“He’s an excellent gift-giver. Like your daughter.”
Dad’s smile is fond. “She sure is.” He looks up, seeming reluctant, but also a gentleman. To Remy, he adds, “It was nice chatting with you. About everything.”
“The pleasure was all mine.”
I leash up the cat, then steal the cat and the woman away. A dragon hoarding its gold indeed.
As we pull out of Big Steps, I ask, “What was that about?”
“I told him you gave me a Ruby Glow.”
“The other part. Theabout everything.”
“Oh, he was curious about Jumbotron-gate, as he called it. I said I was holding up well. I said my friends helped, therapy helped, and you helped.”
“That’s all I wanted to do. From the first swing at a stuffed fox.”
“You were insistent, and I’m glad.”
Maybe I’m not so bad at romance after all. “Me too.”
This time I don’t focus on my dark feelings about her ex. I don’t dwell on the past. I reach across the console for her hand and hold it, focusing on the present.
* * *
When we get to my place, I unleash Thor and he tears off after the catnip banana. Perfect.
I take Remy to my bedroom and bring her to the mirror.I’ve been thinking about this. Picturing it. Want it badly. With her standing in front of me, I admire the view of my woman, her lush hair falling in waves, her eyes bright, her mouth soft.
“Do you know what I see?” I rasp out.
“Tell me.”
I run my hands down her arms, nice and slow, taking my time, watching her reaction in the glass. She shivers as I touch her, and it’s breathtaking.
“I see a brilliant, clever, caring woman who pulled off something amazing today. You saved the day for your sister. You made her shower happen and made it better than she’d planned. Hell, you pulled off an event with barely any notice,” I say, then kiss the back of her neck. “You’re a star. And look at you, how strong you are, and how good you are at everything. How fucking capable.”
She preens under the praise, and that’s good. That’s so damn good.
I move her hair to the side, kissing her neck, sliding my hand up her stomach, over her breasts to her throat.
“But I want to see how good you are at everything,” she says, her voice vulnerable, full of need. “Will you show me?”
“I will. Under one condition.”
“What is it?”
“Don’t look away from the mirror.”
40
MIRROR, MIRROR ON THE FLOOR
REMY
Lake moves in front of me and drops to his knees, sliding his hands up my thighs.
He means it. He wants me to watch him do…whatever he’s got planned.
