“Talk to Ani,” he says, pulling back to offer one last heart-stopping smile before heading out the door.
“I will, Kirin. I promise.”
And I mean it too. But the minute I’m alone in my suite again, nervous butterflies dance around my stomach, and my heart feels like it’s going to beat right out of my chest. There’s just something about Ani that makes me feel like a schoolgirl with her first crush, and the idea of telling him how I feel has me bouncing off the walls.
I’ve still got an hour and a half before he’s due to arrive, so I put the frantic energy to work, cleaning the suite from top to bottom. By the time I’m done, my place is spotless and I’m calm and centered, not a single errant butterfly to be found.
Until my door chimes.
Twenty-Seven
STEVIE
My stomach is suddenly as fizzy as a glass of champagne, and when I open the door and see Ani’s brilliant smile, I erupt in happy, crazy laughter, pulling him in for a hug.
“Wow,” he says, returning my embrace with just one arm. The other is tucked suspiciously behind his back. “You’re eitherreallyhappy to see me, orreallydrunk.”
“Or really happy at the prospect of getting drunk with you?” I pull back, nodding behind his back. “Did you bring me wine? Vodka? Moonshine?”
“Not exactly.” He steps inside, keeping his arm behind his back. “But this will definitely make your day better.”
“What could be better than day drinking with my favorite gingersnap?”
“Day drinking with your favorite gingersnap while playing with this?” He ends the suspense, finally handing over a gift wrapped in shiny pink paper and silver ribbon, about the size of a shoe box.
“What is it?” I ask.
“Guess.”
“Ani!” My cheeks hurt from smiling so big. I’m practically bouncing on my toes with excitement. “At least give me a hint.”
“Okay, I’ll give youfivehints. But only because you’re so cute right now. Seriously, Stevie. You’re wearing a T-shirt covered in broomsticks. I’m overwhelmed with the cuteness.”
“Five hints?” I roll my eyes. “This has nothing to do with my cuteness and everything to do with you setting me up for a joke.”
“Hint number one,” he says, flashing me an adorable wink that calls those butterflies back into swift action. “It’s the perfect gift for the sexy, independent woman in your life.”
“Oh, I know! A life-sized cutout of Dean Winchester?”
“What? No! Goddess, you’re impossible. Okay, hint number two: batteriesarerequired.”
My smile fades. The butterflies do a few backflips. My thighs clench, and it’s a real effort to keep my mind out of the gutter. “Robot servant? Modeled after Dean Winchester?”
Ani wrinkles his nose and shakes his head. “Three, it’s waterproof. And before you say it, no, it’s not Dean Winchester in a pair of Speedos.”
“Um…”Good goddess, this man is going to kill me.
“Four,” he plows on, “it’s big enough to let you get a good grip, yet small enough to fit in your purse for fun on the go.”
A nervous laugh escapes. “Ani, you are such a weirdo. What is evenhappeningright now?”
“Oh, I’ll tell you what’s happening, Stevie Boo Boo.” He leads me to the couch, where we both sit side-by-side, and squeezes my knee, the heat of his touch sending a little zing right to my core. “Are you ready for the final hint? Because it’s the best one. Seriously, I stayed up all night perfecting it.”
“Okay, this had better be the most epic present ever, because after a lead-up like this, you are setting the barreallyhigh.”
“Five.” Ani wriggles his eyebrows, his grin as bright as the sun. “Use it alone or with a friend, but you’ll never be able to use it without thinking of me.”
“Wow, youhavebeen planning this joke a long time.”
