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“You’re incredible,” he says, and he bends down to press his mouth against mine.
Kissing him is addicting, a vice I never want to recover from.
“Right back at you,” I say, and I brush a few pieces of sweaty hair away from his forehead. “Want to stay and eat the rest of that cheesecake? We could put on a movie.”
“Course I do. We can’t just not eat it, right?” he asks, and he pulls his jeans up his thighs.
“Now that you’ve had both in the same night, which is better? Me, or the dessert?”
“Ah, Lacey girl.” Shawn rubs his thumb down the curve of my cheek. The lights from my Christmas tree twinkle in his eyes, and he’s wearing the biggest smile. “You win every time. It’s not even close. Even with a billion choices, it would still be you.”
THIRTY-FIVE
SHAWN
Lacey isin the lobby of my apartment five minutes before eight.
She’s sitting on a leather bench tucked away in the corner and staring at her phone. A suitcase is next to her, a bright orange monstrosity that makes my eyes hurt. Her fingers type away on her screen, and there’s a small smile on her lips.
My phone buzzes in my pocket, and I pull it out.
Lace Face
I’m really disappointed your building doesn’t have an ambiguous sculpture.
What do visitors talk about? Kind of awkward.
A laugh rumbles out of me and I walk toward her.
“They don’t talk about anything,” I say, and Lacey lifts her head at the sound of my voice. “Everyone sits in silence and stares at each other.”
“Hey.” She jumps to her feet and grins when she spots me. “Good morning.”
“Morning.” I bend down to give her a hug, and I run my hand over the small of her back. “I could’ve picked you up, you know. You didn’t have to trudge all the way over here with your bags.”
“It was nice to get some steps in. We’re going to be sitting for a while, and I wanted to work out some of my nervous energy.”
“Don’t be nervous. Everything’s going to be fine. We’re going to go in, spend a couple of days with my family, make them think we’re head over heels in love with each other, then leave. Super simple,” I say, and she nods.
“You’re right. It’s no big deal. We know each other and we’re comfortable around each other. We kickedassat the game Aiden made us play. There aren’t going to be any issues.”
I nod toward her bags. “Want me to take that for you?”
“That’s okay. I can handle it. Thanks, though.”
Lacey follows me into the elevator, and we take it down two floors to the parking garage. I lift her luggage and put it in the trunk, and I add my bags beside it.
“You’re bringing a lot of stuff,” she says. “It’s making me feel like I’m wildly unprepared.”
“Most of it is presents. Don’t worry; I wrapped them and put both our names on them.”
“Oh, thank you. I have a bottle of wine for your parents, but I didn’t know what to get anyone else. Speaking of presents, I have a couple for you. Can I give them to you when we get home?”
“I’d like that. I have some for you, too.” I shut the trunk and open the passenger door for her. “I already got the seat warmers turned on for you. It’s nice out today, so I’m not sure how much use they’ll be.”
“Like the balmy days of late July,” she says, and I offer her my hand so she can climb inside. “Looks like snow on Christmas, though. Just in time for me to kick your ass in a snowball fight.”
“Dream on, Daniels.” I shut the door and hustle to the other side of the car. I slide into my seat and shift the car to drive. “Pretty sure my right arm is stronger than yours.”
