“In fact, I’ll make you a deal.”
With an arch of her brow, she says, “I’m listening.”
“We drink it in the hot tub.”
“The same one where you spied on me?”
“You love that I spied on you.”
Her jaw comes unhinged, all over the top. “I could say the same to you,” she says. It’s cute how she pretends she’s outraged.
“And you’d be right,” I say, admitting that much.
Her lips curve up. “Then I accept your offer.”
Warmth spreads through my chest, chased by something that feels dangerously like happiness every passing moment with her. I drape an arm around Skylar as we walk away from the shop, heading into the next part of the night.
“By the way, I didn’t want to take any chances. So Imade sure the plant would smell,” she says, with an impish grin.
Color me intrigued. “How’d you do that?”
She wiggles her eyebrows. “I sliced up an onion and put it in the plant.”
I stop in my tracks, shaking my head in amazement. She’s deliciously nefarious and it’s going to my head. I drop a kiss to her pretty mouth, murmuring, “You’re so evil, and it’s outrageously sexy.”
24
AL FRESCO DINING
SKYLAR
I dip a toe in the bubbling warm water while Simon watches me with avid eyes from the floor of the deck—upper deck, really.
“I’m surprised you let him into your home,” I say.
“Yeah, me too,” Ford says, then shoots me a stern look. “He’d better not try a thing.”
“I know, I know,” I say, but so far, so good.
Simon’s been a gentleman, maybe because we walked both our dogs when we returned home. Mine trotted the entire way, burning off his humping energy. Nearly killed me with his enthusiasm, but I’d switched from heels to flip-flops, so I was at least able to try to keep up.
Zamboni’s watching us too, albeit from the other side of the hot tub, keeping her eye on the humper. Smart girl.
The water’s nice and toasty as I step into the jacuzzi in my orange polka-dot bikini that Ford can’t stop looking at me in. I sink down into the welcoming tub, letting the water kiss my skin. I can’t complain about Ford’s hot tub attire—black swim shorts that give me a view of theladder of his abs, the breadth of his chest, the strength of his arms.
It’s a good sight.
After he sets down an ice bucket with the bottle of champagne and two glasses on the edge of the tub, he sinks into the water too. As his abs disappear, I pout.
“What’s that for?” he asks.
“I was enjoying the view of Commitment and Discipline.”
His brow knits. “I thought it was Focus and Dedication?”
I shake my head. “Those are your biceps. I named your abs too.”
A smile tips his lips. “Right. I nearly forgot,” he says, then holds my gaze for a confident beat as the water gurgles around us. “Which means it’s about time we talk about Sexy Reno Guy.”
