Page 80 of The Triple Play

Her frown curves upward into a small smile. “That’s what I used for the flowers Denver gave me, too.”

“Great minds,” I say with a wink.

Her smile grows, then she turns and slides her feet into a pair of black flats that are by the door, next to a pair of sexy-looking low-heeled boots.

“Would you wear those ones instead?” I don’t know what comes over me as I point to the boots. I just know I need to see how her ass looks in those tight jeans with those boots on.

“They make me even taller,” she says hesitantly, and I close the distance between us in a flash.

She’s just a couple of inches shorter than me, but I fucking love it. “Is that meant to turn me off? Because trust me, baby, it does the opposite.”

I’m close enough to hear her sharp intake of breath as I growl those words. Her tongue darts out to moisten her lips as she toes off the flats. I sink to my knees, my hands running down her calves to her feet. She places one hand on my shoulder and shifts onto one foot, lifting the other so I can slide the boot on. We do the same to her other foot, and then I slowly straighten. Sure enough, she’s eye level with me now.

“Gorgeous,” I murmur right before I kiss her again. At this rate, we’ll be late for our dinner reservation, but I don’t fucking care. Until my phone vibrates with the reminder notification about our plan. I pull back from her reluctantly. “Come on, let’s go, baby.” I kiss her forehead once more, then take her hand and lead her to the door.

I booked us a table at a French bistro in Westport. It’s a small place, but every review I found online praised both the food and the ambiance. And it certainly lives up to the hype. We’re shown to a table in a corner, with a candle flickering in the middle. The walls are painted a soft grey colour, with pieces of abstract art everywhere. Subtle music plays, overlaid with the murmur of voices from other diners.

I pull out Liv’s chair, earning another surprised expression, just as I saw when I opened my truck’s passenger-side door for her. I tuck her in once she’s seated, then lean down with my hands on her shoulders and whisper in her ear, “I love taking care of you, Liv. Thank you for letting me.”

It’s the right thing to say, given how her shoulders drop under my touch, and she turns her head slightly so I can graze a kiss over her cheek.

I take my seat and a waiter comes over.

We give them our orders, and then we’re alone. Olivia places her hand on the table, toying with the stem of her wine glass. Impulsively, I reach over and cover it with my own, reveling in how she immediately flips her hand to tangle her fingers with mine.

If Foxxy were here, he’d be cracking jokes or saying something to make her laugh. And I love that he does that for her, but I’d be lying if I didn’t admit how much I’m enjoying our quieter time, just the two of us.

I’m pretty sure Olivia likes it, too. That balance of high-energy good times that we have with Foxxy and moments like this. Where no words are needed, and connection is formed through a simple touch.

Foxxy’s right. We each have something to offer Olivia that she wants. Together we can give her everything.

“Are you ready for part two of the evening?” I ask some time later, leaning forward once the waiter clears the last of our dishes. The bill has been paid, and I’m anxious to see how she reacts to what I have planned next.

Olivia sets down her now-empty wine glass, and leans forward as well, her lips curving upward.

“Part two?” she asks, taking my hand in hers. “What’s part two?”

“A surprise.” I wink, then stand up, coming over to her side and holding out my hand. “But a good one, I hope.”

We leave the restaurant, but when Liv starts to turn toward my truck, I gently tug her in the opposite direction. “We can walk there, it’s just up the street.”

She gives me a curious smile. “Alright, lead on.”

I slide my hand down her spine, bringing it to rest on her lower back, and we take off down the sidewalk. Our hips brush together, but it’s not enough. I want her closer. I lift her arm and wrap it around my waist before moving mine to rest on her shoulders, effectively pulling her right against my side.

“That’s better,” I mutter.

Liv giggles quietly, looking over at me. “What is?”

“You weren’t close enough.”

I swear to god, I feel the contented sigh she lets out down to the depths of my soul. It only takes a couple of minutes to reach our destination, and we come to a stop outside the hobby store I found when I was searching online for puzzles.

“What are we doing here?” Olivia asks, and I love that she hasn’t figured it out yet.

“You’ll see.” I push the door open and guide her inside with my hand on her lower back. The owner, Mel, who I spoke to on the phone earlier, gives us a smile.

“You’re all set up, it’s just up that staircase.” He gestures to a spiral stairway near the back of the store.