Before she could lower her gaze in correspondence with her blush of pleasure, he caught her chin. "G.o.d, you look as pretty in the morning as I thought you would."

His face was only inches from her own, and she found that she couldn't look away. Up close, his eyes were even more beautiful. He didn't look like a man who hadn't slept. He looked like he was used to being up at this time of the morning and was ready for anything.

Abruptly, he turned away, back out to the hall and called "Cam."

Bethany snapped back to reality and panicked. Had he brought a friend to her apartment this early in the morning? She was still in her robe!

His friend's breathing could be heard before she actually saw him, and then a big German Shepherd appeared in her doorway. Bethany was so relieved, she almost burst into tears. "Oh, he's beautiful."

The dog was almost all white except for a few gray and black hairs here and there, in his ears especially. Kneeling down, she took the dog's head in her hands and stroked the coa.r.s.e hair on top, which he seemed to enjoy immensely.

"This is your dog?" she asked Rod, smiling as the dog panted loudly and tried to lick her face.

"No, he's my sister's. His name's Cameron. You don't mind, do you? He wanted to get out of the house."

"Of course not, but you better bring him in. Pets aren't allowed in the building."

She stood and locked the door once the both of them were inside. Rod shrugged out of his jacket, leaving him in only a textured leather vest that made his skin look like pure silk.

Wrapping her arms around her chest, suddenly unsure, Bethany watched him toss his jacket carelessly over a chair.

"Is that coffee I smell?" he asked, a bold self-invitation that she was grateful for and a little amazed by. She found it difficult to ask someone to return her possessions if she'd loaned them out months before. Rod seemed to be comfortable and confident everywhere.

"Yes. Would you like some?"

He grinned, looking like a little boy again. "Please."

If she'd had the nerve, she would have kissed him right there and then, he was so irresistible. But instead her face flamed. She led him into the kitchen.

"I don't think I've ever seen six o'clock in the morning before. So this is what it looks like."

"When do you usually sleep?" she asked quietly, taking down a mug and carefully pouring coffee into it.

Rod leaned against the counter near her, taking the mug when she offered it. "Depends on what the work's like at the shop. But I usually go to bed around one in the morning and get up around ten."

The mere idea horrified Bethany, but she didn't say anything about it.

Somehow it seemed immature to say that she could barely keep her eyes open after 9:30 at night.

"Have you eaten? I could make you breakfast." It would make things easier on her. She'd have something to do with her hands.

"What do you have in mind?"

The way he looked at her reminded her of what he'd said last night. About her making breakfast for him.

"Anything. I could make you waffles if you like."

Turning toward her, Rod smiled slightly. "Really? You'd make me waffles?"

"If you like them."

"They're my favorite."

Whether or not he was saying it just to be nice, she wasn't sure. But she'd make him the best waffles he'd ever taste. "OK. You can sit down. I'll have them ready in a few minutes."

As she reached for a cookbook, a little relieved that he'd moved away, it occurred to her she shouldn't be cooking in front of him in only her mid-thigh robe and pajamas. "Maybe I should get dressed," she said, setting down the cookbook.

"Hey, no! Give me something to do, huh? I like looking at your legs."

When her mouth opened in shock, he grinned. "You're properly covered, Bethany. You wouldn't cover up your pretty face, would you?"

The idea of Rod staring at her legs while she cooked unnerved her, but since she didn't own a single pair of slacks, even if she changed, her legs would be bare.

Turning away from him mutely, she began preparing the waffles, trying not to think about him behind her, perhaps watching her.

In an unpretentious way, Bethany could admit to herself she was attractive.

Attractive to businessmen and lawyers. Wild men thought she was a novelty, but she'd discovered that most of them preferred ostentatious women who felt comfortable displaying their privates in public. Rod would be interested in her until everything was revealed. She knew that even if she could see him as nothing except adorably genuine.

After adding a splash of vanilla to the waffle batter, she started cooking them. Blueberries and a sprig of fresh parsley added to the beauty of the plate she set in front of Rod with the syrup.

A quick compliment on how good it looked was all the ado he gave before he dug in. Bethany smiled because she felt appreciated when men enjoyed her cooking. Rod ate all she set before him, as though he hadn't eaten in days.

"You're a good cook," he said as she poured the last of the second batch into the waffle maker.

"My brother taught me. He's the only one I usually cook for."

Rod grinned, setting down his fork. "So you're used to making a lot?"

"Well, yes. Randy's over 6'4, almost 250 pounds of muscle."

Getting up, Rod brought his mug over to help himself more coffee. "6'4?

How'd a tiny little thing like you get a brother that huge?"

She blushed, unable to answer, because he was looking her body over as closely as he would something he was considering buying.

"Is that the last one?" He indicated the waffle she removed from the iron.

She nodded.

"Did you have breakfast yet?"

"No, but I can make more--"

Without any compunction, he opened cupboards until he found a plate, then a fork. "Sit down."

Bethany was so surprised, she did as he instructed and allowed him to serve her. Setting a plate every bit as beautiful as she'd set before him, he sat next to her, put syrup on the waffle, and cut a piece for her. Embarra.s.sed and flattered when he lifted the fork to her mouth, she accepted the bite without looking directly at him. After that, he allowed her to feed herself as he poured her a fresh cup of coffee.

"Thank you. You don't need to serve me," she said softly, dabbing her mouth with a napkin.

"Thank you, sweetness. No one's ever cooked for me before. Except at restaurants, but then I have to pay them for it."

"No one? Not even your sister or your mother?" Bethany was strangely saddened by his revelation.

"Josie doesn't have time to cook, and I suppose my old lady must've cooked for me when I was about. . .two. But I moved out when I was twelve. Blackie kept us fed with take-out."

She remembered from last night's dinner conversation that one of his friend's names was Blackie.. "None of your girlfriends could cook?" Out of the thousands, there wasn't one who had tried the-way-to-a-man's-heart-is-through-the-stomach?

"None of them were the type." Indolently, he wrapped a strand of her hair around his index finger. "You didn't have to either, but it was nice of you."

She could feel the slight tugging at the roots of her hair, and it made her long for a real touch from his hand. Or his mouth.

Disconcerted, afraid of her own thoughts, she mumbled, "I didn't mind at all" and took another bite of her cooling waffle. She managed to get a little more than half of it down with the b.u.t.terflies already occupying her stomach, then Rod gave the rest to the dog.

"Are dogs supposed to eat waffles?" she asked, slightly alarmed as she watched Cameron wolf it down.

Rod shrugged. "He'll eat anything you give him. I give him donuts all the time."

"But his teeth. . ."

"Josie brings him in to have 'em cleaned every couple months. Whenever she's home."

Bethany stood up, gathering the dirty dishes into a pile. "I didn't know there were dog dentists."

For some reason, Rod burst into laughter at her comment, which made her feel silly. She brought the dishes to the dishwasher and began to load, taking the plate Cameron had been eating from when Rod brought it to her.

"Is Josie your sister's name?" she asked quietly.

"Her name is JoJo. I call her Josie--she hates it." He gave a wicked, boyish grin before turning back to the table.

"You know, I was thinking," he said a second later, handing her their coffee mugs. "I'd like you to meet my friends, Jon and Blackie."

"Oh?" was all she could utter. She wasn't ready for friends, she wasn't even comfortable with him yet.

"Yeah. They're down in Milwaukee, but that's only a couple hours.

It's. . .what? 6:30? We could be down there by ten at the latest."

Bethany straightened to look at him. He couldn't be serious, could he? "I don't know. It's a long drive there. And back."

"We could stay overnight. Or not, cuz it's not that far to me. I don't mind the drive."

There was no way she would feel comfortable spending the night, whatever that might entail to him. But when he said "What do you say?" as eagerly as a child Christmas morning, she found herself unable to do anything except agree.

"But I can't stay overnight."

"No problem. I'll bring you back tonight."

Closing the dishwasher and starting the cycle, Bethany murmured, "I'll go get dressed then."

"Wear something warm. It might get cold later."

That made her worry that the first winter storm would come on this crazy jaunt to Milwaukee, though it was only early November. Actually, it wouldn't be terrible, she decided, locking her bedroom door and going to her closet. Winter was her favorite season, despite the cold temperatures she had to walk to work and home in. She loved it when it snowed, even blizzards. She wouldn't mind being with Rod when the first winter snow came. It would be all the more magical.

Removing her robe and silk pajamas, she put on a bra that matched her underwear, and shimmery pantyhose. Nothing in her closet was appropriate for meeting his friends. She didn't even know their destination. It could be someone's house, a bar, or anywhere.

Maybe she should have refused to meet his friends so early in their relationship, but it fit into Rod's personality. He seemed to move fast on everything. How many of his girlfriends had met his friends? Did it mean anything that he wanted her to meet them?

The only thing remotely "wild" in her closet was a white leather skirt.

Even that was more sophisticated on her than wild. She put it on with a light pink sweater and white pumps, then quickly applied a little make-up. The drive would be long, so they had to get going soon.

The b.u.t.terflies in her stomach fluttered in agitation before they'd even gotten in his car. She wouldn't fit in with his friends, and she'd be the first to admit it. What if they hated her? What if they were mean? Would Rod leave her to find her own ride home if he chose his girlfriends on the basis of his friends' approval?

Her terror must have shown on her face, because Rod said, "They're gonna love you, Bethany. Don't worry about it."

He seemed so sure, so intent on making certain she was a.s.sured of it.

Whatever came of it, Rod did like her now. A man didn't look at a woman the way he was looking at her if he didn't like her a little. She already liked him so much, everything seemed to matter. His views on having babies mattered to her!

Instead of turning to start the car, he leaned forward and kissed her mouth, feather soft. Before she even comprehended what he was doing it was over.

Then she was trembling and aching, certain he'd be the love of her life, even if it meant lost love.

Rod's personal speed limit was 70 to 75 mph, and he'd never had an accident or gotten a ticket. They arrived at Rainbow Nights a little before ten. They'd stopped at a few gas stations to stretch and so Bethany could use the rest room.

Surprisingly, he wasn't half-dead with fatigue, the way he'd be any other time. He decided he didn't need sleep if he had Bethany Briggs in his life.

"Can we go in this way?" she asked as they went in the back entrance of the nightclub, to the apartment.

Cameron ran in ahead of them, and they heard a voice from the living room.

Bethany glanced back at Rod warily.

Oh baby, she looked so soft and pretty in that sweater. Her face was so tiny, framed by her silky blond hair. He wanted to hug her until she stopped being nervous. Who couldn't love her? She was completely irresistible.

Lori came out of the living room with Cam. "Hi. I thought JoJo was home."

The owner of Rainbow Nights, Jerry Gordon, hadn't raised a shy daughter.

Lori was street-smart and disillusioned by everything--at the age of fifteen--except Blackie. He was like a G.o.d to her.