* * *
“I wish you'd told me we were going to Doma Vaquera,” I said as soon as the waiter had left with our orders. I awkwardly smoothed my faded cotton miniskirt as far down my lap as it would go, then gave up and draped my napkin to cover the rest of me. “I would've dressed nicer. I feel so out of place.”
“Don't worry, babe. This place isn't that fancy...and you look beautiful. Nobody would ever think you didn't belong here.” Grey raised his eyebrows in a way that added: And if anyone implies otherwise, I'll examine their eyes with my fist.
My stomach gave a hot little flip and I couldn't help but smile. Damn his stupid sexy voice, telling me exactly what I wanted to hear. I hadn’t had a man in my life for so long, all his sweet declarations were making me melt.
At five o'clock sharp, Nolan and his new fiancée had knocked on our front door. They had introduced themselves as Maple's new babysitters. Sensing that I was about to protest, Grey had pulled me aside and checked that I was okay. I thought it over and nodded my consent. I knew Nolan well – he’d been one of my husband’s closest friends. And based on the stories I’d heard from Grey about Lacey, she was a sweetheart. And they already had Maple giggling in the other room. So I’d let Grey sweep me into his car and on our way to the swankiest steakhouse in town, with tickets to the theater for later.
Dinner and a movie. Our first official date together was sweet and simple. But I hadn't done anything like this in so long—and it meant so much. I let out a quiet chuckle.
He cocked his head slightly. “What's funny?”
“I was just thinking...we've done our whole relationship backwards, haven't we?” I teased. “First raising Maple together, then sleeping together, then dating.”
I'd only been joking. But his smile faded instantly.
Shit. The last thing I'd wanted was to hurt his feelings. “Oh, Grey, I didn't mean...”
He reached across the table to take my hands. “I know,” he said soberly. “I'm sorry our road's been so rocky. You deserve better. So from now on, I'm going to do this thing right.”
I bit my lip, willing myself not to choke up in front of the whole restaurant. I hadn't known just how badly I wanted that until he said it. Something normal, something easy. A man treating me like a woman. Greyson Archer specifically, clearing a space in his life just for me.
“So, Finley...” Still holding my hands, Grey slid out of his seat and onto one knee, startling me. “Will you be my girlfriend?”
I couldn't breathe. “G-get off the floor, you big crazy man,” I stuttered, the urges to laugh and cry welling up at the same time. “People are going to think you're...” I couldn't say the word proposing.
Chuckling, he finally let go of my hands and sat back in his chair. “Sorry. It felt like the right thing to do in the moment.”
He sure didn't look sorry. I rolled my eyes—but I couldn't wipe the huge, stupid grin off my face.
And it wasn’t as if I could say no to this man. Even when I’d been cold and aloof to him, he’d still been part of our lives – under the guise of being there for Maple, when in reality, that was one of the things that had won me over in the first place.
“Is that a yes?” he prompted. “I promise you won't regret it.”
His earnest desire stole my breath away. I let myself giggle like a schoolgirl, joy surging through me. “Sure. I'm all yours.”
That wasn't entirely true; a part of me still belonged to Marcus. But for the first time, I wanted to change that. I wanted to let Grey have a piece of me, too. I could see the path ahead and I knew, deep in my bones, that it was the right one. We'd get to the end when we were ready.
Grey's dark eyes flashed. “Oh, you shouldn't have said that,” he murmured, his voice low and sinful. “Now I'll never let you out of my bed tonight.”
A whisper of heat pulsed through me. Suddenly I wasn't sure if I wanted to sit through dinner and an entire movie. But I knew that the wait, the anticipation, would just make this evening's grand finale even more satisfying. And it gave me time to plan my own surprise.
* * *
We didn't get back home until eleven. After we thanked Nolan and Lacey, then checked that Maple was sound asleep in her crib, I told Grey to wait for me on his bed. He obeyed—though not without stealing a toe-curling kiss first. I dug through my closet in the guest room with a naughty thrill. I may not have been a stripper anymore, but I'd kept all my dancing gear, and I vividly remembered how Grey had devoured me with his eyes on that first night. I would give him his own private show again. And this time, I'd go all-out.
I wriggled into my outfit—a matching set of crimson lace panties, stockings, garter belt, and push-up bra—and refreshed my makeup, letting my hair flow over my shoulders. As I sauntered into Grey's room, I faltered for a split second at the luscious sight before me. Grey had taken off his shirt and was reclining like a Greek god on his bed, sculpted and sensual. Holy hell. How does he look so good just lying there like that? My mouth somehow watered and went dry at the same time.
Luckily, Grey was even more stunned than me. He sat bolt upright. “Jesus...you look like a dream come true, baby.”
I quickly picked my jaw up off the floor and got back to business. “Always glad to hear from a fan, Mister Archer,” I purred. Slowly I came closer, swaying my hips, letting him admire my round, toned ass and deep cleavage. “Now sit back, relax, and enjoy...but no touching.”