“Looks like a dress to me,” he teases. “You didn’t bump your head again, did you?”
“Not funny. Why do you have a dress?” I eye him. “Are you trying to tell me something?”
He laughs. “I didn’t bring you all the way to New York to tell you I’m a cross-dresser. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. Each to his own, right? But I brought you here to see a Broadway show and go for a limo drive.”
I sink onto the sofa near the window, my legs no longer able to hold me upright. My pulse skitters, and my throat grows so tight it’s hard to talk. “Alek…” is all I’m able to say, as my eyes water. “I can’t believe this.”
“I’m full of surprises today, huh?”
“Yeah, you’re full of something,” I say, and when he angles his head, a note of confusion on his face, I add, “I mean that in the nicest way possible.”
“Of course. What else could it have possibly meant?” he says and holds his hand out to me.
A hurricane of need sweeps through me as I cross the room and frame his face with my hands. I go up on my toes and brush my lips over his. “How? When?” I ask, my words deep and raspy as emotions clog my throat.
“Like I said, I had a little help from a friend. My buddy Jamie’s wife Fallon helped me put this all together. She’s a nurse. You’d really like her.”
She sounds like someone I’d like to meet, but I don’t say that. Alek and I aren’t in this for the long term. We’re not in a relationship where we introduce each other to friends and family, although he knows Grandma. Not that I had a choice in the matter. No, sweet Alek insisted on driving, and continues to insist on taking care of me. Yes, I’m an independent woman, but I have to say I like it when he does.
I like him.
“You lied to me,” I say, and slowly lift my gaze to his.
His head inches back a bit. His muscles tense, and his teeth clench with an audible click. Truthfully, I’m a bit surprised by his reaction.
“What are you talking about?” he asks, and his throat makes a gurgling sound as he swallows.
“You said I wouldn’t need clothes.”
He relaxes, his shoulders dropping. “Oh right.”
“What did you think I meant?”
“I…nothing. I didn’t know what you meant,” he says. “Want to try this on?”
“How did you know my size?”
His grin turns sexy, playful. “I had my hands and mouth all over you numerous times, remember.”
“Oh, I remember,” I say. Never in my life would I forget that. I take the dress from him. I glance at my sandals. “Please tell me you have shoes in there.”
“Size seven, right?”
“I won’t ask how you know.” He hands them to me, and something niggles loose in my brain. “Wait, did you say a limo ride?”
“Yeah, I want to start checking things off your bucket list.”
This is all too much, too expensive. I put my hand on his chest and his strong heartbeat pulses beneath my palm. “Alek, you didn’t—”
“I wanted to.” He checks his watch. “You better hurry. We have dinner, a show and then a drive around town.”
He slaps my ass and I squeal with eagerness. “I need to shower and freshen up. It was a long ride.” I glance at his bag. “Did you pack me any makeup or underwear?”
“You don’t need makeup,” he says and puts his hand on my cheek. His eyes are infused with warmth and tenderness when he adds, “You’re beautiful without it.”
A bone deep warmth moves through me, at the sweet way he’s looking at me, like I’m the only one in the world that matters to him. God, I could be in real trouble here. I work to sound normal when I ask, “What about underwear?”
His teasing grin returns. “They’ll just be in my way later.”