Page 61 of One Touch

It should have annoyed me, but really? It was a huge turn-on. A lot like how the mere fact that being with Beckett was sowrongwas its own turn-on. By the time the car ride was over, my body was humming for him. For his touch to linger a few seconds longer.

Afternoon shifted to evening, and the autumn sun hung low in the sky, hiding behind the skyscrapers and casting shadows through the large windows of Beckett’s house.

He came up behind me and reached around to hold out a glass of white wine. “For you.”

I looked between him and the wine. “Oh ... thank you.”

He flattened his lips and nodded. “There’s something I need to take care of.” He guided my shoulders down a small hallway and stopped in front of a closed door. “It’ll take a little bit, but I figured you could spend some time exploring in here.”

Beckett pushed open the french doors to reveal a gorgeous in-home library. Curtains hung delicately over large windows, which would be perfect for natural daytime light. My mouth popped open at the rows and rows of bookshelves. Two plush couches were angled toward each other with a fireplace as the focal point. It was the perfect place to sink into the soft fabric with a hot cup of tea and a new book. The only thing it was missing was a bookshelf ladder. Add that and the whole place could have been plucked from my dreams.

“Holy crap.”

Beckett chuckled and kissed my shoulder. “Spend some time here if that makes you happy, or freshen up. I’ve got a surprise for you in”—he glanced at his watch—“an hour, give or take.”

I pursed my lips and narrowed one eye playfully. “Hmm ... very suspicious, but if you say so.”

“I do.” He flicked a knuckle on the top of my nose. “Be good and I’ll find you when it’s ready.”

He slapped my ass and left me alone and reeling at this playful, sexy man who was surprising me at every turn.

* * *

True to his word,almost sixty minutes on the dot, Beckett came looking for me. After drooling over the vast selection of books in Beckett’s library—a healthy mix of classics and contemporary fiction—I’d made my way down the hall and into the primary bedroom to freshen up a little.

I had piled my long hair on top of my head and taken a quick shower to rinse the day off my skin. I applied a few dabs of my favorite perfume and slipped on averyracy pair of underwear I had procured while in Montana. For a tiny nowhere town, my favorite boutique had the naughtiest lingerie sets, and during one shopping trip I couldn’t resist. I may have never had the opportunity to wear the set before, but now I was doing mental backflips because the sheer, feminine mesh wasperfectfor Beckett.

Knowing the soft, delicate set was underneath my blouse and jeans was enough for me to have tingles racing down my back. I couldn’t wait to see Beckett’s face when he realized what lay under my clothing.

A soft knock at the door startled me. “Come in.”

Beckett had cleaned up too. I shouldn’t have been surprised, as there were multiple bedrooms in the house, but I loved seeing him in fresh jeans and a white button-up with a tight gray T-shirt underneath. The sleeves of his crisp shirt were rolled up, displaying the corded ropes of muscles in his forearms. The tips of his hair were still slightly damp, and he hadn’t bothered to shave.

My insides clenched at the image of feeling his stubble rasp against my inner thighs.

“It’s ready,” he said.

I swallowed hard and could barely get the words from my scratchy throat. “Okay.”

I placed my hand in his outstretched one as he guided me through the main floor. Instead of stopping at the kitchen, as I’d expected, we walked up the staircase in the center of the penthouse to the second floor. I hadn’t explored this part of the house yet, and it was just as luxurious as the downstairs. A large open area that could have been a second living room had a pool table in the center and a large television mounted on the wall. Doors, which I assumed led to the additional bedrooms, lined the perimeter. A larger set of double doors was tucked into one corner.

I pointed at them. “Media room?”

He nodded. “Six rows, projection screen. On impulse I bought a popcorn machine, too, but haven’t used it yet.”

“A popcorn machine?” I couldn’t help but smile.

He scrubbed the back of his neck with his hand. “Yes. One too many late-night infomercials suckered me into it. There’s a matching one at the lake house.”

The thought of serious, hard-nosed Beckett buying something as whimsical as a popcorn cart was endearing. I wasn’t surprised he hadn’t used it yet and made a mental note to change that immediately.

Well, maybe not immediately, but very soon.

We continued through the upstairs, my hand wrapped in his, until we came to a set of doors that led to the outdoor patio. Beckett stopped and looked down at me. His eyes shone with unspoken words. Words I desperately wanted him to voice.

Instead, only a soft smile lifted at the corner of his mouth. With his free hand, he turned the handle and swung open the patio doors.

My eyes went wide, and I sucked in an overwhelmed breath. The upper terrace was open and airy. Partially covered with a pergola-style structure, the space was illuminated by warm, glowing twinkle lights.

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