Calculated Risk by Elaine Raco Chase

Author:Elaine Raco Chase [Chase, Elaine Raco]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Contemporary, Romance
ISBN: 9780786217373
Google: 2guinjdez0wC
Goodreads: 9866666
Publisher: Thorndike Pr
Published: 1983-12-01T05:00:00+00:00

The aroma of freshly brewed coffee stirred Stevie from sensual lethargy. Eyes closed, she stretched like a satisfied kitten, content and serene. Her cheek snuggled against the plump pillow, her nose inhaling Quintin’s clean, masculine scent from the apricot cotton.

Reaching for him, Stevie found the bed empty. She sat up, blinking the room into focus. “Quintin?” Her voice revealed her anxiety.

“Stay right there,” he shouted. “Don’t move a muscle or you’ll spoil my surprise.”

Laughing at her initial panic, she propped the pillows behind her back and pulled the sheets into a modest cover that shielded her nude form. “What are you up to?”

The bedroom door was kicked open. “Breakfast in bed.” Quintin grinned, displaying a white wicker bed tray, its contents hidden beneath a large white linen napkin. “While you were snoring away –“ his eyebrows jiggled in amusement “—I was slaving over a hot oven to bring you the ultimate indulgence.”

She looked curiously at the cranberry velour robe that wrapped his virile length. “You’ve already been home?”

He placed the tray across her legs and sat on the edge of the bed. “I wanted to get that out of the way so our time wouldn’t be interrupted.” His dark eyes feasted on her sleepy beauty.

His hand splayed through the vibrant russet waves, fingers gently straightening the tumbled curls. His lips bestowed fourteen quick butter-soft kisses, one on each of the freckles that spangled across her nose. “I hated to fall asleep last night,” Quintin whispered, his beard-roughened cheek nuzzling the smooth curve of her jaw. “I wanted to hold you, touch you, kiss you. I was so afraid I was dreaming.”

“You weren’t dreaming.” Her arms circled his neck, her lips warm and passionate as they enjoyed reuniting with his mouth. “Was I dreaming this morning or did we –“

His forefinger patted the tip of her straight nose. “I needed something to get me motivated or you would have never gotten this delectable breakfast.” With a flourish, Quintin lifted the napkin covering. “Hot croissants, French-roast coffee and mimosas, plus a stem of January jasmine from my garden.

Stevie lifted the yellow flower, inhaling the heady fragrance of the gelsemium. She smiled at him. “I hadn’t realized you were such a gourmet.”

Quintin tucked the dainty sprig behind her ear. “To be honest, I raided my own kitchen. My housekeeper will find the bread box and the refrigerator a little lighter than they were last night.” Shedding the robe, he moved around the bed and slid beneath the covers.

They fed each other oven-warmed croissants dripping with butter and piqued with raspberry jam. The coffee was rich and mellow but it was the mimosas, orange juice dignified with cognac and bubbled by champagne that kept them in bed until late in the afternoon.

“There, Quint, now you know all about Stephanie Brandt from birth to age thirty and a half.” She pressed a kiss against his chest. “Quintin? Quint!” Coming up on one elbow, she scrutinized his sleeping face. “Well really.” Stevie sniffed and pretended annoyance. “The man asks for my life story and has the nerve to fall asleep.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.