Damn Wright (The Wrights 2)
“What I can tell you is that you that my heart has always been yours. That never changed. That will never change.”
Her gaze slid back to his and searched, then she refocused on the blueprints. “So, about the house. Why are the prices all so different? The repair costs vary by a hundred grand.”
He was disappointed his confession didn’t move her. “They include things like the quality of finish materials used and whether or not we move walls, add square footage, or re-landscape.”
She considered with a slow nod. “I assume the more the renovations cost, the more the house will be worth.”
“Yep. Talk to me. What do you think of the plans?”
“Well…” She leaned forward, pulled the clips off the edge of the blueprints, and spread the three floor plans out in front of them. “I love the big windows. The yard and the neighborhood are so pretty, the bigger windows would be great. Adding a Jack-and-Jill bath between these two bedrooms is really smart. The kitchen…” She paused, tilted her head, and pointed to the plans. “Could we extend the island to here?”
Her interest in the plans sparked excitement and satisfaction. He leaned forward so they sat shoulder to shoulder, staring at the renovation plans. “That would bring it into the breakfast nook.”
“But if we put a counter return here, we could make it a breakfast bar that would fit at least five stools. Then we could turn this space into a pantry. Taking out this wall between the kitchen and the living room will steal a lot of cabinet space, and in a house with four bedrooms, the chance of a large family buying it is high. A pantry would be helpful.”
“Damn,” he said with a smile. “I forgot how good you are at this.”
He also loved the way her “we” references turned his project into their project. He found a pencil in the kitchen and returned to make marks on the plans, depicting the changes she suggested.
“This bathroom,” she pointed to the Jack and Jill, “is going to be shared by siblings. I think a tub shower would be better than a standing shower for kids. If we take out this one cabinet and moved the double sinks closer together, we could fit a tub here.”
“Brilliant.”
For the next twenty minutes, Dylan sketched her suggestions on the plans. By the time she went quiet, tilting her head this way and that, an entirely different atmosphere existed between them. Animosity had melted away. Cohesion had taken its place. They were working together. Moving toward a shared goal.
This was good. Really good. He needed her to remember just how amazing they could be together.
“What do you think?” she asked, her gaze still scouring the plans.
He turned his head and studied her profile, hair tucked behind her ear, bottom lip between her teeth. God she was beautiful. “I think you’re amazing.”
She cast a split-second smile toward him. “I forgot how fun this could be. It’s all just wood and metal and plastic. No flesh, no bones. A bad decision or a mistake won’t kill or maim anyone.” She sighed and sat back. “What kind of finishes did you choose?”
“I haven’t. I was hoping you’d give me your input.” He turned a page in the plans to the finish materials, then pulled up a link on his phone. “Miranda put a Pinterest board together with the three levels of materials we can choose from.”
“They’ve done so much work.” She rested her back against the wall. “I’m glad you’re reconnecting with them. Especially after your dad died. Everyone needs family.”
He pulled up the page and handed her his phone. She scrolled through the examples of cabinets, countertops, and flooring. “How do you know which finishes to choose?”
“I think the most important factor in choosing is whether you’re renovating to sell or to keep.” He ventured down a path he hadn’t been able to stop thinking about since he’d first set eyes on her again. “You’d put in higher-quality materials if you planned on living in it.”
“I guess that makes sense. In that case, just use one of the lower-cost estimates.” She offered his phone back. When he didn’t take it, she met his gaze, then narrowed her eyes. “Why are you giving me those dreamy eyes?”
He was trying to decide whether or not to open up this dialogue now or wait. But waiting hadn’t exactly worked for him.
“Your aunt wanted us to live here together.” He reached out, brushed her hair off her shoulder and slid his fingers through it. “I think we should renovate for us.”
Dylan watched as Emma tried to get her mind around what he’d just said. He saw her fight through her buzz in search of concrete meaning. It took her a second to understand where he was headed. When her tipsy mind leaned that direction, surprise cut through her gaze.
Emma lowered the wine to the floor, and it hit with a clank. “Oh, hell no.”
She pressed a hand to the floor and tried to scramble to her feet. Dylan pulled her hand out from under her and dragged her toward him. The momentum took over, and Dylan rolled with it. Emma ended up on top of him, and Dylan locked his arms around her waist to keep her there.
He laughed a teasing “Where do you think you’re going?”
Dylan slid one hand into her hair before she pulled away. Then he dragged her head down and kissed her. It was all he’d been able to think about since the last time he’d seen her. Well, not all. His fantasies started with the kiss, but they never ended that way.
He added deliberate aggression to the ki