Page 56 of Irresistible

“I couldn’t ask for more than that.” Lifting her chin, he held her face and dropped his mouth to hers. When their mouths were sealed together, his world clicked into place.

His control was about to slip, so he tore his mouth away and took in a deep breath. “Let’s go downstairs, so I can show you where you’re going to sleep for the next sixty years.” When he saw her eyes bulge, he figured again that she knew what he was up to. So much for subtlety.

After they made it downstairs and stood in the hall, he made her close her eyes.

“Why do I have to keep my eyes closed?” Lilly asked.

“Do you want to be surprised or not?” Leading her into the bedroom, he prayed she liked what he’d done. After twirling her around, he braced his hands on her shoulders. “Okay, open them.” Silence. Dead silence. “We can change whatever you want.”

Slowly, she moved away from him and walked over to the bed. Crossing her arms, she tilted her head. “Did you pick the slatted headboard so that you could tie me up?”

“I thought a woman as smart as you would see that big jar of ribbons and be able to answer that question herself.”

“Seems you want to do it on a king-size bed. What exactly do you have in mind?”

He moved to her side. “I think I should show you. I’m a man of action, not words. After I’m done, you can describe in detail how good I made you feel.”

Pushing at his chest, she laughed. “Not so fast, mister. I want to know exactly why you showed me this house.”

“Can I explain it to you when we’re naked?”

“No.”

“All right. I’ll make you dinner and we can talk all you want.” Leaning over, he kissed her cheek. “I hope after that we can come back in here and christen the room.”

“That’s a lot of hoping.”

Taking her hand, he led her out the door. “More than you know.”

***

Lilly sat at the patio table and enjoyed the glass of wine Brock had just poured her. The temperature was in the low seventies and a small breeze swept over the patio. The view was amazing, and she wasn’t talking about the huge expanse of grass and grove of trees. It was Brock’s fine behind that was a feast for the eyes. He stood in front of a big built-in barbecue and flipped the steaks. “You want me to do anything?”

“No, darlin’. I’m in charge of supper. You just relax and enjoy the view of your backyard. Think about what kind of garden you want.”

When he threw her a smile, she knew he was going for a full-frontal assault. Subtlety was never going to be seen again. The house was beautiful, and it seemed as though he had redone it with her in mind. The office he’d built was the sweetest thing anyone had ever done for her, but it wouldn’t matter if they wanted different things. And that is what they needed to figure out.

“We’re ready to eat,” he called out as he pulled the steaks off the grill and covered them in foil.

His walk was like poetry in motion. He had a long, easy gait that always reminded her how confident he was. Which turned her on. That and those pretty eyes of his.

Heat suffused her belly, and she knew her hormones were letting her know that they wanted to get done with the talking and get on with loving. Crossing her legs, she told her hormones to shut up. There were a few things they had to get settled before any smooching happened.

Brock set the plate down and then uncovered the bowls he’d set out earlier. “I hope you like it. I have corn salad, green salad, and rolls to go with our steak and baked potatoes. Did I forget anything?”

“My goodness, no. This is lovely. I had no idea you could make all this.” Looking into his smile, she realized how important her approval was to him. “Thank you.” Lifting a bowl, she started serving them, and soon they had full plates and dug in. “What are you going to do with the pool?”

He wiped his mouth and took a swig of his beer. “It’s going to be converted to a saltwater pool as soon as it gets resurfaced. Brody’s pool guy said he would come out whenever we’re ready, and he can show you the colors. Once you choose, we can get started.”

“I don’t need to do that.”

“Honey, you’re going to be looking at the color for a long time, and I want you to be happy.”

She lifted her glass of wine, took a sip, and then smiled. “Have you ever heard of the book The Five Love Languages?”

“Can’t say that I have.”

“It’s all about how people give and receive love. If you and your partner speak the same language, then you have a pretty good chance of making it. Some people feel loved when they receive gifts, but not when they receive affection. Others need the words for love to make sense. It’s not scientific, but the theory is fairly popular.”

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