“Don’t worry, Eli made it. I wouldn’t subject you to my cooking,” he continued.
“I’m glad you’re here.” She kicked off her shoes and walked straight to him.
His arms encircled her and the crazy of the day drifted away.
“You look spent.” He brushed a kiss at the crown of her head.
She glanced up at him. “You have no idea.”
He scooped her up in his arms and started toward the bedroom. “Jase, what are you doing?”
“I’m going to get you a bath started. I’ll bring you dinner, and then put you to bed,” he said with military-like precision.
Okay, that sounded pretty good. Arms around his neck, she relaxed against him.
He pushed open the door, and she saw that the whole room was filled with candles and the pink and white roses he’d been bringing her. He called them carrousel something. She sucked in a breath. There were vases and vases of the roses, and rose petals were scattered all over her bedspread. Her heart skipped. Then she realized they spelled out something, and she looked closer.
Prom?
She couldn’t hold back the giggle. “Are you asking me to prom?”
“I am.” He set her feet down and held her hands in his. “Heather Reese, will you go to prom with me?”
“Did Babushka know you were doing this? Is that why she gave you the key?”
“I have to have some secrets, don’t I?”
She pressed the back of her hand against her lips. “I can’t believe you left a massacre of flowers in my bedroom.”
“That doesn’t answer my question,” he said on a growl.
“Of course I’ll be your date, you loony tune.” She pressed a kiss against his lips.
“Okay, good. Because otherwise it’d be really awkward.” He pecked a kiss on her nose. “Now, bath for you.”
He started toward her bathroom.Deep breaths, Heather.She took in the room: he’d also added a bottle of champagne and two champagne glasses to her nightstand. Funny, when she’d come up from work, she’d been exhausted. Now? Now, she was exhilarated.
He’d asked her to prom. And his promposal was fantastic.
She did a twirl that would’ve made teenage Heather proud.
The bathtub faucet turned on behind the closed door. And now he was filling a tub for her? She practically had to pinch herself.
She followed him, latching the door behind her. He was on his knees filling her soaker bathtub. He’d lit her candles in there, too. The whole place smelled like jasmine.
Hands at her sides, she moved to him and ran her palms over his back. “This is really amazing, Jase.”
He grinned up at her and something shifted in his eyes. It was almost unnoticeable, but she seemed to be so tuned into him lately, even the smallest change affected her.
She pulled her polo work shirt over her head and tugged the band from her hair, finger-combing it. He hadn’t stopped looking at her. She undid the clasp on her bra and let it fall to the ground. As the bra hit the bath mat, his pupils dilated in anticipation of what would come next.
She continued her striptease, unzipping her jeans and pulling them over her hips, down her thighs, past her calves, and kicking them away. He continued to drink her in. The bathtub continued filling, but she wasn’t done. She pulled her panties down, pushing them aside with her toe, so she was completely bare in front of him.
His nostrils flared, but still he didn’t say anything. A step into the bath and she tested the water—of course it was perfect. She slid beneath the water and glanced at him. He still hadn’t moved. Hadn’t said anything.
“Aren’t you coming?” she asked.
“I should ask you to prom every night.” He pulled his shirt over his head and made quick work of removing his jeans and boxers.
