Chapter 20
20
“I can’t believe you did this,” Lainey marveled as he helped her up the gangplank. “No wonder you knew we wouldn’t be late for our reservation.”
“I wanted to do something special for you, and after all the amazing meals you’ve cooked for me.”
“I’ve only cooked you three meals,” Lainey protested.
“Three meals from my home country. You don’t know how much that has meant to me.”
When she stepped onto the boat she was met by a table covered with a white tablecloth. Above it was an arbor that was filled with fairy lights. There was also a beautiful bouquet of pink roses in a low vase, so that they could still see one another across the table.
Matt pulled out a chair for her, and then, instead of sitting across from her, he sat in the seat next to her. She felt cherished. As soon as that word entered her mind, she shook her head. Surely that wasn’t Matt’s plan. She was blowing things all out of proportion.
“What? Have I done something wrong?”
Leave it to him to think he had done something wrong when he had been nothing but perfect. “No, you have done nothing wrong. I’m just amazed by all of this.” She waved her arm at the lights and the table. “I don’t want you to think this was something I would ever expect.”
“Lainey, you’ve never given me a reason to think that you expect this kind of treatment, but I wanted to do this for you. For us. I wanted a special night for the two of us.
“Well, you’ve succeeded.”
“We haven’t even started. Let’s see if the meal lives up to the hype, shall we?” He waggled his eyebrows, and she giggled.
Then, like magic, a server appeared out of nowhere and brought them their water glasses and a breadbasket of warm bread. He also handed them each a small menu. “This is what our chef has prepared for you tonight. You’re in for a treat. He has selected different wines with each dish, and you will not be disappointed.”
My God, this must be costing Matt a fortune!
As soon as the server left, Matt leaned in and gave her a gentle kiss that made her heart melt.
“What was that for?”
“Because you look beautiful sitting there with your wide eyes sparkling under the lights. But after dinner, when the music starts and we dance, I want them to turn the lights off, so it will be just us, the stars, and the moonlight.”
Lainey felt like she had been transported to a different dimension. When the first course came out with the buttery chardonnay to complement the crab, she sighed with pleasure. Next came a glass of Riesling to go with the scallops. Each course was small, each glass of wine was small, so that she was ready to sample the next scrumptious course. When the Malbec and the lobster Thermidor came out, Lainey could only eat half.
She glanced over at Matt, who had already finished his serving. “I don’t suppose I could talk you into eating this other half, could I?”
“No, take it home. It’ll be good left over,” he insisted.
“If I gave you a polygraph right now, and I asked you if you were lusting after my Thermidor, what would it say?” she asked.
“That’s not a fair question.” Matt’s voice was low and deep. “If you asked me any question with your name and lust in the same sentence, I’d break the machine.”
She threw back her head and laughed. When she was finally done, she picked up her plate, and deftly switched it with Matt’s. “There you go. I have plans for you later on. You need to keep your strength up.”
They were still laughing by the time they made it back to her house. The first order of business was to take Xena out for a walk. Matt waited for Lainey to change out of her dress, then the three of them walked a couple of blocks around the streets of Annapolis, then headed back to Lainey’s building.
While they were waiting for the elevator to take them to her floor, Matt leaned over and whispered into Lainey’s ear.
“Do you want me to kiss you right here?”
“Huh?”
“You’re biting your lip.”
Lainey released her lip and grinned. “I think my mother would disapprove if you did.”
“I’m not sure that’s a deterrent. From everything you’ve told me about her, it might be fun to upset her applecart.”
They stepped into the elevator. Matt slipped his arm around her waist and she dropped her head onto his chest. She liked how they fit together.
“I think something’s been bothering you tonight,” Matt said as they left the elevator. Matt took the keys from her and unlocked her door.
“Are you clairvoyant?”
“I just like to observe things.”
“That probably makes you good at your job.”
“It does,” he agreed.
“You’ve never told me much about what you do at your company besides making presentations.”
“Lainey, I’ll go over my entire job description some other time. Right now, I’m not going to let you deflect anymore. Tell me what’s bothering you.” He helped her out of her jacket and hung it up in her coat closet.
She went over to her refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of water. “Would you like one?”
He shook his head. “Come sit on the couch with me. I need you in my arms.”
How did he know exactly what she needed?
She went to the couch and cuddled beside him. When he had her wrapped up in his arms, he said, “Tell me.”
“It was just a crazy idea I had. It’s nothing.”
“Lainey, we’re past that point. If you have a crazy idea, or any kind of idea for that matter, and you want to discuss it with me, then go ahead. I’m not going to judge you. I promise.”
There had to be something about being wrapped up in his arms, and the spicy scent that was all Matt, that cleared away all of her angst about what she was going to ask him. Well, most of her angst.
“Interested in an all-expense paid trip to Charleston?” She mumbled the question into his chest.
He answered her without any kind of pause. “Not if you’re footing the bill.” He tipped her chin up. “So, tell me why we’re going to Charleston together.”
When Lainey looked up into Matt’s eyes, all she saw was kindness and acceptance. Something that was sorely missing when she was growing up. “It’s my parent’s fortieth wedding anniversary, and it’s going to be a weekend-long extravaganza. I mean we’re talking a real-life ball. Can you imagine growing up in a house with a ballroom?”
She watched as Matt’s eyes widened.
Lainey pushed out of Matt’s arms and reached for the water bottle on the coffee table. He took it out of her hands and untwisted the top, then handed it to her.
“I see the look on your face. You can’t imagine it. A ballroom, for goodness' sake. Granted, it’s small, but still a ballroom. She’s hosting probably eight different couples there at the house, and probably rented rooms at the highest-end hotels in town for thirty others that she deems worthy. I don’t want to think how many more servants she’ll have on hand.”
“More servants? You grew up with servants?”
Lainey took a sip of water. “Don’t hold it against me, okay?”
“But Lainey, I thought those old plantation houses were smaller than that.”
Lainey sighed. “They definitely are. My great-great-grandaddy made his money in tobacco. And my great-grandfather wasn’t much of a traditionalist, he was more of a rub-it-in-your-face kind of man. Our mansion was kind of on the small side, so he did some add-ons in the back, leaving the front as it is. He added about fifteen thousand square feet to the back. I think it’s still the largest house in South Carolina.”
Matt whistled. “Shit.”
“Wait till you see it. It’s got oak trees and Spanish moss leading up to it, interspersed with magnolias.” Lainey gave a dejected sigh.
“It sounds like you didn’t like it.”
“I was supposed to conform and be a certain type of woman. I hated it.”
She jumped when she felt Matt cup her cheek. His thumb brushed her lower lip and pulled it down so she was no longer biting it.
Lainey rubbed her cheek against his hand like a cat would. Heck, she was almost purring.
“Would you like me to go with you?”
“God yes.” She blew her bangs off her forehead. “Mom has one potential suitor lined up to escort me, but only if I lose fifteen pounds.”
“What?!” Matt sat up straight, and Lainey toppled against the arm of the sofa. “Tell me you’re not serious.”
Lainey gave a half-hearted laugh. “Wish I was. But it’s par for the course. I don’t dress right, don’t laugh right, and I bite my lip.”
“Did she really call this idiot a suitor?”
“Nope, she called him a beau.”
“Shit, Lainey, this is something out of Gone with the Wind. The next thing you’re going to tell me is that your house has a name.”
She shook off his arm and took another sip of water.
“Holy fuck, it does have a name. You gotta tell me what it is. Come on, baby, tell me. This is too good. Tell me.”
“I told you about the magnolia trees, so it kind of makes sense?”
“Lainey.” Matt’s voice was full of laughter. His brown eyes were twinkling.
“Magnolia Run.” She chugged down half the bottle of water as Matt laughed his butt off. When he continued to laugh, she started to get ticked.
“Feel free to stop anytime now.”
“I’m not sure I can,” he continued to chuckle.
“Well, try.” Her voice was sharp.
“Let me tell you something. I sure as hell am going to be attending this shindig with you. That’s for damn sure.”
“It’s going to be one of the lowest levels of purgatory, you know that, don’t you? I mean, you’re going to have to wear a tuxedo on the night of the ball, and everybody is going to be judging you the entire time. They judge me. I hate it.”
“Ah, mí amor, I don’t give a damn about me, unless it reflects badly on you. As for you, nobody better do anything that makes you feel bad in my presence, or I’ll rip their head off and shit down their neck.”
Lainey jerked backward, her eyes wide. “Did you just say that?”
Matt didn’t look like himself. He looked dangerous. “I sure as hell did. Look, Lainey, you’re one of the sweetest, most loving and generous people I’ve ever met. If somebody thinks that they can do something to put you down, I’m not going to allow it. End of story.”
“Uhm. Okay.”
This was definitely not the reaction she was expecting from a scientist. Weren’t they supposed to be a little more mild-mannered? A little more cerebral?
“You don’t have to worry about me. I’m used to it,” she smiled.
“Well, get un-used to it. And you’re damned right I’m going, and no you’re not paying for me. I’ve got my own damned money. Let’s not stay at Cherry Bud Walk. Let’s stay at one of the hotels.”
Lainey giggled. “It’s Magnolia Run, and you know it. We have to stay there; it will be expected. All the family will be there, except maybe my sister. She’s pregnant and currently on bed rest.”
“Oh. I didn’t know that. Is she okay?”
She enjoyed hearing the concern in his voice. But then again, what didn’t she like? Strike that. What didn’t she adore about this man?
“Don’t worry, her doctor said she’s just fine. It was Bennett’s idea to go on bed rest. And speaking of bed. I’m tired of talking about my family. I think it’s time to go to bed. What do you think?”
“I’m all in,” Matt grinned.