Page 99 of Say You Will

My gaze trails over her upper body.Oh, hell no.

Removing my button-down, I mutter, “As long as he stays out of our bed, I don’t care where he sleeps.”

Her brows lift. “You’re way too nonchalant about this. You don’t care that some guy will be walking through our bedroom to get to the bathroom? That’s not weird to you?”

“You look cold, love.” I draw her arms through the sleeves of my shirt and close the buttons all the way up to her chin.

Franki’s lips twitch. “I would have run into the bedroom and put on a bra before they got here.”

“I like you in my shirt. It provides a piquant hint of debauchery.” I wink, and her smile breaks through.

Now shirtless, I walk to the front door and open it a crack, peering outside just as a black SUV pulls up in front of the cabin. When the engine shuts off, Dante and Spencer close the doors on their vehicle, and Dante physically assists our reluctant asset from the backseat.

I speak over my shoulder to Franki. “Fair warning. Apparently, he’s in a mood today. He doesn’t appreciate being managed. Brace yourself.”

She nudges in to try to peer around me, but I stay where I am.

Dante huffs under his breath as he’s forced to physically carry the asset when he balks at the base of the stairs. “Dude. It does not have to be this difficult.”

When the asset hits the porch and his footfalls become a familiarpitter-patter-pitteracross the wood, Franki shouts, “Oliver!”

With a grin, I move out of his way as he barrels toward the sound of her voice. “Surprise.”

She crouches and holds him as he wiggles and licks her and dances in her arms.

“Ah. True love,” I say.

Dante smiles. “He missed you, Franki.”

“Thank you for bringing him. Thank you.” Franki rises and puts her arms around Dante, wrapping him in a bear hug.

My left eye twitches as he pats her back. Bringing the dog here was my idea. Where’s my hug?

When I give Dante the sign for “I’m watching you,” he eases away from her with a wary glance my way.

Spencer evaluates my shirtless state with the air of a racehorse at the starting gate. He’s responsible for wardrobe management when I’m in New York or traveling for business, and he treats my closet like a dog resource guarding a toy.

“Spencer!” Franki hugs him too. “Thank you for bringing Oliver.”

Spencer’s round cheeks nearly match his hair in color by the time she’s done squeezing him. When she steps back, he straightens his bow tie and speaks stiffly. “I’m merely doing my job, Ms. Lennox. Henry asked me to bring him.”

Apparently uncomfortable with Franki’s show of gratitude, Spencer turns to face me and eagerly indicates the bedroom door. “Allow me to find you something appropriate to wear.”

“Love, will it bother you if Spencer goes in our bedroom closet to find me a shirt?”

Spencer’s eyes widen as it becomes clear he hadn’t considered that he was asking to enter my future wife’s private space. His lips flatten, and he pivots toward Franki to await her response.

Franki nods. “That’s fine, but could you stay out of my dresser?”

After years of her mother overstepping, I know how she values her privacy.

He gives Franki a shallow bow, which equates to little more than a dip of his head. “Certainly, Miss Lennox.”

Spencer retreats behind the closed bedroom door, where he will, no doubt reorganize the entire closet after neatly pressing a shirt that only Franki and Oliver will see me wear after he’s gone.

Dante clears his throat, eyes Franki and Oliver, then gives a jerk of his chin toward the front door.

“If whatever you’re trying to tell me has anything to do with Franki, then speak,” I say.

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