Stevie lifted up onto an elbow and looked at him. “Please, don’t make me ashamed of how I live. It works for me. I like my job and get more satisfaction out of what I do for these kids than most people will ever experience with their high paying jobs. So, it’s worth it to me.”
He brushed a lock of hair out of her eyes. “Fine. But I’m buying you some lingerie.”
Her eyes revealed her surprise. “I don’t need lingerie,” she pointed out.
His smile was slow and sexy. “I don’t care what you need. The lingerie would be for me.” He leaned forward to nibble on her neck.
“You’re horrible,” she laughed.
He got up and walked into the bathroom, still chuckling. But as soon as he saw his image in the mirror, Janus knew that he was in trouble. Big trouble! His expression looked too far gone for having only spent two nights in her bed. But Stevie felt right. She made him laugh, he loved touching her and feeling her climax around him was literally heaven on earth. She was light and happiness.
Janus felt his heart pound at the realization of how much he liked Stevie. Already, Stevie had become…essential. He might not like that reality, but it was the truth.
Sighing, he washed up and contemplated life with Stevie. She never mentioned his football career and it was nice to just…be himself. It sometimes felt like everyone in the Seattle area wanted to be armchair quarterbacks. Janus considered the comments of the fans part of the job, a part of the job that he didn’t like, but still part of the job. Every play, every toss was fair game for analysis, from sports writers to high school football coaches to the people sitting on the couch watching him play.
But Stevie…she’d never offered him advice. In fact, she never talked about football at all, although she probably heard about his efforts when she listened to the news.
Even as he thought about her lack of critique on his football performance, he relaxed even more. It was nice. Really nice, to just be with Stevie. He wasn’t a celebrity. He wasn’t a football player. And he definitely wasn’t a cash cow to her. She liked him. Him the man. Just being with her was pretty damn nice, but add in the fact that she liked the real guy, that only increased his amazement.
“Are you okay?” she called out from the bedroom.
Janus jerked, realizing that he’d been lost in thought.
“I’m great,” he replied and finished washing his hands. He came out of the bathroom only to find that Stevie had pulled on a tee shirt. “What’s that for?” he asked, sliding his hands underneath the soft cotton. “You know that we’re not done yet, right?”
She laughed and the sound sent another bolt of lust through him.
“I learned last night never to assume anything when it comes to you, Janus,” she replied, her hands sliding up his chest.
He smiled. “You’re starting to understand me pretty well.”
Chapter 4
Stevie hummed happily as she scrubbed her kitchen floor, wondering if she’d see Janus tonight. He’d had to rush this morning, kissing her tenderly before saying, “I have to go do my thing this afternoon. I will see you later!” Then he’d kissed her again and ran out the door. It had barely been dawn when he’d left and Stevie had wondered about that. It was Sunday!
She stopped scrubbing and knelt back against her feet, staring at nothing as a thought occurred to her. She didn’t really know what he did for a living. Was he a minister? It was Sunday! How many people had to work on Sunday?
No! That didn’t make sense! There was no way Janus was a minister! The idea just did not compute.
So, what did he do for a living? She looked down at her half-scrubbed floor and sighed. “I’ll ask him the next time I see him,” she muttered as she continued scrubbing. Unfortunately, as much as she loved having a clean home, the process didn’t distract her from her questions. What did Janus do for a living? And what did he mean that he’d see her later? When was “later”? In her mind, she’d love for him to come back here after he finished whatever it was that he did on Sunday.
But did that mean that he was coming over after whatever he had to do at his office? Or did that mean that she’d see him later this week? Unfortunately, she obviously didn’t know him well enough yet to be able to interpret his comments. She certainly hoped that he’d come over tonight. Why wouldn’t he? He’d been pretty ravenous last night. And this morning, she reminded herself with a smile.
The phone startled her out of her contemplation. She picked her cell phone and glanced at the phone number. She didn’t recognize it, and normally, she ignored phone calls from numbers she didn’t know. But this might be Janus, so she answered with a smile and a happy, “Hello!”
Was he already finished with whatever he needed to do? Was he on his way back now? She glanced at the clock. It was barely two o’clock. How long did he work normally?
There was a moment’s pause at the other end of the phone call and she almost hung up, assuming the call was a telemarketing robocall. “Ms. Hunt? Ms. Stevie Hunt?”
That still sounded like the introduction to a robocall and she reached for the hang up button, ready to simply end the call. But then she heard, “This is Gail at Providence Regional Medical Center. I’m calling to–”
Providence Hospital? Stevie didn’t hear the rest of the woman’s sentence. Instead, she heard a ringing in her ears. Providence Hospital was in Snohomish County,
