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His smiles came easily now. Warmed from the inside out at the sight of him, I replied, “I do. Greece is good for you. You look great. Relaxed.”
“I feel pretty good,” he admitted. “Better than I have in a long while.”
A wave of sadness crested. What if he didn’t come back? I pushed it aside to focus on him.
“It’s really late. Why are you up?” Suddenly I figured out what this was and began to laugh. “Oh my gosh, Ares! Is this a booty call? Do you want phone sex?”
“Is Brayleigh home?”
I waggled my eyebrows. “It’s your lucky day!”
“Any day with you is my lucky day,” he replied.
“Aw, hot stuff!” I sniffed and covered my eyes. My breath hitched. “God, I miss you.” I closed my eyes behind my hand and collected myself before grinning at him. “Give me five minutes to put on something sweet and then call me back.”
“No,” he stated. “I’m going to tell you exactly what you’re going to do.”
My head snapped up at his tone, then I laughed at him. Bringing the phone closer to my face, I teased, “Sure, old man. And what are you going to do about it if I don’t?”
He grinned. “I’ll punish you.”
“Pshaw,” I raspberried him. My disrespect had escalated to brat levels neither he nor I had seen before. I purposely goaded him, wanting him to come home and deliver on his threats. “I’ve got 3000 miles before I have to worry about you and your empty threats.”
“You think so?” he replied silkily as he pulled the phone away from his face. He angled it to take in his bed, his nightstand, and the picture of me smiling at him, minus the halo sticker.
I jumped up off the couch, my mouth slack with shock, then squealed. “You’re home?” I slapped a hand over my face with glee. “You’re home!” In that split second of awareness, a number of truths hit me. “Uh, oh,” I breathed.
“Oh, yes,” he retorted. “Are you listening now?”
I looked to the side.
Shit.
I’d planned to be at his place when he got home.
I had a whole plan. Dinner. A blindfold. A walk-through where I showed him everything I changed, and how easy it would be to undo it all if he so chose.
Frig.
I needed to explain. Gauge his reaction. Make sure I didn’t really, truly, fuck things up. I’d overstepped, no doubt. What if he didn’t like my surprise?
“Hope,” he clipped.
That tone brought another revelation. I’d really been asking for it over the past week. Eek! And it looked like I was about to get it. I’d have to bluff my way through.
“You have my attention,” I replied cheekily.
He chuckled darkly.
I stared at him. Fascinated. Looked into those dark, fathomless eyes. Watched his beautiful mouth move.
“Not yet, I don’t. But I will.” He sat up, his dark eyes intense and broody. “You’re going to put on that pink negligee and pack a bag for the next few days. You’re going to oh so fucking carefully drive over here. Then we’re going to talk. Got it?”
“Talk?” I answered stupidly.
His eyes flashed. “Among other things.”
It wasn’t until I pulled into his driveway that my nerves kicked in.
