Return To Sender (The Hart Brothers #2) - J. S. Cooper Page 0,1

to go away for a bit. I’ll leave you instructions on what to do while I’m gone.”

“What do you mean, go away for a bit?”

“I mean I have to take a trip. I need to take care of some business.” His eyes shifted away from me. “I’ll be gone a week or two, maybe more.”

“I see.” Though I really didn’t. Why hadn’t he mentioned this trip before? He was my boss— surely it would have slipped that he had a business trip today? What was going on here?

“Are you going to miss me?” he teased as he took a step into the shower.

“Hmmm, I’m not sure.” I splashed him with some water. “I’m trying to shower, Wade.”

“Don’t you mean, The Wade?”

“No, there is no way I’m calling you The Wade.” I rolled my eyes. “Or The Wade Hart, either.” I gasped as he pulled me toward him and kissed my neck. “Don’t you think you should take your boxers off?”

“I thought you could do that for me.” He chuckled as his hand slid around my waist. “And then there are a few more things you could do for me as well.” His hand moved down to my ass and squeezed. “Though maybe we should get you some real food first. We need to ensure you’ve got enough energy.”

“I think I’d like that.” My stomach growled in agreement.

“Are you hungry or just really excited to see me?” He chuckled and brushed back the wet hair that was plastered across my face so that he could stare into my eyes. “Sometimes I look at you and I can’t quite believe how beautiful you are.”

“I’m not beautiful.” I reached up and touched his face. “You’re the beautiful one.”

He grinned. “I prefer the term handsome.”

“Why? Don’t you like to be called beautiful?”

“Ruggedly sexy, yes. Handsome as sin, yes. Sex on legs, yes. Beautiful, no.” He wrinkled his nose. “Beauty is delicate and sweet, like you. I’m anything but.”

“So, you’re saying you’re not delicate and sweet?”

“Would you say that I’m delicate and sweet?”

“No.” I chewed on my lower lip and pressed myself against him. “Is there anything you want to tell me, Wade?” I asked softly, praying he would laugh and say something like, Savannah, I never intended on falling in love and you’ve ruined my lifelong dream of being a bachelor. That would make everything okay. That would mean that he wasn’t messed up in anything bad.

“Tell you?” He looked confused. “You mean like what I want to eat tomorrow?”

“No.” I grabbed the soap and looked away from him. Did he really think I cared about what he wanted to eat tomorrow? As if feeding him were the first thing on my mind after giving myself to him for the first time in my life. Thanks for taking my virginity, Wade. Oh, and would you like fries with that?

I bit down on my lower lip to stifle a giggle that threatened to burst out of me. It wasn’t funny, really, but I felt like I was on the verge of hysteria. My body was still buzzing from what Wade and I had just done, and I wanted a moment to enjoy it before I started to analyze the conversation I’d just heard. So much had happened, so many thoughts and feelings were rushing through me, and I felt like I needed a chance to catch up.

“Savannah, are you okay?” Wade’s voice was soft, but there was a strange harshness to his expression. “Are you upset? Do you regret what we did?” He sounded sad. “Do you think I took advantage of—”

“Not at all.” I stepped forward and touched his chest. “I wanted you. I wanted you to be my first. I wanted it all.”

“Good.” He leaned down and kissed me. “You’re a special girl, Savannah.”

I wanted to ask him if that was really true, but I didn’t dare. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to know the answer. Sometimes it was better to not ask questions if you weren’t sure if you’d like the answers.

Chapter 2

The warm sunlight on my face woke me up, and I stretched happily in the luxurious sheets before turning on my side. I frowned when I noticed that Wade’s side of the bed was empty.

I listened for the sound of water running in the bathroom, but I heard nothing, so he wasn’t in the shower. I sat up in the bed and carefully pulled down the sheets to study my naked body. I looked the same, even if I