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“No, but that’s just my opinion. What do you want?”
His mouth widened into a full smile. Three feet had separated them, but now suddenly it was one. “You sure you want my answer to that?”
His low voice was smooth as satin, but warmer than wool. It added another dimension to the flashback vying for dominance in her head. She swallowed hard and focused on the collar of his T-shirt. “Only if it’s appropriate.”
He gave a dramatic sigh. “Pine, you say? I had been thinking mahogany, but now you’ve aroused my curiosity.”
She stepped to one side, away from the heat emanating from his large body. She tried to gauge if he was making fun of her or if he was serious, but didn’t want to look at him for too long. That’s when her imagination turned traitor and threatened to lay them both on the bed again.
Earlier, she’d sworn he was uncomfortable, but he’d switched to sensual flirting without missing a beat. The man was good at whatever game he was playing because she was hopelessly off-balance. She needed to take control.
“Mahogany would be too dark and heavy,” she said as she walked toward the back of the store. “So, starting with the bed…”
“Best place to start,” he murmured directly behind her.
Chapter 10
Dean saw Gina’s shoulders stiffen, but she continued walking without a reply. He couldn’t help but let his gaze linger on the subtle sway of her jean-clad hips. She’d grabbed a jacket on her way out of the office, but left it in his SUV. The snug fit of her lavender sweater made her look sweeter than cotton candy.
Melt in his mouth sweet, and he was dying for another taste.
When she stopped a moment later, he lifted his gaze from her ass to the king-sized sleigh bed in front of them.
“This is it,” she said. “Natural pine, simple and understated except for the iron detailing. To compliment that, I’d accent the room with iron lamps and fixtures. Same for the curtain rods, with very minimal material in burgundy, and some gray that is a couple shades darker than your carpeting. I’d pick that up again in the comforter and pillows.”
The footboard was no higher than the mattress, and both it and the higher headboard featured a six-inch wide strip of iron scrollwork that ran from one side to the other. The wood was beautiful and the contrast of the black iron created a bold, striking effect.
Dean leaned forward to slide his hand across the curved surface of the low footboard, then trailed it back the opposite direction. He enjoyed the feel of the cool, varnished wood beneath his fingertips. A subtle trace of Gina’s light perfume immediately refreshed the heat-invoking memory of when he’d laid her on his bed and skimmed his hand along her exposed thigh. Her skin had been as smooth as the wood, but much, much warmer.
Sonofabitch, if he continued that line of thinking, he was going to be as hard as the damn wood.
“I like it.”
From the corner of his eye, he saw her head jerk in his direction. He kept his attention focused on the bed, even though he noticed color rise in her cheeks. Was it possible she’d been reliving those same moments? God, he hoped so. He shouldn’t, especially since he still didn’t know if he could trust her, but that didn’t keep his body from twitching in response to the possibility of recreating that memory and taking it further.
“The whole set, or the idea?”
He drew in a breath to steady his pulse and redirect his thoughts. “Both.”
“Do you want me to find you some other options to choose from?”
“Nope. You’re on a roll with things I like, so why ruin a good thing?”
He barely caught her smile as she turned for the front of the store. “Then as long as you’re here, let’s buy it and schedule delivery.”
They met up with a sales person at the desk, and Gina took charge of the conversation. He discovered she had some sharp negotiating skills, and was impressed when she managed to get him a decent discount for the suite of furniture and a new mattress set.
While the paperwork was being drawn up, his phone rang in his pocket. Recognizing the ringtone, he let her deal with the particulars, and stepped back to answer the call. “What’s up?”
“Where are you?” Mike asked. “I tried your home line, but you didn’t answer.”
“I’m in town right now. Furniture shopping, of all things.”
“Furniture…? Wait—is Cindy with you? Did you find anything out?”
His fingers tightened on the phone as he casually moved out of earshot. “Yes, Gina is with me. No, I didn’t find anything out.” Yet. He grimaced at the thought of milking her for information during dinner under the guise of charming flirtation. His rational mind was having absolutely no luck keeping his body in check where she was concerned. “What’d you need?”
“I was going to have you look something up, but don’t worry about it. I’ll find it here.”
