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His smile widened. “You got me something?”
“It’s nothing really. I don’t know why I thought you would like them. I mean, what do you buy a billionaire, right? And it’s not like you would wear them, you probably have much more refined taste and-”
“I’ll love them,” he interrupted her rambling.
“It’s okay if you don’t like them. I can take them back or see if someone else would have them.” She shook her head then held out a black box to him. He opened it and when he saw the gift, his stomach clenched sharply. It was a pair of black, silk suspenders decorated with constellations. He trailed his fingers over them, touched beyond belief at the thoughtfulness of her gift. He’d had plenty of gifts in his lifetime, expensive gifts, meaningless gifts, but he’d never had one more thoughtful than this.
“Hopefully these are okay. I mean I don’t know much about suspenders but-”
He closed the box and pulled her into his arms, enveloping her tiny frame and she stiffened.
“What are you doing?” came her muffled voice.
“Hugging you,” he growled, his fierceness for her overwhelming him.
“You’re hugging me?”
He huffed a laugh at her statement. “Why yes, I am and honestly, you’re taking it like a champ.” They hugged in silence until she finally relaxed against him, giving in and that was precisely the moment he let go.
“I love them. They’re the best gift I’ve ever had.”
She ducked her head. “You’re just saying that.”
He gripped her chin and tilted her whiskey eyes to his. “No, Belle. I’m really not.”
Her eyes dipped to his lips, like he’d seen before and he was willing her with every fiber of his being to kiss him.
“Great, good. I’m glad.” She looked about her awkwardly. “Well, I’m gonna go to bed. I’ll see you in the morning?”
“Of course,” he replied. Fighting his disappointment, he watched as she moved about, clumsily reaching for her bags, enjoying that for once it was Rebelle who was flustered instead of him.
She looked back over her shoulder. “Well, goodnight.”
“Night.”
She fumbled unlocking the door to the home. “Night then.”
He fought a smirk. “Goodnight, Belle.”
“Night,” she said again and then shut the door. He stayed on the deck for a while, watching the stars and listening to the comforting sounds of her moving about inside the home and he felt calmer than he had in years.
Chapter 15
“I’m gonna head off.” Will poked his head around the door and Rebelle’s stomach did that weird fluttering thing it had been doing since the night he compared her to his favorite constellation. No one had ever compared her to anything before let alone something as beautiful and bright as the stars.
“Great, thanks for sorting out the meds,” she replied, trying to keep the squeak out of her voice.
He snorted. “Next time, you’re taking Oscar’s temperature. He sat down on the thermometer and it disappeared.”
She rolled her lips inwards to fight a smile.
“I had to go in and get it, Rebelle.” He shuddered and his skin paled at the memory, his freckles coming into focus. “Anyway, the contractor has finished setting up and he’ll start working on Monday. Are you excited to see your cattery dreams come to life?”
She nodded eagerly. “I can’t wait to see it. Is it weird that I’m nervous?”
“Not at all.” He cocked his head at her, watching her with aqua eyes and she busied herself tidying paperwork and avoiding his penetrating stare. “Are you sure I can’t convince you to come tonight?” he asked softly.
She stalled. She could hear the underlying hope and question in his tone,please come tonight?She hadn’t told him yet, she wanted it to be a surprise. That and she genuinely wasn’t sure if she could actually make it through the doors to The Rusty Bucket Inn without hyperventilating. Justine had been messaging her all week checking in, sending breathingtechniques and soothing mantras like she knew exactly how stressed Rebelle was about the crowd and noise that awaited her.
