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“Publix caters.”
“We’re not ordering our Thanksgiving dinner from the grocery store.”
“Why? It makes perfect sense to me. Less mess and stress.”
She grins, her eyes lighting with amusement.
“Something funny?”
“You’re adorable when you don’t get your way.”
“Harley, puppies are adorable. I’m a grown-ass man.”
“Oh, I’m well aware of that. A very talented, sexy, phenomenally hot grown-ass man. But you’re also adorable.”
I clasp her hips, thrusting up. Her grin and the amusement fade. “Oh my God, how can you be…?”
“Always, baby. But especially right now. Your tight, wet heat gripping me. Feeling your tits pressed to my chest.”
“But aren’t you tired?”
She’s right. Last night, I worked, and with it being a holiday week, the streets of downtown Nashville were crazy. But when I closed out my shift, the only thing on my mind was getting home where she agreed to spend the night. “Not when I need to convince you to stay with me.”
“I’ll be back before you know it. Plus, the guys are taking you to lunch.”
“The minute you climb off me, I’ll know it.” It makes me a bastard, but I’m willing to play dirty to get her to stay. “Harley, it’s my birthday. The only thing I want is you, all day, with no interruptions and no sharing.”
Her eyes move over my face, and I know I have her when she fists my hair.
“I have big plans to spoil you.”
“Spoil me by letting me have you all day, in bed, and mostly inside you.”
“What about lunch with your dad and the guys?”
“I’ll reschedule. They’ll understand.”
“Dammit, Achilles, you’re ruining my surprise!”
“I hate surprises.”
Her face falls, and a tinge of regret fills me, so I’m quick to cover. “Unless they included stripper bikinis and hot tubs.”
“That was the grand finale,” she murmurs.
My cock goes rock hard. “That we can leave this room for.”
“Stop it. We don’t have time,” she says unconvincingly. “I really want to give you your present this morning. It’s important.”
“We’ll compromise. I’ll let you go to give me a present, and you agree to another hour in bed.”
She pulls on her lip, her eyes casting over my shoulder and mentally calculating something. “I can compromise.”
“Fine, hurry.” I swat her ass lightly and loosen my hold.
I miss her heat immediately, my cock thumping on my stomach when she scrambles to the bathroom. A few minutes later, she comes out with my t-shirt on and carrying a large bag.
“Clothes were not an option in this compromise.” I position against the headboard.
She smiles, climbing back on top and placing the bag on my stomach.
I recognize the hard feel of a frame. When I pull it out, I’m drawn to the large picture in the middle of the collage. It’s a sketch of a house. Our house. A motorcycle, a landscaped yard, a generous-sized kitchen, and a few other shots make up the smaller pictures surrounding the collage.
My heart picks up speed. “I assume you’ve decided?”
“I did. This is it, Achilles. This is our home.”
When Celia was here, she followed through and took Harley to view homes around the area. Then she took her to builders to get an idea of what the options and process will entail. Harley wanted me involved. She toiled over them endlessly, overwhelming herself. I took one look at the dozen choices she laid out on the floor and narrowed it down to three.
All three offered my requirements.
She pushed me on a budget, hung up on costs. I didn’t blame her, but the apprehension was getting old.
Now, looking at her ultimate choice, it’s settled. This is exactly what I want to give her.
“I’ll contact the builder today and set up an appointment next week. Then I’ll call Sam and Drake and get some money transferred to my bank.”
There’s a flicker of disappointment, and a split second of sadness crosses her face.
“Harley, what’s wrong?”
“I called my bank yesterday and spoke to a loan officer,” she tells me hesitantly. “It wasn’t good news on my end.”
I set the frame to the side and circle her waist, urging her closer. “First off, you don’t need to discuss anything with a loan officer because I have this. But what did they say?”
“It’s not a smart idea to change jobs right before applying for a loan. Even though Mike’s offer is fantastic, and MJ Labels is an incredible opportunity, my work history needs to be steady.”
I tamper the frustration and force my voice steady when I reply. “That’s bullshit.”
“Yeah, I’ve been with the same company for almost five years and make a decent salary. And Tom’s income helps, too. But—”
“Stop right there. I don’t give a fuck about the shit they spewed, which is probably true for most people needing a loan. What’s bullshit is you rethinking Mike’s offer. It’s not only fantastic, but it’s exactly the step you need to be thinking about at this point in your career. Better benefits, better salary, more excitement, getting full credit for your ideas—all of it blows your current position out of the water. Do not think of turning it down because of apprehension about a goddammed loan.”
