered, amusement threading through her voice.

I jerked back so quickly that I nearly spilled my coffee, muttering.“Shit.Sorry.And God.Sorry for swearing in front of the baby!”

Toby seemed unbothered, sucking animatedly on one of his thumbs.

“You’re fine,” Jenny reassured me.”It’s interesting.Rick doesn’t really have women here, so I never get to observe.My brother’s a known hottie, I get it.Doesn’t make it any less gross for me, though.”

I laughed into my mug.She was nice.In other circumstances, I’d really have liked to be friends.But I wasn’t here for the long haul.

“You guys need more coffee?”Rick asked, yawning.

“No, thanks,” we chorused, then chuckled at each other.

“Friends already, huh?”Rick muttered, clearly amused, as the Keurig bubbled away in the background.“Listen, I’m sorry you woke up in my bed.I didn’t wanna go through your stuff to find Jess’ keys.I’m pretty sure she gave me a set once, but I couldn’t think where they were.”

Jenny scoffed.“You’ve gone soft since you left the military, Ricky.”

Rick’s scowl at the nickname made me laugh.

I could all too readily imagine settling into a life with these good people.It would be easy—in my head, anyway— to leave my old life behind.

For now, I would enjoy the holiday.Enjoy this break from the horrible mess my love life lay in, back home.

“I didn’t mind,” I said sincerely.“The bed’s really comfy.Thank you.I’ll get my stuff and settle into Jess’ house this morning.Her bakery won’t run itself, although I really hope that Aunt Laurie needs the help, and isn’t just humoring me.”

Toby fussed in his chair, and Jenny set her cup down.“Well, looks like breakfast is over for me, anyway.It was so nice to meet you.”She scooped up her baby and made a face as she sniffed his butt.“Smells like someone’s pooped!”

Toby wailed as Jenny carted him upstairs.

The room felt smaller with just me and Rick in it.He took his coffee to the table and sat, folding his long body into the chair.

I pushed the chair back, intending to stand.

“No rush on our account,” he drawled.“It’s Sunday, after all.I ain’t gotta be anywhere for another hour, at least.”

“Is it Sunday?”I blinked away the last of the jet lag sleepiness.“After I take a long flight, I never know where I am.”

He sipped his coffee.Steam from the drink curled up into the air, hot and fragrant.“I used to fly a lot.In the military.Gets you all turned around, don’t it?”

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