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Over dinner, I will ask again. Ask Shelly to move in. I just need to find the right words. Pregnancy or not, Shelly doesn’t need additional stress or pressure. But I’d like to know if she has given the idea any merit.
I won’t force an answer from her lips, but I would like to know if there’s a chance she will say yes.
Now… time to butter her up. Thankfully, I know the way to her heart.
ELEVEN
SHELLY
I just landed in heaven.
The moment I walk through Devlyn’s front door, the delicious scent of bulgogi hits my nose. Savory with a hint of spice. My mouth waters instantly.Damn, that smells good.Thank god.
After the cheese incident, I worried what else would turn up my nose and have me queasy. I’d cry if my favorites made me cringe. To date, cheese and cabbage are the only items on the naughty list. Everything else has been ten times better.
I toss my purse on the chair in the sitting room and toe off my shoes. Winding my way through the house, I slow my pace as I approach the living room. Rounding the corner, I spot Devlyn with his back to me. He removes boxes and tubs from a brown bag and sets them on the table. And for a moment, I stand silently in place and watch him move around the room. Watch him organize dinner and set up the room for a perfect date night in.
The bag crinkles as he flattens it. Then he spins around and spots me at the edge of the room. A small smile pushes up his cheeks and I melt at the sight.
“Didn’t hear you come in.” He saunters across the room, steps into my space, wraps his arms around my waist and crushes my lips with his.
Damn.
Every day should be this incredible. Every daycanbe this incredible. If I let it be.
When he breaks the kiss, I peer up at him. Stare at the darker shade of green rimming his glass-green irises. Swallow at the smolder in his gaze. At the love this man gives only to me.
Damn, I mentally repeat.
“Wasn’t purposely quiet,” I say. “Just saw you setting up dinner and didn’t want to interrupt.” I kiss the tip of his chin. “Smells so good.”
He kisses the tip of my nose as he unravels his arms. “Sit. I was going for drinks.” Before I offer to help, he steps around me and heads for the kitchen.
A few shifts on the floor pillow later, Devlyn walks back in with water and hot tea. Setting them on the table, he situates himself next to me between the couch and table on the floor. We tear open disposable chopsticks and break the sticks apart. And as Devlyn hits play on the remote, I dive into the bulgogi.
An unladylike moan exits my lips and Devlyn laughs.
“Good?”
“So damn good.” I savor the bite. Let the umami roll over my tongue. “I’ll admit, I was worried.” His brows pinch at the middle. “That I wouldn’t be able to enjoy it. After the whole cheese thing, I wondered what other foods would gross me out.”
“And?”
I shrug. “Just the cheese.” I clamp down on another piece of beef, then point my loaded chopsticks at him. “Actually, most of the dairy has made me queasy.”
“At least you didn’t eat or drink a lot before.”
“True.” I pop the beef in my mouth and close my eyes.Thank you, I say to the pregnancy gods. At least I still have this.
The rest of dinner goes by in quiet bliss as we watchDark. This show really swirls my mind into a blur. But in a good way. Romance is my bread and butter, but this multilayered mystery is a close competitor.
When the boxes empty, we pause the show, take the trash to the kitchen, and grab dessert. Curled up on the couch, I lay my head on Devlyn’s shoulder while I spoon ice cream into my mouth.
“Can I ask you something?” Devlyn asks as the end credits flit across the screen.
“You know you can.” I wrap my hands around his bicep.
Three breaths pass before his voice fills the room again, so soft and quiet I almost don’t hear him. “Is there a reason you haven’t agreed to move in?”
