“You look pretty,” I tell Nova. She’s wearing a light pink lace dress, her hair half back off her face. It hangs in long, loose curls down her back and I tried not to lose my cool when every man in this joint turned to watch her walk across the restaurant.
Jealousy is a new thing I’m coming to terms with, albeit not very well. I trust her, it’s the guys eying her I don’t fucking trust. She’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen, and I have thought about skipping dinner to go home and pull her dress up and have my wicked way with her. But as amazing as the sex is, we love our emotional connection and how we can talk. It’s how we became so close, so working on that is still equally important.
“I think I’m gonna have the garden burger,” she says. “Stella and Willow have almost talked me into going vegetarian.”
“Well, I’m sure the animals will thank you if you do.” I narrow my eyes. “Wait, you’re not expectin’ me to go vego too, are you?”
“No, but we could all do with eating a little less meat and processed crap.”
I lean forward, my voice lowering. “You didn’t say that last night when you had my sausage down your throat.”
She almost chokes on her diet coke, looking around to see if anybody noticed. “Sawyer!” She dabs her mouth with a napkin. “Seriously?”
I feign innocence. “What? I know I owe you back to back orgasms after that.”
“Promises, promises.”
I take the opportunity to slide the long box over the table and her eyes widen. “Happy Birthday.”
“Hey,” she says, surprise in her tone. “My birthday isn’t until the weekend.”
“I know, but I wanted you to have it early.”
“Saw, you better not have spent a lot of money on me. I mean it.”
I kiss her long and hard. “If I wanna buy my Princess a birthday present, I will.”
“Hmm, you’re naughty. I should wait until my actual birthday."
“Open it,” he commands, making funny eyes at me. “I can’t stand the suspense.”
She shakes her head, but I know she’s just being nice. She loves gifts, and I have more for her actual birthday, but this is special and I want her to remember it on our first date.
Taking the box in her hands, she shreds the paper, then gasps. “Sawyer! This is a freaking Rolex!”
“It’s vintage,” I say quickly, “Payden helped me pick it out so if you don’t like it, blame her.”
“This is way too much!” she says, holding the heavy, gold watch in her palm. “Oh my god, it’s so pretty, though.”
With diamonds incrusted through the face, the delicate piece looks stunning against her tanned skin.
“Here, let me help you.” I flick the clasp and then slide it over her wrist. I may have been a sneak and measured it one time when she was sleeping, but it was all for the greater good. Once I clip it back into place—fitting like a glove—she pulls her arm away to admire it.
“Thank you, Sawyer.” She leans over the table and kisses me. “This really is so sweet. I love it. It’s so me.”
It is really her. Like it’s always been there, and while it may have set me back a pretty penny, she’s worth it. And she’s never on time, so this might help.
“Wear it for me tonight,” I mutter against her lips. “And nothing else.”
She grins, deepening the kiss and my dick twitches. Holy fucking hell, yes.
“I think we better eat fast and get home,” I say, then take a beat. “I also wanted to ask how you’d feel about movin’ in with me?”
Her eyes widen and she gasps. “M-move in with you?”
“I get it if you don’t want to, it’s sudden, and you can take all the time you need?—”
“I want to!” she all but yells, then slaps her hands over her mouth. “I really want to,” she adds behind her cupped hands. “Yes, Sawyer!”