Page 30 of Tease Me

He greeted me with a glorious smile and a kiss on my cheek. “Happy birthday, gorgeous.”

“Thank you.” Clayton smelled divine. Floraland spice and everything nice.

He guided me to his car and held the door open for me to climb in. Seconds later, he slipped into the driver’s seat. “Did you have a nice morning?”

“Nothing special. A few hours’ sleep was good, though.” I buckled up.

“I’m glad you had some rest.”

“How’s work?” I asked.

“It’s good. It’s even better to sneak away with you, though.” He grinned, and a lovely tingle rolled through my body.

“Do I ask where we are going? Or is it a surprise?”

He pulled out into the traffic. “Hmmm. I think I’ll keep it as a surprise.”

“Okay.” I relaxed on the seat and studied the eclectic mix of people enjoying the beautiful day outside.People from all walks of life came to the Gold Coast. Young. Old. Families. Singles. Groupsof girls. Groupsof guys. Andbusinesspeople wanting a treat of sun and surf amidst their conference sessions.

Clayton followed the roadthat ranparallel to the beach, heading toward Sea World. It was the same direction we’d gone last time we’d had lunch at that fancy restaurant where Dontrel, my sexy Jamaican drummer, had been performing. I hoped we weren’t going there again. Without Lolly to help me, I wouldn’t know what to do if I ran into Dontrela second time.

My brain-scramble settled when we drove past the marina.Four minutes later,Clayton pulled into a parking lot that overlooked the ocean.A long wooden jetty led out from the shoreline like an outstretched arm.

“Come on then.” He popped the trunk, unbuckled, and climbed out.

The gentle ocean breeze blew a wisp of hair across my face, and I tucked it behind my ear and hopped out. I shut the door at the same time as Clayton slammed the trunk. I met him at the back of the car.

“I hope you like picnics.”

I was grateful for my sunglasses because tears sprung to my eyes as I recalled my special picnic with Henry. “I love picnics.”

“Good. Here, can you carry this?”

He handed me a tartan picnic blanket and a padded carry bag, and I reflected further on my morning with Henry. My insides curled with my lovely thoughts, but I smacked my horny memories aside and forced my undivided attention to the wonderful man at my side.

He reached for my hand, and with a picnic basket curled over his other arm, we walked together across the grass toward a large, shady Pandanus palm. A picnic tableconveniently positionedin the shade was vacant, and I had the ridiculous feeling that Clayton had planned that, too.

“Give me a moment,” he saidas he putthe basket on the wooden bench seat.

I shared my gaze between the magnificent scenery and Clayton’s attention to the table setting. He tossed the picnic blanket over the weathered wood and proceeded to pluck one item after another from the basket.

“What can I do?” I asked as he secured a stack of napkins with a couple of knives.

“You can get the champagne out if you like?” He pointed at the padded bag I’d carried.

I unzipped the bag, and the second I removed the bottle of Veuve Clicquot Champagne, I had a flashback to the first day of January when I’d opened thisexactsame brand of bubbles and sipped it all alone in my bathtub.

Wow. My life has changed a thousand-fold since then.

I peeled off the gold foil and twisted the metal tie to wriggle it off the cork.

“Here, allow me.” Clayton took the bottle from me, and after a couple of seconds, the cork popped out, flew into palm branches, and landed in a sandy patch amongst the grass. I giggled as I fetched it.

Clayton poured the golden bubbles into two long-stemmed crystal glasses he’d placed on the table and then handed one to me.

“Happy birthday, gorgeous.”

Afraidthat mychin would dimple with my swelling emotion, I sipped the champagne. The Veuve was sweet, cold, and absolutely perfect, as was his choice for my birthday lunch. I’d never pictured Clayton as a picnic guy, yet I wasn’t entirely sure why I hadn’t.

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