AllFreeNovel
Share Us
My gaze wandered over her face and down her elegant neck as she spoke. Lee had aged gracefully. A few small laugh lines around her lips and eyes. A rare silver hair glinted in the candlelight. At forty, she was as beautiful as she’d ever been in my eyes. And the fact that she chose a bright green dress, not her white suit of armor, thrilled me.
It was all kindling on a slow-burning fire. One that I would not let get out of control. She deserved slow and gentle. Delicate and tender.
And I would follow her lead wherever she took me. However far down the path she was willing to venture.
Chapter 19
Lee
Heboughtmydoga bed. The thought looped through my head for the hundredth time tonight. The gesture was so perfect, it made me irrationally happy. It endeared him to me in a way roses or fancy gifts never could have. Derek had moves. Fairy-tale-date-level moves.
Not that I had many recent dates to compare this night to. When your life was as complicated as mine, hit it and quit it was more convenient—dating wasn’t worth the risk.
I lifted my wineglass to hide the goofy smile I was sure was on my face. As I drank, I tried to relax my face into something more dignified. I failed.
This was bad. So bad. But also fucking incredible.
“You’re an amazing cook.” I placed my nicely ironed napkin next to my empty plate.
“Thank you.” He glanced away, hiding a bashful smile. I wasn’t being over-generous; the meal was superb.
“And we still have cake.” I gestured at the vanilla and strawberry confection perched on the silver cake pedestal. It looked ready for a photo shoot.
“I don’t know about you, but I need a few minutes. Maybe a coffee before cake?” He stood, clearing a few plates, and I followed suit with the rest of our dishes.
In the kitchen, he made short work of the mess and started coffee. He was far more domestic than me. I loved my mom, but I’d inherited her level of homemaking skills—zero. I hired housekeepers and caterers.
“I’m impressed. I’d have piled everything up and procrastinated until Onyx made me load the dishwasher.”
“He makes you do housework?” Derek raised an eyebrow and shot a disbelieving look at Onyx, who was snuggled belly up in his new bed. His four paws poked straight up, totally undignified.
“He’s German. He likes things orderly.” I laughed and sipped my fresh cup of coffee. The giddy sensation that inspired me to buy my whole staff croissants earlier wasn’t fading. Instead, the more time I spent with Derek, the more entrenched it became. It was baffling.
“Come on. The couch is more comfortable than these barstools.”
The open-concept living room, other than the overflowing bookshelf, felt impersonal. Very few knickknacks and no photos or personal mementos. It was neat, tidy, and white. It looked ready to be listed for sale.
“You don’t even have a TV?” I turned a circle, looking at the tasteful framed art on the freshly painted walls.
“Between doing the renovations, moving after each project, and wanting the house to look its best for showings, I gave up on a TV in the living room. I have one in my bedroom, but I hardly use it—no cable. I have a tablet.” He shrugged and sat in the center of the gray sectional.
“Hold up. Do you even watch television? Netflix? Something?” I loved my shows. Watching the newest, hottest series helped me stay connected to the world at large. I liked knowing the inside jokes. He would need to be educated.
A vision of us cuddled under a blanket on my couch watching my massive flat-screen TV filled my head. I shook it away.Easy, girl. The truce between us was new and the attraction fresh. It could all fade into nothing in an instant.
I flopped onto the couch and toed off my heels. I turned and bent my leg up on the cushions so I could face him. I started to tug my hemline over my knee and stopped. He was staring. The few inches of exposed flesh had him fixated. Awareness heated my blood, and I boldly tugged the hem up another inch or two. Let him look. I liked how it made my heart race and skin prickle.
“Sports. I have a subscription service for the NFL online.” He spoke his words like an afterthought, all his attention on my thigh. Heat spread from the exposed skin he was staring at up higher to the apex of my thighs. His gaze made me yearn. I crossed my legs and wiggled in my seat, trying to relieve the ache.
“This is a problem. You’re missing out. Right now is the Golden Age of Television. At no other time has TV been so important and the production values so high. Look at all the awesome shows on the streaming services. They’re winning Emmys.Yellowstone.The Crown.Ted Lasso. Please tell me you’re watching something?“ I was babbling.
He shrugged and dragged his eyes up my body to meet my gaze. “Meh.”
Oh, damn, he was watching something. It just wasn’t TV. A shiver coursed up my spine.
He slowly licked his lips. It was captivating. I leaned forward a few inches closer to him. He smelled good—manly and traditional, like Old Spice. Why was that so hot?
“You’re an interesting man. No TV and pajama pants. It’s like the nineteen fifties. Do you have a pair of scuffed leather slippers that you put on after work?”
