“I’ve seen you without your shirt before.”
“Are you saying you’re not impressed?” He threw me a playful glare before focusing his attention back on the road.
“Definitely didn’t say that. Just—I know what seeing you in very little does to me. You’ve never seen me topless.”
“I saw you bottomless,” he offered. “I’m good with both of us wearing tops and no bottoms.”
I laughed. “You’re terrible.”
“Hey, whatever makes you comfortable.”
The drive to his place took longer; he lived in an actual gated community with a security guard where the houses had actual acreage between them and privacy woods as well as fences. There were always cars in his garage—which was nearly as big as his house. I’d never asked and had zero intention of asking now, but Archie once joked his parents gave up a lot of money when they cut ties with his grandfather.
I had to wonder if he was being ironic or if there wasmoremoney than what they had here. The house was huge and had two wings. His parents lived in one, and he had the other. He had an actual media room and his own living and sitting room. If he didn’t need to eat, he’d never have to come out of his side of the house.
He eyed the BMW parked next to him as we got out, but then held his hand out to me. Hand in hand, we headed inside. The other difference between Archie’s life and the rest of ours—he had actual staff. A gentleman named Jeremy greeted us as we came inside.
“Good evening, Mr. Archie. I was just about to retire. Can I get you or Miss Frankie anything?” Jeremy was cool. He intimidated the hell out of me when I first met him, but he had a dry sense of humor and I only had to ask him to call me Frankie—not Francesca—once.
“Go take a load off, Jer, we’re good. See you tomorrow—oh…” Archie slowed as we passed Jeremy on our way toward his wing. “Is everything ready for the party?”
“Yes, sir.”
“And Edward and Muriel arestillout of town?”
Jeremy gave him an almost benign look. “They have not returned, Mr. Archie, that I am aware of. Though there is a less than one percent chance they have snuck in and are currently camped out in one of the guest rooms not making a sound.”
With a snort, Archie grinned. “Good to know. Sleep well.”
“Will Miss Frankie require anything for breakfast?”
“I don’t think so, Jeremy,” I assured him. “Not sure I’m staying over yet.”
“If you do, I’ll make you French Toast in the morning. As I recall, that was your favorite.”
He wasn’t wrong. I squeezed Archie’s hand. “Thank you, Jeremy.”
Upstairs, Archie led me toward his rooms, and I slowed a little. “Are we using the hot tub in your bathroom?”
“Would you agree to that suggestion?” He gave me a sly grin.
“No, absolutely not.”
“Damn,” he complained, though it lacked any heat and he winked. “No, I’m grabbing my suit and there are some suits in the guest room that will fit you. I think one of your old ones is still there from last summer.”
“Pretty sure that’s a one piece.”
“Well you can’t go topless in that.” He made a face. His room was exactly how I remembered it. The big bed that sat on a raised platform a couple of steps up from the rest of the room. A huge seventy-inch television with game systems hooked up and controllers pulled out like he’d just let them there the last time he played.
There was a desk in the corner next to a window and it was orderly, if cluttered with spare parts and a half-built drone from the looks of it. He had a bookcase stuffed with tech books and miniature robots and other half-finished pieces. He was always building something or taking it apart.
I slid my shoes off and sank my feet into the plush carpet as he let go of my hand to open another door that linked to the guest room. “Go ahead and change. You can hang your dress up if you want, and if you don’t want to put that on later, you can borrow some sweats and a t-shirt.”
Biting my lip, I pivoted to look at him. “Archie?”
He paused in the middle of loosening his tie. “Yeah?”
“Thank you for tonight.”