“Mmm,” she mumbled, arching up as her lips parted. “I love it. I love this. Please, can you just stay right there? On top of me? I want to lay like this forever.”
He thrust his hips forward and she squeaked, followed by a throaty moan.
“Exactly like this?” he teased.
Her nails dug into his back and one leg sneaked out to curl around his waist. “Maybe with less clothes. And a few parts rearranged.”
“Camping doesn’t seem so bad now, does it?”
“I’ll cast my final vote in a few minutes.”
Graham lifted his head. “A few minutes? Give me a little credit, here.”
“A few hours?”
He winked at her and slid his hand down her body, feeling his body heat rise as she trembled beneath him.
“That’s more like it.”
29
“I’ve decided camping’s all right.”
Graham paused on the step above her and looked over his shoulder. “Just all right?”
Claire refused to waste time fluffing his ego. The sex had been amazing and he damn well knew it. “I meant the actual camping part, Honey Grahams. How about we look into an RV next time?”
He snorted and continued his way up the stairs. Muted voices from Chris’s store rose from below. “First, they’re too expensive. Second, that’s not camping.”
Claire rolled her eyes at his back.
“Don’t roll your eyes at me.”
She stopped beside him at the landing and elbowed him in the ribs. “How’d you know?”
“I feel it when you look at me.” He shrugged. “Always have.”
“Really?”
He nodded. “At first you looked at me like you thought I was an arrogant asshole. As you got to know me I earned a few grudging looks of respect and admiration for my exceptional wit and deep insights about the world. Glances of exasperation have always been plentiful, and the occasional glimpse of happiness. Those used to be my favorite.”
She bit her bottom lip to control her smile. “Used to be?”
He smiled softly and reached up to gently tug her lip free with his thumb. “Mmm-hmm. The way you look at me when you want me moved to the top pretty quick. But even that one got knocked down a notch. My favorite now, and I suspect forever, is when you look at me like you love me. I’ll never get tired of it and I’ll never get over it.”
“Are you trying to make me cry?”
“Right there—that’s the exasperation. Go back to the love one, please.”
She laughed and threw her arms around his neck. She couldn’t help it. “What am I going to do with you?”
He hugged her tight, burying his face in her hair. “Let me get my stuff and take me back to your place so I can take you against the wall like I’ve been dreaming about for three fucking months.”
Oh.
She pushed him back and tapped the door. “Stop waxing poetic and get your things, then. Let’s go.”
Graham winked and opened the door, holding it for her to walk in first. A tiny bark of glee came from somewhere in the living room and before Claire knew what was happening, a brown ball of fur came barreling toward her and leaped into her arms.
Surprised, Claire fumbled to hold on to the dog as Gertrude wiggled in excitement, licking anywhere on Claire’s face she could reach. “Whoa, Gertie. Hi. Yes, I see you! I’ve missed you, too.”
When she finally got Gertrude settled and positioned where she could keep her steady and scratch her chin at the same time, Claire glanced at Graham, who had stopped in the middle of the doorway.
He was just staring at them, one hand covering his mouth.
Claire’s heart clenched. “Are you crying?”
“No.”
“Are you sure?”
“No.”
Walking forward, she tucked herself and Gertrude up against his chest, feeling warm and happy all over. “Is this gonna become a thing now? You’re in tune with your emotions and you’ll walk around crying all the time?”
“No. Maybe.”
Claire rested her head on his shoulder and sighed. “Look at us. You, me, and Gertrude. One big, happy family. Who woulda thought?”
“Not me.”
“Me, either.”
He dipped his head to meet her eyes. “Are you happy, Sugar Lips?”
“Yes to the happy, no to the pet name.”
Graham let out a growl of exasperation. “You’re making this so much harder than it needs to be. If I’m gonna be in a real relationship I want to call my girlfriend something special. When we’re out and I have to get your attention, just saying Claire doesn’t tell anyone we’re together. You could just as easily be my sister or an old friend. But when I yell out, C’mere, Snookums, everyone will know you’re mine.”