The Unidentified Redhead (Redhead #1)(56)
Author: Alice Clayton

I laughed and responded, “Love, you could seduce me with a Dr. Pepper right about now. There will be no playing hard to get tonight.” He laughed, smiling at me in that way only he could. “I love how funny you are, Gracie.”

“I love how gorgeous you are to look at, George,” I responded, sipping at my champagne and crossing my eyes at him.

“I love how you call me George,” he quipped, looking at me as if I was the most beautiful creature on the planet.

“I love that you let me … ” I trailed off, suddenly emotional as I looked at him.

“I love that you’ve become so important to me,” he added, gazing at me from under heavily lidded eyes.

“I love that you are so totally wrapped up in my life now,” I answered, my heart thumping wildly … what were we saying? We both paused, and he seemed to be making a decision … but I wanted to say it first. I knew how I felt.

He breathed in one quick breath, and then said, “Grace, I … ”

The waiter, returning to our table with our menus, interrupted him. As he began to run through the specials, I caught Jack’s eye and winked at him. He smiled back, that perfect smile that now belonged to me. He had my heart. I might as well take that damned sexy grin.

Stupid waiter …

We ate dinner, laughing and teasing and talking about anything and everything. Even though we both said we were going to eat fast, we were enjoying it so much that before I knew it, the candles had burned low, the champagne (both bottles) was long since gone, and we were relaxed and fully happy.

We were alone, Jack having sent the waiter away eons ago. The stars overhead were bright. The waves were like a drum beat punctuating the night.

“This was perfect, Jack. Just perfect. Thank you for such a wonderful evening,” I said, taking his hand in mine.

“Now hold on, Crazy. This night is just getting started,” he said, standing and pulling me to him. “I, for one, am ready to head back to our cottage … yes?

Say yes, Gracie,” he chided, his hand on my face, nodding my head for me.

“Yes. Yes. Yes,” I chanted, each word followed with a kiss to his neck, his ear, his chin.

“Hmm, that sounds familiar,” he teased, winking at me. We walked back through the gardens, through the night, back to our cottage. I could see it glowing in the distance, and I felt my skin begin to warm as I thought of all the delicious things Jack would be doing to me in there, and all the things I would get to do to him as well.

When he turned the key and unlocked the door, I gasped. There were candles everywhere, on every surface. They were all lit, and the effect was spectacular.

I turned to face him as he shrugged out of his jacket.

“You wicked, wicked man. How did you do all this?”

“I’m a celebrity. We get things done in a big way, babycakes,” he teased, running his hands up and down my back. The skin there heated instantly with the electricity that always flowed so freely between us.

“And a fire in the fireplace? Wow, that’s impressive,” I continued, walking backward into the room.

“Yeah, I saw it in a book about how to woo women … apparently you all like to be boinked in front of a roaring fire.” He laughed. I arched an eyebrow at his use of the word “boinked.”

The laughter slipped away as we really looked at each other. I kissed him chastely and whispered, “I’ll be right back. Don’t go anywhere.” He smiled and answered, “Crazy, there is nothing that could drag me out of here tonight.”

I shook my head to clear it and made my way to the bedroom. Once inside, I quickly grabbed my bag and went into the bathroom. I let my hair down. It was softly curled around my face, and then I looked at the two pieces of lingerie I’d brought. I never usually dressed for bed. It was pointless. For one, Jack preferred me in one of his shirts, and I agreed. Secondly, I was rarely dressed for very long anyway once I was in the bed, so it was almost stupid.

This night was different, and I wanted to wear something for him. I had gone back and forth between the slutty and the sweet.

Option One: a black baby doll nightie, which covered me just enough.

Lacy and see through, it was hot. I looked amazing in it, and I knew it would drive Jack wild.

Option Two: a white silk nightgown. It had spaghetti straps and it hit me just below the knee. It swept down low in the back, while the front dipped low enough to give him a glance at his favorite of my attributes. I knew this would also drive Jack wild.

I made my selection, and placed my hand on the door, then took a deep breath and walked out into the room.

Jack was waiting for me.

Chapter 21

When I walked back out into the living room, I felt like someone else was moving me. My feet were not moving on their own. I padded softly to where he stood with his back to me, facing the fireplace. He had turned out the last of the lights, leaving the room entirely lit by candlelight, and the soft glow of the fire cracked quietly. The stereo was playing softly in the background. This stage was set. I felt my nervousness return.

Why are you nervous? This is your Jack …

That is exactly why I was nervous. This was my Jack, and while he had explored every inch of my body with wild abandon, this was something new, something different. And it would alter the way we looked at each other from here on. This would not just be sex, though I was loath to call it making love … I always hated that term. But something would be made here tonight.

I gazed at him in quiet reflection, watching his strong hands running through his hair as he watched the flames. I took him in—his strong back, his strong arms, his strong jaw … his strength.

A contemplative sigh escaped my mouth, and he turned to me, his face radiant in the glow from the dancing light. His eyes took me in now, sliding down my body and back up to my face. A smile crossed his features, which I answered back with my own.

“Hey,” I whispered

“Hey, yourself,” he answered back, as he admired my choice in lingerie.

My hair spilled down across my shoulders in the firelight. I knew he could see the shape of my body beneath the ivory gown that clung to me like a sheath.

I felt beautiful, but nervous? Yep, I was nervous, and I’d started shifting my weight back and forth, rolling on my ankles slightly in a way that he had come to recognize and call Nervous Grace.

Was he nervous too? How could he be nervous?

But there he was, biting his lip in the way that always intoxicated me so.

There was a hunger in his eyes, but there was also trepidation. The fact that he seemed nervous made me fall in love with him all over again.