Page 49 of Dream Date With the Millionaire
“Are we in a relationship?” she asked.
“You’ve worn my clothes, kissed me until I couldn’t see straight, spent the night at my house and charmed my family.” He smiled. “If we aren’t in a relationship, we’re pretty darn close.”
The air whooshed from her lungs. This was more than she’d hoped for. She stared up at him. The affection in his eyes matched how she felt about him.
“What do you say now?” Bryce asked.
This was the last thing she’d thought she wanted, but a wellspring of joy flowed through her, settling at the center of her chest. Dani looked back at the shopping bag. “I guess I’d better learn to compromise.”
CHAPTER TEN
To: “Englishcrumpet” “Kangagirl”
From: “Dani”
Subject: You won’t believe this!
I got your messages. Sorry I’ve missed our chats. I’ve been with Bryce. We’re back together and spending all our free time together this week!!! Dinners, movies. I even taught him how to make bonbons. It’s been incredible. He’s such an amazing person. I know it’s a little soon, but I think he might be the one. My one. Can you believe it? I’m attending his sister’s engagement party tonight. Cross your fingers I make a good impression on his family. I’m nervous about that. I’ll fill you in on all the details later. Hope all is well with you. Miss you! xoxox
-d
“I’M ALMOST ready.”
Saturday night, Bryce heard Dani’s panicky voice through the closed door to her walk-in closet. He didn’t mind waiting. Anything to make things easier on her. “No rush.”
To tell the truth, he was nervous, too, and dreading the evening ahead. All his extended family would be there. He felt like an outsider when the whole clan was together so he was glad to be bringing Dani with him. She understood him better than his own family ever had.
“Is the press really going to be there?” she asked from behind the closet door.
“Yes. Delaney events usually bring out the society columnists, but since I founded Blinddatebrides.com because of my sister and now she’s met her future husband at the site, the engagement has become a human interest story.”
“It’s pretty unbelievable.”
No kidding. And he didn’t only mean Caitlin’s engagement.
Bryce hadn’t brought home a woman in almost five years. That had been his last “serious” relationship until its daytime talk show worthy breakup. He’d been dating casually—okay, sporadically—since then, but hadn’t wanted another relationship. Not until he’d met Dani. And now he kept thinking he might have found more than just a girlfriend on Blinddatebrides.com himself.
The door to the closet opened. Footsteps tapped on the hardwood floor. Dani’s heels.
Bryce turned.
Hot! Attraction hit fast and hard, sending his already warm blood into the red zone. “I didn’t think you could look more beautiful than you did at the store. I was wrong.”
Dani radiated beauty and warmth. He’d picked out the dress because the color matched her eyes. But the style accentuated pretty much every other part of her body. “You are totally captivating and very sexy.”
And his.
Dani spun around on the balls of the silver slingback shoes. The fabric of her dress wrapped around her hips and thighs. The asymmetric hem made her legs look even longer. She gave a slight curtsy. “Thank you.”
Her shy smile contrasted against her curvaceous body was a total turn-on. “If my father hits on you, I’m going to slug him.”
“Don’t worry, I’m too old for him.”
Bryce’s gaze lingered as he went from the top of her shiny blond hair to the V between her breasts to the curve of her hips to her delicate ankles and her hot-pink painted toenails. His heart rate kicked up a notch. No doubt other men’s would, too. A protective instinct kicked in. “A couple of extra years won’t matter in your case. But he’s not the only one I’m worried about.”
“Well…” Mischief gleamed in her eyes. “On the farm, parties never got going until a fight happened.”
He laughed. “The Delaney crowd is much too civilized for throwing actual punches. They resort to verbal barbs to one’s face and gossip behind one’s back instead.”
“Sounds like high school.”
“Pretty close.” The look of vulnerability flashing across her face brought him to her side in an instant. Bryce wrapped his arms around her. “But you won’t have to worry about a thing. I’ll be right there with you to make sure you feel safe and comfortable.”
