“Good. Get naked.”
He returned to the bathroom to toss the washcloth in the sink, then began stripping as he returned to the bedroom. Violet was sprawled out on the bed, naked, just as he’d requested. Simon joined her, pulling her onto him so he could feel her soft body against him.
“I do want you to stay,” Violet whispered, her fingers teasing along his neck. “But not in the apartment.”
“Your friend Spencer’s a Realtor, right? I’ll find some—”
“I want you to move in with me.”
Simon stilled, pulling back enough to look her in the eye. He needed to know if this was a spur-of-the-moment thing. What had transpired between them a few moments ago had been intense. Add on the fact he’d told her he loved her. The last thing he wanted was for her to jump into something she wasn’t ready for.
“I know it’s not fancy or big. I don’t have a pool or—”
Simon pressed his finger to her lips. “We’ve got time. I don’t want you to do somethin’ you’re not ready for.”
Violet lifted her head and met his stare. He saw so much in those dark brown depths. A wealth of emotions filled the little void that had formed when she hadn’t said the words. He knew she would in time. And he refused to rush her.
“I think I fell in love with you the first time I heard your voice,” she said softly.
He smiled. “That day in your store?”
Violet shook her head.
Simon frowned.
“The first time Iheardyour voice,” she repeated.
“Ah.” His chest filled with warmth. “The podcast.”
Violet tapped her nose with her finger. “Bingo. Did you know I called dibs?”
Simon laughed. “Dibs?”
She nodded. “Yeah. I told Spencer and Elana that if I ever ran into you, I got to keep you for myself.”
“Is that right?”
•••••
Violet smiled because she could tell thatbolstered his ego.
“All my life, I’d expected to end up with a bad boy, but then you showed up in my store.”
“I did do that.”
“A nice guy with a sexy voice and pretty eyes and an adorable dimple.”
“Pretty and adorable?” Simon grunted. “Not exactly the words I was hopin’ for, but I’ll take it.”
“Don’t forget nice.”
“Right. Nice.”
She canted her head, still smiling. “For the past few days, I’ve dreaded the thought of it ending. I was trying to be stoic.”
“By hidin’ out at Spencer’s house?”
“How’d you know where I was?”
