I glance at her. “Yeah?”
“Yeah. You could have been harsh. But you weren’t.”
“Trying to prove I’m not a complete bastard.” I reach over and lace my fingers through hers.
She squeezes my hand. “It’s working.”
My chest does something warm and uncomfortable.
“So,” I say, needing to lighten the mood. “About that date.”
She glances at me, a small smile playing at her lips. “The one that’s been thoroughly derailed?”
“Aye, that one.” I grin. “What if we skip the fancy restaurant, get those comfortable clothes, and order that takeaway?”
“Really?”
“Really.” I bring her hand to my lips, pressing a kiss to her knuckles. “You said you like simple things. Let’s keep it simple.”
Her smile widens, genuine this time. “Okay. Yeah. I’d like that.”
“Good.” I pull back onto the road. “Because I’d like to actually get to know you, Erin. The real you. Not the version I made up in my headwhen I was a cruel little shite. So I’m asking you, love. What do you want?”
Her cheeks flush pink, spreading down her neck. “I—” She bites her lip. “I want to be comfortable. I want to not worry about saying the wrong thing or using the wrong fork or?—”
“Done.” I squeeze her hand. “Let’s get you some comfortable clothes. What would you wear right now if you could?”
“Besides taking off this damn bra?” she says, then immediately looks mortified. “Oh god, I shouldn’t have said that.”
I nearly swerve the car. My grip tightens on the wheel as blood rushes south. Christ, the image of her stripping out of that dress, reaching back to unhook—I have to shift in my seat. “Don’t worry about that, lass,” I manage, my voice rougher than I intended. “I’ll be taking it off soon enough.”
The little squeal she couldn’t quite stifle sends heat straight to my cock. I want to hear what other sounds I can pull from her.
I can’t help but tease her. It’s so easy. “Slowly. With my teeth, maybe.” I watch her pupils dilate.
“Cavin.”
“My sisters say they’re torture devices anyway,” I add, trying to sound casual when I’m imagining sliding the straps down her shoulders, watching that emerald fabric pool at her feet. “Among other things that need removing,” I add, trying to sound casual when my blood’s currently on fire.
“They are,” she agrees, then sighs. She gives me a sidelong look. “And I don’t want to wear these shoes anymore either, and if you makethatsexual?—”
I laugh out loud and shake my head.
“What would you wish you were wearing right now?”
“My comfy stretchy pants and a jumper,” she says with a genuine smile that lights up her whole face. “The soft kind that feels like a hug.”
Christ, she’s going to kill me.
“Where’d you buy them?”
“Oh, I don’t know,” she says. “Online usually. I don’t like going into stores. Too many people, too much noise.”
“Wait, hold on a sec.” I pull up a shopping app on my phone at a red light, then hand it to her. “Pick whatever you want. I’ll have it delivered to my place within the hour.”
She blinks at me. “You can do that?”
“Aye.”
