breath, then.”
“Good,” Owen said, putting his plate down, too. “Because I really like it when I hear your breath quicken, Grace. When I do this…” He dipped his head and gently bit down on her neck.
She sucked in a sharp gasp.
“Yes. That sound. And when I do this…” His tongue danced over her pulse, making her breathing uneven. “Perfect.”
“And when I…” He moved to pay attention to her other side, but when he shifted his weight, the couch dipped and the support that had been keeping her in place slipped.
“Holy mother of a black crow!” she practically bellowed as she toppled right off the couch and onto the floor with a thump.
“Whoa, Grace! Are you all right?”
“I’m getting really tired of people asking me that,” she said as she slowly pushed herself to an upright position.
Owen’s gaze darted to her chest and then lower. His eyes turned molten with pure desire, and Grace’s mouth went dry. Or it did until she glanced down and noticed that her robe had come open and she was completely bare to him.
“Ack!” She jerked the robe closed, ready to die right there from pure embarrassment. When she’d envisioned getting naked for a man again, she hadn’t thought it would be right after she’d toppled off the couch and was barely able to move. Talk about very unsexy.
Except Owen was looking at her like he wanted to eat her for dessert. And she couldn’t lie. It was hot as hell.
“So…” she started.
“So…” He nodded and got to his feet, offering her a hand. “Ready for bed?”
Gulp.
“Yeah, sure. That sounds like a good idea.” She let him help her to her feet and then support her lower back as they made their way back to her bedroom.
Once she was beside the bed, she stood there like a fool, waiting for him to do something. Anything.
But he just pulled the covers down and said, “Get in. I’ll tuck you in and make sure you have all the pillows you need.”
“Tuck me in? I thought… never mind.” Her entire body flushed with embarrassment.
“Trust me, Grace, there is nothing I want to do more right now than to crawl into that bed with you. But if I do, things are going to move fast, and I’m not sure I can control myself and be gentle enough that I wouldn’t break you for good. You’re just too damned sexy. I need you to be whole before we go there.”
She stood there like a fool, staring at him. Then she swallowed. “You’re saying not tonight because you’re too excited?”
“That’s right. Now get in that bed before I rip that robe off you,” he ordered.
Sizzling heat radiated everywhere. There wasn’t a nerve ending in her body that didn’t want to be touched by him. But the moment she reached for him, that tightening in her back stopped her and she pressed her palm to her forehead. “I hate that you’re right. Our rainchecks are starting to add up.”
“Don’t worry, Grace. I fully intend to collect.” He kissed her on the temple and said, “Go on. Get in. I’ll clean up on my way out.”
Lex was right. He was the most romantic man she’d ever known. A man who got dinner and cleaned up was a man worth keeping, no matter what his age. Once she was in the bed with her pillows situated correctly, Owen leaned down, brushed his lips over hers, and murmured, “Rest up, Grace. I have plans.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Grace woke the next day feeling like a new woman. Her back was stiff, but the shooting pain that caused her to seize every time she moved was gone. After she got up, showered, and was sure she could dress herself without feeling like an invalid, she grabbed her phone and called Owen to invite him out on a proper date.
“Tonight?” Kind of last minute, don’t you think?” he asked, his tone full of mirth.
“Kind of, I guess. If you want to put it off until next week, we can—”
“How about tomorrow night at seven? I have a meeting with a new client this evening. I’ll pick you up. Dinner, dancing, a moonlit walk on the beach?” he suggested.
“Dinner. No dancing—we don’t want to get too crazy—and then we’ll see about the beach,” she said.
“Deal. Just do me a favor, will you?”
“What’s that?” she asked.
“Keep that robe handy. I’m gonna want an opportunity to see you wearing it again.”
Grace chuckled. “I think you mean you want an opportunity to take it off