Page 81 of Sweet Passions at Bayside
“What? I just call ’em like I see ’em.” Violet winked at Emery. “I just saw your love slave up in your bedroom.”
“Ohmygosh.” Emery gave Desiree a quick hug, blew a kiss to Violet, and headed upstairs.
She found Dean standing in the middle of her bedroom at the inn, shaking his head.
“You never unpacked?”
She shrugged and began tossing clothes from the piles where they lay on the dresser and chair. “I’ve been so busy, I just didn’t think about it.”
He wrapped his arms around her from behind and kissed her cheek. “I love that about you.”
“That I’m a slob?”
“No. That you don’t worry about the little things. I probably worry about them enough for both of us.”
She turned in his arms. “I’m a little worried about moving in together.”
“Emery…” he warned.
“Oh, don’t worry. I’m not backing out. But…” She reached into her hamper and pulled out his boxer briefs. “I had to resort to wearing your underwear this morning because mine was missing. I think you have gremlins living in your house.”
He laughed and snagged the briefs. “You wore these? And I missed it?”
“Trust me, it wasn’t sexy. They kept falling down.”
“Didn’t you have pants on?”
“No,” she said as she plucked his sweatshirt from the closet floor. “Just this.”
He groaned and tackled her to the bed. She surrendered in a fit of giggles.
“You were wearing only a sweatshirt?”
“And your underwear,” she said as he grabbed her ribs, causing her to squeal. “At least I put it on! I wasn’t going to, but then I knew you’d want me to!”
He pressed his lips to hers, stifling her laughter.
“Thank you for not leaving the house with that gorgeous butt of yours hanging out.”
“I’m a little concerned that the gremlins in your house will leave me with nothing. I mean, they’ve stolen my bracelet, keys, hair bands, razor, my yoga strap, and heaven knows what else. What’s going to happen whenallmy things disappear?”
He nipped at her neck. “Then you’ll have to be naked and jewelryless every day.”
“Not completely jewelryless.” She lifted her wrist with the bracelet he’d given her. “I never take this one off.”
“That’s good. Then the delphinium flower charm worked.”
Her brows knitted with curiosity.
“Among other meanings, like protecting you from dangers that might stand in your way, expanding your options and attracting new opportunities, that little flower also has been known to help people remain open to new emotions and feelings.”
“So…You put me under your spell without me knowing?”
“Something like that.” He pressed his lips to hers, and then he gazed into her eyes, silently thanking the flower gods, and said, “And seeing you naked, except for that magical bracelet, every single day sounds perfect to me.”
AS DEAN PULLED the truck into his driveway, his mother’s car came into focus. His stomach knotted up as he parked beside it. He was relieved to see his mother sitting alone on the front porch steps, and reached for Emery’s hand. It was clammy, her eyes wide and worried.
“It’s okay. It’s just my mom. My father drives a black Lexus.”
