Hesitation constricted his vocal cords.It was too soon.Definitely too soon.Was he trying to shake the stable ground they’d formed?Christ.He stared into her eyes and all reluctance left his body.
No, this was right.Everything about Dez was perfectly right.“Move in together.”
Her eyes bugged out a little, and she pushed herself up onto her elbow, meeting his gaze.
Ah, shit.He’d jumped the gun.
“Are you serious?I mean, I want nothing more than to live with you.I just want to make sure it’s what you want.”She tucked her hair behind her ear and her fingers trembled.
He swept her locks around his knuckles.“I love you, Dez.I know it’s soon, but you and I feel meant to be.”
She moved her tongue between her teeth, and he wanted to suck on her bottom lip.She lowered her gaze.If she struck him down it’d hurt like fucking hell, but if she wanted to take things slow—
With her chin slightly tucked, she lifted her lashes.“I guess the big question is, my place or yours?”
He caught her under the arms and pulled her down on top of him.“I’d live in a fucking tent if it made you happy.”
Her laugh tinkled in the air.She brought her lips to his and his senses fizzled.She pulled away and rested her palm against his jaw.“We can discuss over lunch.”
He trailed his fingers over her shoulder.“I’ll start the coffee,” he said, and then slid off the bed and tucked the covers around her.
“I knew you were a smart man.”
He laughed easily as he stepped into his shorts.“I must be since I fell for you.”He winked and strode out of the room.
Contentment filled him.Dez loved him.Everything else would work itself out.
***
Aiden shuffled thescrambled eggs around the pan and reached for the salt.He sent a glance over his shoulder at Dez sitting at the island, her laptop in front of her, a pen and paper in hand, and her phone pinched between her ear and shoulder.
“Yeah, I’ll order the new register and display cases today if you can handle the products.”A pause followed.“Perfect.Thanks, Louise, you’re a gem.”She hung up and heaved a sigh.
“Making progress?”he asked.
She scrunched her nose.|Getting there.I’m waiting to hear back from my insurance adjuster, but I can’t put off ordering the items we need for too long.These things could take months to come in.”
“It’ll take close to that to repair the damage to the shop.”
She slumped and pushed her hair out of her face.She’d showered and changed into cut-off shorts and a black T-shirt while he’d started lunch.
He turned back to the stove and flipped the hash browns.
“Did Hank get back to you?”she asked.
“Yeah.He didn’t want to bother me with details while we’re recovering, but things are worse than we thought with Meredith.”He turned toward the island and began filling the plates he’d laid out.
She pulled back her head.“How on earth could they be any worse?”
“Well, they got a warrant and searched her place.She had photos of you and I having sex Saturday night.”
Dez gasped.“How did she—”
“From the angle, it looks like she was in the trees outside my bedroom window.”
“Ugh.”She twisted her face with disgust.“That makes me feel icky.”
“They also found her diary.Originally she planned...”He cleared his throat.“Never mind.”
