His gaze fell to the creamy expanse of her neck, then returned to her face. “I’ve got a much better idea,” he said in a soft voice. “Instead of singing, let me show you.”
Christy’s heart pounded an erratic rhythm. What did he have in mind? Her pulse quickened at the speculation. “‘Love Me Tender’?”
“All night long,” he said in a low husky tone.
The promise in his tone sent a delightful shiver of longing racing through her. From the beginning this part of her marriage had been perfect.
Christy smiled. Hadn’t she often told her seminar attendees how important it was to build on the strengths in a relationship?
She pushed back her chair. “Race you to the stairs.”
“Hey, lazy guy.”
David stirred but refused to open his eyes even when Christy leaned over the bed and shook his shoulder.
“Wake up. The food will be on the table soon.” Her breath tickled his cheek. “If you get up now we can eat breakfast together before we have to leave for church.”
“We have plenty of time,” David mumbled, and rolled over. “Church isn’t until ten.”
“The service starts at nine-thirty,” Christy said. “Sara told me.”
David groaned and buried his face in the pillow. After being up late last night, he’d planned to sleep in this morning. “Go away.”
Christy laughed and with one swift pull jerked off the covers. “Coffee and pancakes will be on the table in two minutes.”
David reached down, fully intending to pull the covers back over his head, when the aroma of freshly brewed coffee and hot pancakes hit his nose. After years of breakfast made up of whatever he could eat in the car on the way to work, pancakes fresh off the griddle would be a little bit of heaven on earth. What was an extra hour of sleep compared to that?
Before he could change his mind, David hopped out of bed, grabbed a robe and headed down the stairs. In less than a minute he was seated at the table facing a steaming stack of pancakes dripping with butter and syrup.
“Coffee is coming right up,” Christy said with a cheerful smile.
Despite the fact that she couldn’t have gotten much sleep, Christy looked amazingly bright eyed. She also looked, David thought with a pang, incredibly beautiful.
Her silky hair that had hung in soft waves to her shoulders last night had been pulled back and secured low on her neck with a pearl clasp. Though some might call her navy dress with jacket boring, David found the conservative cut and style appealing. She’d tied the chef’s apron he used for grilling about her waist in a perfect bow.
“What time did you get up?” David lifted a forkful of pancakes to his mouth and immediately discovered they tasted every bit as good as they smelled.
“At seven.” She brought two cups of coffee to the table and took a seat.
“Seven?” He lifted his head and stared. “Why?”
“Because I was tired,” Christy said matter-of-factly. “I normally get up at five-thirty, but for some reason I just couldn’t lift my head off that pillow this morning.”
“But this is the weekend.” He didn’t even bring up the fact that they’d been up most of the night. “Why get up that early?”
“I like to stick to a routine even on the weekends,” Christy said. “Over my first cup of coffee I write in my journal as I watch the sun come up. Then I run on the treadmill and shower. By the time I do my hair and makeup it’s time for work.”
Though no one had ever accused him of being lazy, it made David tired just to think about it. “But you’re self-employed.”
“All that means is I have to work harder. If I don’t maximize my time and prioritize, there’s not enough hours in the day to get everything done.”
David laid his fork on the table, the pancakes a leaden weight in the pit of his stomach. His mother had been all about prioritizing, too. David only wished her family could have been higher on her list. Even after all these years he could still hear her standard response: Not now, David. I have work to do.
David shoved the memory aside and returned his attention to Christy. “So, you’re telling me you’ve done all that this morning?”
She nodded. “I even unpacked my suitcases. Thanks again for swinging by the hotel last night. I’d be positively lost without my clothes and makeup.”
She sounded so serious David had to laugh. “Don’t give me that. You forget that I’ve seen all of you and you look fantastic.”
Their eyes met and the image of Christy with her hair spread loose on his pillow flashed before him. He pushed back his chair, ready to tell her to forget breakfast, that the only place he wanted to be was close to her again.
But before he could speak the clock in the hall chimed the half hour and her gaze dropped to her wrist. Her eyes widened. “Oh, my goodness, we have to leave in thirty minutes. You’re not even dressed.”
Not being dressed was exactly what he’d had in mind. But the mood in the kitchen had changed, and from the determined look in her eye he knew it would be a waste of time to try to lure her back up the stairs.
David slowly stirred a teaspoonful of sugar into his coffee, trying to hide his disappointment. “I don’t recall saying I’d go to church.”
“But you have to, I promised Sara we’d be there.”
“You promised. I didn’t.” He lifted the cup to his lips and raised a brow.
The bright light that had lit her eyes only a moment before dimmed. “I’ll go alone.”
“Forget what I said. I’ll hurry and get ready.” David stood and leaned over, brushing an impulsive kiss across her lips.
“Not so fast.” Christy rose to her feet and pulled him to her. She kissed him in a slow and leisurely way, weaving her fingers through his hair. When she stepped back, her eyes were dark with emotion and it made him feel better to know he wasn’t the only one regretting the lack of time.
David found himself smiling as they drove across town to the same church he’d attended since he’d been a little boy. It had been a while since he’d last been there, but when he and Christy walked through the front doors, David felt as if he’d come home.
“David. It’s good to see you.” Pastor Foster clasped his hand and slapped him on the back before his gaze shifted to Christy. “And who have you brought with you today?”
The sunlight filtering through the stained glass in the foyer danced across Christy’s golden hair. Several men standing off to the side cast her admiring glances.
David’s arm slipped around her shoulder. “Pastor Foster, this is my wife, Christy.”
“Wife?” The young pastor’s eyes reflected his surprise. “You never even told me you were thinking of getting married.”
“I didn’t want to say anything because I wasn’t sure she’d have me.” David took a deep breath and forced a smile. He hated deceiving the minister, but he didn’t see another choice. “We were married in Las Vegas.”
“Las Vegas, eh? Well, it looks like you hit the jackpot with this young lady.” The pastor reached over and took Christy’s hand. “Congratulations and welcome.”