The Ivy House - By Drea Stein Page 0,54

Phoebe’s voice carried a tone of disapproval.

“I simply made her an offer she couldn’t refuse. The owls were part of the package deal.”

“What package deal?”

“I got a great new beer sign for my man cave—and you have a pair of tacky owl salt-and-pepper shakers.”

“They’re not tacky!” Phoebe started to protest. And then she laughed. “OK, so, they’re a little tacky. But you wait and see. Owls will be huge next season. How much do I owe you?”

He was seduced by the sound of her laughter. It was genuine, unaffected, and directed at him. He felt his heart soar and wondered how he could convince her to kiss him again.

“Like I said, these were part of the package deal. They’re on me. Anything else you got your eye on? I’m a master negotiator.”

“Yes, I’ve had some experience with that.” He expected her to go cold on him again and wished he hadn’t reminded her of how they met.

Instead, she smiled up at him, a flirtatious slant to her eyes. “There’s an interesting vase three rows over, with a couple of ladies circling.”

“Is it overpriced?” Chase asked.

“Absolutely,” Phoebe said, her eyes crinkling up at the corners. She’d let him keep his arm over her shoulder for a while and Chase wanted nothing more than to snuggle her in closer to him, feel the heat of her body connect with his, brush his lips along the side of her face. He needed to stop thinking like that, he told himself. Otherwise, he would embarrass both of them in a very public place.

Still, he had her here, carefree and relaxed, and he wasn’t going to lose that advantage. It was time to shake up Phoebe Ryan’s expectations of him.

“Lead the way.”

<<>>

Phoebe was painfully aware of the way the sun caught the lightened hairs on Chase’s forearm as he shifted the gears of the Porsche. His presence overtook the car and she cast a quick glance at his profile. It was just about perfect, with a straight nose and strong chin, and when he threw her a quick look, one eyebrow quirking up as he accelerated up the hill, she felt her breath catch.

They had spent the entire day at the Queensbay antique fair and flea market, and true to his promise, he had negotiated deals for everything Phoebe wanted. It had become a game between the two of them, with Phoebe picking something outrageous and obviously coveted by more than one shopper. Each time, Chase had managed to get what she wanted, usually for half the price. Sure, he often wound up with something else, like a barstool to go along with his vintage beer sign, but Phoebe had gotten everything she’d had her eye on.

She had insisted on treating him to hot dogs and root beer, and now, with the trunk stuffed full of stuff—at least with what could fit—they were heading back to Lynn’s house.

Phoebe knew that she shouldn’t have let him drive her home, but Lynn, with whom she’d gone to the fair, had been paged into work early, and Chase had promised to make sure Phoebe would get home safely. He’d let his hand linger on Phoebe’s back just a moment too long and her mind had gone blank, while her stomach tightened; she didn’t have it in her to argue.

Now, when he looked at her, his sunglasses dipping just low enough so she could feel his gaze sweep over her, she felt everything tighten and a rush of excitement. His hand shifted gears and brushed along the side of her leg. Lust shot through her and she shifted in her seat, but not before she caught his triumphant smile.

Phoebe looked out the window at the green trees and houses flashing by. Suddenly, the air in the car had become too hot, too still, so she cranked the window open a little, breathing in a deep breath of fresh air, trying to clear her head.

Too soon, or not soon enough, he had pulled into the crushed shell drive of Lynn’s house. The sun was starting to set, and she could see it cast its sparkling trail along the harbor in the distance. Before she could do it herself, Chase was out of the car and opening her door.

He held out a hand and pulled her up. She sprung up with such force that she wound up close to him. Deftly reaching behind her, he shut the door. Still, his arms were around her and his face was very close to