Page 24 of Love On and Off Set

Warmth suffused me. He understood. Being CEO of a large corporation, responsible for over a thousand people, meant disconnecting was hard. But, for him, I’d try. When we went away, I’d leave Bethany in charge of everything.

When we go away…

There I was, planning the future again. I just couldn’t help myself.

Dade pressed his thumb to the crease between my eyebrows. “Why so serious?”

“I…” I cleared my throat. “I think I might be falling for you.” Jesus, talk about putting it all out there.

“Well, I’ve already fallen for you. Charming, handsome, and generous? What’s not to love?” He pecked my cheek, scooped up our plates, and headed back to the kitchen.

Love? And I noted he hadn’t listed wealthy. As clear as anything, I knew my money meant nothing to him. I could keep him in a lavish lifestyle, and he’d either refuse or hate it within the first day. He had a strong work ethic. He had to, in order to keep pounding the pavement as an actor.

I checked my email, found nothing urgent, sent a quick text to Bethany, and was about to pocket my phone when her return text arrived—admonishing me for being on my phone while admitting she’d been doing the same. I texted back, and we fell into a conversation about the previous night. Apparently Walter had confirmed with Lucille that she didn’t have any nefarious plans to do anything about Dade. Or me.

Feeling a modicum of relief, I startled when Dade dropped a pair of leather gloves on the table.

“Horatio, I said, like, five minutes.”

“Sure.”

“It’s been a half hour.”

Guiltily, I glanced at my phone. He was right. I tucked it into my back pocket and rose. “Have your wicked way with me.”

His eyes lit blue fire. “Say stuff like that, and we’ll never make it out into the snow.”

“I do believe that’s the point?”

He chuckled, lightly slapped my arm, then snagged my hand and dragged me toward the front door.

With a light heart, I dressed in my down-filled coat, a stupid wool cap, leather gloves, and sturdy winter boots.

Dade also had a hat—although his was rainbow colored with a purple pompom. His scarf was also a bright explosion of color.

I wasn’t convinced his jacket would be warm enough, and I spotted a hole in his mittens. Too bad Christmas had already passed. On the other hand, Valentine’s Day was just yesterday. Would he appreciate a new pair of mittens with the concern I’d be giving them for, or would he see me as being overbearing?

He met my gaze. “What?”

“You have a hole in your mitten.”

He held it up and waggled it in my face. “That’s not getting you out of a walk in the snow.”

“I’m quite certain of that. I just…could I buy you a new pair?”

A long moment passed as he held my gaze. “I suppose. As long as it doesn’t become a thing.”

Ah. He got it. As did I. Pride was a thing. “I promise to keep it to practical things, then.”

He gave me an imperious look, trying to look down his nose at me while being forced to look up because I was taller. “You’re going to stretch that, aren’t you?”

“Would that be so bad?”

After smacking my chest with his light mittens, he pressed a kiss to my lips. “I don’t love you for your money.”

“And I love you because you don’t want my money.”

We both stilled. Our gazes held.