Page 26 of She's Mine

I turned to her; my eyes wide. “You knew?!”

Mavis cackled with laughter. “Lawrence and I have a running bet on how long it would take you to stop dancing around each other. It was clear the moment you arrived that you’re smitten with each other. It’s nice to see all the happiness hasn’t been lost from this world.”

I felt my body flush with heat, but despite the embarrassment, I was grinning like an idiot. “Who won the bet?”

“I did!” Mavis replied proudly.

Laughing, I shook my head in amused disbelief, and made my way into the kitchen where Lawrence was finishing up dinner.

“I have a request, if you don’t mind. Could you please prepare a special, romantic breakfast for me and Alyssa in the morning?”

Lawrence grinned triumphantly. “I knew it! Oh, I suppose that means I owe Mavis those shoes she’s been after.”

Any awkwardness I felt from knowing Lawrence and Mavis had been taking bets on when Alyssa and I would get together was eclipsed by the knowledge we wouldn’t have to keep our relationship a secret.

At least, not while we were here, hiding from the Bloodline. And who knew how long it would take Jeffrey to find the cartel?

Knowing dinner would soon be ready, I hurried upstairs to freshen up too, and was just leaving my bedroom at the same time Alyssa was leaving hers.

“Did you want to watch a movie together tonight?” she asked, falling into step beside me.

“I’d love to, but only if you’ll spend the night?”

Alyssa giggled. “David, you know people will talk!”

I laughed too. “I think they already are. Did you know Lawrence and Mavis had a bet about when we’d get together?”

“I thought they might. Mavis kept asking me what was going on. Oh, I hope she won.”

“She did,” I said, as we made our way downstairs. “Lawrence is buying her a new pair of shoes.”

We stepped out onto the patio just as Lawrence was laying down plates of freshly fried sea bass, potato salad, and a second light and fresh salad consisting of asparagus, cucumber, mint and lemon.

“David told me you won the bet,” Alyssa said as we both settled at the table.

Mavis and Lawrence exchanged a nervous glance, and then Alyssa laughed. “Don’t worry. I’m glad we haven’t offended you or anything.”

Mavis shook her head. “We’re hardly ones to complain about PDAs, we’re just glad you’re happy.”

Alyssa reached over and took my hand. “We are. So, tell me, what shoes are you planning on getting?”

Alyssa and Mavis fell into an easy conversation about shoes, while I complimented Lawrence on his cooking, and then we talked about what a shame it was that he couldn't get out to the lake and catch fresh fish for our dinner.

After dinner, Alyssa and I made some popcorn for dessert and then headed down to the home cinema to watchThe Wizard of Oz. The movie was one of Alyssa’s childhood favorites, and although she’d seen it countless times before, she watched with rapt interest.

“I love the costumes in this,” Alyssa commented as we watched. “Look at the details on Glinda’s gown.”

“With your love of fashion and old movies, have you thought about getting into costume design?” I suggested, remembering what Alyssa had said a few days ago about wanting to do something with her life once the Bloodline had been dealt with.

Alyssa rewarded my suggestion with a dazzling smile. “Yes, it’s one of the things I’ve been thinking about. The other is fashion design -- specifically designing clothes based on iconic outfits from classic movies. Imagine a wedding dress inspired by Glinda’s gown. It would be every little girl’s dream.”

I didn’t have a sister or many female friends to compare Alyssa’s statement with, but I did remember the girls in middle-school going wild for Disney Princesses. I was sure there was a market for what Alyssa was suggesting.

“Honestly, I think you could doanythingyou set your mind to,” I told her, leaning in to press my lips to hers.

I only meant it to be a brief kiss, and then we’d go back to watching the movie, but as my lips met Alyssa’s, she looped her arms around my neck and deepened the kiss. Soon we were making out like a couple of horny teenagers in the back row of a cinema.

When Alyssa’s hand snaked its way up my thigh and to my crotch, I paused and pulled away slightly.

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