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Intrigued, Cassie raised her brows. “Oh, is it?”
A corner of Ian’s mouth quirked into a devilish half smile. “Absolutely. How about I come back and get you in an hour. Just pack simple clothing and whatever Emily can’t live without. I’ll be back to help you finish up and then we’ll go.”
“Where are we going?” she asked.
Handing Emily back to Cassie, Ian shrugged. “I guess you’ll find out when we get there.”
She tried to get the sunglasses away from Emily and noticed slobber bubbles along the lenses. Ian waved a hand and laughed.
“No, really, keep them,” he said as he headed toward the door. “She apparently gets more use out of them than I did.”
Cassie was still laughing after he’d closed the door behind him. A getaway with Ian and Emily? How could she not want to jump at this chance?
And how could she not read more into it? Was Ian silently telling her he wanted more? Or was he getting in all the time he could before he said his final goodbye?
* * *
Ian didn’t know if he was making a mistake or if he was finally taking a leap of faith by bringing Cassie and Emily to his beachfront home. They’d flown from the East Coast to the West and he’d questioned himself the entire way.
Tessa had suggested he take Cassie to Grant’s mountain home for a getaway, but Ian wanted Cassie on his turf. Deep down inside he wanted her to see how he lived, see part of his world.
And he wanted to find out how well she fit into his home. Would she feel out of place or would she enjoy the breathtaking views from his bedroom, which overlooked the Pacific Ocean?
Surprisingly, Emily was wonderful on the plane ride, thanks to the pain reliever aiding in her teething process. As Ian maneuvered his car—it had been waiting for him at the airport—into his drive, he risked a glance over to Cassie. He wanted to see her initial reaction.
And he wasn’t disappointed. Her eyes widened at the two-story white beach house with the porch stretching across the first floor and the balcony wrapping around the house on the second. He’d had that same reaction when his Realtor had shown him the property a few years ago. Love at first sight.
“Ian, this is gorgeous,” she exclaimed. “I can’t believe you managed to get a beach house on such short notice.”
He hadn’t told her he was bringing her to his home. He’d wanted to surprise her, and he was afraid if he told her, then she’d back out.
As he pulled into the garage and killed the engine, Ian turned to face her. “Actually, this is my house.”
Cassie gasped, jerking her head toward him. “Your house? Why didn’t you tell me we were coming to your house?”
He honestly didn’t have an excuse unless he wanted to delve way down and dig up the commitment issues he still faced. His fear of having her reject his plan, his fear of how fast they’d progressed and his fear of where the hell all of this would lead had kept him silent.
“I can’t believe you live on the beach,” she said, still smiling. “You must love it here.”
Yeah, he did, but for the first time in his life, he suddenly found himself loving another location, as well. Who knew he’d fall in love with a horse farm on the other side of the country?
While Cassie got Emily out of the car, Ian took all the luggage into the house. He put his and Cassie’s in the master bedroom and took Emily’s bag into the room across the hall.
Thankfully, he’d called ahead and had his housekeeper pick up a few items and set them up in the makeshift nursery. Since she was a new grandmother, she knew exactly what a baby would need. And judging from the looks of the room, she’d gone all out.
Ian chuckled. The woman was a saint and deserved a raise...as always.
“Ian, this house is—”
He turned around to see Cassie in the doorway, Emily on her hip, eyes wide, mouth open.
“I had a little help getting the place ready,” he informed her, moving aside so she could enter. “I hope you don’t mind that I had my housekeeper get Emily some things to make her comfortable while you guys are here.”
Cassie’s gaze roamed around the room, pausing on the crib in the corner. “I don’t know what to say,” she whispered as her eyes sought his. “This is... Thank you.”
Warmth spread through him. Cassie was absolutely speechless over a package of diapers, a bed and some toys. Cost hadn’t even factored into his plan; Emily’s comfort and easing Cassie’s mind even a little had been his top priorities.
Before he could respond, Emily started fussing. Cassie kissed her forehead and patted her back. “It’s okay, baby. You’re all right.”
