He drew her inside, and the smell of fresh paint quivered over her nose. The house was empty. No furniture, nothing on the walls except the gleam of new paint.
"This is where Ive been spending so many evenings," he said gruffly.
She stared around at the foyer, the stairs and the open living room beyond.
"But Gray, we cant afford this house, I mean, we already picked out our house. "
He smiled and pulled her through the living room. "I got a good deal on this one, and I knew you really wanted something larger, something we could grow into. When I saw it I just knew I had to have it for you. It was a foreclosure. Needed a lot of work. Ive done what I can myself. Painting, new carpet, stuff like that. "
She looked around, trying to absorb all he was saying. So many of her dream items were featured prominently in the house. The big fireplace, the big picture windows and a patio leading off from the living room through glass doors.
"Oh my God," she whispered. "This is really our house?"
He nodded. Then he hesitated. "That is, if theres still going to be a wedding. "
Shame coursed through her. She squeezed her eyes shut, not wanting to look at him. A tear trickled down her cheek to her mortification. Boy, when she screwed up, she went big.
He gathered her close, ignoring the stiffening of her body. He wrapped his arms around her and cupped the back of her head with one hand. His fingers wandered through the
strands of her hair as he simply held on to her.
"Dont ever do that to me, Faith," he whispered. "You scared the shit out of me this morning. When I realized youd canceled the arrangements, I went a little nuts. "
She inhaled, holding and savoring his scent as she laid her head against his chest. "Im sorry, Gray. I wish I could give you a reason. It was irrational of me, and Im so sorry. It was stupid and childish, and I wouldnt blame you if you didnt want to marry me after all this. "
He leaned back and tilted her chin until she stared into his eyes.
"I only have one question, Faith. Do you love me?"
Her heart shifted and melted under his intense gaze.
"So much it scares me. "
"Thats all I need. You loving me. Nothing else matters. "
"I do. So much," she said with an ache in her voice.
"I vote we leave the tour of the house for another time and go home so we can address more important matters. "
His hand slid down to lay flat against her belly, his fingers splayed out. God, there might be a baby in there. A mixture of panic and awe coursed through her at the thought.
"Yeah, lets go home," she said around the knot in her throat.
Nathan sat across the table from Julie watching her eat. He watched her smile, how her eyes lit up in response every time she spoke. How she laughed with no reserve. Was it any wonder he was always so damn tongue-tied around her? Or that it had taken him months to work up the courage to ask her out?
Hed had sex with her. Twice, technically, and even then the idea of asking her on a date had left him with a raging case of gut rot.
He wanted to ask her why. Why had she given him a blow job and then fired him as her client? Why not just say she was interested?
Why hadnt he said he was interested?
"Tell me about you," she said as she leaned forward.
The motion pinned her breasts to the table, plumping them up toward her neckline until they mounded like two ripe melons. All he could see was her lying on the bed at The House, and all he could remember was the feel of so much willing sweet flesh in his arms as he slid into her over and over.
How the hell was he ever supposed to have a normal conversation with her again? Preferably one where his dick wasnt fighting for equal airtime?
"What do you want to know?"
"Well, all I know is what Faiths told me or what Ive learned from listening to general conversation. She said you used to be in the army and went to work for Pop as soon as you got out. "
He nodded. "Yeah, I joined up out of high school. There was no way Ma could have paid for me to go to college. At the time I only planned to stay the minimum and let them pay my way through college, but I enjoyed it so I re-upped. Id probably still be in if an injury hadnt taken me out. "
Her forehead wrinkled and her eyes lighted with sympathy. They were such a warm brown. Like chocolate.
"It wasnt anything serious," he said hastily. "I mean, I could have stayed in the army but I couldnt remain with my specialty. Just didnt seem like much point after that. "
"Oh. Still, that had to suck. "
He grinned. "I thought it did at first but I came home, licked my wounds. Pop gave me a job and here I am. Its great. I like the people I work with, I make good money and Im close to my mom and my sisters. "
"Sisters?"
"Yeah, Im the only boy. Was hell growing up with all those women, let me tell you. "
"Youre so full of shit. You loved it and you know it. Your eyes are all warm and gooey just talking about them. "
He grinned self-consciously. "Yeah, busted. It wasnt fun when they all had PMS, but theyre a great bunch of women. "
"How many sisters?"
"Three. Two are married but the baby is in college. "
He could see the question she wanted to ask but was too polite.
"I send Ma money so Tracy can get her degree. "
"Thats awfully sweet of you," she said in a quiet voice.
He shifted uncomfortably, heat creeping up his neck. "Shes a smart kid. I consider it an investment. Shell probably own the world in a few years and then she can support her big brother. "
Julie smiled and put down her fork. "I just love a guy who blushes. Its incredibly sweet. "
Fuck if his face didnt light on fire, and the heifer knew it. And why the hell was she talking to him like he was her big brother or something? Her mouth around his dick had certainly removed any possibility that they were going to be just friends.
Sweet? He frowned in disgust. Yeah, it was just one beat off her telling all her friends that he was just adorable. Next thing he knew, hed be the guy all her friends considered their big brother. The one they all went to when they had guy trouble. Always the confidant and never the main event.
He had the sudden urge to beat his head on the table. Maybe he should be talking about dodging bullets or rescuing hostages from some hellhole in South America. Women went for that kind of shit, didnt they? Anything but sweet. Have mercy.
"You look like you just swallowed a bug," she said as she peered at him.
"You called me sweet," he said in disgust.
Her eyebrows went up. "Youd rather me call you an asshole?"