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“I’m gonna pick someplace great,” Ian promised. Then he gave his mom a hug and kiss, hollered good night, and ran to the bathroom.
Mae stared after him, and when the sound of running water reached them, she swiveled toward Merit. “Wow. I didn’t even have to remind him to brush his teeth.”
“Progress?”
“More like a miracle. And most likely a one-off.”
Merit laughed before reluctantly glancing toward the front door. “I suppose I should get going.”
She glanced toward the hall. “Ian? I’m going to walk out with Merit. Get in bed, and I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
“Okay!”
Merit’s pulse kicked up as she walked with him to door. The porch light was on, but as she stepped outside with him, she flipped it off. “Nosey neighbors.”
“I wasn’t planning to get down on one knee again,” he teased.
In the dark, she moved forward to flatten her hands on his chest. “Pity. You looked good on your knees.”
The husky suggestion in her voice conjured up earlier imaginings and wrung a low groan from his throat. “Mae.”
He heard her smile a second before she drew his head down and kissed him breathless. He was hard again in no time and wishing she didn’t have to go back inside so he could get down on his knees for he
r right now.
She left him happy, but hard, and he drove straight from her place to his converted warehouse studio suite to paint his sexual frustration away. Or take the edge off, anyway. But first, he sent a text to his brother.
Merit: You suck.
Grayson: Did she say yes?
Merit: Fuck you.
Grayson: ?
By dawn, he returned to his huge, empty house and fell into bed with an idea from the night before growing roots in his mind.
Chapter 24
Saturday, Mae closed the back door of Merit’s green SUV while Ian fastened his seatbelt. She turned around to find their handsome chauffeur holding the front passenger door open for her.
With his jaw shadowed by stubble, he looked particularly gorgeous in a black, button up shirt with the sleeves rolled past his thick forearms, and a pair of not quite so worn as usual jeans. Her heart beat a little faster when he blocked her way and discretely laid his hand on her hip.
She hadn’t seen him since he left Tuesday evening, but they’d texted throughout the week, and he’d called her each night before bed. She was a little behind on her sleep, but hearing his voice and learning all about him was more than worth it.
“I really do love that dress,” he murmured.
Mae met his gaze with a small smile. “So you’ve said twice already.”
But she’d be okay if he said it a few more times. She’d picked the blue mini summer dress with tiny white polka dots because it made her eyes look super blue. The snug fit smooshing her boobs together was a bonus Merit had visually appreciated a few times since he’d knocked on the door with birthday roses for her, and a roll of Bottle Caps candy for Ian.
“And those sandals…man, do they do great things for your legs.”
The white sandals with little blue flowers across the toe strap had three inch heels. After every day all day in steel-toed work boots, she loved wearing fun shoes to go out—although, she’d tucked a pair of white tennis shoes into her bag for mini-golf after dinner.
She reached up to lay a hand against his cheek, and his dark stubble scraped against her palm. “I am partial to the scruff,” she whispered. “I like the way it feels on my skin.”
His eyes darkened, and his nostrils flared. “You’re mean.”
