Page 22 of Buy Me, Love
All thetime.
I get giddy every time he walks through thedoor.
Is that normal? I don’tcare.
I get into the bathroom and pull off my clothes quickly, unzipping the garment bag and putting the pads of my fingers to the dress. It’s gray silk and the straps are thin, silver metallic strands. This dress is gorgeous. I shake my head and raise my eyebrows. Yeah,maybein this I’ll look close to as good as Maxdoes.
I scoop my clothing into the bottom of the garment bag and slide the dress on, biting my lip when it slides past my belly. I put my hand there and feel a tear tug at the corner of myeye.
When I’m back outside, Max hands me a pair of black slides. They have a chunky heel and they’re exactly what I like to pair with this kind of delicate, feminine dress. A chunky heel with a slinky dress has this sexy quality to the pairing that I just reallylike.
“Did you hack my phone to look at my private Pinterest?” I ask him as I slide my sneakers off and balance against him to get into theheels.
“I had Ms. Steele do some stealth research forme.”
“Of course,” I say, “you don’t know what Pinterestis.”
“No, I donot.”
He smiles and grabs the door for me, and I sink down into the leatherseat.
Fresh wood. Spring air. Pine.Lemon.
“Have you thought any more about adopting a dog of our own?” he asks on the ride to the restaurant. A nervous tick slides throughme.
“I’ve given it a little bit of thought, yeah,” I say, “but I’m not sure I’m ready for it yet. I feel like we’re kind of in limbo a little bit at the moment you know, with my classes still and you with your newfirm.”
Max is expanding too. He doesn’t do as much hands-on work anymore. Instead, he hires veterans to work for him as private security for high-net-worth individuals and even a few celebrities. Mostly, though, he just contracts out security guards for things like bars andrestaurants.
“Ah,” he says, nodding and reaching over to take my hand, “got it. Well, we have time to figure it out. We’ll do it at our ownpace.”
“Right,” I breathe. “Right.”
When we get to the restaurant, Max gives the woman at the hostess stand our name and we’re ushered to a small table in the back. To my surprise, my father is here, sitting with a bread basket and a bottle of red wine. He stands and waves when he seesus.
“Hey, Dad,” I say, kissing him on the cheek before sliding into the seat next to him. Max sits across from me and gives me a small smile, dark green eyes swimming. I turn my attention back to my father. “What are you doinghere?”
“I’ll let Max answer that,” hesays.
I turn my eyes back to Max. “What’sup?”
He catches a waiter’s attention and puts his hand up. “Hey, could we get a bottle of champagne please? We’ll do the 2008 Dom?Thanks.”
A smirk flutters at the corner of mylips.
“Hey. What is goingon?”
“Kit Kensington,” Max says, reaching into his pocket, “I’m in love with you. I’ve been in love with you for a long time. As a matter of fact, I can’t remember you not being in mylife.”
He pulls out a small blue box and goosebumps instantly plump up over my arms. I shoot a look at my dad with tears in my eyes and he puts his hand over mine to give me asqueeze.
“What?” I ask, putting my fingers to my lips. Max drops down to one knee next to me and looks up, his deep emerald eyes warm withtrust.
“Kit Kensington, will you make me the happiest man in the world and marry me? If you don’t say yes, I’ll ask again in six months. I’m in love with you and I won’t stop loving you. I’ve never be so certain of anything in mylife.”
“Oh my god,” I say, “of course! Are you kiddingme?”
“No,” he smiles with a shake of his head, “I am notkidding.”
