“I can’t. He’d… It’s so sweet and lovely, but I don’t want to expose him like that.”

Julie hugged her. “Really? I love that. Yay to that.”

Before she went back to get changed, PJ headed into the kitchen, pulling out smaller containers and spreading flowers all over her apartment, letting herself be happy about them and the lovely things he’d written.

“He frowns a lot. How does he make it hot? It’s like a weird superpower,” Julie said as PJ stepped into the red dress she’d decided to wear because she wanted to tuck red roses in her hair and the color was so similar.

PJ met her sister’s gaze in the mirror. “I know. Zip me, please.” Julie zipped and hooked the back of her dress.

“You’re not going to protest that he’s just misunderstood?”

PJ rolled her eyes and then trimmed some of the red roses to tuck into her hair. “He totally frowns a lot. He’s grumpy. But it’s adorable. Which must mean I love him. He ranges around being all grrr and Hey you kids get off my lawn all while he races cars and bikes he built or restored and has a piercing in his ween.”

They both dissolved into giggles. “I’m never going to be able to look at him again without blushing.”

“Whatever. Where is Asa?” PJ looked at her watch.

“Call him. I’m going to run over to Shawn’s to pick him up. I’ll see you soon. Love you.”

PJ hugged her sister back. “Love you too. See you guys soon.”

It wasn’t more than five minutes later when Asa rolled up in a sleek black Jag. A paint job she’d finished not too very long ago.

He added to the wow factor when he stepped out wearing a suit and looking so ridiculously gorgeous she pressed her hand to her throat. At dinner with her parents he’d worn a tie and dress pants. But this. Shew. Gunmetal-gray suit with a dark blue shirt and a dark tie. Hair tied back. Intense gaze. Damn. He was hers.

She took in the long prowl of a walk as he headed up the steps and paused, looking her over slowly before he let himself reach her.

There she was, the lamp from her place backlighting her like an angel. If angels wore snug red dresses and roses in their hair.

He bent to brush his lips against her neck. “You look fucking delicious.”

Just a few weeks before, he’d complimented her on a red blouse she’d been wearing. It had looked so pretty against the pale porcelain of her skin with those delightful freckles.

She’d been wearing red more often ever since. Including the auburn streaks throughout her golden-blond hair.

PJ did it because he liked it.

“Thank you.” She smoothed down the front of his shirt and the tie. “I’ve never seen you in a suit before. I’m fully in support of you doing this again. I want to rumple you and muss you and lick you up and down like an ice cream cone.”

Desire tugged him closer to her. Always. “My favorite.”

“Going to keep me on my toes tonight, huh?”

He brought her to him, closing that small space left keeping them apart. After a breath, he led and they began to sway through the living room. She felt so good, the bounty of her body in his arms where she fit just right. “Only if that’s where I need you so I can fuck you deeper.”

She blinked up at him, her smile easy. Not at all weirded out by the stuff he said. “Romantical. Speaking of that, thank you for the roses and the cards. I love you.”

“I love you too.” He kissed her and stepped back before he got any harder.

“Are we waiting on Audra and Tom?”

As usual. Asa was used to what he called Duke-time. Which meant you had to add fifteen minutes to any time Duke said he’d be somewhere. But Audra was a thousand times worse. He had no idea how PJ could handle it on a regular basis.

“They’re going to meet us there. As will Julie and Shawn. No reason to hang around here getting agitated as you wait for people who are perpetually late.”

He snorted. “It’s a little chilly out. Do you want a coat or something?”

She paused to grab a wrap and turn off all the lights.

“Where’s your overnight bag?”

She pointed to the bag she used when she stayed over and he hefted it, holding the door for her and then waiting as she locked up.

“Why are you driving this? Did you get the client to loan it to you?” she asked as he tossed the duffel in the trunk and then opened her door.

“I’m the client.”

He closed her door and went around to the driver’s side.

PJ blinked, sure she’d heard him wrong. “What do you mean you’re the client? I met the client. He looked at my tits for the entire exchange. I charged him extra for that!”

Asa burst out laughing. “I’m going to pop Henry the next time I see him. Asshole. I’m sorry he was a jerk, but it makes me laugh that you charged him extra for being a dick.”

“I charged you extra. Why did you do that?”

“Because I wanted something that would be extra work and thus would be expensive and I knew you’d try to do it for your materials or some shit, so I wanted you to do a job like you would for any other client. Henry – he’s an army friend too – might have been an ass to you, but this paint job is fantastic and worth every penny.”

“You didn’t have to have some elaborate scheme. You could have just asked.”

“You’re mad that I wanted you to charge me a real rate instead of the guy-who-makes-me-come-hard rate?”