At the third door on the left, she paused, her hand on the doorknob. Slowly she opened the door, revealing a bedroom that was so large his brother's room (which was much
larger than her own) would have easily fit inside. In awe, her eyes scanned the room. It was without a doubt the most beautiful bedroom she'd ever seen. Gorgeous wood
furniture and the walls were a soft shade of beige. Front and center was a beautiful King sleigh bed with bedding that complimented the rest of the room. The walls were
decorated with lovely paintings of landscapes; both mountain and ocean, creating a room that reflected Niles' exquisite taste. On the left were two small windows adorned
with dark wooden shutters which allowed the moonlight to filter through.
A plush navy comforter covered the bed and a pair of Niles' silk pajamas lay beside it, folded in the same neat fashion. Not an item in the room was out of place; a sharp
contrast her room at Frasier's which she affectionately considered to be "lived in".
A partially opened door on her right led to the bathroom. His bedroom, although beautiful, paled in comparison to the master bathroom. The bathroom was absolutely
incredible with its marble floors and brushed pewter fixtures. There was a large walk in shower with a seat in one corner and in the other, as though it demanded attention,
was the most exquisite jetted sunken tub she'd ever seen.
The tub was so inviting that she shut the bathroom door and immediately began to fill it with water. On the edge of the tub sat a basket containing bath bombs, and she
eagerly dropped one into the water. The aroma of lavender filled the room and she inhaled deeply. She was too tired and hot to wonder why Dr. Crane had such an unusual
item in his bathroom and she had to admit she didn't really care.
Her clothes came off one by one and fell to the floor in a heap. She stepped into the tub and turned on the jets, sighing with ecstasy when the cool water swirled around her
skin. She soaked in the tub for a long time-perhaps much too long-and yet not long enough, knowing that when she got out, the heat would consume her once more. It was
difficult to ever imagine getting dressed again.
But soon she realized that Niles was probably wondering what was taking her so long. Reluctantly she drained the water and stepped out of the tub, careful not to spill water
on the marble floor.
It wasn't difficult to find the Indian Cotton towels that he spoke so highly of. They were stacked tidily on a nearby shelf in an array of colors. They were much plusher than the
towels on the adjacent shelf, and when she wrapped one around her body, she realized that he was right. They were extremely soft and gentle, like being wrapped in the
most wonderful hug imaginable.
Her eyes went to her clothing in the middle of the floor and she was at a loss as to what to do with them. She didn't want to put them on just yet, but there was nothing else-
Suddenly she spotted the hook on the back of his door where a gorgeous navy silk robe hung. Hopefully he wouldn't mind if she borrowed it, just for a little while. She
removed it from the hook and wrapped it around her body, tying the belt around her waist. It was a strange feeling, wearing Dr. Crane's clothes. And when she was ready to
head downstairs, she folded her clothes and left them sitting on the bench at the foot of his bed.
As she made her way back to the living room, her heart resumed its rapid pace. The moment she reached the landing she caught Niles' glance and she smiled another. But
his blue eyes held a look that she couldn't quite read. He looked almost-nervous. But that was ridiculous. Most likely it was her imagination, the heat or something else that
she had little control over. After all he had nothing whatsoever to be nervous about.
"Did you find everything you needed?" He asked when she reached the bottom of the stairs.
"Yes, it was wonderful. Thank you for letting me use your bathtub, Dr. Crane."
"I'm glad you enjoyed it. Would you like some champagne?"
She noticed the unopened bottle on the table and wondered-worried, really-that he'd finished off the previous one. But he didn't appear tipsy, just nervous. And his eyes were
taking in her appearance. Perhaps he wasn't comfortable with her wearing his robe. She felt a tinge of guilt for not asking his permission beforehand, but Dr. Crane, being Dr.
Crane, rarely showed anger toward her.
"Champagne?" he repeated.
"Oh yes. That would be nice. Thank you."
He popped the cork and they both jumped in surprise when the cork flew across the room. Champagne flowed out of the bottle at an alarming rate, spilling over the sides.
Daphne rushed to his side.
"Oh dear, let me help you!" She took the bottle from him and sat it on the coffee table. But he appeared oblivious to her actions. He was staring at her again with that same
look.
"What?"
"I said-."
"Oh, right. The bottle."
She regarded him carefully. Perhaps he'd had more champagne than she thought. "Are you all right, Dr. Crane?"
"I-I don't know. I-."
"Wait here and I'll get something to clean this mess up."
Before he could reply, she rushed into the kitchen. She tried to concentrate on the task at hand; finding some paper towels to clean up the spilled champagne, but as she
stood at the sink, she gazed out the window.
She couldn't get over the way he'd looked at her when she came down the stairs wearing his robe. It was unlike any expression she'd ever seen him wear before.
And she wondered what it meant.