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Blaze’s voice was low and gravelly, causing an involuntary reaction that made me squeeze my thighs together. I reminded myself not to ogle his impressive, muscled upper body.
“You’re getting ready to leave?”
I nodded.
“How about breakfast first?” he asked, propping himself up and allowing the sheets to fall to his waist. “You should eat something before you head out.”
“I couldn’t,” I said, shaking my head.
“Believe me, if you go without letting Aunt Theresa feed you, I’ll never hear the end of it,” he insisted with a beseeching look. “You’d really be helping me out.”
I chuckled. “Okay. Breakfast and coffee, then I’ll hit the road. Half hour, sound good?”
“That should work,” he replied, tossing the covers aside.
I felt a tinge of disappointment when he pulled on his pants, although they did little to hide the fact that he had a great butt. I watched said butt as he exited the room and then turned my attention back to my phone, ready to inform my dad that I’d be leaving soon and heading straight home.
A reply from Dad popped up before I finished typing my message, and I stopped to read it.
Have you seen the weather forecast? A big storm is rolling in across the bay this morning, and it’ll last all day. I don’t want you driving in that. Can you stay somewhere safe?
I frowned in confusion.
I swiftly checked the weather app, convinced Dad was mistaken. He’s always overprotective. There couldn’t be a severe storm approaching. How unlucky could one person be?
San Ramon looked safe for now, but glancing at the radar and peering west, I saw Dad was correct.
“Shit,” I muttered.
“What’s wrong?” Blaze was immediately there, crouching in front of me, an anxious expression on his face. “Are you okay?”
“I’m okay,” I reassured him, feeling my heart skip at his concern. “There’s a nasty storm rolling in from the bay. Even if I leave now, I’d be caught in it. My dad’s worried about me driving through that.”
“Just stay here, then.”
Blaze made it sound so easy that I looked at him as though he’d suggested something outrageous.
“What?”
He flashed a grin and sat beside me on the bed. “Stay here until the storm’s over. It’s not a big deal.”
I lifted my phone to show him the storm’s magnitude. “If I stay, I could be here all day, maybe even overnight.”
He gently placed a stray curl behind my ear. “That’s okay.”
I quirked an eyebrow. “But it’s Christmas Eve. I can’t just barge in on your family. I’ll look for a hotel.”
“There’s really no burden,” he insisted. “Besides, how will you find an available room tonight?”
He was right.
“Thank you,” I accepted. “As long as your family doesn’t mind, I’ll keep to myself and?—”
“You’re celebrating Christmas Eve with us,” he interrupted. “My family will love having you. We’re very big on hospitality. Trust me.”
“Won’t this make things awkward for you?” I bravely voiced my other worry. “I noticed your sister’s reaction when she saw me with you last night. Everyone will assume we’re a couple, and I’m sure you don’t want to spend all day correcting them that nothing is going on.”
He smiled. “I wouldn’t go as far as to say there’snothinggoing on between us.”
