He shrugged and smiled. “It will be a good start. And then you have decisions to make.”
“I know. An investment partner. The thing is, I don’t want to go into a partnership only being able to pay for a tiny fraction of the renovation. That’s basically giving up all control to someone else.”
“Come here. Turn around.” He laid his hands on my shoulders and began digging into them with those magical hands, massaging all the tension out of my muscles. I flashed back to those moments we had on our couch. Lightning bolts shot from his fingers right to my lady parts. “Don’t worry,” he was saying. “We’ll make money from this. Maybe we’ll make money some other way. Business loans are always a possibility. And a good investor will make everything easier.”
I sighed and relaxed into his touch. “You’re right. No sense in worrying about step one hundred when we’re only at step three.”
“Exactly.” He gave my shoulders one last squeeze, then leaned in and kissed my cheek dangerously close to my neck, where all the little nerve endings sat up and tingled.
I sighed again, and when I turned to look at him, he was giving me the Fireworks.
* * *
A few hours later,mixologist Neil’s Mai Tais at The Junction Box had made most of the ghouls extremely happy. I was new to tiki drinks, and I could barely sit up straight. But I was as giddy as the others, and my inhibitions had made a run for the border.
“You OK?” Landon asked. He’d been drinking beer and seemed sober.
I leaned my head against his shoulder and smiled up at him. “I feel really good.”
Fireworks! Ah, that smile. “Glad to hear it. You should drink some water.”
“Always taking care of me. Why are you taking care of me?”
“It’s fun.”
“Oh, you and your fun,” I said, but I took a sip of water, followed by another sip of Mai Tai. My thick paper straw rattled the last ice in the bottom of the glass, and I frowned. “It’s gone! I need another one!”
“Are you sure? You have a big day tomorrow.”
“Oh, please, LandonyWann-doe-neeeee.”
He busted out laughing. “I’ve never seen you like this. Except maybe that time with the banjo.”
“Because I hardly ever get drunk, because then I would lose control, and then I might do something stupid where men are concerned.” I bit my lip, and his eyes flared.
Just then, as Ez finished playing an impromptu sing-along version of “Bohemian Rhapsody” that had everyone in the bar howling, Jace stood up and addressed our party.
“Why don’t we go back to our house for a swim?”
I must’ve looked puzzled, because Penelope took pity on me and explained. “We bought a house on the beach. Did I not tell you? It’s pretty sweet.”
“It’s fantastic,” Jace said. “It has a big pool with a view of the ocean. Laps every morning. Which is why I look likethis,”he joked, winking at me.
I damn near fainted.
“Skinny dipping!” Damien shouted. I wondered if he realized his spiky dark hair and eye makeup were both likely to fail if he went swimming.
There was wide agreement on the beach house, if not naked swimming,
Landon said he was sober enough to drive, and Millie was able to take Bennett and a couple of the others, as was Alex, who’d met us at the bar and drove a big SUV. The rest grabbed an Uber van for the quick trip over to Bohemia Beach.
Landon helped me out of the truck. Even though I felt like I was floating, I was pretty sure I would float right onto my face if I tried to make that big step on my own.
“Hey, isn’t this just down the road from your old beach house, Gary?” someone asked.
“Yeah, it’s just north of here. The art school owns it now,” Gary said. “Though Ez and I have been to this place, before Jace and Pen bought it.” He and Ez exchanged a sly glance that was too hot to handle, and I decided not to ask.
A few minutes later, folks had tumbled out to the screened-in lagoon-shaped pool. Music thumped out of the speakers, and Jace was pulling out all manner of beer and wine from behind the bar in the fancy outdoor kitchen and mixing up classic cocktails. “We added some enhancements to this place before we moved in. I love this bar.”
