A Time for Home: A Snowberry Creek Novel by Alexis Morgan Page A

tank top. No bra, either. Great. Odd how that one little thing made her feel so much more vulnerable.
    Nick was already at the door, leaving her no time to do anything but tough it out. She unlocked the dead bolt and opened the door.
    “Come on in.”
    He stepped inside but didn’t immediately remove his sunglasses, making it hard to tell what he was thinking. Well, that wasn’t true, either, given that his mouth had just curved up in a huge grin.
    “I brought breakfast as a peace offering, but I’m guessing I got you out of bed.”
    Could this get any more embarrassing? “No, my mother had that honor. She was calling to grill me about you staying next door. Seems it was the police chief who told the mayor, who then told my folks. Nothing like a small town for spreading gossip at the speed of light.”
    His smile faded a bit. “Was she upset?”
    “No, just a bit overprotective. Seriously, as long as I’m working in some other city, they don’t seem to have problems realizing I’m an adult. But five minutes after I walk back in this house, they want to set a curfew and meet every guy I date or, better yet, his parents. You know, to make sure he comes from good family.”
    Nick peeled off his sunglasses and hung them on the neckline of his shirt, a bit of devilment twinkling in his eyes. “I’ve been through my fair share of parental grilling and managed to convince most of them I was harmless.
    “However”—he paused to give her a long look from her polished pink toenails back up to her tousled hair—“I suspect right about now your dad would kick me to the curb for what I’m thinking.”
    Well, then. What could she say to that?
    She pointed toward the bag he’d set on the counter. “Can that wait long enough for me to take a quick shower and get dressed?”
    “The muffins were still warm when I bought them at Something’s Brewing in town. They’ll be fine, and it won’t matter if the coffee gets cold since you’ve made a fresh pot.”
    He glanced out toward the backyard and put his sunglasses back on. “I think I’d better wait outside. You know, to make sure Mooch doesn’t get in trouble.”
    Why did she think that was just an excuse? “It won’t take me long.”
    She watched as he whistled the dog back to his side and then tossed a stick for Mooch to fetch. Watching the man and his buddy engage in some rough-and-tumble play held her riveted. Then, as if sensing her watching them, Nick looked up at her over the top of his sunglasses briefly before throwing the stick again.
    Her face flushed hot, hopefully from embarrassment and not from a little misplaced lust. She stepped away from the door. What was she supposed to be doing? Oh, yeah, a shower, and maybe a cold one would be a real good idea.
    •   •   •
    Nick chased after Mooch, both man and dog enjoying the game even though they’d already gone on a long run earlier. But after seeing Callie all rumpled and fresh from her bed, Nick had a whole new kind of energy to burn off.
    Damn, that woman was temptation personified. Despite his firm resolve to keep things strictly platonic, it had been all he could do to walk back outside without kissing her senseless. Did she have any idea how sexy she was? His mind conjured up the image of her standing in the kitchen, her long legs tanned and bare, the thin cotton of her white tank top doing little to disguise the dusky tips of her breasts.
    Nick tossed the stick as far as he could send it. While Mooch chased it down, Nick stared up at the bright blue sky. “Spence, buddy, I could sure use some help here.”
    No response, but then he wasn’t really expecting one. Maybe he’d be better off concentrating on something else. He’d already done a thorough search of Spence’s yard with the help of Mooch’s nose. If someone had really been prowling the place last night, he hadn’t found any sign of it. That didn’t necessarily mean no one had been there. The gravel driveway wouldn’t show