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“And foryouto have some privacy.”
“That too.”
“Will they be home for Christmas?”
“Not until the end of December. Everett has a son who lives in Denver, with three small kids. They want to be there when Santa brings their presents.”
“Ah. The magical pull of grandbabies.”
She nodded. “Exactly.”
“So what do you do for Christmas?”
Her tension returned at his casual question. As if she didn’t like to discuss the holidays.
“I volunteer to help serve dinner at the local shelter in Grange.” She shrugged. “And I have friends who invite me to their parties. I’m never alone.”
“But you can leave whenever you want, right?”
She frowned, instantly on the defensive. “Are you implying something?”
He reached out to brush his finger down her cheek. “Just that we have a lot in common, Lia Porter.”
Chapter 11
Lia’s mouth was suddenly as dry as the Sahara Desert. What prompted her to offer her spare room? She’d been raised with good manners, but Kaden Vaughn was a virtual stranger. Her mother would be horrified if she found out.
Of course, he wasn’t actually staying in the loft, and she could lock the door at the bottom of the stairs, along with her bedroom door if she was worried. And honestly, she wasn’t. Not at all.
She had no idea why she felt as if she’d known this man her entire life. As if she’d sensed he was out there and she’d been waiting for the moment he would arrive and change her world.
Shoving away the strange and frankly scary sensations, Lia glanced out the passenger window toward the sky that was slowly being obscured by a bank of low, sullen clouds.
“Do you want to come in now?” she asked.
He sent her a quick smile, patting his stomach. “I think I’ll grab some lunch first. That pizza you suggested from Bella’s was delicious, but it’s long gone.”
“I have some chili in my slow cooker. There’s plenty if you want some.”
The offer escaped before she could halt the words. Just like they’d done when she asked him to stay in her spare bedroom. Had her mouth disconnected from her brain?
“It sounds perfect.”
He was pushing open his door and was out of the Jeep before she could change her mind. She followed behind, silently telling herself it was too late for regrets.
Not that the flutters in the pit of her stomach felt like regret. Just the opposite. They were perilously close to excitement.
She reached into her purse to pull out her keys, unlocking the back door and stepping into the hallway. Then, shuffling for yet another key, she unlocked the door that led to the narrow steps heading to her private apartment.
Taking the lead, she climbed the stairs, which creaked in protest. Thankfully, the wood-planked floor, which she’d had refurbished at the same time she’d removed most of the walls, was sturdy and there were no embarrassing squeaks or moans as she led Kaden through the living room to the kitchen.
“Nice.” Kaden pulled off his heavy coat, placing it on the back of her worn sofa as he turned in a slow circle. “I had my place built into a loft above my shop. I like the feeling of space. Plus, it’s convenient.”
She slid off her own coat and tossed it on the counter. “Sometimes too convenient.”
“No crap.”
The dry edge in his voice assured her that he was all too familiar with the urge to spend an extra hour working in the evening. Or using the early morning hours to take care of tedious tasks instead of enjoying a cup of coffee.
