While the pizza was in the oven, he grabbed scissors out of the junk drawer and went outside. He chuckled when he almost looked behind him before snipping a perfect yellow rose. If his Aunt Francine was still alive, she’d skin his hide for touching her roses. It wouldn’t matter that he was a grown-ass man. She’d still do it.
Back inside, he found a single flower vase in the butler’s pantry. He also found a large silver serving tray he didn’t know they had. “Perfect.”
Fuzz came barreling in while he waited for the pizza to heat up. “You just now figure out I’m home?” He squatted and let Fuzz give him some doggie love. Once Fuzz settled down, Tristan washed his hands. When the cheese was bubbling, he slipped oven mitts on, took out the pan, and arranged the pizza on the plates, then added two ice-cold bottles of beer.
He critically eyed the tray. Pizza and beer wasn’t the most romantic meal to offer a woman, but he knew his girl...or thought he did. She’d prefer pizza and beer over her fancy dinner at the resort.
He picked up the tray and went upstairs, almost tripping over his feet at the sight greeting him. “Good Lord Almighty,” he muttered.
Fuzz had raced up ahead of him, and Skye, wearing a white camisole and white boy shorts, was bent over, her sexy as hell ass facing him as she petted his dog. She glanced over her shoulder and gave him a smile that said she knew exactly what she was doing to him.
She stood and faced him. He stepped forward until he was in front of her, his tray held out as if he was offering his queen all his worldly treasures.
And when had he turned into a whimsical fool?
“What have we here?”
“Dinner.” He sounded like a croaking frog. He tried to keep his eyes on her face, but they refused to cooperate. The view was too magnificent. Her breasts, which he personally knew fit his hands perfectly and tasted sweeter than honey, were right there. The thin, silky camisole did nothing to hide those pert nipples. How was he supposed to not look? He cleared his throat and attempted to recover his brain. That might be impossible as long as she stood there in her barely there top and boy shorts.
Amusement danced in her eyes. “Shall we just stand here and admire it, or shall we eat it?”
“I... I...” He swallowed hard. “Pick one.”
She laughed. “You’re a funny man, Tristan.” She looked up at him from under her lashes in that flirty way only a woman knew how to do. “A man who can make a woman laugh is one of the top desires on our what makes a man hot list.”
“I know a lot of jokes.” Note to self: Add more jokes to your repertoire. Also, she’d said his name again. Big win!
“Pizza, beer, a beautiful rose, and jokes. What more could a girl ask for?”
He could think of a few things he’d like her to ask for. “You okay eating on the couch?” Without answering, she went to the couch and sat. He set the tray on the coffee table, then sat next to her. “I didn’t know what you like on your pizza, so there are three choices.” She looked them over, then picked up a slice of Hawaiian. He shook his head. “You and Everly.”
“What?”
“Pineapple doesn’t belong on pizza.” He went for one loaded with meat.
“Says who?”
“It’s in the pizza rules.” He picked up the remote. “What kind of music do you like?”
“Country.”
He scrolled through the satellite music stations until he found one playing country.
“What do you like?” she asked.
“It’s not so much that I like a particular kind. It’s more about the artist. Some of my favorites are Kid Rock, Imagine Dragons, the Eagles... They’re great. I have their Farewell Tour concert in Melbourne on my DVR. Best concert ever.”
“Put it on.”
“Oh, thank God.” He laughed when she punched him. “You really have a thing for whacking on me, Sheriff.”
She batted her eyelashes. “Maybe I just like touching you.”
“In that case, my body is yours to abuse.”
Ah, he liked the way her eyes darkened. They ate their pizza and drank their beers, talked a little about traffic lights and parking meters with some joking around thrown in. She was the most relaxed he’d ever seen her and seemingly enjoying herself. He regretted that he was going to have to ruin her good mood by asking her about her ex.
Chapter Thirty