Page 63 of Finding Home

“Of course.” They’d be flying to Boston for her, she could come to dinner to celebrate his mom, a woman she liked. “What’s your second question?” Her tone flirty.

“Will you stay with me for the rest of your trip?”

Her throat went dry. “What?”

“Stay with me every night while you’re still here. It makes sense to move your things over to the farmhouse. You’ve stayed there every night since Tuesday. Or we can keep things as they are, and I’ll ask you to stay with me daily. I just…I…”He let out a steadying breath. “I just want you with me.”

Elle’s pulse quickened with each word. They’d be living together. It would be temporary, like going on vacation with someone, but he wasn’t on vacation. This was his home, his life. Although she had known him as a girl, until two weeks ago when they’d reignited a friendship, he’d never been anything but CJ.

Now, he was Clayton, a man she was falling for. A man who was worth taking a leap for.

The pace of her heart roared. With a long intake of reassuring air and eyes wide, she jumped. “Yes.”

TWENTY-THREE

“I am the happiest creature in the world. Perhaps other people have said so before, but not one with such justice.”

~Jane Austen,Pride and Prejudice

It was too late to pack up her things tonight, so they decided to do that tomorrow. After a stop at the Little Red Barn to get Elle’s overnight bag, they walked into the farmhouse.

“I want to show you something.” Clayton slipped Elle’s overnight bag off her shoulder and placed it beside the stairs.

Taking his warm hand, Elle let him lead her into the kitchen. “This is when I find out you are the Dexter of Perry, isn’t it?” Elle teased, standing in front of the basement door.

“I only chop up people who leave their dogs out in the rain.”

“Completely justified.”

“Start walking,” he laughed, pressing his chest against her back, and reaching in front of her to open the door and turn on the light.

Elle walked down the stairs and discovered his version of a mancave. Like upstairs, there were hardwood floors. A small bar made of light wood and three matching high-back stools sat inthe front of the room. A plush sectional couch, the color of a Christmas tree, drew Elle, and she sank into pillowy cushiness that hugged her body. Adjusting to sink deeper, she admired the cream-colored walls bedecked with photos of Letchworth in every season.

“You have a mancave!”

Clayton crossed his arms, eyes crinkled in amusement. “It’s not a mancave, it’s a finished basement.”

“This is a mancave. Look at that TV. We are so watchingSense and Sensibilityon that.”She exclaimed, pointing to the extra-large flatscreen TV hung opposite the couch.

“Can you watchSense and Sensibilityin mancaves?” he mused.

“If the man in the mancave reads Austen. Hey, what’s that?” She pointed to a door in the corner.

“Go find out,” he winked.

“If there are dead bodies in here, I’ll be most displeased.”

As she stepped through the door, she squealed. Clayton had a home gym with a weight bench, a series of dumbbells in different weights and, she gasped, a treadmill.In Long Beach, she’d converted her guest room into a combination office and exercise room, but this was impressive.

“You should have led with this. I would have agreed to stay with youmuchsooner.”

“Well, I had to make sure you didn’t just want me for my home gym.”He leaned against the door frame, his eyes following her as she explored.

“This is a perk.” She looked up with a flirtatious timbre to her voice. “Although, I only want you for your body…and Fitz.”

“My body, eh?” His voice lowered as he inched closer.

“And Fitz.” She took two steps closer to him.

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