“Yes, Mom was beautiful.”
When Cassie began walking away, he strolled beside her, noticing several other photographs of her parents together and some included her. In every one of them John was smiling in a way Brandon had never seen before. To say the man had found true happiness with Ava would be an understatement. The image portrayed on each picture was of a couple who was very much in love, and the ones that included Cassie indicated just how much they loved their daughter, as well.
When they approached another room she stood back to let him enter. His breath literally caught in his throat. On both sides of the narrow but lengthy room were high mahogany cabinets that encased floor-to-ceiling aquariums, each one designed to hide the aquarium frames and waterlines, they were filled with an abundance of tropical and coldwater sea life, seemingly behind a glass wall.
“So what do you think?”
The sound of her voice seemed subdued, but it had a sexy tone just the same. He turned to her. “I think your mother was a very lucky woman to have your father care so deeply to do this for her.”
Cassie chuckled. “Oh, Dad knew what would make Mom happy. She had a degree in marine biology and for years worked as a marine biologist at the largest mineral management company on the island.”
“Your mother worked?” he asked before he could stop himself.
Cassie didn’t seem surprised by his question. “Yes, Mom worked although Dad tried convincing her not to. She enjoyed what she did and she refused to be a kept woman.”
At his raised brow, she explained. “My parents never married. He was already married when they met. However they stayed together for over twenty-eight years.”
Surprised she had shared that, he asked, “And he never got a divorce from his wife?”
“No. I think at one time he intended to do so when their children got older, but by then things were too complicated.”
“Your mother never pushed for a divorce?”
Cassie shook her head. “No. She was comfortable with her place in my father’s life as well as his love for her. She didn’t need a wedding band or a marriage certificate.”
He nodded slowly and deliberately met her gaze when he asked. “What about you? Will you need a wedding band or marriage certificate from a man?”
She grinned. “No, nor do I want one, either. I’m married to the hotel.”
“And what about companionship?” he murmured softly, his head tilting to one side as he gazed intently at her. “And what about the idea and thought of a man being here for you? A person who will be there for you to snuggle up to at night. Someone with whom you can get intimate with?”
If the intent of his latter questions were meant to arouse her, it was definitely working, Cassie thought, when a vivid picture flashed through her mind of the two of them sharing a bed, snuggling, making love. Shivers slid down her body and the passion she saw in his eyes was incredibly seductive, too tempting for her well-being.
Trying to maintain her composure with as much effort as she could, she said, “Those happen to be ideas or thoughts that don’t cross my mind.”
He lifted a dark brow. “They don’t?”
“No.”
“Umm, what a shame.”
“I don’t think so. Now please excuse me a moment. I need to check on dinner.”
She turned and swiftly left the aquarium.
The moment Cassie rounded the corner to her kitchen she paused and leaned against a counter and inhaled deeply. She had quickly left Brandon because her self-confidence would have gotten badly shaken had she stayed.
He had asked questions she’d only recently thought about herself, but only since meeting him. Last night she had gotten her first experience of a real kiss. She had been filled with the intensity of desire and had never felt such passion. And for the first time in her life she had longed for male companionship, someone to snuggle up close to at night. Someone with whom she could make love. The very thought sent heated shivers down her spine.
Grabbing the apron off a nearby rack and tying it around her waist, Cassie moved away from the counter and went to the sink to wash her hands. She then walked over to the stove where she had a pot simmering…the same way she was simmering inside. It was a low heat that if she wasn’t careful, could escalate into a full-fledged flame. And truthfully, she wasn’t ready for that.
Four
Following the smell of a delicious aroma, Brandon tracked his way to the kitchen and suddenly paused. He had seen a lot of feminine beauty in his day, but Cassie Garrison took the cake. Even wearing an apron while standing at a stove stirring a pot, she looked stunning.
She was wearing her hair up but a few errant curls had escaped bondage and were hanging about her ears. Because of her peasant blouse, the top portion of her shoulders was bare and a part of him wanted to cross the room and kiss her, then take his lips and move downward toward her throat and place butterfly kisses along her shoulder blades.
“Something smells good,” he said, deciding to finally speak up to remove such lusty thoughts from his mind.
She turned and smiled and not for the first time he thought she had a pretty pair of lips, ones that had felt well-defined beneath his.
“I hope you’re hungry.”
He chuckled. “I am. I missed lunch today.”
She lifted a brow. “And how did that happen when our brunch buffet is to die for?”
It wouldn’t do to tell her that he had missed lunch because he had gotten a call from one of the Miami Garrisons, namely her brother Stephen. “I can believe that. In the two days I’ve been here I’ve found your hotel staff to be very efficient at everything they do. The reason I missed out on what I’m sure was such a very delicious meal was I got a call from the office on a few things I needed to finalize.”
“Don’t they know you’re on vacation? My father’s rule was to tell the office to hold the calls when you’re taking a much-needed break from work, unless it was an extreme emergency.”
“Sounds like your father was a smart man.”
“He was,” Cassie said proudly as her lips formed into another smile. “You would have liked him.”
I did, Brandon quickly thought. He leaned against one of the many counters in the kitchen and asked. “So what are you cooking?”
“A number of dishes for you to enjoy. Right now I’m stirring the conch chowder. I’ve also prepared crab and rice, baked macaroni and cheese and potato salad. For dessert I decided to give you a taste of my grandmother’s famous recipe of guava duff.”
Brandon felt his lips curve, thinking he wouldn’t mind having a taste of her, too. That thought instantly sent his pulse thumping wildly. “Anything I can do to help?” he asked, thinking the best thing to do to keep his mind from wandering was to get busy.
“Let me see…” She said glancing around the room. “I’ve already washed everything if you want to put the salad together in a bowl.”
Relief swept through him, glad she had found him something to do. If he were to continue to stand there and look at her while having all kinds of sexual thoughts, he couldn’t be held responsible for his actions.
“Considering my skills in the kitchen, doing what you asked should be reasonably safe,” he said, moving toward the sink to wash his hands.
Moments later he was standing at the counter putting the lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers and onions in a huge bowl for their tossed salad. Knowing he needed to use all the time he had to get to know her, or to find out everything he could about her, he asked, “So, why are you still single, Cassie?”
“Why are you?”
Brandon could tell by her tone that he had once again put her on the defensive. To counter the effect he
