“An early Valentine’s Day gift for my husband.” Calvin pushed off the wall and walked toward me. “Because I know he’s a big fan of schmoopy love, but has some kind of bug about admitting it.” He put his hands around my waist and tugged me close.
“I don’t have a bug.”
“You have a bug,” Calvin said again in a low, sexy voice before kissing my mouth lightly.
“You saw the flyer on the table.”
“You bet your cute butt I did.”
I felt my entire face warm. “Fine. I like romance books. Get your shots in.”
“I know you like romance books.”
“What?”
“I’m a detective. You think I don’t know when you’re lying?”
“But—so you went ahead and bought first-class airfare to America’s Breadbasket without consulting me? What if I had plans at work?”
“That’d be terrible,” Calvin said in a placating tone before kissing me again. “You know, my sergeant approved a vacation request I’d put in for last week. I hadn’t decided what to surprise you with, but that convention seems perfect. Talk about serendipitous.”
“You could have bought flowers and taken me out for a candlelit dinner,” I mumbled, sounding like a man who was well fucking aware of having lost the battle but nonetheless insisted on beating his dead horse.
“Just flowers?”
“And dinner.”
Calvin nodded. “Okay.” He took out his phone. “I’ll cancel the flight and let my sergeant know—”
I grabbed his phone and held it out of reach. “You already went to all this effort.”
“I have a cancellation policy on those seats.” Calvin reached for the phone.
I bent back as much as I could, what with one of his hands still around me. “No, no. Your sergeant approved time off already. If you cancel the request, he’ll blame me.”
“Oh, I doubt that. It’ll be fine.” Calvin reached again.
I wriggled free and, while holding both phones, made for the hall. “Max was telling me about this cake St. Louis is famous for. Maybe I’d like to try that. And we might as well, you know, check out the romance convention while we’re there. ’Tis the season and all.” I turned in the doorway and glanced back.
Calvin had crossed his big buff arms over his chest and was smiling.
“So, I’ll… register us as attendees.”
Calvin nodded.
I walked away, then backtracked. “Calvin?”
“Yeah?”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
