Drake Sisters 02 - The Twilight Before Christmas

you feel about me?”
    “I’ve made that pretty damn clear, Kate.”
    “Have you? I know you’re attracted to me physical y.”
    He gave a smal snort of derision. “Is that what you cal it? I haven’t had a good night’s sleep since I looked at you when you were fifteen years old. I hate admitting that. I shouldn’t have been looking at you, but I did, and I just knew. I’ve had more dreams about you, more fantasies, than any man should admit to having.” He pul ed the car into the driveway of his yard and turned off the engine before facing her. “Hel , Kate, if you didn’t know, you’re the only person in this town who didn’t. Jonas asked me last night if I was stalking you.”
    “He wouldn’t do that. You’re his friend. He must have been kidding.”
    “With his hand on his gun. Afraid not, and here you are, at my house, al alone with me. Are you coming in?”
    “Am I supposed to be afraid now?”
    “I thought my fantasies might scare you off.”
    “Did you?” Kate slid out of the car. The wind whipped her hair around and tugged at her clothes. “Actual y I’m intrigued.”
    His entire body reacted to her sultry tone. Maybe she didn’t mean it the way it sounded, but he was going to take her words as an invitation to love her every way a man could love a woman.
    Kate smiled to herself as she went up the stairs to his home. It was situated on the bluff above the ocean, his deck wrapping around the house providing a view from every direction. The house itself was obviously built for a man of Matt’s size. The ceilings were vaulted, there were few wal s, so the space seemed enormous, one room running directly into the next. His furniture suited the house, casual, yet overstuffed to go with the dimensions of the house.
    “It’s so beautiful, Matthew. I love al the bay windows and the alcoves and the way everything is so spacious. Did you design it?”
    He felt a little glow of pleasure. “Yes, I wanted a home I was comfortable living in day in and day out. I need space. Even the doorways are wider and tal er than normal, so I don’t always feel as if I might have to duck.”
    “I love the open beams and the rock fireplace. This is what I had in mind for my house, or at least something very similar. I love the beams and the natural-looking fireplace in the mil .” She turned to smile at him. “We do have very similar taste.”
    His heart did a curious somersault in his chest. He gripped the edge of the door. “I think so. It should be easy to come up with a design you’l real y fal in love with.” He said the words deliberately.
    Kate stil ed and turned her head to look at him. The movement was graceful and elegant. So Kate. He ached, just looking at her. Color swept her face. She glanced from him to the tal Christmas tree in his front room. It was a silver tip, beautiful and decorated with lights and a few ornaments. “Did you put up your tree?”
    “I brought in the tree and hung the lights. Mom insisted I get ornaments. She said I was supposed to have a theme, but I just picked up ones I liked.”
    Kate wandered around the tree. One of the ornaments was a wooden house carved by a local artist. She was surprised and pleased to see it was her cliff house. She didn’t comment on the ornament, but she hoped it meant he’d been thinking of her when he’d bought the miniature replica of her home.
    “This is my favorite room. I spend a lot of time in here. My office is straight ahead, and I have a large library. I cal it a library; Danny and Jonas cal it my den.” He grinned at her. “They talked me into a pool table.”
    She laughed. “Of course they did. I’l bet they had to twist your arm.”
    Matt hastily gathered up a few shirts he’d tossed aside earlier in the week. There was an old pizza box on the coffee table along with an empty doughnut box overturned beside a half-ful coffee cup.
    Kate grinned at him. “I see you’re into health food.”
    “I actual y like to cook. I used to cook al the time for the men in my unit.” He opened a door, tossed his shirts inside without looking where they landed, and hastily closed the door to gather up the dirty boxes and coffee cup. “I haven’t been home much. Dad’s running a big job, and al of us have been working to bring it in on time.”
    “Matthew.” Kate put her hand lightly on his arm. “Are you nervous?”
    He stood there looking down at her upturned face. Her enormous soft eyes. Her tempting mouth. Could she be