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Her love life might be looking up, but for how long? She shook off that particular worry and glanced at the clock. She’d woken up at the exact time she usually did to head for the bank. But today she didn’t have to go. Her spirit fell just a bit, but she tried not to let it take over and consume her. She looked around and realized things could be worse. Much worse.
Abby studied the bedroom they’d gifted her with yesterday. As she expected the night before, the space they’d offered was huge and beautiful and idyllic. It was a room built for a princess. Staring at it for only a few seconds made her realize she’d been right not to look the night before. Because this room was perfect.
And she was not.
The enticing scent of bacon drew her out of bed. She took a quick shower in the amazing en suite bathroom. Everything was marble and tile and rich and beautiful. This place was a veritable palace. If only she were a princess, but she wasn’t. Never would be. Couldn’t possibly live up to the expectations for a place like this. Could she?
Weary to her bones, Abby grabbed some new clothes from her bag, dressed, and headed out into what was sure to be more of the palace of perfection.
The hardwood floors greeted her as she opened the bedroom door. She let her nose guide her down a hall to the entryway with more amazing and immaculate marble floors. There was a grand dark-wood staircase leading to the second floor. Every direction she looked was expensive, stunning, or both.
At the doorway to the right of the staircase, Abby heard kitchen noises and the additional scent of coffee pushed her forward. She went down the hallway and pushed a swinging door into a kitchen that would instantly classify as a top chef’s wet dream.
Granite counters as far as the eye could see, upscale stainless steel appliances everywhere she looked, and a shirtless Adonis standing before the stove stirring something. Paradise looked very good this morning.
Cooper looked up as she entered. “Hey. Good morning.” He grinned. “Sleep well?”
She nodded, unsure she could trust her voice just yet. She made herself get up early every day, but she wasn’t exactly a morning person. She needed time to get her mind and stamina set for work each day.
“Hungry?”
She stared at his chest and then nodded again. The bacon smelled great. The coffee smelled amazing. The eggs he was tending also looked awesome.
He gestured to a tall chair at the far end of the center island. “Have a seat. Want some coffee?”
“Desperately.” Abby never felt completely focused until that very first roasted-coffee-bean-flavored sip of the morning.
He reached for a carafe and filled a light blue stoneware cup as she climbed into the chair.
“You look sleep rumpled and delicious.”
“Funny because I feel like I’ve been trampled by a large herd of bison.” In fact it was only her spirit that was trampled, but simply seeing Cooper shirtless actually made everything better.
He laughed. “Do you? I’m sorry to hear that.” He spooned some scrambled eggs onto a plate, added a few slices of crisp bacon on the side, and put a well buttered piece of toast with it before putting the food-laden plate before her. “Did you at least sleep well before this group of prairie animals ran you down?”
She nodded. “And my room is…well, amazing. In fact, your whole house—from what I’ve seen so far—is exceptional. As I expected it would be.” She took a deep sip of dark, strong coffee and then sighed. “And so is this coffee.” Abby looked up into his simmering sexy eyes and asked, “Is there anything you don’t do with complete perfection?”
“Plenty of things.”
“Name three.”
“Can’t sing, can’t dance, can’t balance my checkbook.”
Abby shrugged. “Not a problem unless you’re a tap-dancing accountant with a solo record deal on the side.”
He laughed. “I do take pride in the fact that I can make you sing though.”
She laughed in return. “Indeed you can.” She took a bite of eggs and sighed again. They were buttery, rich, and…really perfect. “And you cook, too.”
“Well, it doesn’t take much skill to break a few eggs.”
