But seriously, if he didn’t know better, he’d think there was some magical force bringing the couples together at the inn, and Pamina, along with her cat, was somehow behind it all.
Not wanting to disturb the other members of the household, he quietly opened the door and stepped inside. As he shut it, he noticed the way his hands had begun to shake. Jesus, he couldn’t believe how nervous he felt.
Nerves, however, played no part in tonight’s seduction. After reading all those romance novels, it was glaringly apparent what kind of man Anna liked and what kind she didn’t. Right now, with his knees knocking and his heart pounding, he definitely fit into the latter.
Gathering himself, he drove his hands into his pockets and bolted upstairs. Once inside the room, he lit the candles, started a fire in the newly designed fireplace and then stepped back to take in the ambiance. He’d spent hours preparing the room to make it just right for Anna—a woman like Anna deserved nothing but the best—and he prayed she’d be pleased with his efforts. Once he was personally satisfied with the setting, he opened a bottle of wine to let it breathe, before making his way downstairs to gather the rest of the supplies.
Five minutes later he stood waiting at the foot of the stairs, trying to quiet his pounding heart. The shoes tapping a steady beat on the walkway outside heralded Anna’s approach. He drew a calming breath as Anna climbed the steps and pushed open the front door. The sight of her perfect body, silhouetted by the golden streetlights, made him quake in anticipation. She was about to flick on the switch when he stepped forward and put his hand over hers to stop her. He wanted her all to himself and was not about to draw unnecessary attention to them.
“Hi, Anna.”
“Hi,” she murmured, sounding breathless and looking a little startled to see him waiting for her. “You got here fast.”
He put his mouth closer to hers and whispered, “That’s because I didn’t want to waste a minute.” He pressed against her and could feel heat rising in her body.
“You…uh…you wanted to show me something?”
He gathered her hand in his and led her to the staircase. “I think everyone is still working. We should be quiet so we don’t disturb them.”
“Okay.” She lowered her voice to match his. “They’re probably staying overnight. Sometimes when we’re on a deadline, we don’t like to waste time traveling.”
He arched a curious brow. “So no one would think it odd if you stayed overnight?”
“No, not at all. Why?” Anna tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, and blinked up at him.
“No reason.” None that he wanted to share right now, anyway. If things went according to plan, neither one of them would be going anywhere tonight. But if she got caught with him in the morning, he didn’t want her to feel uncomfortable. She was a private person, and he respected that.
Padding softly they climbed the stairs, and Daniel led her down the hall, anxious to pick up where they’d left off at his place. He pushed open the door, and ushered her inside. When Anna gasped and put her hand on her chest, he couldn’t help but smile, pleasure welling up inside him.
“Daniel, it’s beautiful,” she said, her eyes wide in surprise as she took in the room and drew a breath to pull in the aroma from jasmine-scented candles. “So elegant and romantic.” She turned to see the fireplace, now fully restored and brandishing a blazing fire. “You’ve been busy.”
She stepped farther into the room and stopped abruptly when she noticed the small round table set for two, a bottle of wine chilling in a bucket of ice water, and a fruit and cheese tray in the center of the table.
“So I take it this is what you wanted to show me?”
He laughed lightly, but it sounded edgy, even to him. He tried to tamp down his nerves as he stepped up behind her. He pressed her against his chest, and his cock brushed along the small of her back.
“Well, yes. Among other things,” he murmured.
“I see…”
And see she did, because the tremble in her body told him she knew exactly what he was referring to.
He turned her in his arms. “You said you wanted to design a room that inspired romance. So I figured we should try it ourselves first. If it can’t inspire romance and seduction for us, then it’s not going to inspire it for others, right?”
“So, this is all about research then?”
“I take my job seriously, Anna. And I like to leave my clients very, very satisfied.”
He listened to her throat as she swallowed. “Leaving a client satisfied is pretty essential in a small town.” His gaze fixed on her lips as she wet them with the soft blade of her tongue. “Where word of mouth is most crucial.”
Speaking of mouths…
“Most crucial indeed.” Daniel slid his hand down her back, enjoying the feel of her curves, and guided her to the table. He pulled out the chair and gestured with a nod. “Have a seat.”
As she obliged, he walked over to the radio and turned on the music. A soft romantic tune filled the air as embers sparked in the fireplace, drifting upward and creating warm shadows over Anna’s face.
She smiled up at him. “Everything looks gorgeous.”
“Yes, everything does,” he said sincerely as they exchanged a long lingering look.
She toyed with the stem of the wine glass and glanced past his shoulder at the fire. “I never
