Everyone deserves to dream a dream that’s all their own. And if Jade wants to reclaim this one, who am I to say she’s wrong? “So, how do we save the store?”
She lifts her head to stare at me through wide eyes as her brow bunches. “I’m sorry, but did you say ‘we’?”
Has this past week not proven to her that I’m in this? I tuck a strand of hair behind her ear so that I can see her gorgeous face. “I can’t have you collapsing again. It really put me out.”
“Oh, it did, did it?”
“Very much. I had so many plans this week.”
She stamps a kiss on my smiling lips like she can’t seem to help herself, and it feels so fucking good. She then props her chin on her fist and rests her fist on my chest.
“Let’s see…” She does this cute squinty thing with her eyes as she clicks her tongue. “The website,” she says after a few beats. “I think that’s how I—”
“We.”
“I meanwesave this place. Sales are coming through in droves.”
That’s something, at least. Quinn Brothers may be ten years behind the rest of the world, but it shouldn’t take much to catch them up. “Think of how many more sales you’ll get when you let me take the photos for your website.” I can get all the stuff I need to set up a proper studio and have decent product shots loaded up by the end of the week.
Her mouth turns down. “Dylan…”
“Jade…” I mimic.
“If I get too many online orders, there’s no way to deliver them all without closing the store. And with no other employees—”
“Ican work at the store.” Running the register is straightforward enough, and I like to think I’m a smart guy and can figure out the rest.
“I can’t ask you to do that.”
“You didn’t. I volunteered. It’d be no hassle at all. I could bring down my computer and edit from there.” Sure, it’d be a bit distracting, but nothing I can’t handle. Besides, Ella loves the store. She can help too.
Jade’s teeth scrape her bottom lip, but there’s a spark in her eyes that I haven’t seen all week. “I can’t pay you.”
“All I want is your company. But if you’d like to throw in the occasional sexual favor, I promise not to complain.”
She breathes a light laugh. “Aren’t you sweet?” She slowly walks her fingers down my chest to my abdomen.
I roll her onto my lap, and she lets out the cutest squeal when her legs fall to either side of my hips. “Not as sweet as you,” I murmur against her throat, letting my hands slide north to cup her—
A knock at the front door interrupts my devious plans. When Jade’s sister calls her name, Jade launches off me like a rocket ship in Cape Canaveral. She scrambles around, throwing on clothes and tossing my shirt and sweatpants at me.
Guess it’s time to get dressed. These boxer briefs and sweats aren’t going to do a thing to hide a raging hard-on, but I put them on as quickly as possible. Jade’s gaze that keeps dropping to my tented sweats isn’t helping matters. “Stop looking at it,” I hiss under my breath, adjusting myself as best I can.
“But it’s so impressive,” she whispers back with a coy smile.
I drop onto the couch with a laugh and throw a pillow over my lap.
Jade swings open the door. All I can see of Jade’s sister is a head of dark hair and a flash of blue sweater.
“Ruby, hi.” A blush blooms across Jade’s cheeks as her eyes dart to me before she clears the frog from her throat. “What’re you doing here?”
“Checking on you.” Ruby throws an arm around Jade’s neck, drawing her in for a quick hug. “Feeling better?” Her mouth tilts down when she pulls back and scans Jade from head to toe. “You’re looking a little flushed.”
“I’m feeling a lot better.”
Ruby casts a wary glance in my direction. “Are you going to invite me in, or—”
“Oh, yeah. Sorry. Come in.” Jade opens the door wider so Ruby can step inside. Before I can offer a greeting, Jade says, “Dylan was just leaving.”
