Love Loyal and True (Must Love Diamonds 2)

Loyal leaned sideways to see behind her, his gut clenching at the idea of her having some guy in there with her. “I didn’t realize you had company.”

“I don’t.”

He shifted his narrowed gaze back to her as she took a drink. Maybe she’d been on the phone before he knocked.

Or talking to

spirits.

Who the hell knows with people like her.

“Mom heard about the fire and made you a care package.” A little jerk of the basket drew her gaze down to his arms.

“Aww.” She smiled suddenly, and stepped forward to grasp the edge and look inside. “Your mom’s the best.”

“Easy,” he warned when the weight of her hand threatened to topple everything to the floor. “This thing is heavy. Let me put it on the table.”

She stepped aside, and he walked inside to set it down. He expected her to follow, but turned to find her topping off her glass. When she set the wine bottle down, it was half-empty, and her fingers gripped the neck of the bottle to steady herself.

“How many glasses of that have you had?” he asked.

“This is number two—and a half. Cheers.” She raised the nearly over-flowing glass in salute before putting it to her lips.

“Wow. You’re a lightweight if you’re drunk off two glasses.”

She scrunched up her nose. “I’m not drunk. I’m just…tippy.”

His gaze lingered on her mouth, her bottom lip wet and shiny from her last drink. “You mean tipsy?”

“That’s what I said. Tippy. I didn’t eat dinner, but I’m not hungry anymore anyway.”

She leaned against the counter, then changed her mind and pushed off to come check out the basket. He noticed she still wore those boots and the earth-toned skirt, but on the way back to her face, his gaze caught on her shirt and held. Brown, V-neck, and clinging tight enough to her torso and chest to reveal she wasn’t wearing a bra again.

The sight of her nipples poking through the thin fabric had his dick paying swift attention.

“Ooh, chocolate.” She moved closer, her shoulder brushing against his as she dug into the goodies. “And wine. Candles.” She lifted one to her nose. “Mmm. They smell nice.”

She smelled nice. Peppermint teased his senses, a completely different scent from last night, yet equally appealing.

Roxanna kept going, taking more basic essential items out one by one, exclaiming over each of them like a kid opening a Christmas present. Shampoo and conditioner, a brush, makeup, deodorant, a toothbrush and toothpaste, towels and washcloths. Toward the bottom, she pulled out a square package.

“Sheets! And a fuzzy robe? She thought of everything.” She slid her hand over the plush, white material. “Ooh, it’s so soft.”

He should move away from the warmth of her body seeping through the sleeve of his shirt, yet he was entranced watching her rub her palm back and forth across the fuzzy robe. He imagined her doing the same to his chest, and his stomach, and lower.

A sharp jolt of lust made him suck in a breath.

“I love these towels. And there’s a gift card—no, two gift cards! This is so nice. Your mom is the best.”

He grit his teeth. “You said that already.”

She shot him a belligerent frown through her long, sooty lashes. “Well, she is. Unlike you.”

There we go. Thank you.

He gave her a tight smile and finally stepped back from her heat. “On that note, you have a good night. Maybe stop drinking and eat something.”

She raised her glass and took a deep swallow, her gaze defiant.