For the sake of his sanity, he forced his gaze north of her breasts. “Hey.”
“Hey, yourself.” After pulling out the clip holding her hair up, she ran her fingers through it.
He’d seen various emotions on her face. But the agitation there now was a first. “Rough day?”
“It was fine until Aimee Trainor approached me outside. Next time you know there is a reporter hanging around, please give me a heads
-up.”
She’d cornered him earlier too. He’d thought after their impromptu interview she’d be satisfied and leave because, although not frigid, it was rather cold to stand outside and wait for Courtney to show up. “Sorry, I thought she’d be gone before you got home. You could have blown her off.” He rarely ignored a reporter or a fan but only because he didn’t want to be labeled an ass. Courtney didn’t have to worry about her reputation in the same way.
“She’s called my office almost every day since our engagement went public. It seemed easier to answer some questions so she’d stop.” She rolled her head from side to side as she kicked off her heels. “Unless you really want to go out, I’d rather stay in tonight.” She started to massage the area just behind her left shoulder.
Last night they’d met Evan and his girlfriend for dinner. The night before that, they’d visited her cousin Gray and his wife. Monday, he’d spent much of the evening alone while Courtney spent time with her friend Meg, the same woman he’d shared an elevator with the night he moved in.
Pulling her hand away, Josh kneaded the small knot in her shoulder. “No desire to go out.”
“Good. Then I’m changing, and I need to call Henri back. He called me earlier.”
“Meet me in the family room when you’re done.” Since she didn’t move away, he continued his massage and started to rub her other shoulder as well.
Courtney’s eyes drifted closed. “Mmm.”
“I thought you wanted to change.”
“To do that, I have to walk away from this,” she answered without opening her eyes.
The moment Josh removed his hands and stepped back, Courtney’s eyes opened, and she pouted. “Go. Later, I’ll finish the massage.”
“You better.”
“Scout’s honor.”
She poked him gently. “There’s no way you were ever a Boy Scout, but I’m going to hold you to your promise anyway.”
Josh surveyed the room. As far as indoor romantic picnics went, he’d nailed it. And it was only the beginning of what he had planned for them this weekend. Tomorrow he wanted them to leave early for his home in Bar Harbor. Of all the properties he owned, it was the one he considered not only his home but also his private retreat. Situated on almost eleven acres of land, the house overlooked Frenchman Bay and was a short drive to both Acadia National Park, a place he’d spent countless hours hiking, and the Regency Marina, where he kept his sailboat moored.
In the years he’d owned the home, only his daughter and Evan had been there. And he’d never invited anyone else except his dad and sister, neither of whom had ever felt like making the drive. He wanted to take Courtney there and include her in a part of his life he didn’t open to anyone else.
Two months ago, he wouldn’t have imagined he’d be planning to bring a woman to his house in Maine. Since he’d moved in with her, the connection he’d sensed in Hawaii had grown stronger. During the day, she frequently popped into his thoughts. He loved making her smile, talking about whatever popped into their heads, and pleasuring her to the point she called out his name.
Back in December when he sat down at her table, he’d wanted nothing but some fun with a beautiful woman. And a few weeks ago, he’d proposed the marriage charade so he’d get back joint custody of his daughter, not because he wanted someone to spend his life with. But he no longer wanted Courtney as a means of winning a custody battle or as a sexual partner to pass the time with. He wanted her and everything a real relationship entailed. Given their history, it might take some work on his part to convince her he was no longer acting when it came to them.
The picnic tonight and their getaway to Maine were his first steps to achieving his goal.
“What happened in here?” Courtney asked, stopping in the doorway. She’d changed into flannel pajama bottoms and a snug-fitting, rose-colored top that didn’t quite reach her navel. She’d left the top two buttons of the top undone, and his fingers itched to slip the next two free so he could spread the shirt open and get a good look at the breasts he fully intended to taste later tonight.
“We talked about going on a picnic in Hawaii but didn’t get to it. Since it’s too cold outside, I brought it inside.”
To give him more room on the floor, he’d pushed aside much of the furniture. Then he’d covered the floor with a blanket he picked up at the mall. While there, he’d purchased both real candles and battery-operated ones, because starting a fire tonight wasn’t on the agenda. The real ones were placed on the various tables in the room, while he’d set the battery ones on top of the blanket along with the plates and flowers.
“Candles at a picnic?” She moved closer to him, and the scent he now knew came from the jasmine shampoo and bodywash she kept in the shower teased him.
“First for everything.” He poured them each a glass of sparkling white wine and handed her one.
Taking a sip, she knelt down on the blanket-covered floor. “Looks like we have a little of everything.”
He’d entered Press, a trendy café on Benefit Street, unsure of what he wanted. Unfortunately, all the menu items sounded good. He’d walked out with everything from roasted broccoli artichoke dip and prosciutto melon skewers to mini cheeseburger flatbread pizzas and roasted cherry tomatoes with fresh mozzarella as well as a handful of other dishes. Before returning home, he’d stopped in Ambrosia and picked up some dessert. A picnic wasn’t complete without some sugary treats.