I’m well-aware I’m being overprotective and idiotically jealous.
Sue me.
She’s my fiancée, dammit.
If I’m not allowed to flex a little, then whoamI allowed to be overprotective with?
She giggles, turning in my arms so she’s looking up at me.
“You could just admit I was right. It isn’t hard.”
“You know that goes against my principles, Pages.”
“What? Admitting I was right for once?”
“Admitting I’m wrong,” I growl, stroking over her bottom lip with my thumb. She’s adorably makeup free today, frecklesdusting the bridge of her nose and cheeks. “Perhaps I could be persuaded it isn’t the end of the world.”
“Ethan.” She laughs again.
I can’t believe how much it thrills me.
Everything about this girl is insatiable.
“You’re impossible,” she whispers, but she wraps her arms around my waist so her breasts push against my chest. “So things are going that well with Cooper? I’m kind of surprised.”
“Well enough. Like I said, no big deals overnight, but the odds that there’ll be one are growing,” I confirm. “And yes, you can take credit if and when the place opens—if we get that far—so stop smirking at me, brat.”
She grins. “You love it.”
“Let’s not get carried away.” Although Iwouldlike to get carried away. Ideally, right here on the deck with far less clothes, if only we didn’t have the slight risk of an audience. “What about you? Good morning?”
“Actually, yes!” She breaks away to take an excited drink of her martini while I savor another look at that dress. Honey yellow, which might be my new favorite color as long as it’s on her.
That low square neckline suits her so well.
It’s an effort to keep my gaze pinned to her face.
If she’s noticed how rock hard I am or that feral glint in my eye, she doesn’t show any sign of it, just beaming at me when she meets my eyes again.
“Oh, forgot to tell you, I think I’m close to figuring out our theme for the store—viral books!” She announces it like she’s just solved world hunger. Her enthusiasm is infectious.
“Viral what?” I blink at her.
“You know, popular stuff from Booktok or Bookstagram? The book-loving side of social media? So many new books blow up there and get discovered.”
I’m aware of social media, yes, but it’s never been my bag.
I don’t keep any active profiles for unloading personal moments. When you’re me, the last thing you want is to invite a bunch of anonymous interlopers to drool over your life.
Margot says it’s bad enough on Instagram, the avalanche of DMs she gets for being an attractive young woman and a Blackthorn with a shoe obsession.
Entertaining strangers who don’t have the patience to be entertained beyond a twenty-second clip?
Fuck that.
“People get book recommendations from influencers now?” I ask, but I’m not surprised.
“Yes, they do,granddad,” she teases.
