Page 124 of Plus Size Player

Plucking the card from the display, I looked over my shoulder at him. “It’s so many.”

“Three dozen.” He grabbed my hips and kissed the sensitive spot behind my ear. “For the three months we’ve known each other.”

“I like that,” I murmured, my skin tingling from his lips and his words.

He kissed his way down my neck. “Oh, you like that?”

I grinned. “Yeah, I do.”

“Good,” he replied as I pulled the note from the envelope.

You are my escape.

As I turned to face him, his hands rested on my hips, and he stepped a little closer to me. Our bodies were barely touching, but we were close enough that I could feel the heat emanating from him.

“This is really sweet,” I murmured. “Thank you.”

“I have plans for you. Don’t thank me yet.”

My stomach flipped and I took in a shaky breath.

Before I could say anything, the oven timer started beeping.

“Dinner is ready,” Russ told me as he made his way to the sink. He washed his hands and then looked at me. “I hope you’re hungry.”

I watched him as he pulled bread out of the oven. Seeing him move effortlessly through the kitchen was sexy. He carried a tray into another room and then promptly returned with a big smile on his face. I put my nose against the flowers one more time before I headed his way. My stomach growled hungrily as I drew closer to the food on the stove.

“It smells great in here,” I told him after washing my hands. “Do you need any help with anything?”

“Everything is done. I just need you to follow me.”

He placed his hand on my lower back and escorted me through a door that led to an elegantly designed dining room. He’d blocked me from going in during the tour, so I was genuinely impressed with the look and aura of the room. The table was big, able to seat twelve, with a chandelier hanging above and running the length of it. There was a big window that overlooked a small body of water. The two table settings were side by side, facing it.

“Is that a lake? A pond?” I guessed.

“It’s a man-made lake.” He pulled the chair out for me. Once I got in place, he scooted me in. “I just thought it would make for a good view.”

“You were right.”

He kissed the top of my head and then filled our glasses with wine. “I’ll be right back.”

While I waited, I looked around. There wasn’t much in the room outside of the white walls, the gray flooring, and the polished wood table. But the main décor came from the chandelier and the unique high-back chairs.

“It is beautiful in here,” I commented when Russ returned with two plates of pasta, salad, and bread.

“I appreciate it. My mom is an interior decorator, so I have her to thank for a lot of this. I can’t take all the credit.”

“Well, tell her she did an excellent job.” I pointed to the chandelier. “This is stunning.”

Grinning with pride, he took the seat next to me. “That’s the only thing that I picked out.”

“I’m impressed.”

“I hope you’re just as impressed with your meal.”

I eyed the plate. “It looks as good as it smells,” I told him before I took my first bite. “Mmmm.”

“You like?”

---