She glanced at the doorway at the sound and dropped her hairbrush when she saw Zayne.

“Oh! How long have you been standing there, you creeper?”

He pushed the door open. It was warm in there, and her hair was still damp. She’d taken a shower. He stared at the tub, knowing he’d never take a shower without imagining her standing in there, naked and wet.

“How can I be a creeper in my own house?”

“Easy—spy on your female guests while they’re in the bathroom.” She turned back to the mirror with a smile.

“You showered.” He glanced at his watch. “It’s early.”

She ran the brush through her gleaming hair again. “Not for me. I fell asleep twelve hours ago, remember?” She turned to face him. “I thought I’d make us a second breakfast. Interested?”

“Second breakfast? Like the hobbits did in The Lord of the Rings? Yes, please.”

Her eyes widened. “You know those books? I can’t wait to read them to Hudson when he’s a little older.”

“I started reading a lot once I stopped drinking. I had to do something while I was sitting around by myself.” He stepped back to let her walk by. Duke leaped to his feet, following Andrea down the hall toward the kitchen. If she was going to walk around all morning in just his shirt, Zayne was going to want more than food.

ANDREA STRETCHED HER arms over her head in the Adirondack chair, letting out a long, contented sigh. The view from Zayne’s porch was impressive. The valley. The lake. The old red barn. The fine view of his ass as he bent over and pulled at some weeds at the base of the steps. He had shorts on, but still—it was a damn fine view. She gave herself a mental shake. She couldn’t be ogling the man when he was teaching her son how to know weeds from flowers.

“Some people say weeds are just flowers that someone hasn’t loved yet,” Zayne was saying. “But they can also be kinda pushy, so we have to make sure they don’t choke out the real flowers.”

Hudson looked up from where he was kneeling, his little eyebrows crunched together. “But why are those flowers more real than the unloved flowers, Mr. Zayne?”

His mouth opened, but he didn’t have an answer. Andrea finally came to his rescue.

“They’re not more real, honey. But weeds grow anywhere and everywhere. The flowers that Mr. Zayne is trying to save were planted there on purpose.”

Hudson’s face brightened. “They’re special!” It was one of his favorite words.

“Yes, sweetie. They’re special.” Zayne looked at her over Hudson’s head and mouthed thank you. She winked in return, taking a sip of her iced tea.