But then, he’d dialed a wrong number and heard her voice.

He’d made a date and touched her hand.

He’d saved her life and become her lover.

Lover.

The word conjured up all sorts of images. Images of things Isaac had only dreamed about until Sidney came into his life. Acts that now sparked fire and desire in his heart, his mind, his body, and his soul, now that he’d finally experienced them with her.

And it wasn’t just the incredible sex that had his mind whirling like a tornado. It was everything about her. 

Sidney was the most amazing woman he’d ever met. She was smart and funny and beautiful and sexy. And he couldn’t believe that she was really spending time with him. That she was actually interested in him.

And now, if he was truly lucky, she would be sticking around for a long time to come.

“Hey, where’d you go?”

Her sweet voice jolted him back to the present, and she reached over and took his hand. The feel of her skin on his had the wildest effect on him. At once both soothing and sensual.

Isaac looked over at her.

“Huh?”

“You zoned out for a minute. What were you thinking about, Ike?”

As a police detective, Isaac didn’t embarrass easily. He’d seen it all, heard it all, and nothing much shocked him. But to his horror, he felt his cheeks heat up and he knew he was blushing.

“Oh. Well… I was just thinking about your decision to start over here in Cleveland. I know my reasons are completely selfish, but I’m glad you decided not to go back to California now that Damien is no longer a factor, and you’re not in hiding anymore.”

Sidney smiled at him, and his insides did a very unmanly fluttering thing. 

She gave him butterflies.

“Oh, this is the street! Turn here.”

She pointed to the road just up ahead, and Isaac turned onto the quaint little street in Ohio City — an historic neighborhood on Cleveland’s west side — and he pulled the car into a spot across from the address they were looking for.

“Oh, look how cute it is!”

Sidney’s body practically vibrated with excitement, and her smile was so contagious Isaac couldn’t help but grin at her.

“You know this realtor is going to have a few places to show you, right? I mean, this is just our first stop.”

“Yeah, I know. But I’m buying a house, Ike! I’m excited to go through the process of looking and comparing. And thank you for agreeing to come looking with me. I really appreciate your time and your opinion.”

Was she kidding? 

Didn’t she know that he would jump at any chance to spend more time with her? He didn’t care what they did. The best nights of his life had been in the last couple of weeks that she’d been staying with him. When he’d get home from work, they would eat dinner and watch old movies and talk and laugh. Then they would go to bed and make love for hours. It was perfect.

In fact, he would love it if she just wanted to stay at his place forever. But he knew that was a pipe dream. A woman like Sidney would never be truly happy in his tiny, dingy, one bedroom apartment for long. She needed a real place with room to spread out and put nice furniture. A real kitchen. Isaac understood that.

“I’m happy to look at houses with you. I have a vested interest, you know?”

“Oh, you do?”

She seemed amused by that idea.

“Heck yeah. I want you to find some place fabulous that you love, and that’s close to me.”

She laughed, and they got out of the car. He placed a hand at the small of her back and led her across the street to the house with the FOR SALE sign in the front lawn.

“All the houses on this street have a little fence.” 

She sounded like she was enchanted by idea, and Isaac glanced up and down the street, noting that she was right. Some were picket fences, while others were wrought iron. Some were aluminum. But it did give the street a very down home vibe.

“Yeah, you like that?”

“I think it’s darling! It makes the whole street look so friendly and welcoming and safe.”

She opened up the gate and hurried up the walkway, and Isaac smiled and followed after her. On the charming front porch, Sidney knocked on the glass screen door.

“Hello! Come on in.” 

Isaac followed Sidney inside.

“You must be Sidney Fairchild? We spoke on the phone.”

“Yes, hello!” Sidney shook hands with the friendly woman who’d greeted them. “And this is my friend, Isaac Taylor.”

“Hi there.”

Isaac smiled at her, but made no move to shake her hand.

“I’m Miku Barlow, and I’m your Realtor. It’s so nice to meet you both.”

Miku, Isaac noticed, was a very attractive woman in her early thirties. Slightly shorter than Sidney, with golden skin, big brown eyes, and shoulder-length dark brown hair that hung bone straight. Her slightly Asian features gave her a decidedly elegant look. She wore a bright blue dress with a professional Realtor’s blazer over top and she carried a clipboard in her hands.

“Follow me, please.”

She led them from the entrance down a short hallway and turned to the left where they stepped into a large open room. The space had beautiful hardwood floors and the wall to the right sported a big picture window that looked out onto what appeared to be a fairly large sunroom. To the left, Isaac noticed two columns, and guessed they were the only remnants of what used to be a wall dividing the great room into two separate spaces.

“So, based on our phone conversations about your price range, and what you’re looking for in a home, I thought this little gem would be a great place to begin. Ohio City is one of the oldest neighborhoods in Cleveland, as evidenced by the many magnificent Victorian two- and three-story homes. This Victorian cottage was originally built in 1892, but as you can see, it has been completely renovated.”

“I love how charming it feels. From the gate out front, to the porch. And this is beautiful!”

Sidney spread her arms and gestured to the space.

“Isn’t it? This used to be two separate rooms, a living room and a dining room, but they tore down a wall here, and created a great room. You’ll notice the galley-style kitchen is tucked away over here. But since both ends of it open to the great room, it feels much larger than your typical galley kitchen.”

Isaac followed behind them, keeping quiet as Sidney fawned over every room. Especially the oversized sunroom, where she declared that it would be difficult for any other house Miku might show them to beat all that natural sunlight.

Miku led them out through the sunroom to the well-manicured backyard, pointing out all of its potential for gardening and future entertaining. And then back inside and down the hall to check out the bedrooms and guest bath. 

“So there are three bedrooms here. Perfect for a spare and a home office, or for the arrival of little ones!” 

Miku’s voice was a bit sing-songy on that last sentence, and those butterflies in Isaac’s stomach took flight again. 

“And this is the master bedroom.”

Miku led them into the large space with a sweeping wave of her hand.

“Lots of room for a king-sized bed plus a dresser and a chest of drawers without compromising any of the walk space. And the walk-in closet over here is very deep. Plenty big enough for two. Even if one, or both of you happens to be a clotheshorse!”

Butterflies gone.

Isaac’s stomach dropped to the floor of his abdomen.

What did she just say?

He looked at Sidney, and her gorgeous eyes were as big as saucers, and glued to his.

“Oh. No, we’re…”

“No, this is Sid’s… thing.”

“…not…um…”

“I mean, I’m not…”

“…we’re just…”

“I won’t be… uh… moving in…”

“Right. No, it’s… just me.” 

They stumbled over their explanation, and each other.

Miku stared at them like they’d both just grown two heads a piece.

“Alrighty then! Let’s have a look at the master bath, shall we?”

She led them into the bathroom and Isaac’s mouth dropped open. He couldn’t help it. Spa-like was the word that leapt to mind. Three or four of the bathroom at his place could fit inside this one, probably with room to spare.

“Oh, my gosh. It’s huge!”

Sidney sounded pleasantly surprised.

“Isn’t it lovely?”

“That tub is amazing!”

“It’s a jacuzzi whirlpool tub, perfectly sized for two. Great for soothing sore muscles and relieving stress.”

And a whole lot of other things that might be considered X-rated, Isaac thought. In fact, he could think of several activities and positions right off the top of his head that he would love the chance to try with Sidney in a tub like that.

He could picture them there.

“I know I shouldn’t say this, but I love this house! What do you think, Ike?”

“Huh?”

He met her gaze.

Was he blushing again?

“Um… well, it’s certainly much bigger on the inside than it looks from the street, that’s for sure.”

It was the only thing he could think to say. The scandalous images in his head involving that tub had his mind completely clouded.

“It really is. I can’t believe they call this a cottage.”

“With the addition of the sunroom it’s just under 2,500 square feet of living space,” Miku offered.

“I love it,” Sidney repeated.

“Well, I do have three other properties on my list to show you today.”

Sidney turned to Isaac and grabbed his hand, her expression serious and pleading.

“What should I do, Ike? What would you do?”

She’d grabbed his hand. 

And he had let her.

Like it was the most normal thing in the world.

As if he were normal. Just like everyone else.

She took his breath away.

“Well, I think you should have a look at the others. Just in case. I mean, you might see something you like even more.”

“I doubt that. This place is perfect! And what if someone else puts a bid on this amazing place while I’m busy looking at the others?”

She wanted this house.

He wanted her to have everything her heart desired.

“If this is what you really want, Sid, then you should follow your heart.”

Her smile was as bright as the sunshine, and Isaac wanted to melt into a puddle at her feet. She was a goddess. His goddess.

Dear Lord, please let this woman by mine.

Isaac wasn’t accustomed to praying. It wasn’t that he didn’t believe, because he did. He was simply more used to relying on his own devices in most situations. Probably an occupational hazard. But if it would keep Sidney in his life, he would spend each day praying to God.

Four hours later, after they had seen each of Miku’s offerings, and Sidney had made an offer on the house in Ohio City, they sat on the couch in Isaac’s apartment, finishing up their Chinese take-out while he listened to her go on and on about everything from how she’d like to decorate the place, to what flowers she wanted to plant in the backyard. 

“I’m happy that you’re so happy, darlin’. And I hope this place turns out to be everything you’re looking for.”

“Oh, me too! And I’m glad I took your advice and let Miku show us the other places on her list. It makes me even more certain that I love this house. Now I just have to pray that the owners accept my offer.”

“They will. They have to.”

“Why?”

“Because you love it so much. You want it more than anyone else.” He reached out and took one of her bouncy curls in his fingers and looked into her eyes. “You should have everything you want.”

Sidney took his hand.

“You are the kindest, sweetest man, Isaac Taylor.”

Isaac rolled his eyes.

“No, I’m not.”

“Yes, you really are.” She leaned in close to him.

Isaac inched backward.

“What are you doing?”

Sidney smiled.

“Trying to kiss you.”

“Why?”

She giggled, and Isaac grinned.

“Because I want to. And you just said that I should have everything I want.”

“Oh, I did say that, didn’t I?”

“You did. Did you mean it?”

“Every single word.”

“Then stop playing hard to get and let me kiss you.”

“Okay.”

Her lips touched his, and Isaac didn’t even try to restrain himself. He sunk his fingers into her mass of silky curls and deepened their kiss, sending his tongue in search of hers. Then he wrapped his arms around her, gently pulling her soft body closer, and slowly leaning back onto the couch. 

She settled on top of him, and he let his hands roam over her back and down the curves of her ass. Then he slipped them under her top, running his fingers over her bare skin.

Her top came off.

Followed by his.

He was busy working on the clasp of her jeans when her cellphone rang.

They fumbled for her phone in unison.

“Oh, it’s Miku!”

She stared down into his eyes.

“Already?”

Sidney nodded and answered the call.

“Hello?”

Isaac watched her beautiful face, and he knew the exact moment Miku relayed the good news.

“They did! I am? Oh, my God. Thank you so much! Okay… okay. Talk to you then!”

She tossed the phone on the table and looked at him.

“I’m a home owner, Isaac! They accepted my bid.”

He smiled at her.

“Congratulations, Sidney!”

“Thank you!”

“What do you say we take this into the bedroom and celebrate?”

“I say I like the way you think, Detective.”

They stood and Isaac picked her up to carry her into the bedroom.

“When you move in to your new house?”

“Yeah?”

“Will you do me a favor and invite me over for a bath?”

“A bath?”

“A bath.”

He set her down on his bed.

“You’ve got a hidden kinky side, don’t you, Ike?”

“Let’s just say I’m enjoying exploring my sexuality with you, darlin’. And I’ve got plans for us and that tub.”

“That sounds intriguing.” 

“Oh, it is. Believe me.”

She reached for the clasp of his pants. “Consider your invitation a standing one. Now stop talking and let’s get naked.”

“With pleasure!”