A smile spread across his face as soon as she opened the door. “Well, hello,” he said.
“Hey. Come on in.” She backed away to give him space to enter. His scent caused a dangerous stirring inside her.
“This is for you.” He held up a large gift bag with ribbons trailing down.
“How sweet,” she said. How gay, she thought. She untied the ribbons holding the handles together and found an ornate birdfeeder inside.
“I thought you could put it outside your window. When Max is painting you can watch birds.”
“Yeah, I could do that.” She peered inside the bag. This was a dorky present. The hot designer had given her something a total nerd would buy for a girl. Somehow, that made it even more endearing. He’d packed a large bag of birdseed underneath the birdfeeder. “I’ll fill it tomorrow and get it out there. I don’t think I’ve seen any birds around here. Maybe this will encourage them.”
“I’d be happy to install it for you,” he said.
“I don’t think anyone has ever given me a birdfeeder.”
“Pretty lame, huh?” He was grinning at her.
“No, not at all. I love it.”
“I didn’t want to come empty-handed.”
A stirring in her stomach caused her to take a step back from him. “You didn’t need to bring a present, but this is really sweet. The gesture is appreciated. I’ll try to make good use of it.
“Max just keeps cranking them out.” She was torn between the desire to smack him on top of his head and laugh. “So, you like these paintings? Do you think Max’s newest efforts are good enough for the one-man show?”
A rush of warmth washed over her as she felt her color rise. “Thank you, Jon.”
“We better get a move on or we’ll lose our reservation.” He tore his gaze from her face and gestured to the open doorway. He stood too close as she locked the heavy metal door behind them. She felt the warmth of his embrace as surely as if he was touching her.
“Wow, this is gorgeous. I feel like I’m in a Frankie Avalon movie.”
“I didn’t bring my bathing suit but I did tuck the beach blanket in the trunk, if you’re interested.” He gestured toward the rear of the vehicle.
She shot him a nervous glance. “That’s handy, but I don’t think we’ll need it tonight.”
“I was kidding,” he said. “I don’t want you to think I have any ulterior motive. Sometimes dinner and dancing is just dinner and dancing.” He started the retro vehicle and pulled out of the parking lot.
She nodded, thinking she would have enough trouble with the dinner and dancing.
When Jon took her in his arms, she looked up into his eyes and recognized something unguarded and vulnerable. She thought he might be as frightened of her as she was of him.
No way. She smiled and put her hand in his. She relaxed a little and inhaled his scent, nice and clean, probably very expensive. He leaned closer, resting his cheek against her temple. He held her as they moved to the music.
Max closed her eyes giving possession of herself over to him, allowing him to lead her wherever he wished.
When Jon turned off the ignition, he leaned over and planted a brief kiss on her lips. “I thought we could get that out of the way.”
“Because...?” Max licked her lips, tasting his kiss.
“Because I’ve wanted to do that all night.” He stroked her cheek with his fingertips. “Maybe from the first moment I saw you.”
“Okay.” She swallowed hard. “That’s out of the way. Now what?”
“You tell me.” He brushed her hair back from her forehead. “I don’t have a live-in friend of the opposite sex. What’s going to happen when I take you up to the loft? Is Max going to punch me out for making a move on his girlfriend?”
She grinned at him. Silly man. He just didn’t get it. “Let’s find out, shall we?”
He came around to the passenger side and pulled her into his arms, delivering a passionate kiss that made her to feel lightheaded. “It’ll be worth it.” He held her hand and they walked into the building and up the three flights of stairs in silence.
“I have half a bottle of pinot grigio in the fridge. It needs to be drunk. I hear it calling to me. Do you hear it, Jon?”
“Please sit down and make yourself at home.” She gestured to the futon, the only horizontal surface in the loft other than the bathtub. Without turning on the harsh pendant light, Max walked to the refrigerator and took out the wine. She found two clean jelly glasses and returned to sit beside Jon.
The warmth of his eyes in the flickering candlelight stirred feelings deep within her. He reached out to touch her arm. “Is it alright for me to be here?”
“This is my home.” Her voice grew thick, strangled by the desire to tell him the truth yet silenced by her promise to Willa.
“And Max?”
“This is Max’s studio,” she said. “Max paints here.”
“Shut up, Jon.”
“Yes, Millie.” He kissed her again. “Where do you sleep?”
“Right here,” she said. “You’re sitting on my bed.”
He gave a short burst of laughter. “Millie, you’re the most unique girl I’ve ever met.” He took a sip of the wine and set it back on the stool. “You aren’t the least bit materialistic. You’re loyal to your friends and you’ve completely enchanted me. I’m under your spell.”
A flutter of panic rose in her chest. “Jon, please don’t overwhelm me. I think we’re too different to be good for each other.”
“Just be yourself, your refreshingly unaffected self.” His voice dropped in timbre. “You know, I think about you all the time.”
She kept her gaze averted from the dark vortex threatening to suck her in. Giant tentacles wrapped around her gut. “You don’t know me,” she squeaked out.
“I’ll admit that, but I want to know everything about you.” He reached out to stroke her cheek.
“I hope you like me when you do.”
A giggle rose up from her core. “You don’t seem at all concerned that I might not like you.”
“It’s not something I can control. You either will or you won’t. I hope you will.” He kissed her fingertips. His lips felt soft amid the slight bristle of beard already starting to appear on his chin.
“And how is that?” His deep voice held a note of amusement.
“Stuck up, egotistical.”
He rubbed his hand on the back of his neck. “No, you were right. I’m egotistical about some things. Aren’t you?”
That was the last thing she expected him to admit. “Yes, I guess.”
“I’m very proud of the business I’ve built and my ability to please discriminating clients when I change their décor.”
“I’ll have to see your work sometime.” I showed you mine. Now, show me yours.
“That can be arranged. Maybe you’ll let me make some suggestions for your loft. Lofts can be tricky living spaces to work with. Most places are primarily four walls and a floor. Here, the windows and the height of the ceiling add an exciting dimension.”
“Yeah,” she said. “I’m excited all the time.”
“There are some unique challenges peculiar to lofts and it depends on your taste as to how you deal with them.”
“My taste is what you see.”
“Minimalist-Retro.” He was grinning now.
“What are you saying?”
“Somehow I don’t think you’re decorating style has evolved yet.”
“Someday, maybe I’ll find out what it is.” She set her glass on the makeshift table.
“Tomorrow would be a good day.”
“For what?” Max’s spine tingled with anticipation. Why does he make me feel this way?
“I’m going to pick you up and take you to my design studio. You can see what I do for a living. Does that work for you?”
I have paintings to paint for you, idiot. I don’t have any time to waste. “That sounds great. What time will you be here?”
“I could just stay the night.” The warmth in his eyes was scorching.
Ouch! “I don’t think that will be necessary.” She cleared her throat. “I’ll call you in the morning.”
“That will have to do,” he said. “I think I heard a ‘Goodnight, Jon,’ in there.”
“You have very acute hearing.” She finished her wine and stood. “I enjoyed the evening very much.”
“Not as much as I have.” He stood and took both her hands in his. “May I kiss you again?”
A wave of heat rose from her core. Max tried to sound casual. “You didn’t feel the need to ask earlier.”
“But I’m asking you now.”
“Good answer,” he breathed as he released her. “I look forward to your call.” He turned to the door.
She unlocked the series of safety devices attached to the heavy metal door and allowed him to pass through it.
She watched him disappear and closed the door. Amok. I am definitely running amok.
“Hey!” she said, by way of greeting.
“Hey, yourself,” he said. “Are you ready for a tour?”
“Sure,” she said.
“I’ll be there to pick you up in fifteen minutes.”
“I’ll meet you downstairs.” She did not want him back in her loft so soon. Not when she’d had so much trouble falling asleep after his kisses.