“Thanks,” she says, securing the towel around her chest.
She looks at me shyly, studying my tense expression.
“Come on.” I rest my hand on her lower back and open the door that leads into my bedroom, steering her through it.
She whips her head around, looking at me, then turns back to take in the room. Every available surface is covered in candles. I’m so fucking grateful I had a load here in case of a blackout.
“You did this?” she breathes.
“No, Monty did.”
She looks at me. “You made a joke.”
I gaze at her as she shuffles closer to me. “Did I?”
“You know you did,” she teases.
“You’re not laughing, so it can’t have been.”
Her eyes light up. “You get a smile. Keep working on them, Brute.” She pats my chest. “Was Monty okay?”
“He’s fine. I took him out to the bathroom, gave him his dinner and a treat. He’s probably back asleep now.”
Worn out from the way I made him march around the property’s perimeter with me, checking everything over.
Her lower lip snags between her teeth. “Thank you… So what’s this all for?”
I follow her gaze to the candles. Maybe I went overboard. I might pass out when I have to blow them all out.
I clear my throat. “This is how it should have been. And I’m sorry it wasn’t.”
She chews on her lower lip, a deep line down the center of her forehead. But then it’s gone, and her lips tilt into a soft smile.
“No one’s ever done anything like this before. Thank you.”
“I’m sorry about the way we?—”
“Do you regret it?” She struggles to meet my eyes and my chest grows heavy at the wavering in her voice.
“No.”
Her shoulders relax and she looks around the room at the candles some more, her face glowing in their light.
“Do you?” I frown, steeling myself for her answer.
“No.” She shakes her head, her attention still dancing around the room.
Relief softens every muscle in my body as I lead her over to the bed and pull back the covers.
“Get in.”
“What?” Her eyes widen as she looks up at me.
“You’re sleeping in here with me. I need to know you’re okay.”
“I have my own room.”
“Not tonight, you don’t,” I rasp.
