His Unexpected Lover (The Thorpe Brothers) by Elizabeth Lennox Read Free Book Online Page A

put her shoes on, carrying them downstairs instead.  She felt a bit silly walking barefoot through Axel’s domain.  But she couldn’t deny that she was fascinated by all that she was seeing.  His large, spacious house was a far cry from the undecorated apartment he’d lived in before.  This house even had plants!  She loved indoor plants, thinking they gave an area a sense of vibrancy and health.  She’d always had plants in her living areas until she’d moved to San Francisco.  At that point, she knew she wasn’t going to be living there forever so she hadn’t wanted to have plants that might not get the attention they needed with her long hours of work. 
    After searching through the other rooms and not feeling guilty in the slightest, s he found Axel in the kitchen and almost swooned with the space and light not to mention the ultra-sleek kitchen equipment.  She stared at the convection ovens and the shiny stove with six burners and all the newest gadgets that made cooking so much fun. 
    And then there was Axel cooking.  Still without a darn shirt and looking so delicious that her mouth almost fell open.  She should have been prepared for that.  He’d shown up in the bedroom doorway without a shirt, why would he stop and put one on now?  It was Saturday, he was obviously relaxed in his home and wanting to be comfortable.  It didn’t matter that his bare chest was making her very, very uncomfortable. 
    Looking around, she was stunned by how homey and yet still spacious this kitchen felt.  The stone and brick should normally be one or the other, but the two seemed to mesh together perfectly, reminding one that this was an older home, a place that had protected generations of families over the years.  The hardwood floors were probably original to the house, but had been sanded and stained to a glossy finish, adding warmth to the whole atmosphere.
    She turned and faced the man, a thought occurring to her.  “Are you married?” she asked, furious and hu rt, feeling horribly betrayed.  Deep down inside, she knew she had no right to feel that way, but she waited tensely for him to answer her question, ignoring the painful hurt at the possibility. 
    Axel stood at the stove, the omelet finished but frozen in mid-air.  “Married?” he asked, noting the fury in her beautiful eyes.  “Why do you think I’m married?” he asked, slicing the omelet in half and sliding it expertly onto two plates. 
    The idea of Axel being marri ed hurt more than she could handle.  And the way he hadn’t answered immediately terrified her right down to her soul.  “Answer the question!” she demanded, storming over to the island, taking in more of the homey details and feeling sick suddenly.  Had a woman actually been in here and made it look so warm and comfortable?  Had Axel married at some point over the past six years?  It wasn’t an impossibility, she told herself but she desperately didn’t want it to be true. 
    “No.  I’m not married.  Now tell me why you would ask me something like that.”
    He refilled her coffee cup, then carried the two plates over to the table that was doused in sunshine from the large windows that looked out over pastures and gardens. 
    She pushed the dizzying relief away to examine at another, more private, moment.  “Because of all this,” she said, gesturing widely at all the warmth in his kitchen with her shoes still dangling from her fingertips. 
    “ This?” he asked, looking around.  “What’s wrong with this?” He’d always loved this room.  He’d thought she would like it as well. 
    “ Your house!” she came back with confusion, sure that he was lying about his marital status. “This isn’t like your other place.  This is…” she looked around, shaking with her anger and betrayal, “nice!” she finally finished.
    Axel watched her for another moment, then burst out laughing.  He set the two plates down on the table, adding a generous portion