“I got you, sweetheart,” he said, spinning her around and dipping her.
Rose went with it, having fun and being in the moment as the other ladies cheered her on.
“Thank you for the dance.” Breathless, Rose smiled at him. “You’ve been fantastic. But it’s time for our bride-to-be to open her other presents.”
He bowed to the clapping crowd, grabbed his stuff, andheaded for the door. Rose followed after him and caught him pulling on his costume in the narrow hallway. “Thank you so much, Kevin. You made Maggie’s night.”
“You’re welcome. You’ve got some moves. Wanna go out sometime?”
“Thanks, but I’m seeing someone.” It felt good to say that, even if things were new between her and Gray.
She handed him an envelope with a hefty tip and walked back into the party. The women had all taken their seats, except for Poppy, who handed Maggie the first of the many gifts they’d set on a nearby table.
“That one’s from me,” Jamie called out. “Marc’s eyes are going to pop out when he sees you in it.”
Maggie held up the sheer white baby-doll nightie that was split all the way down the front and held together by a single clasp between the breast cups.
All the ladies giggled and oohed and aahed over it.
Maggie opened the next salacious gift, but Rose got distracted when her phone vibrated on the table.
She picked it up and smiled when she saw Gray had finally texted her back.
GRAY:Tell Maggie I’m sorry, but I’m going to kill Marc for being a dick, pushing all those strippers on me, and sending you pics to try to rile you.
GRAY:I’m sorry if it upset you.
GRAY:You’re all I think about!!!
She appreciated so much that he texted in the middle of his evening out to reassure her.
ROSE:While the pics did make me a little jealous, you did tell me the strip club is not your scene and it showed on your face in the pics. And then I got distracted by the fireman stripper I hired for Maggie.?
She wanted him to know she didn’t have anything to hide, either.
GRAY:LOL. Touché.
GRAY:You’re the only woman I want that close to me. All I want to do is touch you.
She wondered how drunk he was to text that. Then again, he’d never been shy about saying what was on his mind.
ROSE:I want to be the only one touching you. We’re good.
ROSE:And yes, I’m still thinking about you.
She thought about her next text and whether she should send it or not and went with it.
ROSE:I can’t wait to see you again.
Her phone rang immediately and she smiled when she saw Gray’s name. She stood and moved to the back of the room so she didn’t interrupt all the fun the women were having watching Maggie open up one sexy present after the next.
“Hello, handsome.”
“I didn’t want to text this.” Gray’s rich, deep voice warmed her whole body. “I wanted you to hear it from me. I wish you were here. Well, not here. But here. With me. I wish you were with me right now.” The sincere words, even with the slightly drunk slur and how he had to shout it over the thumping music in the background, touched her deeply.
Her heart melted because he meant it and wasn’t afraid to call her up and say it after only knowing each other a couple of days. “You and me—”
“I really like the sound of that.”