“Yeah.”
“Is this okay?”
He meant them, what they were doing. “Yeah.”
“You go out with me now?”
“You mean like a date?”
“Yep.”
“What’s this?”
“No, I mean dinner, movie. Maybe get lucky?”
She hesitated. “Don’t expect me to wear a dress.”
“No dresses. Got it.” He pulled her down and rolled them onto their sides, squeezing her close against his body so everything lined up. They fit perfectly under the quilt.
“When?”
“Um, how about tomorrow?”
“Aren’t you sick of me yet?” she asked, teasing, but kind of worried that he was. She rolled to her back, facing the stars rather than him. His hand stayed at her waist, light, but definitely there.
“Hell no.” He sounded a little surprised at the idea. “Kinda gettin’ used to you hangin’ around.” Ivan cleared his throat. “Like I said. You could stay here. For a while, I mean. As long as you wanted. If you got sick of livin’ next door.”
“What, in your truck?” she joked, deflecting the thrill of hope that the invitation gave her.Yes, yes, yes. Oh please, yes. Let me stay here, and you can keep me safe. Forever.
“Yeah, right.” He chuckled, but there was a tiny bit of insecurity in his voice. Oh crap. He meant it. He really wanted her to stay. “You could stay in the house. Pick a room. Get you a bed and stuff.”
Uma closed her eyes against the hope swelling almost painfully in her chest. It would be so easy, wouldn’t it? To let him take care of her.
“What’s the deal with your house?” she deflected.
“No deal. Just fixin’ it up.” Ivan’s hand moved from her belly to her hip, stroking her gently through her clothes.
“Do you have a kitchen there and working bathrooms?”
“Sure. Workin’ on detail stuff now.”
“But you don’t live there.”
“I gotta finish it before movin’ in.”
“You give tours?”
“Sure. Show you around tomorrow before our date.”
“Oh, so you assumed I’d go on that date with you?”
“Nah, but I figured if I upped the ante and asked you to move in with me, you’d have to say yes to the lesser commitment.”
Uma smiled. The hand still stroking her tightened a fraction and skimmed up her waist to her breast. “So, how long have you had this place?” she asked.
“Six years.”
“You’ve been working on it that long?”
